If you cling to your life, you will lose it;
but if you give it up for me, you will find it.
Matthew 10:39
Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary & carry heavy burdens,
& I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28
No matter what happens, always be thankful,
for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
Don't be afraid or discouraged,
for the Lord is the One who goes before you.
He will be with you.
He will neither fail you or forsake you.
Deuteronomy 31:8
Tuesday, October 31, 2017
Monday, October 30, 2017
sometimes words fail me
Sometimes words fail me.
This morning is one of those mornings.
Find solace & inspiration from the encouragement of Psalm 139.
Psalm 139
1 O LORD, you have examined my heart
and know everything about me.
2 You know when I sit down or stand up.
You know my thoughts even when I'm far away.
3 You see me when I travel
and when I rest at home.
You know everything I do.
4 You know what I am going to say
even before I say it, LORD.
5 You go before me and follow me.
You place your hand of blessing on my head.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too great for me to understand!
7 I can never escape from your Spirit!
I can never get away from your presence!
8 If I go up to heaven, you are there;
if I go down to the grave,* you are there.
9 If I ride the wings of the morning,
if I dwell by the farthest oceans,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
and your strength will support me.
11 I could ask the darkness to hide me
and the light around me to become night—
12 but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.
To you the night shines as bright as day.
Darkness and light are the same to you.
13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
and knit me together in my mother's womb.
14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
16 You saw me before I was born.
Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
before a single day had passed.
17 How precious are your thoughts about me,* O God.
They cannot be numbered!
18 I can't even count them;
they outnumber the grains of sand!
And when I wake up,
you are still with me!
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 Point out anything in me that offends you,
and lead me along the path of everlasting life.
This morning is one of those mornings.
Find solace & inspiration from the encouragement of Psalm 139.
Psalm 139
1 O LORD, you have examined my heart
and know everything about me.
2 You know when I sit down or stand up.
You know my thoughts even when I'm far away.
3 You see me when I travel
and when I rest at home.
You know everything I do.
4 You know what I am going to say
even before I say it, LORD.
5 You go before me and follow me.
You place your hand of blessing on my head.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too great for me to understand!
7 I can never escape from your Spirit!
I can never get away from your presence!
8 If I go up to heaven, you are there;
if I go down to the grave,* you are there.
9 If I ride the wings of the morning,
if I dwell by the farthest oceans,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
and your strength will support me.
11 I could ask the darkness to hide me
and the light around me to become night—
12 but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.
To you the night shines as bright as day.
Darkness and light are the same to you.
13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
and knit me together in my mother's womb.
14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
16 You saw me before I was born.
Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
before a single day had passed.
17 How precious are your thoughts about me,* O God.
They cannot be numbered!
18 I can't even count them;
they outnumber the grains of sand!
And when I wake up,
you are still with me!
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 Point out anything in me that offends you,
and lead me along the path of everlasting life.
Sunday, October 29, 2017
You tell me.
Matthew 17
14 At the foot of the mountain (after the transfiguration), a large crowd was waiting for them (Jesus, Peter, James, & John).
A man came and knelt before Jesus and said,
15 "Lord, have mercy on my son.
He has seizures and suffers terribly.
He often falls into the fire or into the water.
16 So I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn't heal him."
17 Jesus said,
"You faithless and corrupt people! How long must I be with you?
How long must I put up with you?
Bring the boy here to me."
18 Then Jesus rebuked the demon in the boy, and it left him.
From that moment the boy was well.
19 Afterward the disciples asked Jesus privately, "Why couldn't we cast out that demon?"
20 "You don't have enough faith," Jesus told them.
"I tell you the truth,
if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it would move. Nothing would be impossible."
This event is right after the Transfiguration, when Jesus took Peter, James, & John up on a mountain, & Moses & Elijah appeared to Jesus.
There at the end of this passage Jesus says this...
"...if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it would move. Nothing would be impossible."
What did Jesus mean by this?
In our work a day world, what are the practical implications of this?
I'm not talking about the super duper mystical fantasimical not based in reality stuff we hear from prosperity gospel televangelists or blithely naive wishful thinkers.
I'm talking about hard core realistic down to earth harsh light of day reality.
What is the living out of this statement by Jesus look like in the 2nd half of the 2nd decade of the 21st century?
You tell me.
14 At the foot of the mountain (after the transfiguration), a large crowd was waiting for them (Jesus, Peter, James, & John).
A man came and knelt before Jesus and said,
15 "Lord, have mercy on my son.
He has seizures and suffers terribly.
He often falls into the fire or into the water.
16 So I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn't heal him."
17 Jesus said,
"You faithless and corrupt people! How long must I be with you?
How long must I put up with you?
Bring the boy here to me."
18 Then Jesus rebuked the demon in the boy, and it left him.
From that moment the boy was well.
19 Afterward the disciples asked Jesus privately, "Why couldn't we cast out that demon?"
20 "You don't have enough faith," Jesus told them.
"I tell you the truth,
if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it would move. Nothing would be impossible."
This event is right after the Transfiguration, when Jesus took Peter, James, & John up on a mountain, & Moses & Elijah appeared to Jesus.
There at the end of this passage Jesus says this...
"...if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it would move. Nothing would be impossible."
What did Jesus mean by this?
In our work a day world, what are the practical implications of this?
I'm not talking about the super duper mystical fantasimical not based in reality stuff we hear from prosperity gospel televangelists or blithely naive wishful thinkers.
I'm talking about hard core realistic down to earth harsh light of day reality.
What is the living out of this statement by Jesus look like in the 2nd half of the 2nd decade of the 21st century?
You tell me.
Saturday, October 28, 2017
if..., then.
Matthew 16
24 Then Jesus said to his disciples,
"If any of you wants to be my follower,
you must turn from your selfish ways,
take up your cross,
and follow me.
25 If you try to hang on to your life,
you will lose it.
But if you give up your life for my sake,
you will save it.
26 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world
but lose your own soul?
Is anything worth more than your soul?
Jesus makes it pretty clear.
If we want to be a follower of His, then here's what we have to be & do.
And that flies in the face of "conventional wisdom".
It feels like there's a lot of people in places of influence & power these days who are very busy "gaining the whole world" & blithely unaware or uncaring that their souls are going down the tube.
Unfortunately, we only look at what we potentially may be losing in a life turned over to the control of the Lord.
We don't look at what we gain if we do.
We have a life in tune with the God of the universes who is holy, omnipotent, eternal, unimaginably infinitely the embodiment of love.
Just a thought...
24 Then Jesus said to his disciples,
"If any of you wants to be my follower,
you must turn from your selfish ways,
take up your cross,
and follow me.
25 If you try to hang on to your life,
you will lose it.
But if you give up your life for my sake,
you will save it.
26 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world
but lose your own soul?
Is anything worth more than your soul?
Jesus makes it pretty clear.
If we want to be a follower of His, then here's what we have to be & do.
And that flies in the face of "conventional wisdom".
It feels like there's a lot of people in places of influence & power these days who are very busy "gaining the whole world" & blithely unaware or uncaring that their souls are going down the tube.
Unfortunately, we only look at what we potentially may be losing in a life turned over to the control of the Lord.
We don't look at what we gain if we do.
We have a life in tune with the God of the universes who is holy, omnipotent, eternal, unimaginably infinitely the embodiment of love.
Just a thought...
Friday, October 27, 2017
X
Psalm 10
1 O LORD, why do you stand so far away?
Why do you hide when I am in trouble?
2 The wicked arrogantly hunt down the poor.
Let them be caught in the evil they plan for others.
3 For they brag about their evil desires;
they praise the greedy and curse the LORD.
4 The wicked are too proud to seek God.
They seem to think that God is dead.
5 Yet they succeed in everything they do.
They do not see your punishment awaiting them.
They sneer at all their enemies.
6 They think, "Nothing bad will ever happen to us!
We will be free of trouble forever!"
7 Their mouths are full of cursing, lies, and threats.
Trouble and evil are on the tips of their tongues.
8 They lurk in ambush in the villages, waiting to murder innocent people.
They are always searching for helpless victims.
9 Like lions crouched in hiding, they wait to pounce on the helpless.
Like hunters they capture the helpless and drag them away in nets.
10 Their helpless victims are crushed;
they fall beneath the strength of the wicked.
11 The wicked think, "God isn't watching us!
He has closed his eyes and won't even see what we do!"
12 Arise, O LORD!
Punish the wicked, O God!
Do not ignore the helpless!
13 Why do the wicked get away with despising God?
They think, "God will never call us to account."
14 But you see the trouble and grief they cause.
You take note of it and punish them.
The helpless put their trust in you.
You defend the orphans.
15 Break the arms of these wicked, evil people!
Go after them until the last one is destroyed.
16 The LORD is king forever and ever!
The godless nations will vanish from the land.
17 LORD, you know the hopes of the helpless.
Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them.
18 You will bring justice to the orphans and the oppressed,
so mere people can no longer terrify them.
1 O LORD, why do you stand so far away?
Why do you hide when I am in trouble?
2 The wicked arrogantly hunt down the poor.
Let them be caught in the evil they plan for others.
3 For they brag about their evil desires;
they praise the greedy and curse the LORD.
4 The wicked are too proud to seek God.
They seem to think that God is dead.
5 Yet they succeed in everything they do.
They do not see your punishment awaiting them.
They sneer at all their enemies.
6 They think, "Nothing bad will ever happen to us!
We will be free of trouble forever!"
7 Their mouths are full of cursing, lies, and threats.
Trouble and evil are on the tips of their tongues.
8 They lurk in ambush in the villages, waiting to murder innocent people.
They are always searching for helpless victims.
9 Like lions crouched in hiding, they wait to pounce on the helpless.
Like hunters they capture the helpless and drag them away in nets.
10 Their helpless victims are crushed;
they fall beneath the strength of the wicked.
11 The wicked think, "God isn't watching us!
He has closed his eyes and won't even see what we do!"
12 Arise, O LORD!
Punish the wicked, O God!
Do not ignore the helpless!
13 Why do the wicked get away with despising God?
They think, "God will never call us to account."
14 But you see the trouble and grief they cause.
You take note of it and punish them.
The helpless put their trust in you.
You defend the orphans.
15 Break the arms of these wicked, evil people!
Go after them until the last one is destroyed.
16 The LORD is king forever and ever!
The godless nations will vanish from the land.
17 LORD, you know the hopes of the helpless.
Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them.
18 You will bring justice to the orphans and the oppressed,
so mere people can no longer terrify them.
Thursday, October 26, 2017
RTBEDWF
This is from a couple of days ago that I think didn't get published somehow. Sorry...
Don't be afraid,
for I am with you.
Don't be dismayed
for I am your God.
I will strengthen you.
I will help you.
I will uphold you w/ My victorious right hand.
Isaiah 41:10
Don't be afraid or discouraged,
for the Lord is the One who goes before you.
He will be with you.
He will neither fail you or forsake you.
Deuteronomy 31 :8
These are 2 of the verses God gave me to hold on to during 2017.
I can't tell you how many times these 2 verses were the knot at the end of my rope.
I held on to the first 3 words with a death grip - "don't be afraid".
So many times I've walked through my day, reminding myself of those 3 words - "don't be afraid".
I haven't been fearless, but I know I've been a whole lot less afraid is I hadn't had them.
How did I manage before I started reading the Bible every day without fail?
Not well, I'd say.
Now I think it would be insane if I didn't read the Bible every day.
I've taken to putting the initials for that thought in my Twitter & Facebook status...
RTBEDWF
Read the Bible every day without fail
If someone were to ask me the greatest piece of advice I could give them, it would be Read the Bible every day without fail - RTBEDWF
I plan to be cremated & have my ashes scattered, but if I were going to have a head stone, I have them chisel in there Read the Bible every day without fail - RTBEDWF
If I were to get a tattoo (& I may! ), one of the first possibilities would be Read the Bible every day without fail - RTBEDWF
Read the Bible every day without fail.
Don't be afraid,
for I am with you.
Don't be dismayed
for I am your God.
I will strengthen you.
I will help you.
I will uphold you w/ My victorious right hand.
Isaiah 41:10
Don't be afraid or discouraged,
for the Lord is the One who goes before you.
He will be with you.
He will neither fail you or forsake you.
Deuteronomy 31 :8
These are 2 of the verses God gave me to hold on to during 2017.
I can't tell you how many times these 2 verses were the knot at the end of my rope.
I held on to the first 3 words with a death grip - "don't be afraid".
So many times I've walked through my day, reminding myself of those 3 words - "don't be afraid".
I haven't been fearless, but I know I've been a whole lot less afraid is I hadn't had them.
How did I manage before I started reading the Bible every day without fail?
Not well, I'd say.
Now I think it would be insane if I didn't read the Bible every day.
I've taken to putting the initials for that thought in my Twitter & Facebook status...
RTBEDWF
Read the Bible every day without fail
If someone were to ask me the greatest piece of advice I could give them, it would be Read the Bible every day without fail - RTBEDWF
I plan to be cremated & have my ashes scattered, but if I were going to have a head stone, I have them chisel in there Read the Bible every day without fail - RTBEDWF
If I were to get a tattoo (& I may! ), one of the first possibilities would be Read the Bible every day without fail - RTBEDWF
Read the Bible every day without fail.
who's responsible
...our God will make you worthy of the life to which He called you. 2 Thessalonians 1:11
As I look back over my life, & as I look at it now, I see how many times I've been placed in situations that were completely & utterly beyond my skill set.
And I remember how many times God gave me what it took to meet those situations.
That doesn't mean I was always brilliant or clever or amazing.
What it does mean is that I can recall many, MANY times when it was clear to any & all that God was the one making things happen, not me.
All I can say is if God clearly leads us to be or do something, He is the one responsible for the outcome, not us.
Our responsibility is to be obedient & do the best we can with who we are &/or what we have.
As I look back over my life, & as I look at it now, I see how many times I've been placed in situations that were completely & utterly beyond my skill set.
And I remember how many times God gave me what it took to meet those situations.
That doesn't mean I was always brilliant or clever or amazing.
What it does mean is that I can recall many, MANY times when it was clear to any & all that God was the one making things happen, not me.
All I can say is if God clearly leads us to be or do something, He is the one responsible for the outcome, not us.
Our responsibility is to be obedient & do the best we can with who we are &/or what we have.
Wednesday, October 25, 2017
Psalm 8
Psalm 8
1 O LORD, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!
Your glory is higher than the heavens.
2 You have taught children and infants to tell of your strength,
silencing your enemies and all who oppose you.
3 When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—
the moon and the stars you set in place—
4 what are mere mortals that you should think about them,
human beings that you should care for them?
5 Yet you made them only a little lower than God
and crowned them with glory and honor.
6 You gave them charge of everything you made,
putting all things under their authority—
7 the flocks and the herds
and all the wild animals,
8 the birds in the sky,
the fish in the sea,
and everything that swims the ocean currents.
9 O LORD, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!
1 O LORD, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!
Your glory is higher than the heavens.
2 You have taught children and infants to tell of your strength,
silencing your enemies and all who oppose you.
3 When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—
the moon and the stars you set in place—
4 what are mere mortals that you should think about them,
human beings that you should care for them?
5 Yet you made them only a little lower than God
and crowned them with glory and honor.
6 You gave them charge of everything you made,
putting all things under their authority—
7 the flocks and the herds
and all the wild animals,
8 the birds in the sky,
the fish in the sea,
and everything that swims the ocean currents.
9 O LORD, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!
Monday, October 23, 2017
come, rest
Jesus said,
"Come to me,
all of you who are weary
& carry heavy burdens,
& I will give you rest."
Matthew 11:28
Is there anybody reading this who is just plain weary, worn out with life, or things, or people, or relationships, or whatever?
Jesus says come to Him.
He also simply says He'll give us rest.
Hmmmmmmm....
And is there anybody reading this that is carrying a heavy burden - like an impossible situation, or responsibility that is overwhelming you, or the ramifications of a terrible choice, or trapped in something or with someone, or some sort of any kind of thing that is a tough load to tote?
Jesus says come to Him.
He also says to us too that He'll give us rest if we turn to Him.
Hmmmmmmmmmmmm...
So, what's stopping us?
Are we THAT independent, or afraid to let go, or we have to handle this on our own, or what?
Jesus says to come to Him.
The eternal, holy, omnipotent God of the universes simply says for us to come to Him.
And if we do, we will find the one thing we lack - rest.
Why don't we give Him a chance to be & do what He says He wants to be & do?
"Come to me,
all of you who are weary
& carry heavy burdens,
& I will give you rest."
Matthew 11:28
Is there anybody reading this who is just plain weary, worn out with life, or things, or people, or relationships, or whatever?
Jesus says come to Him.
He also simply says He'll give us rest.
Hmmmmmmm....
And is there anybody reading this that is carrying a heavy burden - like an impossible situation, or responsibility that is overwhelming you, or the ramifications of a terrible choice, or trapped in something or with someone, or some sort of any kind of thing that is a tough load to tote?
Jesus says come to Him.
He also says to us too that He'll give us rest if we turn to Him.
Hmmmmmmmmmmmm...
So, what's stopping us?
Are we THAT independent, or afraid to let go, or we have to handle this on our own, or what?
Jesus says to come to Him.
The eternal, holy, omnipotent God of the universes simply says for us to come to Him.
And if we do, we will find the one thing we lack - rest.
Why don't we give Him a chance to be & do what He says He wants to be & do?
Sunday, October 22, 2017
letting go
"If you cling to your life,
you will lose it;
but if you give it up for Me,
you will find it."
Jesus in Matthew 10:39
In 2008 & 2009 this was one of the primary verses God gave me for those years.
I was in tremendous transition back then.
He was challenging me to do something I thought no one in their right mind would allow me to do.
Every time I say "But God...", over & over God would whisper back "don't cling to your life".
Well, I walked toward that challenge.
The doors opened.
And the results of that obedience produced the most halcyon days of my life.
As I read these words this morning, it felt like God whispered again to me...
"don't cling to your life..."
I thought most of the life I've known has disappeared.
Maybe it not only has to disappear, but I have to let it go?
And who will I be now?
you will lose it;
but if you give it up for Me,
you will find it."
Jesus in Matthew 10:39
In 2008 & 2009 this was one of the primary verses God gave me for those years.
I was in tremendous transition back then.
He was challenging me to do something I thought no one in their right mind would allow me to do.
Every time I say "But God...", over & over God would whisper back "don't cling to your life".
Well, I walked toward that challenge.
The doors opened.
And the results of that obedience produced the most halcyon days of my life.
As I read these words this morning, it felt like God whispered again to me...
"don't cling to your life..."
I thought most of the life I've known has disappeared.
Maybe it not only has to disappear, but I have to let it go?
And who will I be now?
Saturday, October 21, 2017
notorious
Matthew 9
9 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector's booth.
"Follow me and be my disciple," Jesus said to him.
So Matthew got up and followed him.
10 Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests,
along with many tax collectors and other notorious sinners.
11 But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples,
"Why does your teacher eat with such scum?*"
12 When Jesus heard this, he said,
"Healthy people don't need a doctor—sick people do."
13 Then he added,
"Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture:
'I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.'
For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous,
but those who know they are sinners."
There's some interesting things about this passage...
Back then, I wonder what a "notorious" sinner was.
Considering the plethora of awful & heinous things people were & did, there was quite an array of choices
Of course, today there's an equal array of sins for us to choose from, it's just that they are infinitely more socially acceptable, & not considered sins anymore!
I find it interesting that these notorious sinners actually wanted to be around Jesus.
There must have been something about Him that drew them to Him.
Of course, today we have just the opposite - I don't get the feeling many folks who might fall into that notorious sinner category have any desire to be around Christians.
There must be something about Christians that influence that feeling from them?
I think the Pharisees reaction to Jesus hanging out with notorious sinners is typical of religious leaders back then as well as religious leaders today.
But the main thing that always comes to mind whenever I read this is the basic question...
Do non-believers want to hang out around me?
Do they feel loved & valued?
Does my connection with Jesus influence them to think about Him?
Or does the thought my relationship with Him only turn them off?
Do I simply love people enough / channel God's love enough, & let God be responsible for the rest?
And do I care what the super-Christians around me think about my hanging out with non-believers?
9 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector's booth.
"Follow me and be my disciple," Jesus said to him.
So Matthew got up and followed him.
10 Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests,
along with many tax collectors and other notorious sinners.
11 But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples,
"Why does your teacher eat with such scum?*"
12 When Jesus heard this, he said,
"Healthy people don't need a doctor—sick people do."
13 Then he added,
"Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture:
'I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.'
For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous,
but those who know they are sinners."
There's some interesting things about this passage...
Back then, I wonder what a "notorious" sinner was.
Considering the plethora of awful & heinous things people were & did, there was quite an array of choices
Of course, today there's an equal array of sins for us to choose from, it's just that they are infinitely more socially acceptable, & not considered sins anymore!
I find it interesting that these notorious sinners actually wanted to be around Jesus.
There must have been something about Him that drew them to Him.
Of course, today we have just the opposite - I don't get the feeling many folks who might fall into that notorious sinner category have any desire to be around Christians.
There must be something about Christians that influence that feeling from them?
I think the Pharisees reaction to Jesus hanging out with notorious sinners is typical of religious leaders back then as well as religious leaders today.
But the main thing that always comes to mind whenever I read this is the basic question...
Do non-believers want to hang out around me?
Do they feel loved & valued?
Does my connection with Jesus influence them to think about Him?
Or does the thought my relationship with Him only turn them off?
Do I simply love people enough / channel God's love enough, & let God be responsible for the rest?
And do I care what the super-Christians around me think about my hanging out with non-believers?
Friday, October 20, 2017
live wisely
Live wisely among those who are not Christians,
& make the most of every opportunity.
Let your conversation be gracious & effective
so that you will have the right answer for everyone.
Colossians 4:5-6
Paul wrote this in his letter to the followers of Jesus in Colossae.
Paul lived in during the peak of the Roman Empire, which is not place & time known for its virtue.
But then, sometimes I wonder if our day & time would be considered in many ways similar.
Bottom line, Paul challenges the Colossians to be gracious to non Christians.
Sometimes it feels like we Christians here in America have lost that talent.
It feels like we spend a awful lot of time these days defending or demanding our rights & privileges.
Maybe we should remember that anyone who tries to communicate & live out the simple mandate of Jesus to love God & love other will always be experiencing pushback or negative response.
Remember that they killed Jesus because of what He said & did.
And they killed / martyred people ever since for the same reasons.
And yet, Paul says to "live wisely" & "make the most of every opportunity".
How can we do that while many among us seem to be such strident voices demanding our white evangelical privilege?
Let's pretend for a minute...
Let's assume there is a mission board crazy enough to commission you & I as missionaries to Northern China.
What Paul said in those two verses would make total sense.
As we lived among the people in our town / area of Northern China, we'd try to woo & win those people who are around us, asking God to channel His love through us to the people we connect with.
We'd always be cognizant of people's reactions to who we are & what we do, using both as a port of entry with anyone in our sphere.
We wouldn't be pushy or demanding of any rights or privileges as Christians - that would be really stupid.
Our job would be to build bridges of connection, not be some oversensitive pouty jackass expecting some sort of parity simply because we hold certain religious beliefs.
That would be immensely counterproductive to the mission given us by the Lord, & the mission board crazy enough to send us there.
So why wouldn't all that reality not only apply to us as missionaries to Northern China but also to us as missionaries to people in whatever place or locale we live in here in America?
& make the most of every opportunity.
Let your conversation be gracious & effective
so that you will have the right answer for everyone.
Colossians 4:5-6
Paul wrote this in his letter to the followers of Jesus in Colossae.
Paul lived in during the peak of the Roman Empire, which is not place & time known for its virtue.
But then, sometimes I wonder if our day & time would be considered in many ways similar.
Bottom line, Paul challenges the Colossians to be gracious to non Christians.
Sometimes it feels like we Christians here in America have lost that talent.
It feels like we spend a awful lot of time these days defending or demanding our rights & privileges.
Maybe we should remember that anyone who tries to communicate & live out the simple mandate of Jesus to love God & love other will always be experiencing pushback or negative response.
Remember that they killed Jesus because of what He said & did.
And they killed / martyred people ever since for the same reasons.
And yet, Paul says to "live wisely" & "make the most of every opportunity".
How can we do that while many among us seem to be such strident voices demanding our white evangelical privilege?
Let's pretend for a minute...
Let's assume there is a mission board crazy enough to commission you & I as missionaries to Northern China.
What Paul said in those two verses would make total sense.
As we lived among the people in our town / area of Northern China, we'd try to woo & win those people who are around us, asking God to channel His love through us to the people we connect with.
We'd always be cognizant of people's reactions to who we are & what we do, using both as a port of entry with anyone in our sphere.
We wouldn't be pushy or demanding of any rights or privileges as Christians - that would be really stupid.
Our job would be to build bridges of connection, not be some oversensitive pouty jackass expecting some sort of parity simply because we hold certain religious beliefs.
That would be immensely counterproductive to the mission given us by the Lord, & the mission board crazy enough to send us there.
So why wouldn't all that reality not only apply to us as missionaries to Northern China but also to us as missionaries to people in whatever place or locale we live in here in America?
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