Thursday, May 12

THURSDAY, MAY 12, 2016

 

1 SAMUEL 12:1–13:23

JOHN 7:1–30

PSALM 108:1–13

PROVERBS 15:4

 

 

The Israelites begged for a king, longing to follow the example of the peoples around them.  In so doing, the Israelites rejected God's authority over them in order to seek a worldly, tangible authority.  Shortly thereafter, the nation will begin its historical pattern of rising and falling on its leadership's commitment to honoring God and His law.  With some notable exceptions, this leadership would not follow the model and would drive disappointment and strife.

 

In contrast, the early Christian church sought to provide bottom-up leadership, based on self-sacrifice and pouring out the love of Christ to a hurting world.  Clement, an early church father, explained that the Christian ought to build up his or her brothers and sisters:  “He impoverishes himself out of love, so that he is certain he may never overlook a brother in need, especially if he knows he can bear poverty better than his brother.  He likewise considers the pain of another as his own pain. And if he suffers any hardship because of having given out of his own poverty, he does not complain.”

 

While we are called to love one another in the church, the early Christians exemplified an others-mindedness that extended beyond their own circles.  Diogenetes described this love of Christ displayed in the world:  “They dwell in their own countries, but simply as sojourners.  As citizens, they share in all things with others and yet endure all things as if foreigners.  Every foreign land is to them as their native country, and every land of their birth as a land of strangers.  They marry, as do all others; they beget children; but they do not destroy their offspring.  They have a common table, but not a common bed. They are in the flesh, but they do not live after the flesh.  They pass their days on earth, but they are citizens of heaven.  They obey the prescribed laws, and at the same time surpass the laws by their lives. They love all men and are persecuted by all.  They are unknown and condemned; they are put to death and restored to life.  They are poor yet make many rich; they are in lack of all things and yet abound in all; they are dishonored and yet in their very dishonor are glorified.  They are evil spoken of and yet are justified; they are reviled and bless; they are insulted and repay the insult with honor; they do good yet are punished as evildoers.  When punished, they rejoice as if quickened into life; they are assailed by the Jews as foreigners and are persecuted by the Greeks; yet those who hate them are unable to assign any reason for their hatred.  To sum it all up in one word -- what the soul is to the body, that are Christians in the world.”

 

In a world challenged in many ways, we must re-dedicate our hearts to living as the salt of the earth and placing the Gospel life on display.  How may we give of ourselves so that others may become rich?  How may we demonstrate the life transformation that Christ has triggered in order to bring hope to hurting people?

 

 

Lord Jesus, we seek to display Your lovingkindness in a hurting and broken world.  Give us tangible means by which we may bless and serve those around us.  We sense that the world desperately needs Your presence and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  Help us to bring Your truth and hope and to pierce the darkness with the light of the Gospel.  In Your Name, amen.

 

 

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