Boasting...

2Corinthians 11:12  And what I do I will also continue to do, in order to deny an opportunity to those who want an opportunity to be recognized as our equals in what they boast about. 13  For such boasters are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14  And no wonder! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15  So it is not strange if his ministers also disguise themselves as ministers of righteousness. Their end will match their deeds.

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2Co 12:5  On behalf of such a one I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses. 6  But if I wish to boast, I will not be a fool, for I will be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think better of me than what is seen in me or heard from me, 7  even considering the exceptional character of the revelations. Therefore, to keep me from being too elated, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, to keep me from being too elated.8  Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would leave me, 9  but he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness." So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 10  Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.

Paul writes about “boasting”. He is annoyed that there are preachers who boast about equalling his status. He suggests that the only things that they can boast about are his experiences of “weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ” . Following Jesus is not the key to fame and fortune. Let those who want to follow Jesus remember that we are not rewarded with honour and wealth; instead we are invited by Jesus ‘to take up a cross’ and follow him.[1]

Talk about suffering here below
And talk about loving Jesus.
Talk about suffering here below
And let's keep a following Jesus.

 Lyrics : Greg Graffin

Ordinary 29

51 Servants of Christ

The Scripture passage for the day is drawn from Reuben Job and Norman Shawchuck, A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and other Servants, (Nashville, The Upper Room 1983), 311.

This reflection is from my own devotional exercises for the day.

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[1] Mark 8:34-35

Being the light

Matthew 10:24  "A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master; 25  it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household! 26  "So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. 27  What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. 28  Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29  Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30  And even the hairs of your head are all counted. 31  So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows. 32  "Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; 33  but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven. 34  "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35  For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; 36  and one's foes will be members of one's own household. 37  Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38  and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39  Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. 40  "Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. 41  Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet's reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; 42  and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple--truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward."

Christ-followers are asked to live transparently and without fear. As recorded by Matthew: "nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known.   What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light”   This is the uncompromising truth that we live by. We refuse to accept bribes, or to offer service in exchange for special favours, or to use our position and status for personal benefit.

This is a personal commitment that must be sustained every day. This is also a commitment to being part of community movements such as Exposed, or Unashamedly Ethical.  Christ followers choose to live “in the light” - even if this costs us friendships and family relationships.  Our commitment is to being the light in a dark world.     

When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.

Words: John H. Sam­mis, 1887.

Ordinary 29

51 Servants of Christ

The Scripture passage for the day is drawn from Reuben Job and Norman Shawchuck, A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and other Servants, (Nashville, The Upper Room 1983), 311.

This reflection is from my own devotional exercises for the day.

  

Wise and serpents and innocent as doves...

Matthew 10:16  "See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 17  Beware of them, for they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues; 18  and you will be dragged before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them and the Gentiles. 19  When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you at that time; 20  for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21  Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; 22  and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 23  When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next; for truly I tell you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

Followers of Jesus are to anticipate struggle, persecution, betrayal, hatred and even death. We are therefore invited to “endure to the end” - when we will be saved.  This is a far cry from some modern Christians who seem to think that following Jesus will bring blessings, appreciation, love... and financial reward.

The fact is – we all want wealth, health and happiness. And so we are tempted to sign up for a religion that promises to supply this in abundance. But this is not the way of Jesus. For this reason Jesus warns us to become “wise and serpents and innocent as doves”. This asks us to become tough, stubborn, and enduring in our capacity to follow Jesus - while at the same time uncompromising in our compassion to the weak and the forgotten people who have no way of rewarding us.

Ordinary 29A / Pentecost +19

51 Servants of Christ

The Scripture passage for the day is drawn from Reuben Job and Norman Shawchuck, A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and other Servants, (Nashville, The Upper Room 1983), 311.

This reflection is from my own devotional exercises for the day.

I have seen......

Exodus 3:7 The LORD said,"I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt. I have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. 8 I have come down to deliver them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up from that land to a land that is both good and spacious, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the region of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. 9 And now indeed the cry of the Israelites has come to me, and I have also seen how severely the Egyptians oppress them. 10 So now go, and I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt."…..

…..'16"Go and bring together the elders of Israel and tell them,'The LORD, the God of your fathers, appeared to me- the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob- saying,"I have attended carefully to you and to what has been done to you in Egypt, 17 and I have promised a that I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, to a land flowing with milk and honey."

The essential nature of God is summed up in these words: "I have surely seen the affliction... I have heard their cry... I have come down to deliver them." The Divine Creator of 'all that is, seen and unseen' takes notice! This is not just seeing creation. No - this is seeing the marginalized and the outcast.

Those who are afflicted are seen/heard by God, and a Divine response can be anticipated. Nobody is too beaten down to escape the loving protection of God. All are God's creation - and the Lord God loves them all. 

 Refrain:
All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful:
The Lord God made them all.

Cecil F. Alexander, pub.1848

Ordinary 28

50 

The Scripture passage for the day is drawn from Reuben Job and Norman Shawchuck, A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and other Servants, (Nashville, The Upper Room 1983), .

This reflection is from my own devotional exercises for the day.

Who is wise?

James 3:13  Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom. 14  But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be boastful and false to the truth. 15  Such wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. 16  For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. 17  But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. 18  And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace.

This letter was written in AD49 (just before the Council of Jerusalem described in Acts 15) to Jewish Christians living in Gentile communities. It was written to challenge the hypocrisy of those who thought that they were spiritually superior – who in fact displayed un-Christian behavior.

The writer of this letter invited the “wise and understanding” to demonstrate this through “works…done with gentleness”. Those who truly have “wisdom from above” show their faith in being “peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits”. This is an invitation to abandon the hypocrisy born of spiritual arrogance, and to instead become peacemakers.

The challenge of our era is for Jesus-followers to abandon the notion that this makes us spiritually superior, and instead to cultivate a gentle spirit of service to our community.

Let me love and not be requited.
Let me serve and not be rewarded.
Let me labor and not be remembered.
Let me suffer and not be regarded.

I know not how far the future lies ahead.
On this path of no retreating I am led.
So, Lord, let me now learn from Your perfect pattern,
Suff’ring wrong, no resentment in return.

Translated from Watchman Nee 1903-1972

Ordinary 25

47 Wise Stewards

The Scripture passage for the day is drawn from Reuben Job and Norman Shawchuck, A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and other Servants, (Nashville, The Upper Room 1983), 287.
This reflection is from my own devotional exercises for the day.

An understanding mind….

1Kings 3:3  Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of his father David; only, he sacrificed and offered incense at the high places. 4  The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the principal high place; Solomon used to offer a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. 5  At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, "Ask what I should give you." 6  And Solomon said, "You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant my father David, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you; and you have kept for him this great and steadfast love, and have given him a son to sit on his throne today. 7  And now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David, although I am only a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. 8  And your servant is in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a great people, so numerous they cannot be numbered or counted. 9  Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people?" 10  It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. 11  God said to him, "Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches, or for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, 12  I now do according to your word. Indeed I give you a wise and discerning mind; no one like you has been before you and no one like you shall arise after you. 13  I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor all your life; no other king shall compare with you. 14  If you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your life."

Solomon has large shoes to fill: He succeeds two warrior kings – Saul and David. These were the leaders who used their military prowess to carve out a new national pride for the people of the Covenant. Now Solomon takes over the throne of David and offers prayers for his success. But instead of asking to become a mighty man of military skill and bravery, he asks for “an understanding mind” to govern the people well. The writer tells us that God grants him “a wise and discerning mind”, adding that this can lead to many other attributes as well – including “riches and honour”.   

I am struck by how many leaders pursue riches, honour and fame as a sign of their good leadership. Rather than wanting ‘understanding minds’, we are cursed with leaders who indulge in the single-minded determination not to be distracted by anything else but their own goals. Such a purpose-driven life excludes values like understanding and empathy for the needs of others.

Those who follow Jesus can learn from King Solomon: to desire “a wise and discerning mind”, that we might walk in the ways of God.      

Ordinary 25

47 Wise Stewards

The Scripture passage for the day is drawn from Reuben Job and Norman Shawchuck, A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and other Servants, (Nashville, The Upper Room 1983), 287.
This reflection is from my own devotional exercises for the day.

Seek the words of a wise man

Ecclesiastes 9:13  I have also seen this example of wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great to me. 14  There was a little city with few people in it. A great king came against it and besieged it, building great siege works against it. 15  Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that poor man. 16  So I said, "Wisdom is better than might; yet the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heeded." 17  The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded than the shouting of a ruler among fools. 18  Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one bungler destroys much good.

Wisdom is an elusive quality that many admire, but few achieve. The writer of Ecclesiastes aptly reminds us that we are all too easily dazzled by the grand words and visionary promises of the rich and the powerful – while the words of the wise are often unnoticed. And even when the words of a wise man are heeded, they are claimed by the powerful, while “no one remembered that poor man”.

The invitation for today is to push past the clamorous words and the noisy distractions of powerful people to listen for the quiet words of the wise.

Drop Thy still dews of quietness,
Till all our strivings cease;
Take from our souls the strain and stress,
And let our ordered lives confess
The beauty of Thy peace.

Breathe through the heats of our desire
Thy coolness and Thy balm;
Let sense be dumb, let flesh retire;
Speak through the earthquake, wind, and fire,
O still, small voice of calm.

Words: John G. Whit­ti­er, in the At­lan­tic Month­ly, Ap­ril 1872.

Ordinary 25

47 Wise Stewards

The Scripture passage for the day is drawn from Reuben Job and Norman Shawchuck, A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and other Servants, (Nashville, The Upper Room 1983), 287.
This reflection is from my own devotional exercises for the day.