Why The World Shakes Its Fist At God And What We Should Do About It

"You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. ”  – Matthew 5:43-45

 There are things in this life that happen to all people – the lost and the saved. That is not the measure of the presence or absence of God. But, since that is true – the Lost might very well ask “Where is your God? What difference does belief in God make in the lives of men?” Actually that is a very good question.  Since you were born again by the Spirit through faith in Jesus, you know what the difference is, but expressing it in words to a world that is speeding pell-mell toward an eternity in hell, often fails us. The testimony of how you live and love in the world will speak much louder than any words that you might say or write. As the world spins its way into eternity, what is not apparent to mankind is the presence of the Spirit and His influence on the affairs of men.

 “And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He [The Spirit of God] who now restrains will do so until He [the Spirit of God] is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” – 2 Thessalonians 2:6-12

 From time to time, we get a glimpse of “evil unleashed”. When people do horrific things to other people. It is the presence of the Spirit of God that restrains Evil from its full revelation on earth.  On social media, I see many Christians asking the question, “Are we entering the End of Days?” Life on earth is as bad as any of the generations that are living have ever seen – lawlessness – famine – earthquakes – natural disasters – man-made disasters – wars. And the Saints cry out – “Jesus come quickly!”  But, only the Father knows when that will be – when He declares it.  When the Saints will meet Jesus in the clouds. Therefore, obviously none of us knows when but what we do we do know is that it will happen. In the meantime, what to do?

 The world is shaking its fist at God in defiance. Embracing that which God declares as wrong and contrary to His creative intent. But mankind, since Adam, has wanted to be its own god.  Make its own decisions – decide for itself what is right and what is wrong. It is the presence of the Spirit of God that restrains mankind.  For now, there is a limit to what God will allow. But one day, God will remove the influence of the Spirit and leave mankind to itself. At that time the world will feel the full weight and furry of sin.

 So long as there is a Christian who walks the earth, the Spirit of God will be present. Think about it. Firstly, we have been sealed by the Spirit.

 “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise” – Ephesians 1:13

Secondly, we, individually and so corporately, are the temple of the Holy Spirit!

 “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?” – 1 Corinthians 6:19

Our spiritual birth and nature is dependent upon the presence of the Holy Spirit in us. His presence in the believer is what enables each of us to be born again.

 “Jesus answered, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.’” – John 3:5-8

 Do you see why it is so important for all Christians to let their light shine in this dark – defiant world?  Why we should show love first to other Christians, and then to the world in the face of the hatred and defiance that runs rampant in every culture? Do you understand why there should be unity on the Body of Christ in the face of worldly division between races and cultures? People will not see God in the weather or in the day to day affairs of men.  They will see God in the Body of Christ as it lives out its purpose of being a peculiar people – a holy nation.  The world needs to see Jesus in us by our love and unity that is derived by our new nature and not our vain attempts to love and unite by the power of our failed flesh. A Christians we are all His ambassadors.

 “These things I command you, that you love one another. If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” – John 15:17-19

The world is shaking its fist at God.  Don’t be surprised when it shakes it fist at you too.  Don’t use your cultures acceptance of you as an indicator that all is well.  If the world embraces you, is very likely because you have embraced the world and have joined the crowd and raised your fist at God as well.

Let your light shine!

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone

Two Kinds Of Anger – One is Good – One is Not

"Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’ ”  – Matthew 21:12-13

I know a number of people, men in particular, that use Jesus' actions as an excuse for their anger.  There are two types of anger. Righteous anger and sinful anger.  The first is derived from God’s view of sin and the second from the emotions of the heart of man.  I was visiting with a homeowner – a single mom – looking at some work done by someone who did not have the skills to do what they did to her home.  We were coming in to fix what was wrong. Their work had caused other problems in her home as well. What I saw was a woman who had asked for a fish and was given a snake.

“Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?” – Matthew 7:20-21

I could see the struggle in her eyes.  The weight of the trouble she was feeling.  I asked her if she knew what righteous anger was? Not wanting to say, “No” she said, “I think so but please remind me.” I told her what it was and then that I was feeling that anger looking at what had been done to her home. She had been robbed in essence. Poor workmanship done at a premium price.  Righteous anger is not an expression of emotions out of control – hurtful – abusive – demeaning. It is controlled – focused – God-honoring. It is not something that you must come back later and apologize for. Psychologist say that anger is a secondary emotion – a reflection of something else – it is. That something else might be from natural emotions or from a holy God. There is so much that could be said about anger that I will not attempt in this writing – could not contain in a few paragraphs.

“the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” – Galatians 5:22-25

Righteous anger is controlled and constrained by the Spirit.  It motivates to action to set right. It is not harmful to others. There is no excuse for the expression of the other kind of anger but there is a reason – it is sin – coming from a heart that is not yielded to the Spirit.  I am certain that some who struggle with anger will not like or perhaps agree with me.  After all the culture will say it is important to express your anger – to not suppress it until you “explode”. Tell me how that fits with your new live in Christ?

There is a quote from “The Hulk”, David Banner, “Don’t make me angry, you won’t like me when I am angry.” Perhaps said another way – “Don’t make me show you my old nature. You won’t like my old nature.” It bothers some people I know that I don’t get angry – or they never see me angry. I would like to think that it is because my heart constrained by the Spirit of God, but I know that I am still vulnerable to sin.  We all are. The point of this devotion is to encourage you to not try to justify your natural anger.  Don’t blame people for making you angry. Abusers do that. It is not their fault – somebody made them sin. No - actually they chose to. Let me share some other verses from Galatians.

“Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” – Galatians 5:19-21

Did you see anger in the middle of that? I am not making this stuff up.  Hopefully I am revealing truth to somebody that needs to see it and repent. There are a number of works of the flesh that you can see in that list and feel good about yourself because they don’t apply to you. Focus on the ones that do apply and repent – today. And if you are thinking, oh I have tried to not be that way but I just can’t stop.  Stop trying harder and start faithing harder. You cannot defeat the desires of your flesh on your own!

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone

The Fruit Is A Product Of The Root

"I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing."  – John 15:5

 I am watching some tomato plants growing outside of our kitchen window.  They seem to be struggling a bit.  I see blossoms but then no fruit – no tomatoes.  They are getting plenty of sun and water.  They are in good soil. But then I think, maybe it is not the soil, sunlight or water – maybe it’s the plant. Jesus spoke of Himself as the Vine and us as the branches which produce fruit. To continue that analogy a little further – the Father is the root – that to which the vine is connected and finds its sustenance. The Spirit is what makes the fruit on the branches possible.  Everything is connected and dependent upon the Root.  So then, what value is the branch if there is not fruit – the very reason why there is a branch – the branches fulfillment of its purpose is to produce fruit.

 Translate that my life, and yours.  If I am not connected to the root through the Vine, there will be nor fruit.  Or said in another way, if I am not connected to the Father through the Son by the Spirit  - there will be no fruit – I will not fulfill my God-given purpose. These are some words that describe our God-given purpose – Light, Unity, Love, Sacrifice, Obedience

 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” – Matthew 5:14-16

 If you are silent when others are treated badly – in the face of wrongful actions – you have put your light under a basket.

 “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called,  with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” – Ephesians 4:1-3

 If there is separation in the Body of Christ because of race or nationality or economics or denomination how then can we say that we are spiritual if submission to the Spirit brings unity?

 “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” – John 13:35

 If we say that we love, but refuse to show that we love by ignoring the struggle of others, we have deceived ourselves.  The love of God through the Saints is a verb not a noun. It is an action not an attitude.

“Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs.” – John 21:15

 Jesus is saying if you truly love Me – then show Me – the proof will be in how you love and care for my sheep.

 “No greater love has one man than this, then to lay down his life for his friends.” – John 15:13

 Are you willing to sacrifice  your comfort for the benefit of another person – someone that you are not biologically related to but spiritually you are family?

 “So Samuel said: ‘Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams.’” – 1 Samuel 15:22

 If you think that going to church, to Sunday School, on a mission trip, or paying your tithe is all that God expects of you  - you have missed the point. God – the Root – wants to see the fruit – which is manifested in how you relate to the Body of Christ – not just the people who look, talk and worship the way you do. It always amazed me that people would come to a country like Haiti and love on the children – share the Gospel with the people – but would not even consider walking to the other side of the road or town in their own country to get know people – Christians of a different ethnic origin.  Thinking they have nothing in common – when, in fact, they have the most important thing in common – faith in Jesus and unity by the Spirit.  

 This seems to be a time for the Church to do a self-examination. Instead of condemning the culture we live in and feeling proud that we are not like “them”, we should, instead, examine our hearts, our motives and our devotion.  Why is the Church fragmented? If the Spirit brings unity – then fragmentation can only be because of a lack of the presence of the Spirit.  Lord help us!

 By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone

There Are Times When Silence Is Not Golden

"Then we cried out to the Lord God of our fathers, and the Lord heard our voice and looked on our affliction and our labor and our oppression"  – Deuteronomy 26:7

Every week we gather – nowadays virtually – to worship God – to sing praises to His name – to see other Christians – and then we go home. Nothing wrong with that on the surface.  The thing is, God did not intend that who we are as Christians would not be summed up by what we do on Sunday.  That we would be content with having a “holy huddle” and then pull our spiritual nature back in like a turtle in its shell for the rest of the week. 

“Bear one another’s burdens and fulfill the Law of Christ” – Galatians 6:2

If I reminded you that as Christians we are all bound together into one family by the Spirit of God through faith in Jesus, I am certain you would all agree.  If I told you that God speaks to a lost world through the Body of Christ – you would probably agree but some might not know exactly how He does it. If I told you that the Church – the Body of Christ must have a voice in the face of injustice and that which is contrary to the Word of God – you might say “That is not my gift.”  Somehow thinking that you were absolved from any personal responsibility.

Some years ago I was at a meeting in Birmingham, Alabama.  Birmingham is known for a number of things – some good and some not good. At the time I was serving with the Promise Keepers ministry – a men’s ministry promoting biblical responsibility and spiritual unity.  It was a bold vision – totally dependent upon the power of the Spirit and yielded hearts of those involved. At the meeting, the leader asked a question. “How many men of color have ever had prejudice shown toward them?” Every man of color raised their hands. (Men of color is a euphemism for not-white)  Then he asked the rest of us, “How many of you have ever showed prejudice toward a man of a different color?”  Some raised their hands, in shame.  Then he said to those who had not raised their hands, “Do you even care that it happened to our brothers in this room?” Do you even care – those words have resonated with me now for nearly 25 years. 

“Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’” – Matthew 25:45

There should be a righteous indignation that comes over us when we see wrongful acts. There should be a shout from the collective Body of Christ. More than that there should be action.  I am not suggesting marching in the streets, but it could be that.  At the least the world should hear our voice. Silence is assent – agreement with what has been done.  Cain responded to God, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” The answer for the Church is “Yes we are.”  The fact that we are often physically isolated by affluence, culture or race does not mean that we are spiritual and morally separated from people who do not look or live or speak like us – especially – when they are part of the same family – when we have the same Father.

You might be surprised to know that the majority of the 60 million people in Germany during the rise of Nazi regime were Protestant, followed by Catholicism.  But the Church in Germany, on the whole remained silent.  The point of my comparison is that of silence in the face of injustice.  There is no threat of being sent to a concentration camp for speaking out when we see injustice. So why don’t we speak out.  Why is the white evangelical church largely silent over what the African American churches have gone to the streets over?

So the question arises “Do you even care?” How do those persecuted and the rest of the world know that you do care if you remain silent?

"But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion." - Luke 10:33

Church, we must stop walking on the other side of the social – cultural and ethnic road.  It is not that the priest and Levite didn’t see the man – it was that they didn’t care. And if you are guilty - then confess and repent. Today! So when you ask the Lord ... 

“Lord, when did we see you?” He will say, "When you did it to the least of these, you did it to Me."

Rise up and seize the moment! Rise up and seize the day! Be the Church that God intended.

Seeking Godly Wisdom

"Wisdom is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her."  – Proverbs 3:15

 My definition of wisdom is knowledge plus experience.  Lately a number of people have been telling me about how wise I am.  Frankly it surprised me because I don’t consider myself to be wise – at least not compared to those I consider wise. I suppose it is like the adage, “A one-eyed man is king among the blind.” In other words, being perceived as wise is relative to the people you are around.  If I know more than you about some topic then I am a relative expert.  Upon reflection, their comments caused me to remember that God is at work in me – in all of His children. We are being conformed into the image – likeness – of Jesus.

 “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son” – Romans 8:29

 I can look in a mirror and know that I must stop eating Carbs because I am packing on the pounds – but when I look in a mirror I cannot see that I look more like Jesus. That is revealed by other people and what they see in me … in you. At the same time, it is a reminder that I am not the man I used to be and you are not the man or woman you used to be.  That reminds me of a quote. 

 “I am not what I ought to be, I am not what I want to be, I am not what I hope to be in another world; but still I am not what I once used to be, and by the grace of God I am what I am.” – John Newton, author of Amazing Grace

 So back to wisdom …. My definition of wisdom is a natural one.  You can apply knowledge and experience for beneficial living. Perhaps avoiding past mistakes. Even giving good advice to others that are seeking advice.  Giving advice to those who don’t want it, who didn’t ask for it, is casting the proverbial pearls before swine.  Your words will be trampled underfoot – although they might have great value to the hears, they are unappreciated. They fall on deaf ears and are rejected by hardened hearts. Although you may care for the people you want to give advice to, there is wisdom in knowing when not to speak. Wisdom is no telling someone something they already know, it is giving the insight into what they already know or perhaps have not considered.  But they must be seeking it.  Some once said the definition of nagging is “telling someone something they already know.” We are all guilty of that – especially when we see someone we care about is making life choices that will be harmful to them.

 Spiritual wisdom defies the age of the one who has it.  It is possible to be spiritually wise and not have white hair.  Spiritual wisdom comes from God. But I guess you already know that because everything spiritual comes from God.  Wisdom is not just something that you have to benefit others. It should be of a benefit to the one who has it as well.  Following your own advice if you will.  So spiritual wisdom might be defined as “Applied Spiritual Understanding.” Reflecting back to the four ways that God speaks to us, by the Spirit through the Word, prayer, circumstance and other Believers; God speaks through other Believers as they convey spiritual wisdom – insight into the ways of God.

 " If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him" - James 1:5

 Spiritual wisdom is, well, spiritual at its source.  It makes sense that if we understand its value for right living then we would want to have it. We would see it out. As we seek to know God more and apply the Spiritual truth revealed to us, then we see and understand the world from God’s perspective.  As we understand the “Right” intended by God we see the “wrong” that the world considers “right”. We have insight into life that cannot be taught or gleaned from books or even long life.  It comes from God. And when that wisdom is shared to those who are seeking it, their souls are refreshed like taking a drink of cool water on a hot day. It is something other-worldly that cannot be explained, but felt in the soul. 

 So, when someone tells me I am wise – I am humbled and grateful to God. Because at that moment I am reminded that “I am not what I once used to be, and by the grace of God I am what I am”

 So my friend, my prayer for you this day would be the same as Paul prayed for the church are Ephesus.

 "I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God." - Ephesians 1:16-17

 Amen

What It Means To Serve

“If the foot should say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,’ is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, ‘Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,’ is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be?” – 1 Corinthians 12:15-19

Where has God placed you in the Body? What is it that He has purposed for you to do? Are you able to rest in that place or do you desire more. There are times when we find ourselves doing something that we would prefer not to do. Lacking spiritual understanding we might think that somehow God made a mistake.  That He really doesn’t understand what we are capable of. The truth of the matter is that He absolutely does.

 I know a man who wanted to be a deacon.  He was convinced that he was supposed to be a deacon. The problem, he had been divorced, and the church he attended interpreted the scripture that a deacon had to be a husband of one wife meant that the man could not be divorced and he was.

 “Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.” – 1 Timothy 3:12

 He attended the church faithfully.  He was respected for his heart for God and his family.  But, he was disqualified from holding the office. The solution – he left the church and wen to a church that would allow him to be a deacon.

 I knew a pastor that had been a pastor in one denomination, but divorced his wife and that disqualified him as a pastor. So he left that denomination and joined one that allowed him to be a pastor even though he was divorced.

 We must be careful that we don’t whittle our beliefs down to fit our circumstances.  If we are a square peg, that we don’t trim off the corners so we will fit into the “round hole” that we desire.  Both men felt justified in their decisions and action.  Sometimes, we find ourselves disqualified from serving in one way but that does not mean we are disqualified from serving.

 “But God said to me [King David], ‘You shall not build a house for My name, because you have been a man of war and have shed blood.’” – 1 Chronicles 28:3

 David was a man after God’s own heart but was disqualified from doing certain things. The test for all three men was what they did when they were told they were disqualified.  The first two went their own way – tried to make what they were kept from doing – happen anyway. David yielded to the will of God.  And that is our challenge.  We may find ourselves in a place – a place where we don’t want to be – maybe not because we are disqualified but because God has purposed us to be there for another reason but we are not satisfied – we want to do what we have decided is the right thing to do. If we defy God why would we expect to please God?

 “And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” – Mark 9:35

 So where does God have you right now? Or perhaps the question might be, “Where do you have you right now?”  Don’t force your way into service or don’t dodge what God has for you. When the Draft was in force, some men would get a draft notice and they would, as the British say, “do a runner”  They would go to Canada or some other place.  After I was in Vietnam for 12 months, I was allowed to go on Rest and Recuperation (R&R) for 5 days.  I went to Sydney, Australia. While there, I met some American soldiers who did not go back to Vietnam after the 5 days.  They deserted.  They refused to go back to the fighting – to their duty.  I don’t know how many did that, but I can see how easy it was to do it.  

Please pardon this digression.  This was before I was born again and I often self-medicated with alcohol. I had been drinking, a lot, and found myself at a party with some of those deserters. Not sure how that happened.  Maybe I met them in a bar.  The party was in an apartment building. Your could hear the doors in the stairwell closing – booming when they closed. For whatever reason, I thought it was artillery firing – cannons, and was telling everyone to be careful because I could hear artillery.  Let me just say that I was not a hit at that party. (That memory just popped into my head)  Oh – FYI, I went back to Vietnam after my five days were up.

 The point here is that it is part of our old nature to satisfy ourselves, to go our own way, to decide what is right for us, even in the face of a greater authority.  We do it out of lust for something we want or fear that we are not capable of success, but do it we do.  Let me end this with a reference to one of my favorite verses.  Something for you to consider in light of today’s devotion.

 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” – Romans 12:1-2

The Spiritual Nature Of Our Prejudices

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” – Galatians 3:28

I am certain that you are aware of the recent death of a man caused by the actions of a police officer. Just as you are aware of the angry response, not only of the Black community, but of many others. It seems that a wrongful death always exposes other, deeper issues that run just under the surface of the relationships of the people in this country. Social justice is a reasonable expectation for the people of the United States – after all it is written in our founding documents. Those documents, at their root, reflect God’s design for mankind. So why then is there injustice – wrongful deaths – prejudice?

The problem is sin. That may seem too simple an explanation – but that is at the root of the problem of prejudice and injustice – and every other relational malady in the world. True harmony between two people, irrespective of race, color, or social standing is dependent upon the condition of their hearts. We can write laws – declare them in the documents that form a country – but laws don’t command the intentions of the heart. Apart from God, and perhaps in spite of God, mankind ( including some Christians) will always show what a sinful heart is capable of.

“And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, ‘Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?’ He said to him, ‘What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?’ So he answered and said, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.’  And He said to him, ‘You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.’ But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’” – Luke 10:25-29

In Matthew 22, Jesus answered the question. In Luke, the one who asked the question answered his own question. Living a right-life starts with God and is reflected in right relationships with other people.  In the following verses in Luke, Jesus shared the parable of the Good Samaritan. Based upon how his people were treated, this man would have justified to do what the priest and Levite did – walk on by – but he didn’t.  If I might have the liberty, let me update the setting of the story to somewhere in the United States.

(Luke 10:30-37)

“Then Jesus answered and said: ‘A certain man went down from an affluent part of the city to shop at a mall, and fell among thieves as he walked to the store, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead in an alley way. Now by chance a certain pastor, from the same side of town, came by that alleyway. And when he saw him, he passed, he was afraid for his own safety and walked quickly by. Likewise a deacon, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and he too was afraid and walked on thinking the person probably deserved what happened to him – it was someone else’s problem. He didn’t even know the man and didn’t want to get involved.  But a certain man of a different color and from a poorer side of town, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. …. [Jesus asked] So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?’ And he said, ‘The one who showed mercy on him.’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Go and do likewise.’”

People want to be treated with kindness which comes from the heart. There are many who do indeed treat others as equals even though they are not born again.  But the world does not remember them.  The press does not shout out their praises. No – people are more likely to remember the evil others do than the good.  The press elevates the bad above the good. Looking at it a different way – the press reminds us every day of why the Father sent the Son.  And when that evil happens, it only serves to confirm people’s fears and own biases.  So what to do.  Jesus called us lights on a hill – in a dark place.  We are not going to change the hearts of men – only God can do that.  But we must show the world Jesus by the way we live and love. We don’t love others that are not like us because we have to – making ourselves do it whether we want to or not – we love others because God has changed our hearts and His love dwells in us and manifests itself in the way we treat others. Unfortunately I have know many Christians who felt justified in their biases, prejudices – not because of what the Bible said but because of what their people said.

“Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me.

And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men [their fathers].” – Matthew 15:7-9

You have heard it said that “Beauty is only skin deep.” Suggesting that being attractive does not mean that you have a good heart.  But for Christians I would say “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” We may look different – speak with a different accent – live in a different part of town – but if we have been born again by the same Spirit – we are brothers and sisters by faith in Jesus. When I was living in Haiti, I would preach twice a month in Haitian churches. The first time I preached at any church I would say, “Mwen pa blan, mwen fre nou” (I am not white – I am your brother.) I didn’t want them to see me as a white man first – but as a Christian and their Brother in Christ.  I really don’t know if I convinced anyone – but it was nonetheless true. Then and now. So how can you fulfill the second greatest commandment? It starts by obeying the first and showing mercy to others. There is a great divide among people groups in this country. What is the solution? I have a friend who served with me in Mississippi.  When I would ask his, “What do you think?” His answer was always the same – no matter what the circumstance – Jesus Saves. Jesus is the answer to reconciliation of man to God and to each other.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things [including division] have passed away; behold, all things have become new [including unity and harmony]. Now all [new] things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” – 2 Corinthians 5:17-21