LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens. Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? Psalm 8:1-4
A few weeks ago, I awoke to my alarm at 1:45 am Eastern time. I quietly put on my sweats and crept outside into our backyard. It was December 21st, the night of the Winter Solstice and a lunar eclipse. I was surprised to see that a few of my neighbors were also outside howling at the moon with me.
There in the freezing cold, I witnessed the moon slowly disappear behind the earth’s shadow, and then gradually reappear. Laying on the porch swing looking up at this natural wonder, I thought about how God created everything in the universe to work perfectly and to sustain living things. I wondered if the pastor on call was getting any crazy phone calls. I thought about men, women and children out in the freezing cold night after night due to homelessness. I was cold, but I was going back to my warm bed in 45 minutes.
The next morning, I faced a change of plans. Rather than getting ready to head downtown to my favorite coffee shop to write devotionals, I had to call the pediatric surgeons office instead. My oldest son, Sam, had food stuck in his esophagus. We thought we had resolved the problem. But, he hadn’t kept anything down for two days, and he was starving.
We ended up spending most of the day at the hospital waiting for surgery. Television and playstation were a big help in all of the waiting. A kind nurse named Candy took care of us. My suspicion is that she wasn’t just kind to us because I am one of her pastors. I think she’s kind to every patient.
The day ended with a successful hotdog-ectomy. My son and I were both thankful to have spent the day together, although there are less painful and much less expensive ways of doing that. We were thankful that we had avoided surgery for almost six years. We were thankful for kind and skillful surgeons who took care of my boy on the 17th surgery in his young life.
The God who created a universe where three heavenly bodies can align in such a way that the smallest, the moon, seems to disappear is also the same God who cares about a piece of hotdog stuck in a little boy’s esophagus. For a God who created all of the universe, what are humans by comparison? A band from my birthplace sings that “all we are is dust in the wind.” We are certainly made from dust. (Psalm 103:14) In fact, we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). But, we weren’t made merely to exist. We were made for relationship with God and with each other. We were made to fulfill God’s purpose on this earth. I find that to be truly remarkable.
What are you thankful for today? What can you praise God for? Maybe you’re thankful for not being dumb enough to get up in the middle of the night to watch the moon in the freezing cold.
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Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Colossians 4:5
This verse used to seem like a call to mind our P’s and Q’s around non-believers. Somehow if we lived our lives perfectly enough, they would be drawn to the Christian lifestyle and would start faking it with us. The problem is that none of us is anything close to perfect and that most people can’t relate to perfection. So, how are we supposed to act toward outsiders?
We live in a world where people have become jaded by false claims. Why is every “As Seen on TV” product sold for $19.95, comes with double the order plus a few others things, and ultimately ends up in our garage sales for 50 cents? Maybe because a sucker is born every minute. Seriously, do we need a brownie pan that looks like an old fashioned ice cube tray? Do we need a blanket with sleeves? Why not just put your bathrobe on like a hospital gown? Same thing.
Most people realize that anything worthwhile doesn’t come easily. Everyone who set out to get rich quickly, ended up in the opposite direction at the same pace.
According to a survey by George Barna, people who identified themselves as non-Christians had a higher view of Democrats, real estate agents, movie and television performers, lawyers, and Republicans than they did evangelical Christians (in that order). The only groups that fared worse than evangelicals were lesbians and prostitutes. (Barna Group) I think that we could say that evangelical Christians have a bit of a PR problem. We certainly haven’t been acting wisely toward outsiders. We ranked below real estate agents, come on! (just kidding)
Christians have come across as judgmental, unaccepting, self-righteous, and bigoted. While many of the believers that I know are not this way at all, perception is often reality in the world today.
The 77 million people in America who don’t go to church crave authenticity (so do the ones who attend church). They need to know that Christians have real problems. They need to know that we trust God. They need to know that sometimes we question God. We become frustrated and desperate at times. They need to see that we care for each other and lift each other up. They need to understand that we are willing to help and that we don’t just want their money. They need to see that we’re the real deal.
Who you are, even with all of your shortcomings, speaks far better for the cause of Christ, than the person that you pretend to be. The more that you can learn to be yourself, the more people will see how God is transforming your life.
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Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10
How does God use you to serve others? For many people this seems like such a lofty task. Certainly God could find better people – maybe folks that weren’t so flawed or sinful. Well, guess what? All God has to work with are sinful, flawed people. And, He chooses to use us just the way we are. He wants to work through you and me.
This verse puzzled me for a while. Some concepts are thrown together here that just don’t seem to fit. We understand “stewardship,” but that usually has to do with giving financially, not with stewarding God’s grace. That’s a little confusing. Yet, Peter got it right.
I used to think that grace was kind of like rain. Grace just showered down from Heaven on all of us. It was our choice to either accept God’s grace or to reject it. If I wanted to put up an umbrella to avoid the drops of grace, that was my choice. But, God has designated believers as stewards (managers or administrators) of His grace. God has given us His grace. For most of us, we came to Christ through the encouragement of another person, whether a pastor, teacher, parent or friend. Their kindness and encouragement was a way of extending God’s grace to us.
The other interesting, and possibly confusing, combination here is gifts and grace. Grace seems to relate more to sin and salvation, not gifts and serving. Yet, the root word of “spiritual gifts” is “charismata.” This is where we get the word “Charismatic.” “Charismata” literally means “grace gifts.” Spiritual gifts are grace gifts. The Bible tells us that every believer has spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:7) and that gifts are given according to God’s grace (Romans 12:6). When we use our spiritual gifts, we are showing good stewardship of God’s grace.
Do you know what your spiritual gifts are? The Bible gives us three lists of spiritual gifts: Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12 and Ephesians 4. Take a look at these lists and see which gifts might ring true. You can also discover your spiritual gifts and much more about yourself at the PLACE class in BrookwoodU. You will learn more about yourself, and you can also find out how God has uniquely gifted and equipped you for ministry.
God didn’t save us so that we could merely avoid Hell (even though that’s a pretty good motivator). God saved us, so we can bless others and win them to the Kingdom as well. This doesn’t mean that we’re all called to door-to-door evangelism. I’m certainly not, even though I’ve tried it. God calls every believer to a ministry uniquely designed for them. It might take a little trial and error to find the right fit, but once you do, you will never find anything better in life.
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Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror… But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. James 1:22-23, 25
“If I told my kids to clean their rooms, and they only memorized my words, would that be enough?” asked Francis Chan, author of Crazy Love and The Forgotten God. That’s a pointed question, isn’t it? But, the reality is that we only believe the things that we actually do.
Most of us are car alarm atheists. How many of us ever run to investigate a car alarm in a parking lot? None of us do. We just assume that the shiny new SUV that’s never actually been driven off-road just got a door ding or something. Car alarms don’t call for an emergency, unless it comes from the cars in our driveways. We run outside because we don’t want to disturb the neighbors. We don’t actually think they’re being stolen.
If we truly believed what the Bible has to say, what would our lives look like? How would it affect our outlook and attitudes? What would be the quality of our relationships? Again, I’m not writing these things to make you feel guilty or discouraged. God has a vision for your life. He wants to mold you into the person that He’s designed for you to be. Not some ill-fitting version of what a Christian ought to be, but the person that He has called you to be.
If we truly believed what God’s Word tells us, then we would:
1. Understand that we don’t know better than God does. Even the things that God says about turning the other cheek (Matthew 5:39) and treating others like we’d like to be treated (Matthew 7:12) often don’t make sense in a business setting, God knows better than we do. His ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:9), but not in a goodie two shoes sense of things. God created everything and everyone that exists. God has a plan for each of us. God is sovereign over everything (Acts 4:24). Who has a better understanding of things than God?
2. The behavior that comes naturally from us is a result of the Fall. I’m not talking about our gifts, talents or personalities. I’m talking about our impulses and our reactions. What seems right to our natural selves is a result of our fallen nature. It’s the part of us that needs to be redeemed. The Bible says, “They follow their natural instincts because they do not have God’s Spirit in them” (Jude 19). God certainly has a higher calling for us.
3. God gives us everything that we need to successfully live our lives for Him. In and of ourselves, we become weary in well-doing. We just run out of steam. But, whoever said that it was up to us to provide all of the steam. There are some commands in Scripture that just might seem impossible to achieve. Left to ourselves, that’s probably true. But, for every believer, the Spirit of God lives inside of us (Romans 8:9). The same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead is available to help us live the lives that God intends (Romans 8:11).
What’s standing in our way? Some of us just don’t believe these things. How do I know? I know by the things that we do. If I believe that God is for me (Romans 8:31), then what do I have to complain about? If I believe that in the end God’s Kingdom is victorious (1 Corinthians 15:57), then why do I get so bent out of shape when ungodly people act in ungodly ways? Isn’t that their job? If I believe that God’s Spirit is working to conform me to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29), then why do I so stubbornly resist His nudges?
God wants to give you the life that you’ve dreamed of. I’m not saying that God wants to make you healthy and wealthy. God wants to make you into the person that He’s designed for you to be. It’s up to you to decide how much you want to resist God’s work in your life.
If you would like to learn to study the Bible, there are some great classes at BrookwoodU starting in January. Hermeneutics teaches the art and science of interpreting Scripture. New Testament Survey gives you the background and overview of what the New Testament of the Bible is all about. Register by January 16 at brookwoodchurch.org/brookwooduclasses.
A great place to “try on” the truth of God’s Word is in a small group. Many small groups at Brookwood Church are starting a study of the book of Esther, Perry’s new series, beginning the week of January 16. For a list of Open Small Groups: brookwoodchurch.org/smallgroups.
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Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. 1 Peter 3:8
The world’s version of this verse might read something like this: “Finally, y’all, be independent thinkers, be self-absorbed, use others for your own purposes, expect others to feel sorry for you, and look out for number one.” It’s not likely that those words could have appeared in Scripture. It’s also not likely that any of us are naturally skilled at what this verse actually says. We’d be better at achieving the opposite.
Relationships are hard work. And, relationships are necessary. We cannot grow in the faith by ourselves. In fact, left to ourselves, we tend to get comfortable and arrange our lives to suit ourselves. But, before we start thinking that God is requiring us to do the impossible, remember that the Bible is God’s vision for your life. These qualities that build relationship are what God envisions for you to develop. Don’t be discouraged by these words. This is the kind of person that God is making you to be.
Peter gave us the keys to unity and relationship. First, he said to be “like-minded.” Does that mean that we all watch FoxNews and agree on everything they say? Not necessarily. Some of us watch other news channels and never listen to talk radio.
“Like-minded” isn’t group-think. It’s not a mindless assent to what most Christian people think about a subject. Being like-minded is being agreeable. Even if we don’t understand everything about another person, we can be understanding.
Sympathy and compassion are also key to good relationships. These qualities are expressed differently by different groups of people. Women emote much differently than men (do men emote?) Midwesterners are rather matter-of-fact about things. Just give them the facts. Southerners are far more gracious. Their conversations are flavored with a great deal of emotion. Yankees, well, fagetaboutit. Now, that I have offended the majority of my readers (I am from Kansas, by the way), you get the idea.
For some people showing sympathy is being moved to tears. For others, it’s offering a helping hand. For some, it’s listening intently without interrupting or trying to fix things. Sympathy and compassion look different on different people. But, to another person our time, our attention, and a listening ear are big things.
Love one another. These three simple words really sum it all up. In victory and in failure, our job is to love. If for any other reason, we love, because God loved us first (1 John 4:19).
What makes all of these qualities possible in our lives is humility. I am not better than you, but I’m also not worse than you. Humility is not feeling bad about yourself. Humility is thinking less about yourself. If I’m not better than you, then I can’t judge you (1 Corinthians 4:5). If I’m not better than you, then I can identify with messing up, because I’ve messed up too.
Who do you connect with on a regular basis? How do your relationships reflect these qualities from 1 Peter 3:8? Where could you improve? Don’t become discouraged by this. Ask God to fulfill His vision for your life.
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