The Measure of a Person

 What is important to you? By what standard do you evaluate others? On what do you base your choices?

There are a couple of places in Scripture where it seems that our Savior uses a measure with us that we choose to use with others. So, what we do to, or with, others, He does to, or with, us. Does that sound weird? Okay, here's one:

“For if you forgive others their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive you your sins."

Matthew 6:14-15 NET

This statement is so important, Matthew quotes Jesus saying something like it again in Matthew 18:35. It should be a very sobering thought. Like the second greatest commandment, "Love your neighbor as yourself", there's a balance between ourselves and others in the eyes of our Savior.

Here's another of those "tit-for-tat" sort of comments by Jesus:

And he said to them, “Take care about what you hear. The measure you use will be the measure you receive, and more will be added to you. For whoever has will be given more, but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.”

Mark 4:24-25 NET

Only this one has another strange element to it, "whoever has more will receive more, and whoever has little will lose what they have." That's just weird. If you have never thought so, have you really thought about it? It is antithetical to the popular approach to society. That's the opposite direction of redistributed wealth preached by our society.

Of course, this "measure used on others will be used on you" concept has a tag of "and more will be added" feature. That's not exactly balanced. And, if you are particularly mean, should be even more sobering.

The context of the passage in Matthew 6 is prayer, specifically seeking forgiveness. The context in Matthew 18 is seeking forgiveness also. The context in Mark, though, is hearing and understanding parables. That seems different, yet, this concept of using our measure with us is used in both places.

We have an old cliche which says, "You've made your bed, now lie in it." The idea being that consequences follow our actions. Proverbs is full of this concept. Which, in a sense, is really all that God is saying to us (although read the accompanying parable in Matthew 18:21-35).

Here's the thing: God, our Loving Savior, instigates the consequences. He is the One "punishing" with the standard we use with others. With the standard we judge, we will be judged (Matthew 7:1-2). The balance, or consequence, is thematic with Jesus, as it is in Proverbs. Which tells me my Creator thinks it is important.

We focus so much on the grace of our Savior, which saves us from our sins when we were incapable of saving ourselves. And we should. The grace of our Creator is truly Amazing as few things are. Along side that, let's consider the "balance" used by our Savior.

So, when we are angry with another person, family, friend, or co-worker, let's remember this balance. When we drive from point A to point B, let's remember the balance with those on the road with us. When we deal with our kids, our siblings, our parents, let's remember the balance.

I think the recent trend has been to teach "reaping and sowing" to get this idea across. It's a good topic. It's a vital life lesson. Keeping this in mind helps us grapple with the right deity, the One describing Himself in Scripture rather than one of our own imagination. And grapple we should. Let's wrestle with God by the Jordan (Genesis 32:24-28)! We may walk away with a limp, but we will have a new name, and a blessing to go with it.

Balance. The center of our walk with our Creator and with our walk with others comes together on us. Like Jesus, let's grow in favor with God and man.

Royal Duty

 I recently read a biography of Queen Elizabeth II and learned that one of her official titles is “Defender of the Faith.” The book states that a British coin (first minted in 1714 during the reign of King George I) bears an image of the Queen surrounded by words that stand for: “Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God, Queen, Defender of the Faith.”  What a solemn and important duty, fitting for a monarch. 

Although believers in Christ are not part of an earthly royal line, we are children of the King and as such, we are given a similar duty:

 

Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you, exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.

Jude 3 (NKJV)

 

The Bible tell us that there will be apostasy in the Church, there will be false teachers, there will be those who will water down the Gospel and even preach a different gospel.  It was true then and it is true in our day, we see it all around us. So we are to earnestly contend against such evils and for the faith, that which is contained in the true word of God. 

 

One commentary likens this duty to soldiers entrusted with the sacred task of guarding valuable treasure.  Indeed, the Gospel that saved us is precious and the Bible, God’s word to us, is priceless.  We contend when what we say and do bears witness to this, when we are living examples of the genuine faith we profess.

 

I’ve read that “contend” in this context comes from a Greek word that has the idea of agony.  So we may contend by agonizing on our knees, in prayer. We should be burdened for those we know who are lost and intercede that they may come to true faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.  We can pray that the truth of God's word would be preached and taught so that believers may be build up in the most holy faith (Jude 1:20).

 

We also may contend by speaking truth in love, by sharing what the Bible says and what true faith means. But we must do so earnestly, without being contentious.  That means not by quarrelling but “in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth.” 2 Tim 2:24-25 (NKJV)

 

I pray that we will harken this solemn and important duty, stand firm on the truth of the Bible and earnestly contend for the faith.

Name the Name

 

32 Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.

33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.

     Matthew 10:32-33 (NKJV)

Christians who hold a Biblical worldview these days are often called deniers.  For example, we’re referred to as science deniers because we believe in creation rather than evolution. We also may be called deniers of other things that don’t go along with the world’s humanistic, godless agenda.  Such labels should not worry or distract us.  Instead, we should be concerned that we are not deniers of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

There can be outright denial, as Peter did three times.  Although the Lord was gracious to forgive and restore Peter after he repented, the experience was bitter for Peter.  Apparently, Peter’s denial was due to pressure and fear that if he were associated with Jesus, he too might have been arrested.  We must not let pressure and fear does not cause us to deny the Lord—either by express denial or even perhaps indirectly by avoiding the name Jesus. 

 

It can be confrontational to say Jesus because He is a “stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.” (1 Peter 2:8, NKJV)  Yet “there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12, NKJV)  And no one comes to the Father except by Jesus. (John 14:6)  This exclusivity is offensive to some, but that must not deter us.  We must point people to Christ, not just God.  That’s not to say we can never use the name God or Lord, but we should be careful and examine our motives if we're avoiding the name of Jesus. 

 

In these "perilous times" we must not be ashamed to stand for Christ, we must not be afraid to name the name of Jesus, regardless of the cost to us.

Bigger Than That

 

On the way, Jesus told them, “Tonight all of you will desert me. For the Scriptures say,

‘God will strike the Shepherd,
    and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’

But after I have been raised from the dead, I will go ahead of you to Galilee and meet you there.”

Peter declared, “Even if everyone else deserts you, I will never desert you.”

Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, Peter—this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me.”  Matthew 26:31-34

A friend of mine was having some challenges a month ago.  They had lost their brother to cancer earlier in the week, and then a close nephew committed suicide a couple of days later.  I could see how grieved she was, and the pain was visible on her face.  I hugged to console her, and her reaction showed it was not only appreciated but also vastly needed.  I saw her again this past weekend still looking a bit pained but clearly in better spirits than last month.  It was then she revealed something disturbing.  It was the type of thing that I had previously disassociated from some people as it went against my values as a Christian.  I paused for a moment to reevaluate things.  Do I cut ties courteously?  Do I raise my deep concern as I inform them of my decision to distance myself from her?  I chose a different path.  I let her know I loved her and chose to remain friends without discussing it further.  We may discuss it one day in the future, but when we do, I decided we would remain friends.  The relationship was more valuable than the issue between us.  Some things are just bigger than others.

God’s love for us is far bigger than anything we may do to separate us from it.  My situation gave me fresh insight into the conversation between Peter and Jesus and Peter’s denial of Jesus.  In all my years of doing devotional writing, I never focused on this in part because it is showed an ugly part of the relationship between God and me.  Jesus knew His most loyal disciple, Peter, would betray Him.  As a person who is both loyal to and honest with my friends, this had to be the most difficult thing for Jesus to deal with.  Yet, Jesus loved Peter deeply, and would entrust Him to lead the new Christians as He ascended to Heaven.  Later of course, Peter, having realized the fulfilment of Jesus’s prediction, “went away , weeping bitterly.” (Matthew 26:75b)  Bitterly in this case is not meant with anger but instead spoke to its intensity.  This story is invaluable as we gain greater understanding of our own relationship with Christ.  Yes, we all fall short of God’s glory at some point and in some way.  Yet, He looks at us, and get this because here is the most valuable part of the story.  He not only loves us but also still asks do we love Him.  This is the epitome of God’s grace; His extending a hand to us even when we knowingly failed Him.

Jesus’s love for us is bigger than anything else.  He did not shy away from His crucifixion as payment for our sins.  He simply confirmed with God that it was His will praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” (Matthew 26:39b)  We were bigger to Him than His own life.  That’s how much He loves you.  How much do you acknowledge His love for you?  What will you do to depend your heart for Him today?  What relationship can you mend today that is bigger than what broke you apart?  My prayer is that we look to Jesus Christ realizing no matter how big our failures, His love for us is just bigger than that.  Amen.

Finding a Good Job

 The sheer volume of employment services, applications, and supporting services can be overwhelming. I used to be a pastor, and I was surprised about how many sites there were to help pastors find churches, and vise versa. There is an entire industry centered around finding qualified employees and jobs.

You would think that, with such a robust industry connecting people with places to work, there would be no jobless people. But just because jobs exist, doesn't mean finding a "good job" is easy.

I was recruited out of my first job with Thomson Reuters into my second. I didn't look for it, it found me. When that position was eliminated during a reorganization, finding a good job where I lived wasn't easy at all. Suddenly I was left with the challenge of finding any job. I love coffee, and wound up as a barista. From there I "graduated" to coffee roaster, a position I still hold with that company, even after I was rehired by Thomson Reuters.

So, good jobs aren't impossible to find, but they're not necessarily easy either. What if you were happily employed, family career, it paid well, your family was happy, and you were offered another job that would take you away from all that? It would depend on the job? Okay, how about one where you weren't paid much, you had to travel constantly, your employer had no home and had to live with you sometimes, dealt with crowds constantly becoming mobs, and your employer intentionally moved from publicly popular, to a social pariah? Sound like a great job? 

Well, what if you were given specific responsibilities, though, authority, actually. Like this:

Now Jesus went up the mountain and called for those he wanted, and they came to him.  He appointed twelve so that they would be with him and he could send them to preach and to have authority to cast out demons. (Mark 3:13-15 NET)

See, that sounds better, doesn't it? Can you imagine the "headhunter" pitching that job to someone? "You'll love it! It includes travel around Galilee, Phoenicia, Samaria, and Judea! There is public speaking involved, and you will be given the responsibility, with authority, to cast out demons! I mean, seriously, where could you find another opportunity like this?"

Let's just leave out the sleeplessness, missing meals, and crowd control duties. The authority to cast out demons! Who doesn't want that? It may sound great, but it does sort of make you a "first responder" of the spiritual type. And demons are no fun. Being a fireman or police officer may start to sound more appealing.

And let's not forget public speaking, that is one of the greatest fears of people in our society. Most people would rather die than speak in public. Isn't that awesome? No, not really at all.

So, proclaim that the Kingdom of God is at hand, cast out demons, and heal any disease as proof. That's the job if a disciple. Oh, and travel everywhere to do it. 

Jesus called a strange group of people. And He called them for a strange job. So, consider the power involved in carrying out that job. What has your Savior called you to do? Where has He called you to go? Notice that "He called for those He wanted." He had many to choose from, but He called these. And He calls you.

It may not be our dream job, but Kings rarely ask what we want. It may not seem possible, but it is our "Employer" who provides what is necessary. Our part is obedience, and confidence. It kind of gives me the willies. 

Belonging

 In the classic children’s book, Pollyanna was paralyzed in an accident. Yet Pollyanna said she was glad she was hurt because since the accident, her aunt had called her “dear” lots of times and she hadn’t before. This made Pollyanna, an orphan, feel that she "belonged" to her aunt. 

 

Our hearts yearn to know we are loved and that we belong. Even if we don’t get that from our natural families, we have that as part of God’s family if we are believers.  God loves the world (John 3:16), but only those who are born again through faith in Jesus Christ are adopted into His family and called God’s children.

 

“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!”

1 John 3:1 (NKJV)

“The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.”

Romans 8:16 (NKJV)

 

Because God loves His children, He chastens us when needed.  By His discipline and correction, we know that we are His. This chastening actually affirms our sense of belonging in God's family.

 

“For whom the LORD loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives." If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.”

Hebrews 12:6-8 (NKJV)

 

God’s also chastening helps us learn obedience. It is designed to purify us and mold us in the image of Christ. The process can be painful, but if we yield to His correction and discipline, we will blessed and God will be glorified.

 

“Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”

Hebrews 12:11 (KNJV)

 

When His hand is heavy upon us, we may be tempted to resist.  But submission is the path that brings peace of heart.  

 

"Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects; Therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty."

Job 5:17 (NKJV)

 

We should be glad for God's chastening because it confirms that we belong to Him, we are His children. And that belonging satisfies our deepest longings.

Finding Good Help

 Good help is hard to find. That's how the cliché goes. The part of the world in which I live, this is shockingly true. The jobs aren't scarce, and people aren't scarce. Those willing to work are rare indeed.

Jesus found a lot of people, or, rather they sought Him out. He had plenty of faces from which to choose ones in whom He would invest. He chose 12, like His Father through Jacob.

A character study of these 12 is worthy, and, if you have, or can find, a copy of Foxes Book of Martyrs, you can read one. In Mark, Matthew, and Luke, the Twelve are listed in nearly identical order. But in Mark, we are given insight into Jesus giving three of them different names.

To Simon he gave the name Peter; to James and his brother John, the sons of Zebedee, he gave the name Boanerges (that is, “sons of thunder”); Mark 3:16-17 NET

Simon becomes "Rocky", and James and John become "Ragers". You don't see it? Petros is Greek for rock, and "sons of thunder" puts James and John the "category of those who are angry". It really should be "anger" or "rage" instead of "thunder" (according to Strong's Concordance). Maybe "hot heads" would be better, but you get the idea.

The rest are set off without much explanation:

and Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. Mark 3:18-19 NET

There are some questions about Thaddaeus' name, like what was it really. There are questions about whether Simon was really a "zealot" in the historical sense. And there are questions about Bartholomew being Nathaniel from John 1.

But set those questions aside for a moment. Matthew, a tax collector, sits with a "zealot"? Even if Simon were simply a fanatic for Jewish independence, and not one of that political movement/party, he still sits with Matthew. And sit those two with a couple of "hot heads", "Rocky", and the others, what do you have? Pandemonium!

And yet, Jesus keeps them all together, they seem to be at peace with each other (those stories aren't told, probably), and they seem united in their devotion and awe of Jesus. It's remarkable, or should be.

So, when you look for a church, a Bible study, a "small group", or other religious group to join, are you looking for where you can get along? Do you tend to avoid potential confrontation by only associating with those with whom you can already get along? May I recommend a different approach?

Get involved where your Master places you, among those He places you, and don't try to "figure it out". "What are my spiritual gifts?" "What is my temperament?" "Where do I fit in?" are all about you, and miss the focus on our Savior.

I get it though. Who wants to be a part of a group that is rude, fights all the time, and where a "bully" surfaces to run things? I don't. And, sometimes, this is what churches and small groups become. And sometimes, Jesus wants to gain control of those He loves dearly, and heal those angry bullies.

With all the churches from which to choose, among all the small groups from which to be a part, how do you know which one(s) your Master is leading you to be a part? I'm sad to say there is no formula. I wish there were, because that's my temperament. But there isn't. He simply lets me know one way one time, and another way another time. It's really annoying. Honestly, for you, He may have a formula.

The point is to be obedient to the Holy Spirit when joining any group. And then, once you join, being obedient to the Spirit of Jesus in your participation. Really, that's it. He chooses who makes up the groups. He chooses ones He knows will mix together to accomplish His purposes.

He chose twelve that didn't mix well, including one who would betray Him. Use that as your "litmus test" of a group that He chooses. It's not how we would do it, which is probably part of the point.

A Dog's Tongue

 

13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us,

ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

     1 Thessalonians 2:13 (KJV)

The word “received” is used twice in this passage.  I’ve read that in Greek, the first reference simply means hearing the word of God. True, faith comes by hearing the word of God (Romans 1:17).  But we aren't to stop there. The second reference is more specific and means taking it in, digesting it, welcoming it.  We are to let the word of God work in our hearts and apply it to our lives.  I find visuals helpful, so I thought I’d share one I heard recently that has brought clarity and conviction to me on this concept:

There is a fountain in a city and on the front of it, there is the face of a dog and its tongue is hanging out.  Water from the fountain runs over and over down the tongue of the dog and into the basin below.  The dog is exposed to all that water but it doesn’t actually benefit from any of it because the tongue doesn't take it in.

How often are we exposed to the word---it flows through our ears and into our eyes--but does it actually reach our hearts?  Do we really take it in and benefit from it?  This sure cuts at my pride.  I can be diligent about reading the Bible every day, but am I letting it work in my life?  Reading it isn’t enough; the word of God should change us.  Scripture is sharper than any two-edged sword, bringing conviction, rebuke, exhortation and correction.  It can be salt that stings when it exposes sin in our lives.  The word of God is also light and guides us in truth. 

I don't want to be like that dog and hope you don't either.  Let's make sure we really receive the word of God and respond to it, obey it, let it change us every day.

Can You Imagine?

In storytelling, one foundational rule is "show, don't tell". It means that, in a scene, don't tell the reader about the setting, a character, or an action. You show the scene, what would the reader see? You show the character demonstrating their...well, character. You describe the action as it happens rather than simply stating that it happened. Of course, you have to know when to break the rules.

The idea of writing this way is that you draw the reader into the story. They should be able to imagine being there and seeing it, smelling it, feeling the wind on their skin. The more senses involved, the more vibrant the engagement of the reader. Which is great when the scene is important, the character central, and the place meaningful to the plot. Sometimes, the writer simply doesn't have the time for all that.

This entry is being written during COVID-19 restrictions. So, the scene about to be described has a whole new feeling about it. But, remember back to large sporting events, tens of thousands of people, food vendors, crowds? You remember those? Well, this is like that, only with more stink. You see, like those events, people came from all over. Like those events, people moved in massive "herds". 

But unlike those, these people included many sick and "demon possessed". There was a smell of the diseased on top of already pungent smell of sweat, the heightened stress of mentally and emotionally unstable people and caretakers trying to manage moving their charges in such conditions. It was chaos, all centered on Jesus.

Then Jesus went away with his disciples to the sea, and a great multitude from Galilee followed him. And from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, beyond the Jordan River, and around Tyre and Sidon a great multitude came to him when they heard about the things he had done. Because of the crowd, he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him so the crowd would not press toward him. For he had healed many, so that all who were afflicted with diseases pressed toward him in order to touch him. And whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” But he sternly ordered them not to make him known. (Mark 3:7-12 NET)

There's a lot going on here, but not a lot of detail is given. But let's see if we can unpack some of it. Mark says that the disciples and Jesus traveled to "the sea", which might imply the Mediterranean, except for the instructions "to have a small boat ready". Now we know the "sea" is the Sea of Galilee.

The crowd is next. It's HUGE! And it's made up people, literally, from all over. Look a the map below. These people came from the north, south, east and west. They came because they heard Jesus about the things Jesus was doing. In order to manage His ability to minister to the crowd, Jesus tells His disciples to have a boat ready so He can teach, possibly heal, from just off shore. But it is basically, an escape plan.

The sick pressed toward Him to touch Him and be healed. It is pandemonium around Jesus, and the noise had to be deafening. Normal business along the shore was probably disrupted, which means normal "tax collecting" was probably interrupted, which tends to bring the attention of the authorities. And yet, with all this going on, it seems that the region simply rolls with it. Perhaps this isn't the first time, Jesus isn't the first "messiah" to roll through town, or they're not actually in town, but along the shore outside of a city.

And then there are those possessed by demons. Why are they even there? Don't the demons know what will happen when they get close to Jesus? They cry out who He is, and He silences them. Obviously, Jesus does not what that sort of advertising, but it only adds to the mayhem around Him.

Imagine it. See Jesus along the shore, the crowd, the arms, the shouts, Jesus' disciples trying, in vain, to make space around Him. Is Jesus at peace amidst the chaos? Do you hear His voice yelling in frustration or calmly commanding the unclean spirits? What do you smell among the sick? What are they sick with, the sniffles or a retching, wasting disease? What are those with unclean spirits like? Can you see them?

Jesus gives instructions to His disciples to commandeer a small boat just in case. So, are they walking along the shore, or is Jesus still, standing beside a boat as the mass crowds around Him? Is it a clear day, or cloudy with rain? Is it windy and hot, made more hot and smelly by the mass of humanity?

How do you feel to be among the crowd? How do you feel seeing Jesus? What emotions does His voice invoke in you? 

This is simply a passage linking Jesus' work and teaching about one thing to another set of teachings. Mark mentions it in passing. Yet, so much is packed into it, that when you allow yourself to wander into it through your imagination it can be an overwhelming experience. If you are an introvert, it's terrifying. If you are an extrovert, it's exhilarating. For both, Jesus may bring peace amidst the chaos.

Jesus entered into this intentionally. He wades into the mass of humanity doing exactly what they came to see, healing physically and spiritually. What do you learn by seeing Him beside the sea? What do you learn by following His example?

Precious Life

 26 Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."

27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

     Genesis 1:26-27 (NKJV)

Human life is precious to God.  Out of all His creation, He formed us in His image.  But the world devalues human life by promoting abortion, euthanasia and assisted suicide, by marginalizing the elderly, sick and disabled.  But what about those with what some consider “defects,” such as babies with Downs Syndrome or adults with congenital conditions?  This was an issue even in Jesus’ day and He affirms God’s love and purpose for them.

 1 Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth.

2 And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"

3 Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.

     John 9:1-3 (NKJV)

Jesus explains that the important thing is not how these conditions came about but to trust in the sovereignty of God.  He assures the disciples that God has a good purpose for permitting such things.  For reasons that we don’t understand, God uses sickness, disease and deformities so that His works would be revealed. God created all human life to glorify Him. If we miss that, we miss the entire aim of God’s creation.

Every person—including the born and the unborn, the elderly and the disabled, the orphan and the widow—is cherished in God’s eyes.  By showing love and compassion to those with vulnerabilities, we manifest God’s glory. By protecting and caring for those who are the “least” among us, we honor God.  By affirming and supporting the precious gift of every life, we align ourselves with God’s heart.

Choose Life, a song by the Hyssongs.