Authentic in Nature

“Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality

 with God something to be grasped,” Philippians 2:6 (NIV)

           

            Jesus chose not to boast that He was God’s Son. He went about what He was supposed to do while on Earth. Jesus didn’t laud it over the ones He met.

            I worked with a lady who had earned a doctorate in education and could have insisted that she be called ‘Doctor’ but she introduced herself with her first name. She had been in education before she took the job at the library. Her advanced degree studies were in reading education. If you didn’t see her name tag, you didn’t know she possessed three earned degrees. She knew her job, did it well, and was likable as a person.

            We see people who wish to be treated as regular, in spite of their advancements. Some pastors answer to their title; some seem comfortable being called by their first name. A friend once told me that pastors were people who had a calling from God but were just like us in all other ways. I had a counselor who possessed a PhD who told me to call him by his given name. I felt comfortable with him. He put on no airs.

            In walking through our world, we want to appear genuine to those we meet. We try to do this in ways that don’t burden those we are trying to get to know. Coming from a background that is difficult for me to talk about, I prefer not to tell all my deep feelings about things in my past. But I try to be pleasant and understanding of other people’s situations.

            As children of God, we are not exempt from the travails of this life. We should always try to realize that we are no different than the next person we meet on the street, in the stores, or at the doctor’s office.

            In the late 1960s there was a television comedian who had a one line thought that seemed to bring a lot of laughs. He’d look into the camera and say, “What you see is

what you get.” As I reflect on his words, I realize this phrase of his sums up the idea of authenticity in a way that makes it clear that we are to be transparent before all we meet.

Our Attitudes

“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:”

Philippians 2:5 (NIV)

            How we act and react to the people and events that enter our lives should reflect Jesus. We have to shed ourselves of ‘us’ and take on His way of dealing with events, even if tend to upset us.

            Jesus showed compassion on the crowds who met Him as he traveled. He tenderly healed the woman who was ill for twelve years. Christ took pity on the 5,000 men and their families and fed them.

            I had a worry growing in my mind. This concern dealt with my husband of 41 years. When I went to do business at my bank and mail some letters, mostly bills. I decided to go on over to the church office and take care of something there.

            As I finished the actual business there, I shared with one of the secretaries what I had heard from Hubby. As I shared with her, I told her that several years ago a friend his had problems of the same kind. But I couldn’t finish the thought. She understood. I felt better after I talked to her. She showed compassion.

            Jesus showed mercy and forgiveness. When the angry men brought the adulterous woman to Him, He bent down and wrote something in the dirt. This caused the men to wander away from the scene. He looked at the woman and asked if any of her accusers were still hanging around. She replied that they were gone. His answer showed mercy along with forgiveness. When He saw those who came to Him to be healed, he looked on them with compassion. He might have been worn out from a day’s journey or from dealing with strong-willed people but He chose to display compassion to those who came to Him seeking help.

            Shouldn’t we emulate Jesus when people approach us, seeking help of whatever kind? 

graphic: livebibleverses.com

Interests

Each of you should look not only to your interests

but also to the interests of others.

Philippians 2:4 (NIV)

            Paul spoke to a diverse church. Some had converted from Judaism. Others came from other areas, Rome, Greece, and who knows where else. There could have been a Roman jailer who worked in this colony for the empire. Each believer had a different background.

            Even today, we see people from different backgrounds come together to form a body of worship. In our protestant church, we have several people who have a Roman Catholic background. We have a family where the husband/father grew up in a home where his parent’s native language was spoken. He is first generation American. I have heard that he can speak that native language of his parents.

            We have people who come to the Lord as adults and have no Christian heritage to guide them. They learn of the Lord each day of their walk. Some people return to the Lord after they realize their need of a Savior and King.

            Sometimes, people working in a church encounter people who have been accused of transgressing the law of the land. Some of those we encounter are relatives of those who are paying a debt to society.

            We have to show Jesus to all we meet and with whom we work. As we strive together we learn to keep God uppermost in our lives. If those who are different from us have needs, we are to try to bring those needs to resolution. When the body of Christ works together, it works together not caring who amongst them gets the credit. They give that credit to Jesus.

graphic: frwest.blogspot.com

Rest in Peace Mary Emma

I stopped in at the church office to get some room numbers of people who were in the hospital. Alice, the secretary on duty, asked if my friend Martha had talked to me in the previous hour. I replied she hadn’t.

Alice then told me the news, “Mary Emma Taylor had passed away.”

On my drive home, I thought about how old she was. “Ninety-one years old.” Later, I would look at the picture we have of her and her husband. He stood up with a friend when that friend got remarried. They were dressed up and smiling. I will remember them both that way.

When I arrived home, Hubby looked at me and I knew someone had told him. Martha had called; Loretta had also called. When I checked our caller ID, I saw that Vicki had called. I returned Martha’s and Loretta’s calls. When I tried Vicki’s number, I got her voicemail and left a message.

She and Bernard were married for 65 years. Her husband had predeceased her. Both of them had helped each other through several serious health crises and always had a great attitude. They helped those around them. Sometimes all she would do was listen. When she gave guidance, it was from her heart.

Those who knew and loved her will miss her. But, I see her standing by her house in heaven smiling her sweet smile and talking to all who pass by. I know that when any of us who knew her, worked with her, loved her will enter into heaven, she will be there waiting for us. In the meantime, she is in our cloud of witnesses, urging us on to do what God has planned for us.

Graphic: www.fantom-xp.com

In Humility

 

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit,

but in humility consider others better than yourself.”

Philippians 2:3 (NIV)

           Paul tells the Philippian believers to forget self and remember they were not number one. He tells them to put others and their needs before their own needs. This flies in the face of the “me” generation. Also, Paul’s guidance would cause people to deal with the mindset of recent years that ‘it’s all about me.’

           Over 25 years ago, I started worshipping at a small church about a half mile from where we live. One of the older ladies of the church once told a group of us a way to handle ministering to others and basically how to live our lives; she used the word JOY. She said it meant *J*esus, *O*thers, *Y*ourself.

            As we travel through this season of Lent, let us all prayerfully reflect on what it means to follow and to emulate Jesus as we walk in this world.

Dear God:

            Please show us how to show Jesus’ love to those we meet as we walk this earth. Help us to put others before ourselves in our daily business. Let us worship and follow You as we prepare ourselves for the time we will be with YopPu in Your home. In the name of Jesus, we pray. AMEN

Graphic:www.jeremiah-2911.com

One in Spirit and Purpose

“. . . then make my joy complete by being like-minded,

 having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.”

 Philippians 2:2 (NIV)

           Paul tells the Philippians to be of similar minds. This thought could be understood to have two meanings. 1. Every one who works for the Lord should understand the thinking of those with whom they minister. 2. All who minister in the name of Christ should have His mind.

           To have the same heart that of Jesus Charles Sheldon wrote a classic, In His Steps-What Would Jesus Do? The story told of a church that had an unusual visitor one Sunday. Something happened that caused the pastor to re-evaluate his walk with the Lord. The entire congregation was invited to enter into this project of asking themselves, “What would Jesus do?” before they made any decisions. Asking that one question changed the lives of a lot of the people.

           Paul challenges us to be “one in spirit and purpose”. Here he speaks of unity. Again our souls should be melded into one with each other and with Jesus Christ. A hymn written by Peter Scholtes in the 1960’s speaks of this concept. “They’ll Know We Are Christians By Our Love” The first verse starts out, “We are one in the Spirit, we are

one in the Lord. . .” That verse ends with the line, “And we pray that all unity may one day be restored.” The writer has some wonderful thoughts in the verses that follow.

            Periodically, God’s children should ask if we are of the same mind as Jesus. When we do this exercise, we should go back to the basics of our faith and search our hearts for the way God wants us to live. If anything that displeases God comes to our hearts and minds, we need to make things right with Him.

Graphic: jeshua21.wordpress.com

Gospel Song: They'll Know We Are Christians by Our Love

“Make My Joy Complete. . .”

 

‘If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ,

 if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Holy Spirit,

 if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete

 by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.

Philippians 2:1 (NIV)

           Paul writes to the Philippians; he encourages them to look into their hearts and consider their stance with Christ. He points out that they should receive a building up, an empowerment, from being in His presence. The apostle then spells out what he means by the Lord strengthening them.

           Did they receive “any comfort from his love”? Do we receive any consolation from His grace? If any of us have gone through the loss of a loved one, we have benefited from that great love He has for us.

           For those of us who have dealt with depression, Jesus has stayed by our side and comforted us. Maybe Christ guided us through a deep valley by showing us how He helped in times past. He could have sent someone to us who had experienced similar feelings or circumstances.

           What about “fellowship with the Spirit”? Jesus promised us a comforter to help us through this life after He ascended into heaven. By doing this for us, He remains close to us, especially when we face difficulties or even events we don’t understand in our lives.

           Were the Philippians filled with “tenderness and compassion”? Do we possess these traits? Do we respond to people who hurt or those in grief as though we are led by the Lord or by the thoughts of society? As I write this, a thought comes to mind. It goes like this, “Always use tender words because sometime (we) might have to eat them.”

           The word compassion comes from two Latin words, cum-meaning ‘with’ and pathos-meaning ‘suffering’. Have we needed to ‘suffer with’ a friend recently? When we display compassion, sometimes it’s as simple as listening to another person as they talk. Other times, we sit with them in a hospital. Or we carry in food to their home.

Graphic:www.dgfumc.org