Talk to ten people near an election day and at least eight of them will tell you the government needs reform in some area or another. Candidates themselves speak of their goals for change and what their administration will do for the people: healthcare reform, tax reform, welfare reform, reform of the public education system, economic reform. And the list goes on and on.
As Christians there is another type of reform that is infinitely more important than reform on social and political issues, but is talked about in public arenas far less. It is personal reform. While governments exist to play an integral role in the development of societies, they can never alone be the cause of change within people’s lives on an individual level. Change begins from within individual people and extends to the culture around them. One person said, “Be the change you want to see in others.”
Recently I was driving to work on Route 22 toward Harrisburg early in the morning before the sun had even begun to bring about the dusk. It’s amazing how another driver on the road can quickly knock the morning slumber out of your eyes – especially when they tick you off.
I was happily sailing down the road in the passing lane just a few modest miles per hour above the speed limit when I came upon a car riding in the passing lane just barely reaching the speed limit. Next to him was another car going just fast enough to keep up with the bumper of this car in the left lane. In Pennsylvania we have a law that says drivers must “keep right, pass left.” So as I came up on the car riding in the passing lane, instantly I became annoyed. How could this driver be so obviously ignorant of the rules of the road and of all the drivers around him? The nerve! Doesn’t this driver realize that some people like to drive as fast as possible to get to work on time – er, uh – as early as possible? (Not realizing that I too was riding in the passing lane, only faster.)
As I sped up and cut in front of the vehicle in the right lane and also passing the “left lane rider,” just narrowly fitting in the gap between these two cars, the Holy Spirit instantly shined something like a spotlight right into my heart and I became convicted. I realized that the impatience and unjustified anger I felt toward another person whom I have never even met is sin.
That’s when I realized I need heart reform. My heart is so wicked that something as small as an unknown driver occupying a space on the road that I believe should be my lane of traffic can set off sin within my heart. Ironically I had been in prayer up until that incident that morning, and my lack of patience and discernment not only caused me to give in to an attitude of pride, but also caused me to make an aggressive driving maneuver which could have endangered myself and others on the road.
As I drove on to work I began to reflect on the true nature of the heart. Although we love to think of ourselves as being overall good at heart, the Bible actually says that the heart is “desperately wicked.” I began to pray, “Lord, please give me heart reform.”
In what ways do you need to experience heart reform? What events in your life have revealed the sin in your heart? Have you offered those areas to the Father for Him to have His way?
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Friday, October 10, 2008
The Open Hand
I once heard a preacher talk about giving with the symbol of an open hand. He said that the open hand is a symbol of giving, or generosity, because when you give something to somebody, you reach out your hand and let go of whatever it is that you possessed so that they can receive it.
Conversely, the closed hand is a symbol of holding onto something. The interesting thing about this illustration I heard was the connection between the open hand and receiving. You see, not only must you open your hand so that the recipient of your generosity may take what they are about to receive, but also you, when you are about to receive, must open your hand.
When your hands are closed guarding what you have and holding on to protect your possessions, they cannot at the same time be open to receive fresh goods. That is the really interested paradox at work behind the spiritual truth that Jesus revealed when He said, “Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, crushed down, full and running over, they will give to you. For in the same measure as you give, it will be given to you again.”
The principle is that you cannot receive without also giving. You can, but you will be corrupted. It is similar to a pond with a stream in but no outlet. The pond becomes stagnant and nothing can live in that pond. In order for a healthy ecosystem to occur, there has to be both a source feeding the pond, and an outlet.
The other important thing that Jesus was revealing in this passage is that measure that you use to judge others, forgive others, express generosity, love or any other action, is the same measure that will be used to determine what you receive. You cannot give with a half heart, instead wanting to save what you are giving, then expect what you want to be generously given to you.
What areas do you need to “open your hand” in? Is there any way you feel that you need to adjust your measuring scale?
Conversely, the closed hand is a symbol of holding onto something. The interesting thing about this illustration I heard was the connection between the open hand and receiving. You see, not only must you open your hand so that the recipient of your generosity may take what they are about to receive, but also you, when you are about to receive, must open your hand.
When your hands are closed guarding what you have and holding on to protect your possessions, they cannot at the same time be open to receive fresh goods. That is the really interested paradox at work behind the spiritual truth that Jesus revealed when He said, “Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, crushed down, full and running over, they will give to you. For in the same measure as you give, it will be given to you again.”
The principle is that you cannot receive without also giving. You can, but you will be corrupted. It is similar to a pond with a stream in but no outlet. The pond becomes stagnant and nothing can live in that pond. In order for a healthy ecosystem to occur, there has to be both a source feeding the pond, and an outlet.
The other important thing that Jesus was revealing in this passage is that measure that you use to judge others, forgive others, express generosity, love or any other action, is the same measure that will be used to determine what you receive. You cannot give with a half heart, instead wanting to save what you are giving, then expect what you want to be generously given to you.
What areas do you need to “open your hand” in? Is there any way you feel that you need to adjust your measuring scale?
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Blessed are they who have not seen and yet believe
Seeing is believing. We have all heard that line. It is a very popular philosophy today. Many people are convinced that if they could just see God – or some evidence of Him, that they would have plenty of reason to believe.
But they do not understand how faith works. Hebrews 11:1 defines faith as, “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” And Paul, writing to the early Christians at Corinth said, “For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7) implying a dichotomy between the two. Basically, Paul was saying that you can either choose to walk by faith, or else you can choose to walk by sight – but the two choices are at opposite ends of the spectrum.
Indeed, even Jesus affirms the fact that true faith is not based upon visual evidence. Let’s take a look at His encounter with Thomas after the Resurrection. (John 20:24-29) Here we read about Thomas, one of the twelve disciples. According to John’s Gospel, Thomas was not with the other disciples when they first saw the resurrected Christ. When they confront Thomas to tell him of their encounter with Jesus, he reply’s by saying, “Unless I see in His hands the nail prints, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”
Since the text often does not completely reveal the mood of the speaker, it is difficult to tell whether Thomas is literally as skeptical and cynical as he sounds, or if he is simply astonished. But we get some insight into that from what occurs next.
About a week later the disciples are all gathered together, this time Thomas with them. They are indoors somewhere and according to the text the doors are shut when Jesus suddenly appears in their midst. After greeting them and calming them down a little, Jesus turns to Thomas and says: “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into my side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” After this incredible rebuke, Thomas humbles himself and worship’s Jesus, calling Him, “My Lord and my God!”
Something to note is that Jesus doesn’t only rebuke Thomas, but He also offers Thomas what it was that he said he needed in order to believe. He invites Him to come and examine to see if it is really true. We are not told in the text that Thomas then get’s up and examines Jesus before believing. No, Thomas seems to respond the right way, by doing what he failed to do in the first place – trust Christ.
Finally Jesus gives Thomas and the rest of the disciples a little lesson on faith, and how it looks in real life. He says to them, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
But they do not understand how faith works. Hebrews 11:1 defines faith as, “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” And Paul, writing to the early Christians at Corinth said, “For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7) implying a dichotomy between the two. Basically, Paul was saying that you can either choose to walk by faith, or else you can choose to walk by sight – but the two choices are at opposite ends of the spectrum.
Indeed, even Jesus affirms the fact that true faith is not based upon visual evidence. Let’s take a look at His encounter with Thomas after the Resurrection. (John 20:24-29) Here we read about Thomas, one of the twelve disciples. According to John’s Gospel, Thomas was not with the other disciples when they first saw the resurrected Christ. When they confront Thomas to tell him of their encounter with Jesus, he reply’s by saying, “Unless I see in His hands the nail prints, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”
Since the text often does not completely reveal the mood of the speaker, it is difficult to tell whether Thomas is literally as skeptical and cynical as he sounds, or if he is simply astonished. But we get some insight into that from what occurs next.
About a week later the disciples are all gathered together, this time Thomas with them. They are indoors somewhere and according to the text the doors are shut when Jesus suddenly appears in their midst. After greeting them and calming them down a little, Jesus turns to Thomas and says: “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into my side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” After this incredible rebuke, Thomas humbles himself and worship’s Jesus, calling Him, “My Lord and my God!”
Something to note is that Jesus doesn’t only rebuke Thomas, but He also offers Thomas what it was that he said he needed in order to believe. He invites Him to come and examine to see if it is really true. We are not told in the text that Thomas then get’s up and examines Jesus before believing. No, Thomas seems to respond the right way, by doing what he failed to do in the first place – trust Christ.
Finally Jesus gives Thomas and the rest of the disciples a little lesson on faith, and how it looks in real life. He says to them, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
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