Thursday - Living in the Way

Prayer:   Great God,  open my eyes to Your word,   open my heart to Your Good news,  open my soul to Your great love.    Help me to focus upon Your Holy Word and to act upon it with great enthusiasm.   Amen.

Read  St. Luke  6: 32 – 34

The Message (Navpress  2005)  “Here is a simple rule of thumb for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you; then grab the initiative and do it for them! If you only love the lovable, do you expect a pat on the back? Run-of-the-mill sinners do that. If you only help those who help you, do you expect a medal? Garden-variety sinners do that. If you only give for what you hope to get out of it, do you think that’s charity? The stingiest of pawnbrokers does that.”

Eugene Peterson in his translation of the Bible (The Message) really puts these verses into perspective.   He translates Jesus words as  “A simple rule of thumb for behaviour”.   Jesus provided the disciples (and us) with many rules of thumb for behaviour,  but we frequently disregard them.  And why?  Because we don’t like to be told what to do.  Because we don’t like anything that is called a rule.  Because being a Christian  is a lot of work.    

Being a Christian doesn’t mean just attending Church each Sunday or writing the Sermon and prayers and that is it.  Being a Christian means living the way Jesus asks us to live.  This is not easy.   

One of the greatest things a Minister and Session can do is to get out into the community and see where to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ.   Roll up your sleeves and go help the local foot ball team  or the local food bank  or the local planning event group.    And why do we need to get out into the community?  So the community gets to know us and learns that we are more than just do-gooders….. we are of God.    We are to bring the Good News of Christ into the world by our actions… and the world is right at your door step.  

Prayer:    Great God,  help us to bring the Good News of Christ into our community this day.    May our actions reflect Your glory and love.    And may we always remember the needs of others.  This we ask in Jesus’ name.  Amen.