“If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as a Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, 'Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.”
― Martin Luther King Jr.
GENESIS 12-14
1The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.
MATTHEW 5:1-26
14“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
JOURNAL
Abram is called to follow God and picks up his entire life and sets out in obedience.
Jesus begins the sermon on the mount...this has always been to me the part of the Bible that I really believe should be read again and again. It is Jesus' sermon. He begins by listing all those that are blessed. The list does not include the wealthy or the successful or the powerful. He states that those that are blessed are people that most would consider unfortunate or cursed. Those that mourn, poor in spirit and meek. I could never imagine a facebook post that stated that I am so blesssed because I really feel poor in spirit today or I am so blessed because I am mourning the loss of a loved one.
Yet Jesus begins his sermon in this way. Why? I think it is because Jesus wanted his audience to to realize that the things that most people consider blessings...are not always blessings. True blessings come from God and God alone, true blessings are things we cannot provide for ourselves. The people then that appreciate them the most are people who are in despair, who are lonely, who are trapped and see no way out. Jesus came to transform the worst in us, not congratulate us on our accomplishments.
He then moves on to state that we are blessed when the world hates us and we are persecuted. Verse 14-15 then state that we are to be shining examples of his love for the rest of the world to see. Wow...what an opening statement, what a humbling statement. Going back to this idea of a glimpse, we are to reflect God and be a glimpse of his love, his compassion to the world. As a human I get that opportunity every day...yet I rarely fully embrace it. But this is God's command for my life! I am not to wallow in my suffering but rather rejoice in my blessing and opportunity. This definitely requires a mindset shift and I believe it's precisely what Jesus calls us to do.
Father thank you for the wake up call...thank you for this sermon spoken 2000 years ago...thank you for being a light of love in my life that the world can never remove.
Abram is called to follow God and picks up his entire life and sets out in obedience.
Jesus begins the sermon on the mount...this has always been to me the part of the Bible that I really believe should be read again and again. It is Jesus' sermon. He begins by listing all those that are blessed. The list does not include the wealthy or the successful or the powerful. He states that those that are blessed are people that most would consider unfortunate or cursed. Those that mourn, poor in spirit and meek. I could never imagine a facebook post that stated that I am so blesssed because I really feel poor in spirit today or I am so blessed because I am mourning the loss of a loved one.
Yet Jesus begins his sermon in this way. Why? I think it is because Jesus wanted his audience to to realize that the things that most people consider blessings...are not always blessings. True blessings come from God and God alone, true blessings are things we cannot provide for ourselves. The people then that appreciate them the most are people who are in despair, who are lonely, who are trapped and see no way out. Jesus came to transform the worst in us, not congratulate us on our accomplishments.
Jesus begins the sermon on the mount...this has always been to me the part of the Bible that I really believe should be read again and again. It is Jesus' sermon. He begins by listing all those that are blessed. The list does not include the wealthy or the successful or the powerful. He states that those that are blessed are people that most would consider unfortunate or cursed. Those that mourn, poor in spirit and meek. I could never imagine a facebook post that stated that I am so blesssed because I really feel poor in spirit today or I am so blessed because I am mourning the loss of a loved one.
Yet Jesus begins his sermon in this way. Why? I think it is because Jesus wanted his audience to to realize that the things that most people consider blessings...are not always blessings. True blessings come from God and God alone, true blessings are things we cannot provide for ourselves. The people then that appreciate them the most are people who are in despair, who are lonely, who are trapped and see no way out. Jesus came to transform the worst in us, not congratulate us on our accomplishments.
He then moves on to state that we are blessed when the world hates us and we are persecuted. Verse 14-15 then state that we are to be shining examples of his love for the rest of the world to see. Wow...what an opening statement, what a humbling statement. Going back to this idea of a glimpse, we are to reflect God and be a glimpse of his love, his compassion to the world. As a human I get that opportunity every day...yet I rarely fully embrace it. But this is God's command for my life! I am not to wallow in my suffering but rather rejoice in my blessing and opportunity. This definitely requires a mindset shift and I believe it's precisely what Jesus calls us to do.
Father thank you for the wake up call...thank you for this sermon spoken 2000 years ago...thank you for being a light of love in my life that the world can never remove.
COLOSSIANS 3:23-24
This post reminds me of John Milton’s sonnet, written after becoming blind at 44, in which he wonders how God expects him to continue his work for the kingdom when his talent is scholarship and poetry. It echoes your comment that our purpose is not to work to hear Him praise our accomplishments, but to do the will of God however humble that might seem.
ReplyDeleteWHEN I consider how my light is spent
Ere half my days in this dark world and wide,
And that one Talent which is death to hide
Lodged with me useless, though my soul more bent
To serve therewith my Maker, and present
My true account, lest He returning chide,
“Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?”
I fondly ask. But Patience, to prevent
That murmur, soon replies, “God doth not need
Either man’s work or his own gifts. Who best
Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best. His state
Is kingly: thousands at his bidding speed,
And post o’er land and ocean without rest;
They also serve who only stand and wait.”