Read Malachi 1:10-11 and Revelation 7:9-10
“…the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” (James 3:17-18)
Church hurts. That has been a theme in my life. First, it was about how the church hurt me or my family or people in general. I couldn’t let go of the hypocrisy I witnessed. I was busy judging people who were busy judging me. Those hurts kept me away until my wife and late mother-in- law helped me understand that my problem wasn’t with God, it was with people. God teaches us there are two types of wisdom: worldly and godly (James 3:13-18). My worldly wisdom was building bitterness towards the worldly religious people that surrounded me.
Later in life I would find another way church hurts: the conviction of the Holy Spirit. The very Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead is in our bodies day and night! It is the kind of “hurt” that is good for me—spiritual growing pains. I don’t always like it, but God is patient. God cannot stop loving people. God cannot stop loving you and me. God is teaching me to be patient, gentle, and kind.
Are we reaching out to the lost? Are we extending a hand to our brothers and sisters to resolve conflicts? Are we breaking bread with those within our church community that we normally wouldn’t with our worldly wisdom? Or, do we “show partiality” to those with whom we interact (James 2:1-5)? These are questions that force me out of my comfort zone. Who am I inviting to the table? It is easy to sit with those that look and think like us. How much harder it is to interact with those that come from different backgrounds (spiritually, culturally, and economically). We must guard ourselves from becoming the tongue that blesses “our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God” (James 3:11). For God would rather have us close the doors of the church than offer useless praises to the wind (Malachi 1:10). Revelation 7:9 tells us of the multitude that will be with God. Thus, as a church, we are called to reflect that powerful and gentle image.
DIG DEEPER:
- Religious people don’t always realize they are using earthly wisdom. When interacting with others, which do you use?
- Who have you invited to the table that will help make the vision of Revelation 7 a reality? Are you willing to listen and learn from their stories?
written by Ryan Schaufler
Recommended Posts
The Victory of Love
April 12, 2020
What Might Have Been
April 11, 2020
The Wonderful Reversal
April 10, 2020