THE ROCK

My wife Maria and I recently returned from a trip to Switzerland where we stayed with some friends who live by a lake. While there, I would often look out the window at the beautiful lake and surrounding mountains. There was one mountain in particular which stood out to me. It jutted up like a gigantic rock, and each morning when we opened the curtains, I would look at it and marvel at how majestically it towered over the lake.

Whenever I went in and out of the house, I’d pause for a few moments to take in the beautiful view and scenery, and would invariably end up focusing on the mountain. Some days, the sky was blue and clear, and the mountain seemed close enough to reach out and touch. One day, the top half of the mountain was covered in clouds, and all that could be seen were the trees which reached halfway up, while the rest was obscured. Another morning, because of fog, it wasn’t possible to see the mountain at all.

On our last morning in Switzerland, I was thinking about a number of friends and the various experiences and challenges they had been facing. One found himself fighting a severe life-threatening illness virtually from one day to the next, which required months of being in the hospital, uncertain whether he would recover or not. One couple had plans in place which would help them financially, but at the very last minute these fell through. Another was moving her family to another country without knowing all the details about how things would work out once she arrived. One couple’s Christian work, which they’d had for years, was coming to an end, and they didn’t yet know what God wanted them to do next. Another man lost his job at the same time as he and his wife were facing some sickness in their family, and he hadn’t yet been able to find a new one.

As I thought about these dear friends, and so many others who are faced with uncertainty, I was reminded of what I had observed while looking at the mountain over the previous days—how on some days the mountain was so clear, so obviously there, while on other days parts of it were obscure, and on the foggy day I couldn’t see it at all. And yet, whatever the weather, even when it couldn’t be seen, the mountain was there. Fog or clouds or raging storms might make it difficult to see, or even invisible, but it was still there, standing strong and immovable.

I was struck by the courage of these people and of countless others who face the uncertainties of life with deep faith, even when God’s presence in their lives is less evident. The Bible verse “we walk by faith, not by sight” came to mind. The fact is that, like the mountain, God, in all His majesty, is always there. Whether we see or feel Him is irrelevant to the fact that He is there. Through all the storms of our lives; through the times of uncertainty or confusion or weakened faith; through the fears, the questions, the doubts, the loss, He is there.

Sometimes things are bright and sunny in our lives, and God’s blessings are very clear to us. At other times, like when the top of the mountain is covered in clouds, it’s a bit more difficult to see or feel His presence; and in the dense fog of uncertainty, one can question if He’s there at all. But He is like the mountain; nothing has changed on His side. He is there, solid, immovable, ever loving, ever caring, never failing.

Looking at this mountain—this gigantic rock rising above the lake—brought to mind the stability of God, the sureness of His presence and help, regardless of the circumstances. We may worry or fear; we may doubt or be unsure. The storms that seem to engulf our lives at times can make it seem like He’s not there, not listening, or not concerned. But the simple fact is that the storms, the fog, and the winds in life don’t affect the presence of God any more than these elements in nature affect that mountain.

God is there, always. He will never leave or forsake us. Our faith may fail, but He isn’t dependent on our faith, for He is the Rock, the mountain, the faithful one upon whom we can depend. Always.

—

Hebrews 13:5 (NIV)
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
“Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you.”

2 Corinthians 5:7 (NIV) For we live by faith, not by sight.

Psalm 62:2 (NIV)
Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

THE MASTER’S HANDS

A mother once took her young son, who was just beginning to learn to play the piano, to hear the world-famous pianist Jan Paderewski in concert.

After an usher showed them to their seats, the mother spotted a friend in the audience and walked down the aisle to greet her. The little boy saw that as his opportunity to explore the wonders of the concert hall, and eventually explored his way through a door marked “NO ADMITTANCE.” When the house lights dimmed and the concert was about to begin, the mother returned to her seat and discovered that her son was missing.

Suddenly, the curtains parted and spotlights focused on the impressive grand piano on stage. In horror, the mother saw her little boy sitting at the keyboard, innocently picking out “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.” At that moment, Paderewski made his entrance, quickly moved to the piano, and whispered in the boy’s ear, “Don’t quit. Keep playing.”

Then Paderewski leaned over, reached down with his left hand and began filling in a bass part. Soon his right arm reached around to the other side of the child and added a third part. Together, the old master and the young novice transformed a frightening situation into a wonderfully creative experience. The audience was mesmerized.

That’s the way it is with our heavenly Father. What we can accomplish on our own is hardly noteworthy. We try our best, but the results aren’t exactly graceful, flowing music. But with the hands of the Master, our life’s work truly can be beautiful.

Next time you set out to accomplish great feats, listen carefully. You can hear the voice of the Master, whispering in your ear, “Don’t quit. Keep playing.” Feel His loving arms around you. Know that His strong hands are there, helping you turn your feeble attempts into true masterpieces. Remember, God doesn’t call the equipped; He equips the called. As long as you’re trying your best to do what He knows is best, He’ll always be there to love and guide you on to great things.

—

1 John 4:8 ESV / Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

Romans 8:37-39 ESV / No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

John 3:16 ESV / “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

FINDING GOD

Trying to describe God can be a challenging prospect. There are so many sides to His personality, and He’s so much greater and more profound than we’ll ever be able to grasp. Besides, each of us is at a different stage in our personal growth, and our relationship with God changes over the years.

For instance, my two-year-old daughter, Audrey, seems to know God as a friendly gentleman with a long white beard who keeps an eye on things from behind some clouds. Jesus usually shows up in her books as a baby in a manger or a shepherd counting sheep.

It’s fine that children relate to God in simple ways. Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” Still, I’m looking forward to Audrey growing in maturity to the point that she can experience many more of God’s attributes, such as His wisdom, His power to heal, His comfort, His help in time of trouble, and so on.

Although none of us can ever fully understand God, we can find clues in His Word to help us get to know Him better. Most importantly, the Bible tells us that God loves each of us fervently, even though He knows all the wrong stuff we’ve done. His love is permanent, unconditional, and complete. “I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

The more we let God take us over, the more truly ourselves we become—because He made us. He invented us. He invented all the different people that you and I were intended to be. It is when I turn to Christ, when I give up myself to His personality, that I first begin to have a real personality of my own.—C. S. Lewis (1898–1963)

—

James 1:5 (NIV) If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

Psalm 147:3 (NIV)
He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.

Romans 8:38-39 (NIV) For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

MY YEAR WITHOUT CLOTHES

Well, not literally. I can explain.
At the start of last year, I made (and ended up keeping) a resolution to not purchase any new clothes or shoes that year. My reasons were a combination of,

1) I didn’t need more shoes and clothes. I’m not one of those shopaholic types, and with a combination of going to plenty of garage sales, occasional online shopping, and having lots of girlfriends around to swap with, I already had a lot of stuff!

2) I had recently read about a growing movement of people who had decided they would only own 100 items. I did some quick calculations and decided that wasn’t exactly for me, but I admired the concept. And
3) I had exactly zero set aside in savings at the time, and I wanted to change that.

As it turned out, I ended up getting more new clothes and shoes within that year than I had in the previous several years, despite not buying any of them. Yep, it’s true. It was a combination of visits with my mother, sister, and sister-in-law—all of whom had a stash set aside for me—and gifts from other friends. Granted, not everything was brand new, but some was—and it was all new to me. So, the happy news is that I got variety in my wardrobe and shoe-drobe (shouldn’t that be a word?) without having spent a penny on it.

I woke up this morning thinking about that decision and that year and how well it all went. I strongly suspect that it was somehow connected to the minor panic I’ve been experiencing over the last few days in thinking about my current financial situation. I’ve recently relocated, bringing about a lot of changes in my life, and I’m facing some, shall we say, challenges. I have a lot of experience in being frugal, I’m disciplined in my budgeting and spending, and I think that with a little caution I’ll be okay.

Anyway, I suppose my “year without clothes” came to mind because God was reminding me that, as I like to say, “Stuff works out.” During that year, spending less time and money pursuing the acquisition of things didn’t actually result in wanting for anything. If in the near or distant future there is a month, or even a year, when I have to do without buying a certain thing, could I maybe trust God to bring it along in some unexpected way? I think so.

I often feel I don’t have a lot to show as far as manifestations of God’s involvement and activity in my life. I love Him, we spend time together, and I know His presence is always with me … but once in a while someone asks me to tell them about “something wonderful or a miracle God’s done for you,” and I kind of hem and haw and usually can’t think of anything offhand.

I used to feel horrible about that, until I came to accept that my life is probably one of those where God just doesn’t work in a “showy” way. He’s entitled to that, and I’m not entitled to expect Him to treat me in a particular way. But then, there are sweet little things like this, where I can see with hindsight that God could very well have had a hand in how things played out. I can’t quite bring myself to believe that He cared as much as I did about me getting more shoes, but He at least did care about helping me realize that if I trust Him, I’ll always have what I need, and sometimes even what I want—even if it’s not through the channels I expect or because of my best-laid plans.

Another thing I came to realize during my “year without clothes” was how much I had in many ways. For example, I had a job at a time when a lot of people didn’t. I’ve never been homeless. And contrary to what you might have thought when reading the title of this article, I’ve never had to run around without clothes either! I’ve had things pretty good.

On the practical side, this experiment also kept me from having even more stuff than I do, which was good, because as it was, I had to trim down when I moved earlier this year.
All in all, I’ve felt richer since then.

—

2 Timothy 3:17 ESV / That the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:16 ESV / All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

1 Thessalonians 2:13 ESV / And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers

DEBT FREE

Sérgio was going through a severe financial crisis. He had taken out a large loan in a foreign currency, but a wild fluctuation in the exchange rate had raised his debt to more than double the value of everything he possessed.

Sérgio’s main creditor was his father-in-law, a very wealthy man. One day he told Sérgio, “I know you’re going through rough times, and I want to help you. You don’t have to continue the monthly payments on the money you borrowed from me. Actually, I’d like to forgive the debt altogether.”

That would have given Sérgio enough financial leeway to renegotiate his other debts and keep his company afloat, but Sérgio refused the offer.

“I can’t let you do that, sir. It’s a matter of principle. I must pay back all I owe you.”
The old man tried to reason with his son-in-law.

“What you’ve been paying monthly doesn’t even cover the interest on the money I loaned you. Besides, you are married to my only daughter. When I die—and it won’t be long—all I have will be hers and yours. This is not a matter of principle, but stupid pride.”

However, Sérgio stubbornly continued in his futile attempts to restore to his father-in-law what he had borrowed from him. In the end, Sérgio went bankrupt and lost his company and almost everything else.

Of course, we should do what we can to pay our debts. But Sérgio was like many people who refuse the pardon God so generously offers, who insist on trying to make restitution themselves. They try, through good works, sacrifice, and self-denial, to repay the unrepayable, when they could start writing a new story for their lives by accepting Jesus’ payment for their mistakes.

Jesus offers a full pardon to every man, woman, and child. All we have to do is accept it.

Receive God’s free pardon by simply asking and inviting His Son, Jesus, into your life:

“Thank You, dear Jesus, for dying for me and forgiving me. I open my heart to You and accept Your gift.”

He paid a debt He did not owe;
I owed a debt I could not pay;
I needed someone to wash my sins away.
Christ Jesus paid a debt that I could never pay.
—Ellis J. Crum

—

Mark 16:16 ESV / Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

James 2:24 ESV / You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.

Acts 2:38 ESV / And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS

About a year ago, I sprained my ankle quite badly coming out of the movie theater and needed to go to the hospital for an x-ray and to have it properly bandaged. Thankfully, nothing was broken, but the swelling lasted a few days, and it was some time before I could walk normally.
Later, when I was reflecting on this unexpected mishap, the main thing that struck me from all that had happened was the kindness of strangers. Here is what I mean:

When I first tumbled down the stairs, the pain was excruciating. I was also scared and in shock. Right away, a man appeared—a complete stranger, at the right time and place—and helped my husband, Brian, pick me up and carry me to the car, all the while talking to me and comforting me in a very soothing voice. When we got to the car, he left, just as suddenly as he had appeared.

Then, as we were discussing the route to the emergency hospital, a young couple, whom we had never met before, approached our vehicle and offered to lead the way. Once we reached the hospital, they stayed until I was done with my x-ray, in case we needed their help for anything, especially considering my husband isn’t fluent yet in the local language. Mind you, it was past midnight, and they were strangers to us, but it was comforting to have them around and to talk with them while waiting.

Then another thought started forming in my mind as the timing of it all became rather significant to me. This incident took place on the eve of the Easter weekend. And thinking on the “kindness of strangers” that we experienced, I couldn’t help but see the similarity to what Jesus did for humanity on this day so long ago. Only in His case, He didn’t just carry an injured person to a hospital, or even stay on to make sure she was okay—this Stranger went all the way, by giving His life for people who didn’t even know Him.

And then I recognized Him in the strong arms of the kind man who helped my husband carry me, and in the reassuring smiles of Martin and Anastasia who stayed with us into the night to make sure I was all right. He lives on in each loving deed.

—

Ephesians 4:12-13 ESV / To equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,

Ephesians 4:11 ESV / And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,

Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV / For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

INVESTING IN FOREVER

Giving up some of the things we enjoy or desire can seem like a sacrifice, but when we get to heaven and see things in proper perspective, we’ll be ashamed that we didn’t make those little sacrifices more cheerfully.

Even now I feel bad, remembering little jobs I weaseled out of, arguments I had to have the last word in, times I made sure to get the biggest piece of pie. I’m beginning to see how temporary those things were, and that the things that have really counted were the times I gave up some free time to help someone out, the times I let a mean comment pass without answering back, the times I helped someone save face, and the times I saved that biggest piece of pie for someone else. Giving up these inconsequential things doesn’t seem like such a sacrifice anymore, when I consider that I’m investing in forever.

Because I have been given much,
I, too, must give:
Because of Thy great bounty, Lord,
Each day I live
I shall divide my gifts from Thee
With every brother that I see
Who has the need of help from me.

Because I have been sheltered, fed,
By Thy good care,
I cannot see another’s lack
And I not share
My glowing fire, my loaf of bread,
My roof’s safe shelter overhead,
That he, too, may be comforted.

Because love has been lavished so
Upon me, Lord,
A wealth I know that was not meant
For me to hoard,
I shall give love to those in need,
Shall show that love by word and deed,
Thus shall my thanks be thanks indeed.
—Grace Noll Crowell (1877–1969)

—

Galatians 5:22 ESV / But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

Ephesians 4:32 ESV / Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Luke 6:35 ESV / But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.

THE WATER

It was the hot, dry season. With no rain in almost a month, crops were dying, cows had stopped giving milk, streams had long dried up, and we, like other farmers in the area, faced bankcruptcy if we didn’t see some rain soon.

I was in the kitchen making lunch when I saw my six-year-old son, Billy, walking purposefully and carefully toward the woods. I could only see his back. Minutes after he disappeared, he came running back.

I continued making sandwiches, but noticed later that he was once again walking toward the woods with that slow purposeful stride. This activity—walk carefully to the woods, run back to the house—was repeated a few more times. Finally I couldn’t take it any longer, so I crept out of the house and followed him on his journey, being careful to remain out of sight.

I sneaked along as he went into the woods. Branches and thorns slapped his face, but he didn’t try to avoid them. Then I saw the most amazing sight. Several large deer loomed in front of him, but Billy walked right up to them. I almost screamed for him to get away—a huge buck with elaborate antlers was dangerously close. But the buck did not threaten him. He didn’t even move as Billy knelt down. Then I saw a tiny fawn that was lying on the ground, obviously suffering from dehydration and heat exhaustion, lift its head with great effort to lap up the water my beautiful boy had brought, cupped in his hands.

When the water was gone, Billy jumped up to run back to the house and I hid behind a tree. I followed him back to a spigot that we had shut off the water to. Billy turned it all the way and knelt to catch the few drops that trickled out. I remembered the trouble he had gotten into for playing with the hose the week before and the lecture he had received about the importance of not wasting water, and I understood why he hadn’t asked for help.

The leftover water in the pipes was all but gone, and it took a long time for the drops to fill his makeshift “cup.” When he finally stood up and turned around, I was in front of him.

His eyes filled with tears. “I’m not wasting,” was all he said.

With a lump in my throat, I handed Billy a cup filled to the brim with water from the kitchen, and together we walked back into the treeline. I let him tend to the fawn, watching proudly as my son worked to save a life.

Tears rolled down my face and hit the ground, where they were joined by other drops … and more drops … and more. I looked up and saw the sky was dark and rumbly. Billy and I barely made it back to the house before the clouds burst and a heavy rain shower hit.

Some will probably say that this was just a huge coincidence, that it was bound to rain sometime. And I can’t argue with that. All I can say is that the rain that came that day saved our farm, just like the actions of a little boy saved a life.

—

Romans 8:20-21 ESV / For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

Psalm 24:1-2 ESV / A Psalm of David. The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein, for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers.

2 Peter 3:13 ESV / But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

2100

Two thousand one hundred! Not a date but a number. Bono, the lead singer of rock band U2, known for his anti-poverty campaigns, notes that this is how many mentions of poverty there are in the Scriptures: “That’s a lot of airtime.” In the introduction to the Poverty and Justice Bible, the Bible Society adds, “A concern for the poor and an emphasis on just and fair behaviour flows through the Bible like a river. It underpins the laws of the Old Testament and resounds through the words of the prophets; it forms a core part of all that Jesus said and did and shapes the activities of those who followed him.”

The poor come to all of us in many forms. Let us be sure that we never turn our backs on them, wherever we may find them. For when we turn our backs on the poor, we turn [our backs] on Jesus Christ.—Mother Teresa (1910–1997)

Hearts and minds
Many of the world’s current problems of inequality and poverty have their origins in a loss of empathy. Author and psychologist Daniel Goleman observed, “When we focus on ourselves, our world contracts as our problems and preoccupations loom large. But when we focus on others, our world expands. Our own problems drift to the periphery of the mind and so seem smaller, and we increase our capacity for connection—or compassionate action.”

The good-hearted understand what it’s like to be poor; the hardhearted haven’t the faintest idea.—Proverbs 29:7 MSG

The justice connection
When the Bible talks about “the poor,” it’s not only referring to those who are destitute but also the downtrodden, oppressed, defenseless, and unrepresented. There is a clear connection in its pages between poverty and injustice, while justice is linked to honesty and fairness.
The Bible offers practical examples, such as giving a fair wage to employees and sharing part of our income. Jesus also suggested making friends with those who are less fortunate than ourselves.

Always be generous, open purse and hands, give to your neighbors in trouble.—Deuteronomy 15:11 MSG

See that justice is done, let mercy be your first concern.—Micah 6:8 CEV

The best index to a person’s character is how he treats people who can’t do him any good.—Abigail Van Buren (1918–2013)

What can I do?
Even with limited resources, there are always ways to make a difference. We can share our time, we can be fair and honest at work, we can speak up for those who have no voice of their own.

Dear Lord,
Help us to follow your example,
by looking out for those who each day feel that they are marginalised,
who cannot find hope,
who believe that they have little to offer,
who are overcome by the challenges of poverty.
Help us to widen our horizons,
to make space for the stranger,
to watch out for those who feel invisible,
to give time to the outsider,
to talk to the person facing silence,
to restore justice and value.
Give us the courage to undertake this, the determination to join with others in seeing grace in every human face, and the faith to embrace the opportunity.
—A prayer for justice from the Church Urban Fund

Christian hope … enables us to act humbly and patiently, tackling visible injustices in the world around us without needing to be assured that our skill and our effort will somehow rid the world of injustice altogether. Christian hope, after all, does not need to see what it hopes for (Hebrews 11:1). … Rather, it simply requires us to trust that even the most outwardly insignificant of faithful actions—the cup of cold water given to the child, the widow’s mite offered at the temple, the act of hospitality shown to the stranger, none of which has any overall strategic socio-political significance so far as we can now see—will nevertheless be made to contribute in some significant way to the construction of God’s kingdom by the action of God’s creative and sovereign grace.—Craig M. Gay

—

Psalm 41:1 (NIV)
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
Blessed are those who have regard for the weak;
the Lord delivers them in times of trouble.

Deuteronomy 15:11 (NIV) There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.

Isaiah 58:6-7 (NIV)
“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

Prayer Point

1. Please intercede for Corps Family:
Bro Sunny, Elizabeth, Susan and especially for Sis Rachel for healing.

2. Please intercede for the nation of Malaysia

3. Please intercede for Penang Open Day, selling of coupons and good weather.

Announcement

1. Pray for MALAYSIA (Holiness Meeting)
Date: 30th Aug 2015
Time: 10:30am

2. Open Day 2015
Date: 10th Oct 2015 Saturday
Venue: Penang Children's Home
Time: 9:00am - 2:00pm
Help needed to sell the coupons.

3. Women Camp
Date: 111-13 Sept 2015
Venue: Melaka
Transportation:Please see Corps Officer.

4. Children's Camp
Date: 28th Nov - 1st Dec 2015
Venue: Penang Children's Home

RM40 per pax / Closing Date: 19th Oct 2015.

SEEING JESUS

In a series of experiments conducted a few years back, dogs were given the command “shake,” and they were normally happy to do so whether they got a reward or not. However, researchers found that if the dogs saw that another dog was being rewarded and they weren’t, they began hesitating to obey the command and eventually stopped cooperating altogether. The dogs knew when they were being treated unfairly, and they didn’t like it. If even dogs can understand when something isn’t fair, how much more will people know when they’re being treated unfairly!

Deuteronomy 25:13–14 warns us, “Do not have two differing weights in your bag—one heavy and one light. Do not have two differing measures in your house—one large, one small.” Very simply, God is saying, “Treat others fairly and don’t cheat.” However, I think there’s a broader application as well.

How often do we walk around with different weights in our bags? How often do we measure out great amounts of kindness to those we care about yet very little to those we have a more difficult time getting along with or don’t know as well? How often do we show partiality to some and indifference to others?

We offer a smile and a kind word to a friend but a cold shoulder to that annoying classmate.

We’ve got a ready helping hand for a buddy when he needs it, but our schedules are all booked up when the request comes from someone we don’t care about.

We’re happy to loan or even give money to a friend in need, but we try not to see the homeless person on the street corner.

While there are reasons why giving or helping or treating others equally isn’t possible in every situation, very often we’re simply falling prey to partiality. Instead of asking ourselves, “Why should I help this person?” or, “Why should I show kindness to this person?” we should be asking, “Why wouldn’t I?”

While it’s logical to assume that Jesus had a closer relationship with His disciples, for instance, than with some others, when we examine His life, we find that He treated everyone—from government officials to outcast lepers, from religious leaders to simple day laborers—with respect and consideration. Even more impressive, His fairness and kindness extended even to those who treated Him poorly, those who abused and mocked Him, and even those who killed Him!

In my case, I find acting with impartiality difficult, because it means that I have to forget myself completely. It’s human nature to be constantly calculating and weighing things out in the recesses of our minds to see what returns we might get on each investment of self. We’re naturally more inclined to be partial to those who are likely to return the good will, the favor, or the kindness. If we’re unlikely to get anything out of it, it’s easy to walk away.

Mother Teresa is someone who didn’t make such calculations. Her giving was to the poorest of the poor—people who had nothing to offer her in exchange for all she did. She also interacted with celebrities and heads of state, and one thing I find stunning about her life is that she treated each one with the same respect and love. She didn’t reserve better treatment for those whom the world deemed more “important.”
One day she asked a visiting bishop, “Would you like to see Jesus?” Then she took him to see a man lying on a black pallet. The man was sick and gaunt, and his body was crawling with vermin.

Before the stunned bishop, Mother Teresa knelt down and wrapped her arms around the poor man. She held him close and said, “Here He is. Didn’t He say you’d find Him in the least person on earth? Mother Teresa considered everyone to be equally deserving of love, because she saw Jesus in each one.

Jesus has told us that whatever we do (or fail to do) for even the “least of these,” we have done (or failed to do) to Him. It’s rare that we are called upon to love in such extreme physical conditions as Mother Teresa faced; more often we are faced with the unkindness of others, or our own prejudices or indifference. No matter what challenges we face, though, unconditional love should be our aim, so that when Jesus tells us, “What you did to others, you did to Me,” it’s something He’s happy about.

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Ephesians 4:32 ESV / Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Mark 6:34 ESV / When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things.

Genesis 6:6 ESV / And the Lord was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart.

TINY WORLDS

I remember learning about the word “microcosm” when I was in fifth grade. As homework, our teacher handed each of us a 36-inch string and told us to make a circle on the ground. Then we were to look at everything within the circle, study it, and see what lived in our tiny world.

From then on I was fascinated with little worlds. I spent hours sitting in the grass creating environments for ants and little bugs. I made chairs out of leaves and gowns out of petals. I made tiny roads and houses out of twigs. But mostly I just watched.

I took my string everywhere, and suddenly I saw the world with new eyes. Lawns, pebble-strewn pathways, rock ledges with carpets of moss—all I had to do was make a circle and I could create a new world. Well, not exactly “create,” but I could modify existing worlds and try to improve them.

Today I hear of tragedies in the news and weep over the headlines. I listen to political debates and wonder if people will ever agree, or if they are so absorbed in their arguments that they’ll never see the things they have in common.

I wish I could change the world. I wish I could make it a cleaner, more beautiful place. I wish I could end war and violence. I wish good will really could fill the earth. I was pondering this as I took my morning walk. Then I remembered the little girl in fifth grade, and I realized that while I cannot change the entire world, I can make my little world a better place. I cannot change everyone’s heart, but I can influence the person walking beside me.

I can create a microcosm of peace in a world of tempests. I can make my home a haven of calm in the midst of storms. I can take steps to make my surroundings more beautiful. God may not have given me a huge world to change, but I can change my tiny world by finding ways to fill it with God’s love each day.

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Proverbs 27:17 ESV / Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.

1 Corinthians 15:33 ESV / Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”

Proverbs 13:20 ESV / Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm

THE GOOD CONDUCTOR

British writer Bernard Hare tells the true story of an incident that changed his life, transforming him, as he described it, “from a selfish, potentially violent hedonist into a decent human being.”

Back in 1982 when he was a student living in London, he was informed that his mother had been taken to the hospital and was unlikely to survive the night. He left immediately to make the journey up to the north of the country.

It was a trip that would require a change of trains, and he realized from the timetable that he would be twenty minutes too late for the connection. It was late evening and these were the last trains of the day. The chances of getting all the way to the hospital without resorting to hitchhiking or car-theft were slim.

He was in such a state of anxiety and distress that he did not welcome the gentle inquiries from the train conductor, who was trying to find out what was the matter with this obviously distraught young man. But he discovered a little later that the same conductor to whom he had responded so curtly radioed ahead and arranged for the connecting train to be delayed to give Bernard time to catch it. This unexpected act of kindness made it possible for him to be at his mother’s side when she died.

When Bernard realized what the conductor had done, he sought him out on the train to offer his heartfelt thanks. The conductor replied, “Not a problem. If you feel the need to thank me, the next time you see someone in trouble, you help them out. That will pay me back amply. Tell them to pay you back the same way and soon the world will be a better place.”

Bernard continued, “Even now, I can’t think of [my mother] without remembering the Good Conductor on that late-night train to Peterborough. … [I’ll] give you the same advice the Good Conductor gave me. Pass it down the line.”

We don’t have to engage in grand, heroic actions to participate in the process of change. Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world.—Howard Zinn (1922–2010)

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1 Corinthians 16:14 ESV / Let all that you do be done in love.

John 13:34-35 ESV / A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

1 John 4:8 ESV / Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

A WORTHWHILE LIFE

We are unlikely to have Abraham’s calling to become the father of nations. Not many of us have the strength of Samson to bring the perpetrators of evil to justice. It is rare to be given the responsibility, like Esther, of safeguarding the people of our nation. And most of us don’t have the fearlessness of the prophet Daniel, risking life and limb for our faith, or even the vigor of the apostle Paul, who evangelized almost the entire known world of his day.

Most of us are more like those unnamed individuals scattered throughout the gospels, like the men and women who sat on the grass listening to Jesus, enjoying the meal of loaves and fishes, and hopefully letting His words sink into our hearts and change our lives. He’s given us a lot to chew on, that’s for sure.

We don’t need to do something outstanding or showy with our life in order for it to be worthwhile. The secret is finding out what God’s calling for us is and how we can best fulfill it. Some of the most meaningful lives are built by doing little things in countless little ways.

Dear God, give me faith to believe, love to put others before myself, trust to share with those in need, strength to do what needs to be done, patience to offer a listening ear, and kindness to pay attention to those around me.

I would like to be a more selfless, caring person, like You. Please come into my life and fill me with Your Spirit of love, so I can learn to think more about others. Help me to live a worthwhile life, not necessarily through some great accomplishments, but through a collection of small, loving, and meaningful actions, day after day—not for glory or reward, but because I want to follow in Your footsteps, as the one who went everywhere doing good.

Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.—Author unknown, often attributed to Mother Teresa (1910–1997)

Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?—

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Romans 9:21 (NIV) Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?

Acts 13:15 (NIV) After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the leaders of the synagogue sent word to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have a word of exhortation for the people, please speak.”

Acts 10:38 (NIV) how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.

WHEN NOBODY NOTICED

It was a dull and rainy day as I sat at the window of a small brick row house in Leicester, England, watching the rain form small rivers on the window pane. A friend was letting me stay at his house while he was away and I helped care for a terminally ill loved one. It was a half-hour bus ride from the house to the Leicester Royal Infirmary, where I spent most of my days.

I had saved up for this trip, taking a two-week unpaid leave from work, and allowing for a few extra days in case I needed to stay a bit longer before another relative arrived to take my place. However, two weeks had already turned into three, and the relative was still delayed. I was beginning to run short on cash and secretly started to worry how much longer I was going to be able to continue on my present shoestring budget.

That evening, I called my friend Myriam and explained the situation.

“I’m on my way!” she said. “I can take a week off from work and will be glad to join you.”

I picked Myriam up at the bus terminal the following evening. It was pouring rain, but I was so thankful to see her that I hardly noticed. Her arrival was an answer to prayer, and I felt God reaching out to me and my sick loved one through her presence.

Not only did Myriam help out financially—she did a grocery shopping and rented a car, which made it easier for us to get to and from the hospital and to take our patient on short outings—but she also provided much-needed moral support. I had reached an emotional low, after daily witnessing the suffering in the cancer ward.

“How will I ever repay you?” I asked when I hugged Myriam good-bye.

“Don’t worry about that! I’m just glad I was able to help.”

When I had thought nobody noticed my desperate situation, God showed me that He did, by touching the heart of a friend who responded and came to my rescue. This experience reminded me of how much good there is in so many people.

The next time God nudges my heart to be a “good Samaritan” to someone in need, I know I’ll feel more inspired to answer the call, remembering how much Myriam’s help meant to me.

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Ephesians 4:32 ESV / Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Luke 6:35 ESV / But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.

Proverbs 11:17 ESV / A man who is kind benefits himself, but a cruel man hurts himself.

THE VALUE OF HEALTHY LIVING

Staying healthy doesn’t happen automatically. It takes effort, and also usually involves some sacrifice, some reordering of priorities and forgoing certain things that would be enjoyable but not good for us. Long-term health is a lifelong investment, but it’s a wise one. Better to invest a little each day in strengthening our bodies than to neglect them and suffer serious health problems.

In health matters, as with many other things in life, God usually won’t do for us what we can and should do ourselves. He expects us to take care of our bodies, and He often won’t override the negative consequences when we could have made healthier choices but didn’t.

Ground rules
Thankfully, God has laid out some pretty straightforward rules for staying healthy. These fall into three main categories: spiritual, emotional, and physical. The key to the spiritual aspect is in staying close to God, in finding and following His plan for our lives as best we can. An important key to the emotional aspect is in maintaining a positive attitude, which reduces stress, worry, fear, and other negative emotions, all of which take a toll on our health and happiness. The physical aspect is pretty much summed up in what some health experts refer to as the three pillars of physical health: “Eat right, sleep right, and exercise right.”

“Eat right” comes down to following a few fairly simple guidelines—simple, but not always easy. Changing poor eating habits takes determination and planning, but you’ll probably be surprised at how quickly you develop an appetite for the right kinds of food and lose your appetite for the wrong ones.

“Sleep right” may sound easy enough, but many people try to operate with a sleep deficit. It’s true that some people need less sleep than others, but the pressures of modern living push many of us to try to pack more into our days by sleeping less than our bodies need to be in top health. That’s being shortsighted, because we get more out of our waking hours when we’re rested.

For people who aren’t in the habit of exercising regularly, that’s an easy one to neglect. It’s hardest to dismiss the need for sleep, because the effects of trying to go without sleep are felt immediately. On the other hand, much like the effects of a poor diet, the results of insufficient exercise can be slower in coming. Exercise helps our bodies cleanse and repair themselves. It also strengthens muscles, bones, and internal organs, boosts our immune systems, and helps us maintain an acceptable weight. There is scarcely a living cell in our bodies that doesn’t benefit from regular exercise of the right kind.

Personalized program
The ground rules are universal, but because age, body types, and personal preferences vary greatly, what will work best also varies from person to person. Each person’s needs also change over time and as other factors enter in. So how do you know what’s right for you? Many “authorities” offer conflicting information and advice, and sometimes a certain kind of diet or exercise is widely acclaimed for a time, but discredited later. Whose program do you follow? Only your Creator truly knows what’s best for you, and He wants to work with you toward optimum health.

Why not ask Him to show you what changes to make in your diet or exercise plan? One of the ways He has of letting you know is through your body. For example, that soreness that gets a little worse each day could be a sign of overdoing or not performing an exercise correctly.

Keeping fit is a lifestyle
The goal is to make getting proper diet, sleep, and exercise lifelong habits—not just something we do for a few days or a few weeks until we lose a few inches from our waist or drop a clothing size or two. Unless we correct the bad habits that brought on those extra inches, they will soon be back. This is why diets and exercise programs that promise quick results are largely unsuccessful: They focus on the short term instead of lifestyle choices that bring long-term changes. In some cases, it’s worth undertaking a short-term program to get healthier or lose weight, but then you need to build new long-term health habits if you want to hold on to the ground you’ve gained.

If you’re serious about switching to a healthier lifestyle, the first questions to ask are, “How can I make eating, sleeping, and exercising right my daily norms?” “What changes do I need to make in my mindset or lifestyle?” and, “What specific health program is best for me?”

Replacing poor health habits with good ones takes determination, study, and planning at first, but the payoff soon makes it self-sustaining; we feel so much better that we want to keep doing the things that make us feel that way.

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1 Timothy 4:8 ESV / For while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

1 Corinthians 6:19 ESV / Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,

Proverbs 24:5 ESV / A wise man is full of strength, and a man of knowledge enhances his might,