Manifest a Spirit Worthy of Your Calling

   

As we now move fully into the holiday season, it will be interesting to see how much of that “spirit” we typically associate with this season gets manifested this year. I’m referring especially to the enhanced attitude and expressions of kindness and generosity that are often more prevalent as we make our way through these weeks leading up to Christmas. As we face the challenges of a pandemic, the prospect of some of our treasured traditions being altered to some extent, and the increasingly divisive and turbulent climate in our society, will we continue to add fuel to the fire or will we be a channel for reducing some of that heat by manifesting a different spirit?

This isn’t only a question for us to consider through the holiday season, but one we need to think about as we generally look ahead to the future and evaluate how we as followers of Christ should conduct ourselves as we move forward from where we find ourselves today. It’s easy for Christians to blame the unbelievers and a lost world for the current status of our society. However, I believe we have to accept a good measure of fault ourselves. We haven’t set a very good example for the world to notice. We have to admit that we often have fallen short of being the light-bearers, the truth-tellers, and the holy people of Christlike character and conduct who should be positively impacting those around us. And in this current explosive atmosphere, we tend to act more like those who don’t share our faith in Christ rather than conducting ourselves in ways that might bring honor to God and be a witness to the world around us. For example, it should concern us to hear people invoke the name of Christ one moment but then turn around and use foul or crude language to denounce someone with whom they disagree concerning some of our political and social controversies. It should especially be of concern if you realize that person is you.

The Apostle Paul exhorts us “to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called” (Ephesians 4:1). He was addressing the Church – the body of believers in general. As Christians we’ve all been called to follow Christ and should live in ways consistent with that calling. In case we have any doubts as to what that includes, Paul went on to mention a few specifics – “with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:2-3). He closes this same chapter by stating: “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you” (4:31-32).

Does this describe how we’re dealing with our circumstances today? I’m afraid that too many Christians have allowed themselves to be influenced by unbelievers with whom they may agree politically or about social issues, but whose conduct understandably doesn’t line up to biblical standards. We can’t expect them to act like Christians if they don’t know Christ and don’t have His grace at their disposal to enable them to behave differently. But we do. And we can do better. We can fight the evils of our day while often finding allies in that battle who may not be believers. However, we don’t have to imitate their unredeemed behavior or fight with the same spirit they manifest.  We can still walk worthy of our calling while voicing our concerns, pointing out injustices, and battling against evil.

So let’s seek to manifest that different, more Christlike spirit as we go through this holiday season and beyond.

 

Are We Ready to Give Thanks?

  

One of my young grandson’s recently did something at his preschool for which he was appropriately reprimanded. When he refused to apologize to the other student involved, he was put in “time-out” until he was prepared to own up to his wrongdoing. After a few minutes in that disciplinary position, he was once again approached by his teacher asking him if we was ready to say “I’m sorry.” He responded, “No, I’m not ready yet.” I guess he was being honest about his feelings, but was obviously letting his stubbornness get in the way of what he knew he needed to do.

As we approach this special time we’ve set aside each year for expressing our gratitude, are you ready to say, “Thank You, Lord”? In light of the year we’ve been having, will some of us find it more difficult not only to say the words we know are appropriate but also to truly feel a sense of gratefulness in our hearts for what the Lord has done for us? As Thanksgiving Day draws near, are some of us having to honestly admit, “I’m not ready yet”? I’m not talking about not being ready to get together with family, to prepare a big meal, or jump into the midst of another holiday season. I’m referring to the fact that some of us may not be ready to set aside how we feel about all that has been going in our world over these past months and sincerely express thanks to the Lord.

Many of us know that we still have reason to be grateful. We can mentally count our blessings and remind ourselves that our situations could be worse. However, in spite of what we know, we’re finding it difficult to pull away from the prevailing atmosphere full of complaints, disappointments, fears, and anxieties over constantly having to adjust our lives from what has been our normal for so long. We know we should be thankful, but we’re just not ready yet.

May I encourage us all, including myself, to spend these next few days seeking to get ourselves ready – to prepare our hearts and move more in the direction of gratitude? It may not be easy to distance ourselves from some of the whining we’ve become so accustomed to participating in. It may be difficult not to succumb to the worry that is generated as we’re being constantly bombarded with fear-provoking news. We’ve been in such a negative environment for so many months, it may be hard to break free from its overpowering influence which seems to always be present and weighing us down. Nevertheless, with God’s help, let’s try.

In spite of the terrible loss of life from Covid-19, if you’re reading this, you’re still alive, breathing, and here to see another day. Be thankful for that. In spite of one or more empty chairs at your Thanksgiving celebration this year, be grateful for the people who still fill up those other seats around your table. Even though we may be hurting financially, look at what you do have and be thankful. In spite of the direction our nation seems to be going, let’s be grateful for the freedoms we still have and the opportunities before us to be lights in the darkness. In spite of all the uncertainties of what the future holds, we as believers can be thankful because we know that the Lord will be with us whatever comes our way.

We know we still have good reason to be thankful, even during this challenging year. Let’s not stubbornly refuse to admit it. Let’s get ready to give thanks this week and try to maintain that spirit more consistently as we move forward.

It’s Never Hopeless with God in the Picture

 

A couple of weeks ago someone’s Halloween decoration caught my eye as I was driving through the far side of our neighborhood. There was a skeleton lying on the ground, or at least the major components of such a figure. I’m not sure if all the bones were present and some may have been disconnected. Behind that somber scene was a sign posted with the message “No Hope” spray painted in red letters. Then again, maybe that wasn’t a Halloween decoration at all. Could it have been someone’s response to all that’s been happening to us in the year 2020? Or there are others who might be ready to erect such a display after the results of the recent election. Or maybe that sentiment expresses the mindset of other people as they deal with some personal difficulties in their lives. Whatever the case, it would be hard to picture the concept of hopelessness any better than by means of a dead, dry, scattered bunch of bones…unless you factor God into the equation.

 The Bible tells us about a time when God gave His prophet Ezekiel a vision of a valley full of dry bones. Than He asked him a simple question: “Can these bones live?” Ezekiel gave a rather wise answer. He knew how impossible the situation looked, but He also knew whom He was dealing with. Therefore he responded, “O Lord God, You know.” If you know the story (and if you don’t, check out Ezekiel 37), you will remember that the Lord proceeded to cause those disconnected bones to come together to form whole skeletons. Then he put flesh and skin back on those bones, resulting in a bunch of lifeless corpses. Finally God put breath into those bodies, causing them to live and stand on their feet. A valley-full of dry bones had been transformed into a vast, living army.

What was the point of this vision? The people of Israel had lost hope. They were captives in a foreign land and didn’t see any chance of restoration. However, God encouraged them with this message that He could bring life to the deadest and driest of old bones. He told them that He would bring them out of their graves. “I will put my Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land” (Ezekiel 37:14). No matter how bleak their circumstances appeared, there was still hope in the Lord.

Maybe some of us need to be reminded of that same truth today. As we look at the direction of our society, nation, and world in general, we may not see very many reasons for hope. We see the skeletons of past glories, spiritual deadness where once there was life, and even dry bones scattered across the landscape of the Lord’s church. Nevertheless we serve the same God whom Ezekiel encountered. Maybe recent difficulties and disappointments are reminding us to make sure we’re not placing our hope in man, in political leaders, in religious organizations, or in anything other than the Lord. Our hope is in Him.

Might the Lord be asking us the same question He asked Ezekiel – “Can these bones live?” I don’t know if the dry bones of our nation will be resurrected. Certainly God is able to do it. However, it may need to start with new life in the church. Let’s seek for the Lord to put His Spirit in us, to fill us with fresh life, and to restore us to what we need to be as His people. Yes, it looks to be hard, challenging, and almost impossible. But hopeless? Not with God. Not with the One who can bring dead bones to life.