SCRIP-BITS

Oh mih people, it’s Monday morning! So let’s be up and at ‘em, all dressed in our spiritual armour, ready to go out and give the iniquity workers heck this new work week, on behalf of our ever-LOVING God. It’s amusing, but I was talking to my young daughter last night and she complained about the weekend being so short, only two days. And in my fatherly wisdom, (smile) I pointed out that it’s called the weekend, and not the week or anything else, because it’s just that, the end of the week, and consequently it’s short. I don’t think that explanation made much difference to her dislike of Mondays, or will to anyone else’s, but there’s not much we can do about it since that’s the way our society is set up. That means we have to grin and bear it, plus, as I keep saying, get sufficient rest and fellowship in those two days, so that come Monday morning, we’ll be refreshed and rejuvenated. Unfortunately though, many of us are even more tired on Mondays than Fridays, and greet the new workweek cranky and singing the Blues. Remember Friends, moderation in all things is the key to successful living, and if we don’t follow that wisdom, then we’ll have to pay the piper at some time, hence the rise of what we so graciously call the Monday Morning Blues, where everybody is tired, miserable and bleary-eyed. I don’t know if a survey has ever been done on the amount of work that gets done on a Monday versus a Friday, but I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that it’s less, although technically and logically speaking, it should bring out the best in us because we’ve been off for two, whole, big days. (smile) Anyway my brethren, let’s see what Bruh Paul means when he says: ‘Owe no man any thing, but to LOVE one another: for he that LOVETH another hath fulfilled the law.’ He’s definitely not talking about our monetary or fiscal policy, where we shouldn’t purchase stuff on credit, but only use cash, although that’s a very good idea. Our economies would certainly not be in such a dreadful state now, if we had practised it earlier on. Bruh Paul’s referring to our social responsibility to each other. That we should not act in any manner towards our fellow man that would cause us to owe him any other debt but LOVE. We should basically follow the Ten Commandments; ‘and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended (summed up) in this saying, namely, Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour as thyself.’ (Rom.13:9) That’s nothing new Friends since Moses said it to the Israelites way back in the wilderness. (Lev.19:18) And Jesus reiterated it, in fact boiling the ten commandments down to 2: ‘Thou shalt LOVE the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’ (Mat.22:37-40) Oh my people, that’s why our lives should be filled with LOVE! And also why Bruh Paul could say; ‘for he that LOVETH another hath fulfilled the law.’ And as he further explains: ‘LOVE worketh no ill (does no harm) to his neighbour: therefore LOVE is the fulfilling of the law.’ (Rom.13:10) When we walk in LOVE, we generally don’t break the laws of the land, neither those of our God. We’re kind, decent, gentle and understanding to each other, victoriously increasing our Christ-like image, which is God’s basic desire for us. Consequently, our lives are filled with joy and peace, which is also God’s desire for His sinful children. And as the scholars so rightly point out, if we owe no man anything but LOVE, then we are actually performing the righteous acts that the law could only lead us to, or show us, but not make us do. So having the law of LOVE is good, but in and of itself, it’s worthless, unless we believers actually do what it says. Now this brings us right back to our favourite topic; all talk and no walk. Yes my Friends, LOVE is an action word! All the talking in the world is useless without the accompanying action. And we all know that our world is in such a dreadful state because there’s a terrible absence of LOVE in it. Cousin Sol summed it up this way long ago: ‘Hatred stirreth up strifes: but LOVE covereth all sins.’ (Prov.10:12) And that’s the gospel truth mih people! If we’d only be just a little kinder, more considerate and understanding towards each other, our world would be such a beautiful place that it would bring tears of joy to the Lord’s eyes. And we can surely be more LOVING despite our differences, many of which are petty and superficial. Oh my Friends, I’m asking, imploring us, for the good of all mankind, especially our children and their progeny, let’s make a serious effort to walk in LOVE nuh. Why is that so hard to do eh? Remember, if we followers of Christ don’t do it, no one else will, because Lucifer’s cronies like the current situation that only breeds hate, heartache, grief and destruction. And we’d better do it soon too, for the powers of evil are quickly tearing our world apart. Much LOVE!…as believers…we can pay the Lord no better complement…than walking in true LOVE with each other…