SCRIP-BITS

Matthew 5:16.    Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
 
Oh Friends, it ‘s a brand new day, with brand new mercies and blessings as so faithfully promised by our Lord and God! Wow! What a champion He is! Consequently, I sure hope that we all gave Him much thanks and praise for so graciously blessing us to see it. Today I want to share some words of St.Therese, Saint of the Little Flower and Champion of the Small Way, words that interact nicely with our Bit, but first listen to this authoritative statement of Jesus as expressed in the Bit. ‘Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.’ Now that’s an order that all believers should take very seriously and diligently try to put into action, because that’s how the Word is best spread, and unbelievers brought to Christ. However, in reality, not all of us can be big, shining lights on the world stage. We all can’t be brilliant spotlights, some of us have to be satisfied and contented with being just glowing nightlights since that’s the purpose for which we were created. The important thing is that we shine to the fullest whatever light we possess. And that’s where St. Therese words come into play, assuring us that we can all work diligently for Christ, even in small ways. We don’t necessarily have to shine big and bright to make a useful contribution, just give all we’ve got. Listen to how she says it: I have always longed to be a saint, but when I compare myself with the saints, I was conscious of the same difference that exists between a high mountain and a grain of sand. Instead of feeling discouraged, I would say to myself: God would never inspire me with an ideal that cannot be attained, so that I can still aspire to sanctity although I am so small and weak. I cannot become great; I must put up with myself as I am, with my innumerable imperfections, but I will try to find a new way to heaven quite short and direct. We live in an age of inventions; in the houses of the rich you go up in a lift, instead of climbing the stairs. As I am too small to climb the arduous ladder of perfection, I also must find a lift to carry me up to God. I turned to the Scriptures to find some clue and came upon these words of eternal Wisdom: “Whomsoever is a little one, let him come to me!” …Your arms, O Jesus, are the lift which will carry me up to heaven.’ What inspiring and encouraging words! And yuh know what, she became great for doing the little things she could in Jesus’ name, although she was sickly and full of self-doubt, and died at a young age, early twenties, of tuberculosis.  But the certainty that Jesus LOVED her and would carry her up to heaven in His LOVING arms buoyed and boosted her to do what little she could. Yes Friends, even the smallest and lowliest among us has an assigned path to tread, a worthwhile job to do in Jesus’ name. So please, DON’T ever think that because you and your deeds seem small and insignificant in the great world order of things, that you’re insignificant in the sight of Almighty God. That’s just not true, for the Father of All Creation dearly LOVES everything and person He’s ever made. Remember we all can’t be superstars – sorry – stars, because there’s only ONE SUPERSTAR, and that’s Jesus, but we can all play a useful role in furthering His kingdom. Remember too that stars can only be stars when they have a solid team of workers behind them. Likewise, in the building and furtherance of Jesus’ kingdom, some of us will have to be mere grunts, mere workers, but still absolutely necessary in the building process. Note, it’s the builder and the architect of the beautiful building who receive the outward praise, but it’s the ordinary men, with and without specialized knowledge and skills, with strong and dirty hands that do the actual building, and without them it’s impossible to construct the beautiful building. In the same way, it’s impossible to build God’s kingdom without all kinds of people. As Bruh Paul so wisely puts it: ‘For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office (function): So we being many, are one body in Christ, and every one (individually) members one of another.’ (Rom.12:4-5) Yes my people, as they say; ‘all for one and one for all,’ that’s how it is, rather supposed to be in Christ’s Church. Please let’s try to make it so nuh, and cut out all the petty divisions, dissension and jealousies that currently pervade, plague and prevent the successful building of Christ’s body, His Church, here on earth. More on this tomorrow, provided the Lord sees it fit to bless us with another day. Till then, please, please, WALK, TALK, LIVE and LOVE good, in Jesus’ name. Amen! Much LOVE!…even the smallest grain of sand…has an important part to play in God’s great universe…  P.S. I forgot to reiterate St.Therese’s most powerful statement, that God will never inspire us with an ideal, an idea, a heart’s desire that we cannot attain. Please believe that my people, because it’s the gospel truth. Whatever He inspires us to do, He will help us to achieve. Much LOVE!