SCRIP-BITS

Hebrews 12:2a.        Looking unto Jesus the author (originator) and finisher (perfector) of our faith;

And it seems like Tuesday is going to be just like Monday, drizzly and cloudy. (smile) But let’s not quibble over a little rain and cloud, for in many other parts of our troubled world, our fellow humans are facing dire seasons of drought and famine and would be overjoyed to receive even a drizzle of heavenly blessings. So, let’s be thankful for what we have. Amen! 

And to show our thankfulness, let’s pray this Fragrance Prayer that Mother Teresa of Calcutta adapted from one by St, Therese of Lisieux, better known as the Little Flower, and had her Sisters of Charity pray each day after communion. Please pray with me. ‘Dear Jesus, help us to spread your fragrance everywhere we go. Flood our souls with your Spirit and Life. Penetrate and possess our whole being so utterly, that our lives may only be a radiance of yours. Shine through us, and be so in us, that every person we should come in contact with may feel your presence in our soul. Let them look up and see no longer us, but only Jesus. 

Stay with us, and then we shall begin to shine as you shine; so to shine as to be a light to others; the light, Jesus, will be all from you. None of it will be ours. It will be you shining on others through us. Let us thus praise you in the way you LOVE best, by shining on those around us. Let us preach you without preaching: not by words, but by our example, by the catching force, the sympathetic influence of what we do, the evident fullness of the LOVE our hearts bear for you. Amen!’ 

Mama Mia! What a beautiful prayer my people! And it says all that needs to be said! Let Jesus flood our souls with His radiant light, so that we can reflect that awesome light to all we meet! So that others can see only Jesus in us, and thus wish to follow Him. And I certainly like the part about preaching without words, but by our compassionate and caring example, the ‘sympathetic influence of what we do, the evident fullness of the LOVE our hearts bear for Jesus!’ 

Yes friends, that’s the most important aspect of our discipleship; letting others see the LOVE of Christ showing out in us, shining out of us, through the caring deeds we do! There’s no stronger influence in discipleship than that my faithful brethren!  And that’s why Jesus said it so simply but powerfully and radically: ‘Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour (flavour) wherewith (by what) shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden underfoot of men. 

Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle (lamp), and put it under a bushel (basket), but on a candlestick (lampstand); and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your father which is in heaven.’ (Matt. 5:13-16) 

Oh my fellow believers, salt of the earth and light of the world, are two of the most important aspects of walking with and living for Jesus! We must have integrity and compassion like Jesus did, and even more so, show it to the whole wide world, also like He did. Remember He is our great example, the one we ought to look to and try to copy, to emulate. As the Bible tells us: Looking unto Jesus the author (originator) and finisher (perfector) of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down on the right hand of the throne of God.’ (Heb. 12:2) 

And yes, it’s not easy to emulate Jesus, in fact we will never become as faithful and trustworthy as He was to his Father, because we don’t have the godly parts that He had, but we certainly do have enough of Him to give it a good and worthy try and to make a significant difference, a most positive one, in our world if we so desire. 

But I believe that’s where we most often falter, in the effort, the giving of ourselves, the sacrificial aspect of living for Jesus, because as our society has grown prosperous and laid back, we believers have also become fat and lazy, and are no longer willing to give up any of our good life to serve Jesus and the many others who still need serving and saving. 

And that’s why our world is becoming mucky, dark and distasteful; there’s not enough salt and light from Christ’s followers in it to make it tasty and bright! Satan’s negative influences are shrouding it over in darkness and evil, because we are not standing up strong and fighting him mano a mano, since we are either scared, terrified of our own shadow, or just selfish and couldn’t care less about what happens to our world and our fellow human beings. 

But friends, there are two things we should be very cognizant of, or keep uppermost in our minds. The first is that whatever happens down here on earth is liable to have some adverse effect on you too; like wars and all the hate that’s currently inflaming our universe, and being quickly spread by the demonic tool of social media. Yes, social media, although it has some good uses, it’s being used as a tool for the devil and his evil cronies way too much. So if you just sit around and do nothing to improve the state of our world, the negativity it now spurns will very likely come back and bite you, where and when you don’t want it to. 

And the next important thing for us to remember is the day of judgement, when we will ALL be called to stand before God and give an account of our lives. And when He asks why we didn’t do much more with what He had gifted us, what’s going to be our answer? We were afraid. That won’t hold any water, because He’s going to say that He gave us faith and strength enough to do our duty. And if we’re boldfaced enough to tell Him that we simply didn’t care. Then He’s going to shoot back that He cared enough to send His ONLY Son to die for ingrates like us, so we should have cared enough to make the effort to improve our world. 

Oh my fellow saints, please, let’s admit that there are no good reasons, excuses or lies for our not doing better with what God has given us. And let’s stop fooling ourselves that we will get away with our lack of effort and discipleship, because we certainly won’t. Now, for those of us sincerely trying to do our best, let’s go home declaring (yesss!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong lock, stock and barrel. 

As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’ 

Now, let’s get out there and share that amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with all we meet, so that they too can come to know, serve and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!

…there’s absolutely no excuse for Christians…not to show their magnificent salt and light to the needy world… 

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