Drink Up

Posted on by Betsy

Have you ever been thirsty? Like, really, really thirsty, where your mouth is sticking together for lack of hydration? If you’ve had surgery, you might remember that the first sensation upon coming out of anesthesia is thirst. Nurses are talking to you and giving you all kinds of instructions, and all you can think is “Where is my Coke, Woman??”

Our souls thirst in the same way. God created us with a “lack-mechanism” where we experience a pervasive feeling of lacking for something. C.S. Lewis said that God created us with a hole in our hearts that only God can fill. God wants us to feel a need for him. This lack-mechanism prompts us to go out and find what we need to quench our soul-thirst.

Too often we try to quench it with worldly soda. The first bottle of empty sugar and fizz that we find is consumed in great quantities. Sometimes soda comes in the form of alcohol or drugs. Sometimes it comes dressed in heels or the well-cut suit of someone we aren’t married to. Maybe it comes in the form of “retail therapy.” Often it comes through your screen as you greedily binge a full weekend away in a sugar coma of Netflix distraction. But it’s like your grandmother told you … soda is not good for you. It is too easy to get addicted to sugary fizz, and before you know it, months or years have passed since you had a good drink of real living water.

John 4 (Common English Bible)

7 A Samaritan woman came to the well to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me some water to drink.” 8 His disciples had gone into the city to buy him some food.

9 The Samaritan woman asked, “Why do you, a Jewish man, ask for something to drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” (Jews and Samaritans didn’t associate with each other.)

10 Jesus responded, “If you recognized God’s gift and who is saying to you, ‘Give me some water to drink,’ you would be asking him and he would give you living water.”

11 The woman said to him, “Sir, you don’t have a bucket and the well is deep. Where would you get this living water? 12 You aren’t greater than our father Jacob, are you? He gave this well to us, and he drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.”

13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks from the water that I will give will never be thirsty again. The water that I give will become in those who drink it a spring of water that bubbles up into eternal life.”

15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will never be thirsty and will never need to come here to draw water!”

Notice that Jesus stopped his journey in a Samaritan village, a place where Jews such as himself were not welcome. He was in the middle of going somewhere else when this beautiful exchange happened. It was noon. The village ladies all drew their water together in the early morning so that they could visit and gossip in the cool hours. This lady came alone at noon, indicating that she lived a life of too much soda. Jesus asked her to draw water for him with her bucket, which was unclean for a Jew. He broke a lot of rules to interact with her that day. 

The water that Jesus offered this woman, and offers us as well, is the gushing artesian spring of endless life. It is the forgiveness, hope, reconciliation, and peace that comes from finally finding that thing that satisfies our lack-mechanism, and we are satiated for once and for all.

The water Jesus offers is effervescent. It bubbles. It jumps from the glass and tickles your nose. It is so filled with joy that you can’t stop drinking it until you are full enough to never want soda again.

So drink. Drink again and again. Drink in Jesus until your thirst is quenched. His well is deep, so fill up your bucket and live.

Well of Life by Kathy Schumacher

Cirumstantial Evidence

Posted on by Betsy

If you are a fan of courtroom dramas, you recognize the phrase “circumstantial evidence.” While the direct evidence of an eyewitness account or the forensic evidence of a DNA match are stronger in proving a case, circumstantial evidence is an effort to offer one or more facts from which a jury can infer the truth. When multiple facts are proven, this evidence can also find the answer if the argument is sufficient enough to help the jury connect the dots.

Psalm 104 reads like a presentation of circumstantial evidence, proving the truth of Genesis 1 about creation and the Creator. There are no eyewitnesses to creation. No forensic evidence can prove that God was there. Yet we see God in everything around us; the waters that flow and nourish the land, and the land that then grows to provide grass, plants, and food for humanity. We can connect the dots and easily prove that God created all of this for us as our sovereign Provider.

Psalm 104 (Common English Bible)

You put gushing springs into dry riverbeds.
    They flow between the mountains,
11         providing water for every wild animal—
        the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
12 Overhead, the birds in the sky make their home,
    chirping loudly in the trees.
13 From your lofty house, you water the mountains.
    The earth is filled full by the fruit of what you’ve done.
14 You make grass grow for cattle;
    you make plants for human farming
        in order to get food from the ground,
15         and wine, which cheers people’s hearts,
        along with oil, which makes the face shine,
        and bread, which sustains the human heart.

In God’s good, harmonious world, the wild and thirsty donkey can drink freely of good clean water. This fellow lives in the most desolate part of the wilderness, yet he is well taken care of by God. The birds sing their praise from the high, healthy trees and flourish on earth. Cows eat clean grass and humanity feasts on oil, bread, and wine. All is right in God’s world.

This passage challenges us on two levels. We can’t help but notice the perfection of God’s creation. What have we done? We have polluted and destroyed much of what we’ve been given. We have turned over pristine lands to development and forced God’s creatures out of their habitats. We have allowed greed to triumph over ecological balance and turned our backs on God’s desire that we would be good stewards of all of creation. We have squandered our gift.

On a happier note, this also challenges our routine, or lack thereof, of praising God. Psalm 104 was written by David as a praise song. Verse 12 tells us that the birds nest by the waters and sing among the branches. If even the birds know to praise God, why can’t we? 

If your life of daily praise, weekly worship, and constant caretaking of God’s creation was offered as circumstantial evidence of your Christianity, would there be enough proof to convict you of being a Christ-follower?

We’ve got to do better. It is our job to be constantly vigilant and relentlessly grateful for what we have been entrusted with. What do you need to do to change your ways so that your life is a reflection of your gratitude for all that God has given you?

Flow Between the Mountains by Becca Ziegler

Shipwrecks

Posted on by Betsy

The Outer Banks of North Carolina are notorious for shipwrecks. The cold Labrador Current collides with the warm Gulf Stream right on our shores, which are littered with shallow shifting sandbars and shoals that have caused many a sea vessel to run aground. In fact, over 3,000 shipwrecks are said to lie in state here, dating back to the late 1500’s and including over two dozen vessels sunk in World War II by German U-Boats. One of the most famous wrecks is the Queen Anne’s Revenge, the flagship of Blackbeard the Pirate. This area of our coast is known as the Graveyard of the Atlantic for this reason. 

Even our town names reflect this part of our maritime history. The name Nags Head refers to the practice of hanging a lantern around the head of a horse and walking it along the shoreline in an effort to warn ships that they were too close to the land. The town of Kill Devil Hills was named for the local practice of collecting barrels of rum that washed ashore and hiding them in the tall sand dunes for safe keeping. This rum was said to be strong enough to kill the devil himself.

The Apostle Paul would have felt right at home here. Prior to the impending shipwreck that we read about in today’s passage, he had already survived three shipwrecks, which has to be some kind of record (2 Corinthians 11:25). Though not a sailor or a seaman, Paul warned his companions in verse 10 that this journey would also end in disaster, and he was right. A storm hit them that was so violent, the sun and the stars were blotted out for days. Nobody ate for days. All hope was lost.

Acts 27 (Common English Bible)

33 Just before daybreak, Paul urged everyone to eat. He said, “This is the fourteenth day you’ve lived in suspense, and you’ve not had even a bite to eat. 34 I urge you to take some food. Your health depends on it. None of you will lose a single hair from his head.”35 After he said these things, he took bread, gave thanks to God in front of them all, then broke it and began to eat. 36 Everyone was encouraged and took some food. 37 (In all, there were two hundred seventy-six of us on the ship.)

Paul and his companions were on this ship as prisoners waiting to go on trial before Caesar in Rome. It would seem that this entire situation was bleak, yet Paul stood up and gave them amazing instructions. He encouraged them to eat and then assured them that not one hair would be harmed on their heads. An angel had told him that he and every man would survive. The ship and the cargo would be shattered, but their lives would be spared. And they were.

Paul’s bold proclamation is a good reminder for when we find ourselves in a severe storm riding on a sinking ship. Take heart! God has a plan.

Do you believe this? Do you feel God’s comforting presence when your life goes adrift and suddenly crashes into an unseen sand bar? Those are the times that test and strengthen our faith. In the face of death by starvation, drowning, or being killed by the soldiers, Paul and his friends arrived safely on dry land.

Take heart! God is with you.

God With Us by Michelle Robertson

Until All Have Heard

Posted on by Betsy

Several years ago my Lutheran pastor friend Miriam and I were invited to preach at our town’s Community Good Friday service. It was a big deal. It was the 20th anniversary of this event. Pastors from different denominations gathered together to preach the Seven Last Words of Christ. But more importantly for us, it was the first time women pastors had been invited to preach. Mind you, there were denominations that came every year that disapproved of female preachers, so the organizers were taking a big step. To break the ice, when it was my turn to preach I thanked them for inviting us but noted that by assigning Miriam the second word and me the fifth, they had ensured that a women didn’t get the last word. Thankfully, everyone laughed and we went on.

Today’s psalm is the last writing attributed to David in the book of Psalms. While Psalm 72 is considered to be his ‘last will and testament,’ Psalm 145 is placed in the final hallel of praise that closes the book. It is an acrostic poem, meaning that each verse begins with a consecutive letter in the Hebrew alphabet. Psalm 145 serves as a good summary of David’s life-long relationship with God, praising God’s everlasting compassion, goodness toward humanity, kingship, and grace.

Psalm 145 (Common English Bible)

8     “The Lord is merciful and compassionate,
    very patient, and full of faithful love.
9     The Lord is good to everyone and everything;
    God’s compassion extends to all his handiwork!”

14 The Lord supports all who fall down,
    straightens up all who are bent low.
15 All eyes look to you, hoping,
    and you give them their food right on time,
16     opening your hand
    and satisfying the desire of every living thing.
17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways,
    faithful in all his deeds.
18 The Lord is close to everyone who calls out to him,
    to all who call out to him sincerely.
19 God shows favor to those who honor him,
    listening to their cries for help and saving them.
20 The Lord protects all who love him,
    but he destroys every wicked person.
21 My mouth will proclaim the Lord’s praise,
    and every living thing will bless God’s holy name
        forever and always.

Did you notice how many times the word “all” was used? In fact, “all” appears eleven times in the full psalm. Verse 9 gives a good summary of David’s point; “God is good to everyone and everything.” In his last missal, David wanted his readers to realize that God’s goodness extends to every living thing. We can depend on God’s faithfulness to us and count on God to hear our every cry and call. There is a great deal of tenderness in this passage. We can feel how deeply David loved his Lord.

In the end, David invites every living thing to bless God’s name and praise the Lord “forever and always.” How can we do that in our lives? Can praising God become a daily habit rather than a weekly activity? What can you do in this moment to bless God’s name?

Perhaps we can start by widening the gate so that “all” may come in. Think about your prejudices and biases. Do they reflect a good and holy God who straightens up all who fall down and are bent low? 

Once upon a time women weren’t invited to preach but when that gate was widened, it became commonplace. May we challenge the gatekeepers until all have come in and can hear of the faithfulness of our loving and compassionate God.

All Are Welcome

What Would You Do-ooo-oo?

Posted on by Betsy

In 1982, the makers of the iconic chocolate-covered vanilla ice cream treat called the Klondike bar came up with a clever advertising campaign. They went around the country and asked people what they would do to receive a Klondike bar. Folks responded by dancing, singing, jumping in a pool, and performing other acts of spontaneous fun for the prize of a Klondike bar. I remember one young boy claiming that he would sell his sister for a Klondike bar. Do you think some family counseling might be in order there? In any case, it was a catchy phrase that sticks with us.

As I read through today’s passage, I kept thinking that these three Kingdom parables answer the question of what Jesus would do for the Kingdom of God. It is easy to read these and assume that we are the ones being asked to perform some task in order to attain the Kingdom, but upon closer inspection, we see that Jesus is talking about himself and what he was willing to do and give up in order to preserve the Kingdom for us.

Rabbinical law did not appreciate the notion of  “finders, keepers” and so the field that yielded great treasure had to be purchased in order for the finder to keep the treasure. This alludes to the great purchase that was made by our Lord on the cross, as he paid the price of his life for our salvation. Jesus is also the purchaser of the pearl of great beauty who was willing to sell all that he had in order to possess this one great and lovely thing. In this instance, we understand how much Jesus treasures and values people. We are the pearl of great price, paid for in blood and breath.

Matthew 13 (Common English Bible)

44 “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure that somebody hid in a field, which someone else found and covered up. Full of joy, the finder sold everything and bought that field.

45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. 46 When he found one very precious pearl, he went and sold all that he owned and bought it.

The last parable of the dragnet is a foretelling of the End Times, when angels will come and assist in the sorting of the fish, i.e. us, into the wicked and the just for the final judgment. All the fish are gathered, but not all the fish survive. The wicked will be sent into the furnace while the righteous will be put together into one community.

47 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that people threw into the lake and gathered all kinds of fish. 48 When it was full, they pulled it to the shore, where they sat down and put the good fish together into containers. But the bad fish they threw away.49 That’s the way it will be at the end of the present age. The angels will go out and separate the evil people from the righteous people, 50 and will throw the evil ones into a burning furnace. People there will be weeping and grinding their teeth.

Unlike the previous parables that warned of corruption spreading through the Kingdom, these three stories focus on how much Jesus treasures us, and points to what he was about to do for the world at the crucifixion. Of course nobody had a clue about that yet, although the disciples pretended to understand.

51 “Have you understood all these things?”Jesus asked.

They said to him, “Yes.”

52 Then he said to them, “Therefore, every legal expert who has been trained as a disciple for the kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings old and new things out of their treasure chest.”

Do we understand? Can we possibly comprehend the extent to which God would go to save us? God’s only son died so that we might live. God went to the ultimate extreme to save his children.

What would you do to save yours? Would you sing and dance and jump through a hoop? Today is a good day to teach them about what Jesus did. They are the real treasure.

Good Fish by Michelle Robertson

First of All

Posted on by Betsy

When I was pregnant with my first child I craved two things: Fresh grapes and orange soda. Luckily for me, we lived in California at the time, so both were readily available. I had a friend in my church choir named David who was still an active private pilot at age 80. One Sunday he arrived at the church with a large bag of grapes, freshly picked from a vineyard about 100 miles north of us. He had remembered my crazy desire for grapes and had flown up the day before to visit his friend’s vineyard and bring some back for me. It was an act of pure, sacrificial love and I have never tasted grapes that were as fresh, good, juicy, and satisfying. They tasted like sweet balls of liquid sunshine. Those grapes were the Firstfruit of the harvest of our friendship and the memory of that offering still blesses me today.

Paul likened Jesus to the Firstfruit of the harvest of those who died in our passage today. We remember from Leviticus 23:9-14 that the nation of Israel was directed to bring the Firstfruit of offering to the temple in the form of a single, perfect sheaf of wheat. This grain offering represented and anticipated the rest of the harvest and sacrifices to come. The Feast of Firstfruits was established to be observed on the day after the sabbath following Passover as a reminder to the people that everything they had was a provision given by God. Returning back to God a small but flawless portion of the harvest fruits was a way of demonstrating their appreciation for God’s goodness in all things. 

1 Corinthians 15:20-24 (Common English Bible)

20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead. He’s the first crop of the harvest of those who have died. 21 Since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead came through one too. 22 In the same way that everyone dies in Adam, so also everyone will be given life in Christ. 23 Each event will happen in the right order: Christ, the first crop of the harvest, then those who belong to Christ at his coming, 24 and then the end, when Christ hands over the kingdom to God the Father, when he brings every form of rule, every authority and power to an end.

Jesus’ resurrection represents the Firstfruit of the Second Coming, as Jesus will return in his resurrection body to claim those who belong to him. Not coincidentally, Jesus’ resurrection fell on the first day of the Feast of the Firstfruit.

At his Second Coming, all who are dead will rise and share in his resurrection (Romans 6:5). When all things are restored through him, our Lord will then present his Kingdom to God, bringing all earthly authority and power to an end. Oh, how we long for that day! This will fulfill God’s eternal purpose of re-establishing fellowship with God as we are gathered, heaven and earth, into one people. Finally we will be home with our Lord and under his reign.

Meanwhile, we wait. What first fruit of your resources, time, and effort can you bring to the altar? Where will you offer your gift of sacrifice so that the Kingdom of God might grow and flourish until Jesus returns? Is God calling you into the harvest?

Say yes.

Let There Be Grapes by Becca Ziegler

The Proving Drawer

Posted on by Betsy

Have you ever watched a show called “The Great British Baking Show?” Thanks to Netflix, we are able to watch ordinary home bakers in England compete in a circus-sized tent set on the pastoral property of a huge estate for the ultimate prize of a glass cake stand. Each week the bakers engage in different challenges: Cake week, biscuit week, pastry week, etc. and my favorite: Bread week. I can just smell the fragrant aroma of bread coming through the television screen to my couch. 

The kitchen is well equipped for a set built in a tent and I am fascinated with the use of the “proving drawer.” This sits at the bottom of the oven unit and is kept at the perfect warm temperature to facilitate the rising of the dough. The proper amount of yeast must be mixed into the flour to get the perfect rise. A well-risen dough can quickly double in size in a proving drawer. Every bread baker must yearn for one in their kitchen.

A cursory glance at our passage today would seem to suggest that Jesus is talking about the kingdom working its way through the whole world like yeast, growing it from the inside. But the word “leaven” has always had negative connotations in the Scriptures. Leaven has been synonymous with sin and corruption.

Matthew 13:33 (Common English Bible)

33 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast, which a woman took and hid in a bushel of wheat flour until the yeast had worked its way through all the dough.”

We get a clue about the negative connotation from the fact that the woman “hid” the yeast into three measures, or sixty pounds (NIV) of wheat flour until all of it was leavened. The original hearers of this parable would have been shocked at this. They understood that the measure would have produced a massive, unnatural size for a homemade loaf. They would have remembered the Old Testament use of “leaven” from Exodus 12:8 and 12:15-20 that indicated corruption and impurity. So Jesus’ comparing the kingdom to this giant, growing yeasted mess meant that he was warning them about the advancing paganizing influences on the kingdom of God.

 We face the same dilemma today, as secular thinking threatens the purity of the gospel. As the world turns to praising “The Universe” and away from praising the Creator of the universe, Christ’s message is polluted and corrupted.

My friends, you are the proving drawer for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Your study of the Word can provide good yeast in your community to help grow the kingdom with truth and accuracy. So go and be that good leaven! Keep your passion for learning the Scriptures warm by constant stirring and proving. Watch your influence grow as you live out your Christlikeness in words and especially deeds. You are his proof!

Bread Week by Becca Ziegler

Smallest of All

Posted on by Betsy

One of the many blessings of a church with a preschool and kids’ ministry is that people get to observe first-hand how small things grow. Parents experience this at home every time they have to replace shoes and clothes that fit last week. A toothless baby needs braces before you know it. Soon enough, that fixed and perfect smile is grinning back at you on her wedding day. Small things grow … sometimes too fast!

In our reading today, Jesus told the parable of the tiny mustard seed. Have you ever seen a mustard seed? They are actually about 1 to 2 millimeters in diameter, about half the size of a peppercorn. This teaching sits amidst other parables that talk about small things growing; a handful of seeds becomes food for the community, small weeds shoot up and threaten to take over a garden, and a mustard seed provides branches for bird’s nests. Even these parables themselves help our small faith grow.

Matthew 13:31-32

31 He told another parable to them: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and planted in his field. 32 It’s the smallest of all seeds. But when it’s grown, it’s the largest of all vegetable plants. It becomes a tree so that the birds in the sky come and nest in its branches.”

A parable is a short and memorable story that is told to reveal a longer, more complicated truth. The word parable means “to throw alongside of.” Parables teach a single lesson with one point. Jesus’ parables revealed the kingdom of God to people who couldn’t comprehend the truth about it and protected him from his enemies. 

The mustard seed parable is a prophetic story that reveals the future of the church. From the very small beginnings, the Gospel of Christ would grow to be a movement that would be large enough to offer refuge and protection to the world in her branches. This kingdom on earth reveals the all-encompassing kingdom of heaven. The seed grows fantastically into a tree, not a bush as it should, indicating the supernatural scope of an exponential world-wide faith.

This is a fantastic reminder to us about our own faith. The applications here are endless. With a tiny grain of hope, life is renewed. With the smallest seed of faith, peace is restored. With just a little perseverance, a door is unlocked and you are set free. With one word gently spoken, anger is prevented. With one small act of kindness, a day is made. With one selfless move, an accident is avoided. With one smile, a stranger decides to hang on for another day. With one quick phone call, a lonely person is comforted. With one man’s actions on a cross, the world is saved.

Where is God calling you to be that one small thing? What little effort on your part could turn things around for someone else? You are the mustard seed! Go and plant peace, hope, and love in someone’s heart. You can make all the difference in someone’s day today.

Growing in Grace by Becca Ziegler

Seek Ye First

Posted on by Betsy

If you’ve ever had the joy of watching little boys play Little League baseball, you know what a  challenge it is for the coaches to achieve one thing. It’s not good batting, although that is important. It’s not good field work, although that is important. No, for little ballplayers in their first years in uniform, the coaches struggle with one thing: Getting them to pay attention! I once watched my four-year old grandson wander left field with his glove on his head and then sit for the rest of the inning and play in the dirt. God bless those patient coaches!

God must sometimes feel like a frustrated coach trying to get us to pay attention. In our Scripture today, Jesus tried to home in on the essentials of disciple life. He contended that if you sought the Kingdom of God first above anything else, everything you need will be given to you. 

Luke 12 (Common English Bible)

29 Don’t chase after what you will eat and what you will drink. Stop worrying. 30 All the nations of the world long for these things. Your Father knows that you need them. 31 Instead, desire his kingdom and these things will be given to you as well.

32 “Don’t be afraid, little flock, because your Father delights in giving you the kingdom.

This passage follows a series of “attitude adjustments” that Jesus called for as he was trying to define what being his follower should look like. The verses immediately preceding this focused on not worrying. His message was that we don’t have to seek and hold onto the “treasures” of this world. God offers the treasures of heaven, which are everlasting and real. When we shift our attention to God’s kingdom on earth, everything we need will be given to us. Jesus exemplified this with his life. He never sought after physical comfort or things and freely let go of any worldly pursuits by simply putting his trust in his Father when he let go of his life on the cross.

Jesus taught that if your god was “mammon” i.e. material things, then your life will be consumed with worry over your physical needs. He invited his followers to replace worry with a focus on God’ kingdom and its goodness. Putting God’s kingdom first allows us to seek the heavenly treasure and divine provision that God offers, which leads us to the fulfillment of God’s highest purpose for humanity: fellowship with God in the kingdom.

I think our hymn “Seek Ye First” says it well. I hope this will be an “ear worm” for you for the rest of the day! 

“Seek ye first the Kingdom of God
And His righteousness
And all these things shall be added unto you
Hallelu, Hallelujah!” (United Methodist Hymnal, page 405)

How will you seek God first today? What needs to be set aside to do this? Pay attention, people! God is calling.

All These Things Will Be Added by Bonnie Bennett

Counter-Culture

Posted on by Betsy

A man approached a stop light and waited for the light to turn green behind a car with a woman in it. He noticed that she had her head down and was texting. When the light turned green, she continued to text all the way through until it turned red again. The man was furious! He honked, beat his steering wheel, yelled loud curses, and punched the air with his fists. Suddenly there was a rap of knuckles on his window. He looked out to find a police officer indicating that he should move his car over to the shoulder. He complied but argued vehemently that there was no law against yelling in your own car. The officer took his license and registration and went back to his vehicle to check things out. Finally he returned and told the man he was free to go. Aggravated, the man said, “See! I told you there was no law against yelling in your own car.” The officer responded, “Sir, that’s not why I pulled you over. I was behind you at the stop light. When I noticed the cross hanging from your mirror, the “Honk if you love Jesus” bumper sticker, and the Christian fish symbol affixed to your trunk, I pulled you over on suspicion of car theft. Surely, no real Christian would act the way you did!”

In our Scripture today we see Paul struggling with how to teach his congregants in Rome about how to act like Christians in a secular world. There was a lot of judging going on among them that threatened the health of the church. Paul wrote that such judging was inappropriate, because they weren’t each other’s masters and most of the issues came down to a matter of conscience. At issue was the controversy over eating meat that either wasn’t kosher, a wholly Jewish issue, or that had been sacrificed at a pagan altar and sold at market. Paul’s contention was that these matters belonged to God’s judgment and folks were called to accept one another’s “weaker” faith and quit arguing over things. He realized that as a whole, they all lacked good teaching on their new faith, and some were still trapped by the legalism of their past faith. 

Romans14:7 (Common English Bible)

7 We don’t live for ourselves and we don’t die for ourselves.

Being a Christian was counter to their previous culture. It was counter to the culture in Rome. Being a Christian meant no longer living for themselves anymore but living in connection with others for the sake of the Lord.

The same is true for us today. We live and die for Christ and serve as his ambassadors in between. Do your behaviors and values reflect Jesus’ teachings? We live in a culture that prioritizes celebrity, entitlement, selfishness, and greed over humble servanthood and obedience to God. You’re the only Jesus some will ever see. For heaven’s sake, act like it!

Follow His Light