It for Somebody Else
February 28
I once read the story of a philanthropist who took a great interest in a shoeshine boy, so much so that he paid the way for the lad’s education at university and medical school. Years later the young man had become a successful doctor and attempted to pay the philanthropist back. The philanthropist, upon receiving a check from the doctor, returned it to him with the instruction for the doctor to do the same for someone else.
Just what is our responsibility toward others? The apostle helps answer this important question when he writes in Philippians 2:4: “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
Why? He goes on to say why:
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:5–8).
The loving sacrifice of the Savior calls from us a responding love. John in his epistle says: “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 4:10). Then John adds in verses 11 and 12: “Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us”
Our prayer today should be for our Lord to make us an instrument of His peace.
Sacrifice
February 29
A young woman was persuaded to teach a class of junior boys—one of the very tough tasks in the Sunday school. She had never made a full commitment to Christ herself and soon asked to be relieved of her position, claiming that she didn’t know where she was going herself. However, she was persuaded not to give up the class but to make a full surrender.
A new experience came into her life and a new note into her teaching. She began to give her all for her class. As a result, many of the boys in her class were led to make a profession of faith.
The major element of sacrifice in the Christian way causes some of us to back off.
Sacrifice was and is a hallmark of the Jewish faith, and the Old Testament is teeming with examples—sacrifice both for God and for one another. Perhaps the finest example of both is an incident in the life of David, just after he had become Israel’s King. The forces against him were mighty, both within and without. Without were the Philistines, who were in control of parts of Israel including Bethlehem. Fighting them from the fortified cave of Adullam, David was overheard to muse to no one in particular on a hot and stressful day, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem,” which was the place of his birth. He did not expect to be heard, but three of his mightiest soldiers set out at once, somehow broke through Philistine lines at Bethlehem, and brought back to their beloved master a jug of that water.
In the face of such devotion, David was so overwhelmed he could not drink the water. Instead, he poured it out as a sacrificial offering to God.
Jesus said this: “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). Yet His own love was immeasurably greater. He died not only for his friends, but also for His enemies.
As for us—for you and for me—His sacrifice still stands. Let us not forget it.
Believing Impossible Things
March 01
There is an incident in the book Through the Looking Glass, by Lewis Carroll where the White Queen is trying to get Alice to believe that she is 101 years, 5 months, and a day old. Alice cannot accept that, so the Queen tells her to draw a long breath, shut her eyes, and try. “There’s no use trying,” said Alice. “One can’t believe impossible things.”
The Queen responds, “Why sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”1
When we watch athletic events, such as the Olympics, that require great skill, the competitors seem to do impossible things. They are, of course, not doing the impossible but stretching the limits of the possible through better training and better equipment.
When Jesus was on the Mountain of Transfiguration with three of His apostles, the rest of the twelve were down below, working with the crowd that nearly always followed the Master. In the crowd were a father and his epileptic son. The son was continually racked by terrible seizures. The father brought his boy to those nine apostles for healing, but they couldn’t heal him. Later, the apostles asked Jesus why they had been unable to cure the boy. Jesus replied: “Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you’ ” (Matthew 17:20).
Have you moved many mountains lately . . . mountains of doubt . . . mountains of fear . . . mountains of frustration . . . mountains of stress?
As Jesus puts it on another occasion: “What is impossible with men is possible with God.” You and God.
Then Jesus Came
March 02
What a difference the coming of one single person has made in the life of the world.
Johannes Gutenberg invented movable type in the 15th century and made the widespread publishing of books (and knowledge) possible. Thomas Edison’s coming made possible the phonograph, incandescent lamp, and many other inventions. Sir Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin. Ludwig Van Beethoven gave the world such magnificent musical works. The list goes on and on.
Then, of course, in our own lives are individuals who have made a difference to us—family members, friends, mentors etc.
Then there’s Jesus.
In Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate, there was a pool called Bethesda, whose waters held healing properties briefly when agitated. Alongside many of the disabled, there was a man so crippled that he could never make it to the healing waters in time. He had been an invalid for 38 years. Then Jesus came.
Lazarus, beloved brother of Mary and Martha of Bethany, was desperately sick. A friend of many in the community, Lazarus was deeply mourned by all, especially his beloved sisters, when he suddenly passed away.
Then Jesus came.
On the evening of the first Easter day, a little group of Christian disciples huddled in a Jerusalem home . . . doors locked in fear. They were uncertain, perplexed, and confused.
Then Jesus came.
“The Son of Man,” Jesus said of himself, “did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28).
He came and He did.
Against Wind and Tide
March 03
There’s an
