Skip to main content

Rags & Riches

 We might often tell someone that we love them, but what does that love mean in real terms? If that love were tested - with a cost applied, how far would you be willing to go for them ... really? And what value would our definition of love have against God's?

What if God called us to love someone loud, un-bathed and shabby, destitute and begging for our compassion? What if they came from a foreign nation, bearing a different skin color - a color that Father God chose for them like He chose for each of us. Even to the very least in all of humanity's suffering eyes, they would have been created by God and if they belong to Him ... they'd be royalty and under His watchful eye. Who would we have to think we were in order to judge or reject them because of our own personal bias? Would we dare?

We tend to recognize family through our own personal definitions. We might define it by blood, relational longevity, marriage, a combination of all of these or some other personally defined code. But in reality, no matter how conscientiously we guard and nurture those human relationships, every one of them will change one day because physical humanity has a shelf life and our physical shell is destined to expire. But there's one definition and one family that will never die - Father God's.

We were never created or intended to hold flesh in higher esteem than the  eternal spirits that he created us to be, or to relegate the importance of any of God's created human beings to that of our human definitions, making them subject to our human bias. Whoever we meet and wherever we find them, they're all eternal spirits created by The Living God who holds the same hope of redemption and reunification for them - whoever they are, that He held so strongly for each of us. Who are we seeking mercy and grace to judge another in need of the same? And if they've responded and already accepted His invitation, they're equal to us in God's eyes - our brothers and sisters in Christ's eternal family regardless of their color, appearance or circumstances.

Let's go one step further...

If God Himself found friendship amongst the beggars, thieves, lame, widows, orphans and prostitutes of the world, cared for and loved them ... who are we not to follow His lead? We know that Jesus did this very thing and charged us all to follow Him. This type of love and compassion was nothing new. Throughout scripture God's heart repeatedly called out for mercy and compassion for those who were unfortunate, humanly despised, or deemed less worthy ...

"Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows". Isaiah 1:17

"Then he turned to his host. “When you put on a luncheon or a banquet,” he said, “don’t invite your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbors. For they will invite you back, and that will be your only reward. Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. Then at the resurrection of the righteous, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you.” Luke 14:12-14 (NLT)

“At that time I will put you on trial. I am eager to witness against all sorcerers and adulterers and liars. I will speak against those who cheat employees of their wages, who oppress widows and orphans, or who deprive the foreigners living among you of justice, for these people do not fear me,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. I am the LORD, and I do not change. ..." Malachi 3:5&6 (NLT)

"I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings."  Hosea 6:6 (NLT)

What does love mean to us in human terms? Far more importantly ... what does it mean in Father God's terms? Love - real love, has a great value in God's economy. True and lasting riches are measured in His currency and nothing goes unnoticed or is without value when offered in submission to Father God - ever. The reward only waits in His treasury for the right time while our faith in Him is measured for its integrity. 

The day of accounting is coming. Will we be found redeemed ... but still poor? 

I pray it is not so ...

"No, O people, the LORD has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God."  Micah 6:8 (NLT)

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Pure Religion

I've struggled with the term "religion" for a long time because it has come to carry a connotation for me of something orchestrated, institutional - a perfunctory exercise. My preference instead has been to highlight my belief that what our God desires from us is instead "relationship". Then I ran across this and I had to pause... "Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you." James 1:27 (NLT) " Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world ." James 1:27 (KJ) It doesn't matter the translation, it appears the same. And in it I denote a familiar spirit. I recognize it from scripture after scripture dealing with the care of, and justice for, the widows and the fatherless... "Sing to God, sing praises to His name;...
Post a Comment
Read more

Fear not.

There's a lot going on in the world and a lot available to provoke fear for the future, but I have a question for anyone who might feel themselves tempted to fear - If you truly know God, does He ever change? “I am the LORD, and I do not change. That is why you descendants of Jacob are not already destroyed." Malachi 3:6 (NLT) We stand reinforced in our understanding and belief that He does not change, so... "The LORD says, “I will rescue those who love me.  I will protect those who trust in my name.  When they call on me, I will answer;  I will be with them in trouble.  I will rescue and honor them.  I will reward them with a long life  and give them my salvation.” Psalm 91:14-16 (NLT) I know that I said that I had "a" question, but I actually have another - do you really, truly love Him? “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heave...
Post a Comment
Read more

What If...

"For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.  And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. "  Hebrews 4:12-13 (NKJ) I'm not one who appreciates the stoking of fear for the sake of it or unnecessarily. There are enough things in this life to keep people concerned and even constantly fearful if they subscribe to them. I would like though, to take a moment to encourage my brothers and sisters in Christ and any others who will take a little time to read this and give it some serious consideration because the subject has real   potential  consequences and there's still time to address any issues that we find upon reflection... If you were made aware that   sometime in the next hour  your life on earth was ...
Post a Comment
Read more