An Eternal Compliment

There is a profound and provocative account of a poor widow, who unknowingly became the inspiring subject of a principled lesson by Jesus, on relative and comparative generosity.  (I can’t help but read this in a modern day context – I’m left imagining how today’s news and current affairs programs would have reported this story!)

Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans. So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.” //Mark 12:41-44 NKJV

The New Living Translation finishes this story this way; For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on. The Message Translation says; All the others gave what they'll never miss; she gave extravagantly what she couldn't afford—she gave her all. This generous soul had every reason to be outside the temple begging but instead was inside the temple giving. According to Jesus, she, based on her capacity or lack of, gave proportionately more than the lot of them!

We know that God doesn’t see as man sees, and it’s evident from this story that He doesn’t evaluate the way we’re inclined to. Many of us possibly would have been impressed, inspired even, by the amounts of money given by the rich. And you would also be forgiven for possibly overlooking or discounting the poor widow and what she gave. Not Jesus though - He noticed the poor widow and surprisingly credited her with outgiving the rich! I have heard it said many times over, and it should never become cliché - it’s not equal giving but equal sacrifice.

Maybe you can identify with the poor widow’s life experience, struggling to make ends meet, or maybe for you, her selfless example challenges your level of generosity relative to your own capacity. It’s been profoundly stated, True generosity is not evident in how much a giver gives but in how much they have left over. I don’t think Jesus was making this about being rich or poor. The encouraging point of this story though, is despite your socio-economic position, no one is disqualified from being generous, and in relative terms, the rich in this story could have been equally as generous and impressive. Selah

The Apostle Paul challenges the attitudes of the well-to-do, and highlights the unique opportunity they have to be a blessing; Tell those rich in this world's wealth to quit being so full of themselves and so obsessed with money, which is here today and gone tomorrow. Tell them to go after God, who piles on all the riches we could ever manage—to do good, to be rich in helping others, to be extravagantly generous. If they do that, they'll build a treasury that will last, gaining life that is truly life. //1 Timothy 6:17-19 Message

The story is told that one day a beggar by the roadside asked for alms from Alexander the Great as he passed by. The man was poor and wretched and had no claim upon the ruler, no right even to lift a solicitous hand. Yet the Emperor threw him several gold coins. A courtier was astonished at his generosity and commented, "Sir, copper coins would adequately meet a beggar's need. Why give him gold?" Alexander responded in royal fashion, "Copper coins would suit the beggar's need, but gold coins suit Alexander's giving." Alexander the Great knew this about generosity - that it reflected him.

This poor widow takes her place in history, having received an eternal compliment, making it into the cannon of scripture. She would have never imagined, that what she was about to do that day would be noticed, let alone seized upon by Jesus, and subsequently recorded as a demonstration of extravagant generosity for the benefit of future generations. 

Life doesn't come with a mute button!

As we know life doesn’t come with a mute button! Therefore a healthy soul is reliant upon discerning and dealing with noise in your life. Noise can be the various sounds, and the many voices that surround us – TV advertisements; the neighbours barking dog; the ringing mobile phone; the power tools from the worksite across the road; the questions and requests of the kids (or other people’s kids!); or the ‘duff-duff’ of a passing car’s sound system! Noise hijacks your mind, disrupting thought and meditation. Most of the time you strive to hear yourself think, and there’s a lot of truth to the thought, silence is the secret to sanity - as it is also the key to clarity, strength and a healthy soul. 

Noise is a marketing term; it refers to anything that gets in the way of a recipient receiving the entire message that a company is trying to convey. This is not only true in the marketplace but in our relationship with God. God desires to speak to us, through the Holy Spirit and His Word, and noise in our life has a way of interfering, or interrupting the important things that God has to say to us.

Jesus sought uninterrupted time and space from His daily ministry agenda. Mark 1:35 says, very early in the morning while it was still dark, Jesus withdrew to a solitary place to be alone with God and pray. It’s been said that when all the noise is gone, there is only God. Like Jesus, we all need a good discipline of ‘quiet time’ in our life - preferably daily. You can conclude that Jesus understood that noise in His life had an impact on His soul, and the ability to hear His Father. According to Jesus’ prayer in the garden of Gethsemane, this time and space was where He humbly realigned His will with God’s.

No matter what you do in life, you may relate in some way to the noise in Jesus’ life. Consider for a moment; the questions and concerns of disciples- students in leadership and ministry development; the criticisms and complaints of the religious leaders; the many diverse needs and demands of the multitudes requiring help and healing; the cynical commentary of the governing authorities; His adversary the devil not to mention the voice of His family and His own thoughts and emotions. Jesus demonstrates the importance of prayer and meditation, taking some time to escape the hustle and bustle, eliminating the noise that life and activity naturally emanates to maintain a healthy soul.

A Culture of Honour

John concludes his gospel that for every story recorded about Jesus there are countless that weren’t. This only highlights the importance of each and every story that did make it into the canon of scripture. Including one of the most intriguing, and tragic stories of missed opportunity for those in Jesus' own hometown.

The Bible says, that Jesus' fame was widespread. Though it would seem that the people of Nazareth rarely experienced prominence or accolades of this kind. Highlighting this was when Nathanael said to Phillip concerning Jesus', what good can come out of Nazareth? We get an insight into the quality of the people from Jesus’ hometown, as we learn the reception that He received when returning home to minister in the local synagogue. 


Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these parables, that He departed from there. When He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, “Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things?” So they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.” Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief. //Matthew 13:53-58 NKJV

Shortly after ministering, over-familiar family friends frivolously started to question Jesus authenticity. Jesus’ life evidently challenged the core of those who attempted to apply scrutiny, which only highlighted their insecurities and threatened their own small existence and validity. They were initially very complimentary, maybe even affectionately surprised by Jesus’ wisdom and demonstration of the miraculous. It seems however that they couldn’t reconcile the natural with the spiritual. Who they knew in the flesh got in the way of the gift and call of God on Jesus’ life. This hostile indifference, as The Message puts it, curiously and tragically undermined the miraculous! Consider for a moment those living in the town desperate for Jesus’ ministry who missed out, let alone the difference that Jesus also could have made in the lives of those who lacked faith, humility, and the character to honour. Often it‘s those closest to us, who know us the most who have trouble honouring the gift and call of God on our life.    

It’s been said, the key to wisdom is knowing all the right questions to ask. The first question - where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works? - could have led to a life-changing God encounter, instead it led to further rhetorical questions that only opened the door to offence. Instead a right question asked with a small and suspicious spirit, and an impoverished soul is sure to lead to a wrong outcome.

Jesus felt no compulsion to prove those closest to him wrong by turning up the number of miracles. Instead He just moved on to where He was received with honour and humility.

Don’t allow people to hold you back, and don’t allow yourself to be in the position to limit what God wants to do through those closest to you. Everybody benefits when we honour the gift and the call of God on people’s lives.

The Goal is Longevity

I recently enjoyed a relaxing and rare weekend away with my family. Over the weekend I found myself meditating on longevity and how, when longevity is your goal your priority is the health of your soul! – Here are some of my thoughts about longevity…

lon·gev·i·ty  noun

1. a long duration of individual life

2. long continuance:  permanence, durability

Longevity is afforded to those resilient in spirit, and reliant on God. Moses, at the age of 120 gave a series of departing messages as Israel's leader addressed to those who had survived the forty-year wilderness experience - the new generation destined to possess the Promised Land. In his stately instructions, he included this about God; He is your life and the length of your days. To understand this about life - is to understand a major key to longevity.

I love hearing about married couples celebrating 50-year wedding anniversaries, or churches marking two decades of reaching their community, along with a number of those church members who can remember the first service all those years ago. Experiencing longevity is an admirable quality, an inspiring life achievement, as well as a noble vision for life. It was said of Abraham that after living to 175 years that he died in a good old age, an old man and full of years (Genesis 25:7-8). The same was said of his son Isaac (Genesis 35:28-29) who surpassed his father’s age, demonstrating that longevity, not only in terms of age but in all aspects of life can be a legacy for future generations to reach for and aspire to.

Jesus’ brother James comments that life is a vapour that appears for a little time and then vanishes away (James 4:13-16), and Moses prayed, Teach us Lord to realise the brevity of life, so we may grow in wisdom (Psalm 90:12). A man 90 years old was asked what he attributed his longevity. I reckon he said, with a twinkle in his eye, it’s because most nights I went to bed and slept when I should have sat up and worried. Jesus says, “Don’t worry about your life…can all your worries add a single moment to your life?" A major factor determining longevity in life however – whether in marriage, ministry or business etc - is wisdom. Godly wisdom under girds longevity, where worldly ‘wisdom’ tragically undermines it. Jesus illustrates this point in the parable about the wise and foolish builders and their respective foundations for life. 

"These words I speak to you are not incidental additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundational words, words to build a life on. If you work these words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who built his house on solid rock. Rain poured down, the river flooded, a tornado hit—but nothing moved that house. It was fixed to the rock. But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don't work them into your life, you are like a stupid carpenter who built his house on the sandy beach. When a storm rolled in and the waves came up, it collapsed like a house of cards."  - Matthew 7:24-27 (MSG)

Clearly Jesus is speaking about two Christians – as I don’t know many non-Christian people doing bible studies! He is contrasting a Christian who works His words into their life and the Christian who does not. Notice that neither was spared from the assault of the storm but the one who built his life on the foundational words of Jesus was spared its devastating affects. Longevity develops character and builds credibility, and gives insight not only into what you stand for in life but what you stand on. Longevity is in the eye of the wise builder –whose long-term thinking determined the quality of the foundation he sought to build his life on.   


Good friend, don't forget all that I taught you; take to heart my commands. They'll help you live a long, long time, a long life lived full and well.  - Proverbs 3:1-2

Not Unusual - but Un-Usual!

un·u·su·al/Adj

1. Not habitually or commonly occurring or done.

2. Remarkable or interesting because different from or better than others: "a man of unusual talent".

Christianity can be considered un-usual. (I'm sure we’ve all met some ‘unusual’ Christians in our time but this is not what I’m advocating!) The wisdom of God, or the ways of God can seem un-usual against the backdrop of the world’s deeds and creeds. In the economy of God, things seem back to front or upside down - get is give; up is down; high is low; great is serve; revenge is forgive; wide is narrow and find is lose. The Bible makes a clear distinction between worldly wisdom and the wisdom of God. 

 “Don't fool yourself. Don't think that you can be wise merely by being up-to-date with the times. Be God's fool—that's the path to true wisdom. What the world calls smart, God calls stupid.” It's written in Scripture, He exposes the chicanery of the chic. The Master sees through the smoke screens of the know-it-alls.”  1 Corinthians 3:18-19, The Message

Unconvinced Christians are likely to be uncomfortable with being un-usual and living un-usually. Often intimidated or tempted by what’s usual, they sadly compromise, becoming compliant, conforming to the deeds and creeds of the world. The blessed man in Psalm 1, walked not in the counsel of the ungodly and prospered in whatever he did. Christians who courageously live by Godly convictions and according to Godly counsel, boldly establish lives that challenge and confound the brand of usual - building un-usual marriages, un-usual families, un-usual businesses and careers and so on and so forth.

“Don’t copy the behaviour and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”  Romans 12:2 [MSG]

Jesus unashamedly challenged the cultural conventions and religious orthodoxy of the day. Proposing that we turn the other cheek instead of retaliating, exceed requirement and move beyond obligation by going the second mile and love our enemies and pray for those who go out of their way to hurt us! This is a remarkably generous and gracious way to live out your life! Take courage and differentiate yourself from the world by making a choice to be un-usual - not unusual but un-usual! 

Other scripture references: Isaiah 55:8-9, Matthew 5:38-48, 7:24-27, [MSG]

Strategically Gifted

You have been uniquely constructed and Strategically Gifted by God. He gives gifts, special God-empowered abilities for serving Him that are given to believers. 

You’re not born with them and you can’t earn them - they’re a gift. 

The world, (and some believers even) question if God really exists, why does He allow poverty, injustice and suffering in the world. He could ask us the same question! The truth is that God’s heart is to speak and act, and He has empowered the Church to do so. What is the Church? The Church is described as the 'Body of Christ'. The human body is used as an illustration to explain the workings of the Church, with Christ as the head, the Church His body and believers making up the members. The ‘head’ describes a position of authority, and Christ seeks to direct His body to do His will. By doing this, we become the active expression, and presence of Christ in our world. 

"The church is Christ's body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence." Ephesians 1:23

There’s a human body fact that says, it takes 72 different muscles to produce human speech. Likewise, God desires to use you and I, different people who have been strategically gifted to work together to make a difference in our world. The mobilised Church, and an activated believer points to the existence of God! 

"Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven." Matthew 5:16   

There’s no greater use of your God-given gifts than to use them for the purpose, and in the service of the one who gifted them.

Unlikely People Achieve the Unexpected

History is full of unlikely stories - the bible itself is filled from cover to cover with unlikely stories of men and women who achieved the unexpected! 

Moses an unlikely orator and deliverer; Sarah & Abraham unlikely parents; David an unlikely King; Esther an unlikely Queen; Gideon an unlikely warrior; Peter an unlikely disciple; Jesus an unlikely Messiah and Saul a very unlikely church builder!     

Our natural tendency is to head-hunt those with impressive resumes, be-friend the popular and associate with the successful. However, “God does not see as man sees.” Feeling unqualified; incapable; inexperienced; insecure; inadequate; unworthy or fearful seemed to be the odd pre-requisites to be used mightily by God. These attributes don’t disqualify you from His service, but it could be said that it makes you a strong candidate for His power & purpose. When the unlikely happens or when the unlikely achieves the unexpected God’s fingerprints are all over it - and that’s exactly His intention! 

God works in unlikely ways, with unlikely people and through unlikely circumstances. It should be a source of great encouragement to us all that with God, the unlikely achieve the unexpected.