Blind To Self: Devotional for Personal Growth

Honest to All Men *

I call myself a Christian, the well-dressed man proudly stated.

"You can trust me." But when his faith got tested and the storm hit, he was the first to abandon his post and run for shelter. Faith should be more than having the right Christian outfit. In fact, it may not have anything to do with the outfit you wear, but is a matter of the heart. Are we living an exemplary life on the outside, but are we singing a different tune in the well-hidden, secret corners of our hearts? The world notices it too. The world is all too happy to point out that faith in God does not seem to help all that much and is not necessary. Of course, people who think that way don’t realize that throwing the baby away with the bathwater is a serious mistake. Just because Christians fall sometimes does not mean that faith in God is useless and that God is not there. But our sample can help and is important.

As believers in God, we do have a responsibility to let our light shine, even though we are far from perfect and need a lot of grace. In her book, Floods on Dry Grounds, missionary Eva Stuart writes about her experiences as a missionary in the Congo. She writes that at one time Christian believers were much admired, even among some of the fiercest enemies of the Gospel. Christians got the name, Bakrustu ya kweli which meant as much as true believers, or people who cannot lie. One such a Christian was once arrested. They accused him of having hid and assisted a dangerous criminal. They beat him and finally brought him before the leader of town.

Did you do those horrible things? the leader asked the Christian.

No, Sir. I did not, the accused answered. The leader turned to his soldiers and shouted with angry eyes, You are all wrong. You should have been much more careful. This man is a Bakrustu ya kweli. They cannot lie, but always speak the truth. Such a story makes us think. Are we Bakrustu ya kweli as well? There’s no way we can reach perfection, nor should we try to reach it through our own works. For us though, as children of God, honesty and integrity should be more than mere words. A Christian should be known for his integrity. It does not glorify the Kingdom if people find out that the truth doesn’t mean all that much to you. When they know you don’t mind to bend the truth a bit when it is more convenient, they will not be eager to reward you with their trust. Dishonesty casts a shadow over all the good you are trying to do. Someone once said that the punishment of a liar is that people won’t believe him, even when he speaks the truth. If a witness in a court case lies, the judge will remove the witness altogether, even though most of what the witness had to say was important. We are not called upon to testify in a courtroom, but we are testifying daily to the people around us. Many eyes are monitoring our words and deeds and are looking to us to see if we do have answers in this confusing world. People’s trust is a precious thing. It usually takes a lot of effort to gain it, but it will be easily shattered. Jesus was clear when He said, Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment. And what to think of

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. Love the truth. Seek honesty even though it may hurt. You will be happy tomorrow you were honest today. *Romans 12:17 *John 7:24 *Galatians 6:7

Stronger

The German philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche is attributed with the saying

That which does not kill us, makes us stronger.  I don’t think that’s true.  If you have been through the place where death was poised to claim you, physically, mentally, or emotionally, you will be weak on the other side.  But that is best because when I am weak, He is strong (2 Corinthians 12:9-11).  In weakness, He holds me and if He did not I could not make it on my own.  He’s never failed me and now I find the more I need Him the more I love Him.  The more I love Him the closer I feel Him to me.  This is the way we are made and if we are too prideful to admit we are needy, we risk walking alone and lonely. If you hold tightly to the Master’s hand you will never walk alone and you’ll never be as strong as you are in weakness.  No human strength can compare to His power and love and might.  In His power, there lies forgiveness, mercy, love, and grace.  He can easily walk away from us and lose not one ounce of strength, yet when we walk away from Him, we’ve lost it all.  He’s all that matters, He’s all we need; if we have Him, we have everything, if we do not, we have nothing, and we must remember those who don’t believe, will be forever lost when their time on earth is done. We can afford to have compassion for those who are perishing because, they cannot see the glory and majesty of His life-giving love and some never will.  Yet God holds the gate a few more minutes to wait for the last one who will come.  If we truly understand what eternity is about we would weep forever for those who are lost.  We are them, only the light has been turned on for us and if not for that we have no hope as well.  If we have no hope, we have no safety, security, or serenity.  I once was lost, but now I’m found, was blind, but now I see the glorious light of the Savior who died for me.  How can I be selfish and self-righteous when, there for the grace of the Lord go I?  If no one reaches a hand to pull those in mortal danger to safety, who will save them? He surely doesn’t need us, but the lost need a flesh and blood hand reaching out to love the unlovable, to reach the unreachable, to lay down their rights to belittle and denigrate those who hate us for the sake of the gospel.  We carry the gospel within us; it’s the air we breathe; there is no life without it, yet with it we have abundant life with all the assurances of eternity just around the bend while others see only darkness up ahead, not knowing what it is, but afraid enough to act like it doesn’t matter, claiming they are not afraid.  If Christ had not saved you, where would you be?  Wade out into the masses on their way to Hell and give the message you have heard.  He is able to save; He is willing to save; He is always near.  Look to Heaven and find your strength to go out and save the world.

KILLER OF THE INFANT

Abortion has been a topic that has stirred passionate responses from antiquity.   While this is a medical process, the procedure often combines the ending of life with severe brutality- for both the unborn and the mother.  While technology has made the procedure quicker in the modern era, the methods are frighteningly similar to those used in more ancient periods. One of the most renowned Church Fathers was Tertullian, living around 200 AD.  Abortion and infanticide were practices the ancient world knew well and he spoke strongly against them. He said: "Among surgeons' tools there is a certain instrument that is designed with a nicely-adjusted flexible frame for first of all opening the uterus and then keeping it open. It also has a circular blade, by which the limbs within the womb are dissected with careful, but unflinching care. Then a copper spike is driven into the unborn to take its life. From this infanticide method, some gave it the name, 'Killer of the Infant'.  Tertullian, in another article, writes: Are you to dissolve the conception by aid of drugs? I believe it is no more lawful [and right] to hurt a child in the process of birth than to hurt one who is already born. The process of separating one life from another, a child from its parent, is never a reason to rejoice and is usually barbaric.  Regardless of the empty rhetoric, which surrounds the issue of abortion, there is life that is being destroyed.  While modern science and ethics debate over issues of emergent life and personhood, embryos and fetuses are being destroyed.  The developing life that is within the womb is being overlooked by battles over principles and doctrine.  Life, in its earliest stages, hangs in the balance of academic debate, political rhetoric, and medical disputes.  The most fragile and vulnerable of all life is relegated to being the means to the ends of our leaders.  The intrinsic humanity that is present as soon as the spark of life ignites is obscured and reduced to statesmen fodder. Life has an intrinsic dignity, an inestimable worth and value, that is being forgotten or ignored by our leaders.  Those who would not value this dignity, whether politician and medical professional, is truly the Killer of the infant.  When politicians want to change these core doctrines of the Christian Churches, they are advocating the Killer of the infant.  When a politician would exchange the precious life of the unborn for votes, she is acting for the Killer of the infant.  When a politician offers false empowerment and promises using the life of the unborn to trade upon, she is acting for the Killer of the infant.  When a politician promotes an agenda of global wellness and health, but advocates for abortion she is