March 8, 2024

GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY:

“Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor… [so] anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work. They should be doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.” (Ephesians 4.25a, 28)

REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD

Wow, there are many ways in which Paul’s word to the Ephesians at this point can be understood and applied. As I have set my course through these reflections as to the community of faith, then I will suggest for our consideration as it has been laid upon me “We who are members of the body of Christ [as a whole, as an individual and as a local fellowship community] must not abide upon the charity of others within that same body?” Paul started this section of teaching reminding the Ephesian community of faith in Jesus as the Christ “…for we are all members of one Body.” Each part must do its work in connection with the whole body. In doing so, the body is far more capable as a sum of its individual parts than the individual parts (regardless of their adeptness) can do separately. In a recent conversation, I had to remind the person I was speaking with that bit of “testing” wisdom which says “If one part of the statement is false then the whole statement is false regardless of the veracity of the truth that may be included.” In other words, we can say “That’s true, except….” and then discuss the issue which impacts the truth as it is impeded. The problem may exist when we cannot compare and contrast the two parts nor discern the outcome if the statement would be left as it was. I myself passed a course in graduate school not because I agreed with the professor and could adopt the “course” as a true principal to lead others in education. No, I passed because I could speak fairly objectively, authoritatively and persuasively the dangerous elements in the course of thinking presented placing it alongside other such courses of implementation with proven results. Well, I didn’t get an “A” in the course, but the “B+” was sufficient recognition of the work I had done.

Consider then, the body of believers we are joined to in a local congregation, life group or fellowship community. Sadly we can apply the “20/80” principle as to the function and viability of those groups with 20% of the people bearing 80% of the responsibility. Can you imagine what would happen if the 80% of the people started shouldering more than the 20%? Would the 100% that is done in that certain project or time frame actually be seen as less than 100% of what was actually to be accomplished? So the command given in Jesus’ “Great Commission” of “under My authority in Heaven and on earth, go into all the world…beginning in Jerusalem, then Judea and to the furthest corners of the world” started with the intention of “one step at a time” with the goal of 100% percent completion before moving on to the next venue. We know, of course, that 100% of Jerusalem was not won to faith in Jesus as the Christ who was raised from the dead in order to show what having faith in God really could accomplish. Neither was 100% of Judea won, nor Samaria, Lebanon, Palestine, Egypt, Asia Minor, the Roman Empire and beyond. Regardless, it started with the thrust of each person committing 100% of who they were to the decision of “taking up their cross and following Jesus.” The reality was that not everyone will in fact but will claim it in “a word.” So, those who were new into the fellowship community were discipled to use their gifts, talents and abilities as well as their resources to spread the gospel and build up the local community as well as the communities of faith in Christ with whom they were knitted together in the whole body of Christ. Some, however, lost their drive and fervor and held for themselves (as we might read in Acts about Ananias and Sapphira) what was even the tithe and let the rest “who could” carry the weight of the work and the support.

I find myself guilty of not sharing the load at times. There are difficult seasons which require great trust in God who has promised to provide even in the times of distress where resources are thin or non-existant. But, what an indictment Paul extends to the Ephesian community to those who were capable of something who did nothing but consume without producing. It wasn’t about works righteousness that Paul spoke about doing the work. It was about being a part of the whole and finding the means to contribute something instead of taking what might seem like everything. In Malachi 3.6-8, we hear God speaking to the people of Israel through the prophet about those who “steal from the Lord.” The indictment gave credit for tithes contributed but tithing is not the maximum, it is the minimum. And when God spoke of “special gifts” it was not limited to other offerings and contributions of monies to support emergencies and causes. “Special gifts” alluded to the implementation of the spiritual gifts, talents and abilities so that in all things we say and do, God is glorified. And Jesus was the greatest example of such a “special gift.” As in John 3.16, “For God so loved the world that He gave each one of us His Son, and those who would believe that He is the Son of the Living God shall not perish but have everlasting LIFE!” Mighty ones of God, let us remember that “not doing something” is “doing something;” it is doing in the negative which is tantamount to stealing.

TODAY’S PRAYER IN RESPONSE TO GOD’S WORD:

Father, before we were conceived in the womb, You had already formed us in Your love and by Your Spirit spoke us into being. Each one of us is blessed with the opportunity of doing right, being good and producing the fruit of the Spirit so that others may be fed the truth of that same love so that the two will become one. It is our soul’s sincere desire to embrace the oneness You have in mind that we would know that we are Your people and that You are our God. Lead us in that discovery of the truth and the manifestation of that love for us all. In Jesus’ name, we pray. AMEN.