A youth ministry initiative by RBC Ministries
where you can find devotionals and resources for youth.
A youth ministry initiative by RBC Ministries
where you can find devotionals and resources for youth.
July 16, 2010
My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others? (v.1).
READ: James 2:1-9
Birds of a feather flock together. That’s why you never see a robin flying wingman in a “V” formation of geese or a crow hanging out with hummingbirds (actually, crows are mean enough that they don’t even like the company of other crows).
But we who are filled with the Holy Spirit are empowered to buck this law of nature and follow the example of Jesus. He shared His life with an unusual group of guys who were not like Him or even each other. What do the Son of God, a tax collector, an anti-government zealot, and a handful of fishermen have in common?
This kind of community was not natural, and—sadly—the first generation of Christians began separating over class and racial differences. Jews looked down on Gentiles, masters thought less of slaves, and the wealthy abused the poor. James ordered the church to stop giving preferential treatment to the rich (James 2:1-9) and Paul admonished the Corinthians to eat together rather than divide by class (1 Corinthians 11:33-34). He reminded the Galatians that “there is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28).
Henri Nouwen defined community as “the place where the person you least want to live with always lives.” Philip Yancey explains: “Often we surround ourselves with the people we most want to live with, thus forming a club or a clique, not a community. Anyone can form a club; it takes grace, shared vision, and hard work to form a community.”
Do you start conversations at church with those who are different from you? Do you invite people to dinner that you don’t particularly like? This kind of community is not natural. But it changed the world once, and it can do so again. —Mike Wittmer
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Filed under Devotional, Our Daily Journey and tagged with Christian Living, Compassion, Conflict, daily devotional, difficult relationships, Faith, God's Love, Holy Spirit, Love, Relationships, serving others, The Church, Unity.
Many people in church clique together and do not care for other brothers or sisters in church. This is not to be encouraged. As what I have read before in Proverbs, perhaps, that gang up together is not good, you know?. (Please refer to your Bible. I cannot remember where it is exactly.)
I am facing great problems now, maybe it is because of all these.
I am disappointed with these people and I hope my situation will improve further. Please uphold me in your prayers. If, however, you have any prayer items that you would like me to intercede for you, just feel free to let me know. Nevertheless, I may not pray for you everyday, only when the Spirit leads me on.
If there is any good and encourageing materials for reading, listening or viewing, please do not hesitate to let me know.
Thank you. May God bless you all and keep you!!!
Hi Moi Fong,
Will certainly uphold you in prayers.
Thank you for wanting to remember me in your prayers. Hope to be your friend. Can pray for you too if you are willing to.
For your information, more details regarding ganging up can be found in Titus 3:10-11. Meditate on ‘divisive person’ – person or people causing disagreement. Such a man is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned. GBU!
Hi, if you are interested you can read this Christian text. It is a bit related to the problem of community in the church, or in secular life.
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/kempis/imitation.THREE.36.html
MY CHILD, trust firmly in the Lord, and do not fear the judgment of men when conscience tells you that you are upright and innocent. For it is good and blessed to suffer such things, and they will not weigh heavily on the humble heart that trusts in God rather than in itself. Many men say many things, and therefore little faith is to be put in them.
Likewise, it is impossible to satisfy all men. Although Paul tried to please all in the Lord, and became all things to all men, yet he made little of their opinions. He labored abundantly for the edification and salvation of others, as much as lay in him and as much as he could, but he could not escape being sometimes judged and despised by others. Therefore, he committed all to God Who knows all things, and defended himself by his patience and humility against the tongues of those who spoke unjustly or thought foolish things and lies, or made accusations against him. Sometimes, indeed, he did answer them, but only lest his silence scandalize the weak.
Who are you, then, that you should be afraid of mortal man? Today he is here, tomorrow he is not seen. Fear God and you will not be afraid of the terrors of men. What can anyone do to you by word or injury? He hurts himself rather than you, and no matter who he may be he cannot escape the judgment of God. Keep God before your eyes, therefore, and do not quarrel with peevish words.
Thank you for your advice. May God bless you all and keep you!!! Amen?