PRIVILEGED
OPPORTUNITY
Part
three of five in Serving God Series
Matthew
5:11-16
Matthew
5:11: “Blessed
are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil
against you because of Me.”
Inspiring the
Righteous devotion showed how early Christians suffered for their
faith. “Rejoice
and be glad,” Jesus continues in verse 12, “because
great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the
prophets who were before you.”
Jesus warns us that we live
in dark times. But that should not cause
us to “shrink back” from serving God when life gets tough. It doesn’t take much to serve God. Little acts of kindness show love to one
another. Holding a door open, even a
smile serves God. Followers of Jesus are
empowered against darkness.
Every time we pass on God’s love to another is a
privileged opportunity. We ought never
to shrink back from that. Every good
deed is our power against the darkness.
Every good deed is a spark of light penetrating the darkness. Every good deed is a privileged opportunity.
Why are good deeds privileged opportunities? Jesus says in Matthew 5:14-16, “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it
under a bowl. Instead they put it on its
stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before
men, that they see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”
There is only one force that
the darkness cannot swallow up: the force of loving kindness done in Jesus’
name. It is God’s kids who turn the
other cheek, walk the extra mile and forgive their enemies. Ten year old Cassie chooses her classmates,
Jeremy and Brad, to play dodgeball at recess.
They in turn, choose Scotty—who
mocks them—to join the team.
Our
light to the world is often the only bright spot around.
Peter wrote to early Christians who were tormented,
harassed and oppressed. He encouraged
them to “live such good lives among the pagans [nonbelievers] that, though they
accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the
day He visits us.” (1 Peter 2:12).
That could happen any day!
Pinpricks of
Jesus’ light (believers) push back the darkness.
Take
Home Nugget
Privileged opportunities are how regular people
participate in shining light into a dark world.
Find out more from the lesson, linked below.
May this dark world sparkle with God’s
light.
Each pinprick of God’s kid shines with
good deeds.
Stand tall and show your might
By helping those who have needs.
J.D.
Griffith
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