May 18, 2006
Investing in Appreciation
As I read the Apostle Paul’s letters, words of appreciation stand out. Such statements as, “I give thanks for you,” “my confidence in you,” “your labor of love,” “praying always for you,” and so on. Even his statements of reprimand contain an ‘I appreciate you’ section. The saints mentioned in Romans 16 must have been thrilled by Paul’s personal recognition of them. I doubt that these Christian sought recognition, but certainly they, their church and we are edified by Paul’s kind words of acknowledgment. Today the focus of the church is on programs and activities rather than on individuals. When was the last time you heard anyone say to you, “I give thanks for you,” or “my confidence in you,”?
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3 comments:
Gail;
----I honestly do not believe that Lucifer's rebellion against God was an event of astounding evil. I believe that it began with the subtlest thought of self importance and self recognition. But in God's perfect heaven of other-importance and other-recognition, it stood out in sharp contrast. His rebellion now dwells on earth as an ocean of astounding evil. It is in this environment that Jesus interjected the subtlest thought of other-importance and other-recognition. These are definitely the substances of the new life growing in His people.
----This morning I was pondering the necessity of helping our leaders understand the importance and recognition of the brothers and sisters who do not happen to agree with them. This simple object lesson flashed into my mind at once:
----------Standing beside your brother, you gain agreement that we are in this darkness to reflect Jesus before everyone's eyes. You then lay a dime sized piece of mirror on the table stating, "Lean over the table until you can see your image in the mirror. That is like our reflecting of Jesus character. You can only reflect so much of Him because of your own finiteness and inadequacy." Then you pull out of your pocket and place all around that piece fifty more pieces of mirror the same size, edge to edge. When all pieces are placed and well bunched together, you say, "Now lean over the table and look into the mirrors. That is the way the community of believers together reflect Jesus." Then you reach out and pick up a piece from here, and there, and yonder until nearly half the pieces remain intermittently spaced. When finished, you proclaim, "Looking at the reflection in the mirror again, you should immediately be able to see the appreciation that we can have for each and every one of Jesus's children, whether thay agree with your doctrines, programs, and visions or not."
----We were all made diferent so that we can together be a more complete reflection of Him than we can be alone. I so much appreciate my brothers and sisters (including the contemporary leaders) who are different than I am, because they remove from me the impossible responsibility of reflecting all of Him myself.
How nice it would be to be recognized as the individual God made each one of us to be and not part of a large mess of people! As a Single person I find that, not so much that my needs aren't met, but in this 'family only' oriented church I'm frowned upon because I don't have children. And I most certianly cannot teach Sunday School anymore, because all childrens activities need to be attended by the children with their parents anyway. I guess i'm going to have to get more creative in the way I serve my chuch, or follow God's leading to serve elsewhere.
Anonymous,
Thanks for sheding light from a different perspective. The tide has a way of turning. If God has blessed you as a Sunday School teacher, the current church program may keep you from teaching now, but it can't take your calling away from you. Hang in there with us.
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