Last week I came across the story of the homeless man from Boston, Glen James, who having found a backpack containing among other things money to a total of $42.000 in cash and travellers cheques, immediately handed the bag over to Boston Police who were then able to return the lost bag and money to its rightful owner..
The story got headline attention WHY???
Because of his HONESTY!!
What a sad, sad reflection on our world I thought!! For me however something else struck home when I read further and discovered the reason the man returned the bag. Despite saying he has been homeless for years, he wrote: “Even if I were desperate for money, I would not have kept even a ... penny of the money I found.” Mr James said in a statement: "I am extremely religious. God has always very well looked after me."
AND that’s what got me thinking, Bad enough the world is haywire BUT what if the Christians aren’t much better????
I have been a Christian since 1985 and whilst I would love to say that I have been ALL that I should have been, I have made my fair share of mistakes and guilty of much sin in those 28 years.. I am not perfect by any means and neither am I entering into the realms of hypocrisy by making rash statements like, ‘I would never do this!!!’ BUT in those years of walking with the Lord and ministering for the Lord as a Pastor I have been also bombarded personally and hurtfully by other Christians who by their words and deeds exhibit clearly to me that, while they may know God, they evidently DO NOT know the Word of God.
It reminds me of a story of W. P. Nicholson, one of Ulster’s greatest evangelists who was conducting a mission in Cookstown…On one of the days after the previous night’s meeting were many had been saved, W P, as he was called, was walking in the Main Street of Cookstown and noticed a drunken man on the other side of the street who was trying to gain his attention. He crossed over and the drunken man proceeded to tell him that he was one of the ones who was ‘converted to the Lord’ at the meeting the night before? To which W.P replied 'well you may be one of my converts but I doubt you are one of HIS?'
Here’s one of those portions of Scripture you read and you underline, at least I do and I did because it says here these things God HATES!! Hates to see in His Children, yet it is sad to say I have got to the stage where, like the world has almost given up on expecting people to be honest, I to have almost given up expecting ‘brothers and sisters’ to live and talk and behave as they should…Listen to this…as its paraphrased by ‘The Message’
Here are six things God hates,
and one more that he loathes with a passion:
eyes that are arrogant,
a tongue that lies,
hands that murder the innocent,
a heart that hatches evil plots,
feet that race down a wicked track,
a mouth that lies under oath,
a troublemaker in the family. - Proverbs 6:16-19
1. A people who find it easier to be dishonest than honest?
2. A people who find it easier to be unforgiving than forgiving?
3. A people who find it easier to be uncommitted than committed?
4. A people who find it easier to gossip than speak truth? (Linked to this then!)
5. A people who find it easier to make judgements of hearing one side of a story than take the trouble to find out the other side first?
6. A people who find it easier to say things behind your back and to others rather than say those things to you face to face?
7. A people who find it easier to be un-Christlike than to be Christlike?????
All I want to say today is come on guys get your act together live up to your calling in Christ. Start behaving right, get out there and say you’re sorry to a lot of people and ask the Holy Spirit to change that attitude you have got…. Here are TWO more verses just to finish with and for ALL of us to think about this week…
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:1-2 (ESV)
“And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished (perfected) on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” Philippians 1:6 (NLT)
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