JOYFULLY SERVING CHRIST Giving Thought To What You Do A lady was walking down the street when she was accosted by a particularly dirty and shabby-looking homeless woman who asked her for a couple of dollars for dinner. She took out her wallet, got out ten dollars and asked, If I give you this money, will you buy wine with it instead of dinner? No, I had to stop drinking years ago, the homeless woman told her. Will you use it to go shopping instead of buying food? I asked. No, I dont waste time shopping, the homeless woman said. I need to spend all my time trying to stay alive. ‘Will you spend this on a beauty salon instead of food? She asked... Are you NUTS! replied the homeless woman. ‘I havent had my hair done in 20 years! Well, she said, Im not going to give you the money. Instead, Im going to take you out for dinner with my husband and me tonight. The homeless woman was shocked. Wont your husband be furious with you for doing that? I know Im dirty, and I probably smell pretty disgusting. She said, Thats okay. Its important for him to see what a woman looks like after she has given up shopping, hair appointments, and wine. This lady demonstrated a skill that Jesus said His followers desperately need. In Matt 10:16-17, He said, Look, Im sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as serpents and as harmless as doves.” HCSB The Greek word phronimos translated as “shrewd” includes the idea of being thoughtful, discreet, sensible, insightful, astute and wise. Sheep do not fare well among wolves, especially when they are hungry. Here, our Lord warns us of the dangers of failing to use our minds as we go forth into the world. Jesus also uses this word when describing a situation between a rich man who had intrusted his possessions to a manager. There was a rich man who received an accusation that his manager was squandering his possessions. 2 So he called the manager in and asked, What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you can no longer be my manager. 3 Then the manager said to himself, What should I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? Im not strong enough to dig; Im ashamed to beg. 4 I know what Ill do so that when Im removed from management, people will welcome me into their homes. 5 So he summoned each one of his masters debtors. How much do you owe my master? he asked the first one. 6 A hundred measures of oil, he said. Take your invoice, he told him, sit down quickly, and write 50. 7 Next he asked another, How much do you owe? A hundred measures of wheat, he said. Take your invoice, he told him, and write 80. 8 The master praised the unrighteous manager because he had acted astutely. For the sons of this age are more astute than the sons of light in dealing with their own people.” Luke 16:8-13 HCSB Here, Jesus points to our failure as Christians to use our minds when dealing with other Christians. The conclusion: thoughtfulness, discreetness, sensibleness, insightfulness, astuteness, and wisdom– shrewdness–should be practiced by Christians whether in the world or in the church. We must think before we speak or act! Be shrewd!! Go Joyfully Serve Christ Today, Bobby [Today, if you will be totally honest with yourself and the Lord, you can have true life by praying this simple prayer: “Lord, I know I am a sinner. I know that Jesus died because of my sins. Right now I confess my sins to You, and ask you to come into my life. Forgive me and cleanse me. Accept me into your family. I give myself to You, and ask that you birth me into Your Kingdom, and that You fill me with Your Holy Spirit.”] Freely Share–Bobby T. Hood
Posted on: Wed, 26 Nov 2014 01:45:47 +0000
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