Cleanness is Contagious

Not only does Paul subvert the old operating system for families under Christ, he introduces a new view of human dignity. While the world fights for authority and power under a hierarchy arbitrarily created by man, Paul levels the pyramid so that all people are equal. He shows that all people have dignity, all are loved, and all are subject to one master — Jesus. Paul introduces a life of Spirit-filled submission. Rather than submitting to an oppressive, biased, selfish, earthly authority, we are invited to submit to a loving, patient, kind, gentle, and gracious God. When we submit to God through the power of the Spirit, we operate out of love, patience, kindness, gentleness, and grace. Galatians 3:26-28 puts it this way: “So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (NIV). We are all one in Christ, living in submission to the same God who shows no partiality between us. Now, we may not have slaves like they did in the first century, but we are still humans who are trying to operate out of an old system that places other people above and below ourselves. Who do you place below you? Who do you see as unworthy of God’s gifts? Who do you treat with less kindness, grace, love, or gentleness? Maybe it’s someone who hurt you, addicts, homeless people, the LGBTQ community, someone of a different political party, people who live in a certain part of town, or people of a certain race.  When we live in submission to God, we give no distinction between who deserves grace and who doesn’t because we are all undeserving, and yet, Jesus gave himself out of his deep love for us. When we live in submission to a Lord like that, we can’t help but treat people with the same love. Reflection/Discussion Questions: Who are you struggling to treat with kindness, grace, love and gentleness? Why?

Hearing stories like this can usually do one of two things:  1. Inspired you: “Wow. She sounds like an incredible person. I don’t get how she can live so generously with so little. I wonder what it would look like for me to live like that.”  2. Cause you to keep it at a distance: “Wow. That’s incredible. Only certain types of people can live like that. When you don’t have much sometimes it’s easier to think the way she did because her experiences have taught her that. That was a cool story.” The reality is, both responses actually keep the story at a distance because stories like this inevitably make us uncomfortable. Why? They can make us feel guilty or inadequate. We begin to think about how we don’t live or think that way. We make concessions or excuses to get ourselves out of the responsibility of living the same way.  Hearing a story such as this tends to expose our stingy, greedy, fearful hearts. We have become like toddlers with their toys: “That’s mine!” We don’t want to share what’s ours, because we want to keep it for ourselves. We work hard to grow our own comfortable lives. We hold tightly to what we’ve been given for the fear of what will happen if we lose it. But all along we are taking what God has given us and acting as if we did something to earn it. You have money because you worked hard in your job to earn it? No. You have money because God blessed you with the ability to work and the job that paid. It is all a gift from God and can all be taken away in an instant. Just as Job said when he lost everything: “‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised’” (Job 1:20, NIV); we must be reminded of the sober reality that we came into this world with nothing and are leaving with nothing. What matters in between the coming and going is the eternal work that we engage in to bring the kingdom of heaven here on earth. If we start with the mentality that nothing is our own and God will always provide, we can open our hearts to the kind of free generosity God calls us to. DISCUSSION/REFLECTION QUESTION: What was your initial reaction to hearing Matt’s story about his mom? What does that reveal about your heart towards giving?

My son is suffering emotionally, mentally and physically. The emotional and mental issues he’s informed me have been going on since middle school. The physical part has been going on several months now; with blood work, MRI’s, muscle and nerve test and still no answers. He has said he would rather be dead than not know with the mental challenges he’s dealing with. Anxiety. Panic attacks and stress. Missing weeks of work and some days he has to leave. His employer has been very gracious, definitely a gift from God. Our relationship has totally changed. I was able to baptize him two weeks ago and my daughter was baptized at the same time by her husband. A beautiful gift; God is answering prayers. I have been able to come and stay with him several days a week. Cook. Clean. Do his laundry. We Have had great conversations. We have watched many sermons together and we are attending worship as a family. I live two hours away so Being able to come and stay with him has been the and. I’m so Thankful my Father makes a way and provides. Father may your will be done.

My neighbor was having a hard time adjusting to health issues with her father. I told her that I loved her and wanted to make her family homemade chicken noodle soup.