“Yes, a person goes about like a mere shadow.
Indeed, they rush around in vain,
gathering possessions
without knowing who will get them.”
– Psalm 39:6

One day we’ll be leaving all our stuff behind. Either we will die or Christ will return. Then, all the things we’re “obsessed” with (to borrow an overused term of this cultural moment) will be someone else’s to keep or throw away (or creation will be renewed)! We’ll have left everything behind and won’t care in the slightest. Our lives are short in the scheme of eternity and stuff is only temporary.

Nonetheless, during the short years of our mortal life, we have the opportunity to impact eternity. We don’t have to rush around gathering stuff that we’ll leave behind. We have the ability to invest our time, energy, talents, and treasure in things which are truly eternal: other souls.

We live in an era with unprecedented ways to invest in the global spread of the good news of Jesus Christ and to directly alter both the physical and spiritual well-being of generations all around the world. Transformative care for those in need, both near and far. Global spread of the Gospel in thousands of languages. All are happening now and could use our engagement as followers of Jesus.

Think carefully about how you manage your time, talent, and treasure. Are you investing them in eternity or rushing around in vain gathering things that won’t last (at least not for you)?

“No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light.” – Luke 8:16

Christian, we are filled with the light of Jesus Christ within us! We were made to shine that light brightly in all directions so that others would see Jesus in and through us. Will we shine? How brightly?

It’s easy in our rapidly secularizing culture to fall prey to the temptation to hide our light. Shining the light of Jesus may have a social or professional cost, so we’re tempted to be “double-minded”. We may sing loud and proud in worship, but minimize the public face of our faith the rest of the week. That isn’t why we were filled with Christ’s light!

May we find ways to shine the light of Jesus into this dark, dark world through all aspects of our lives. May we be faithful in praying for others and asking them if we may pray for them in the name of Jesus. May we be faithful in helping those in need in the name of Jesus. May we be faithful in loving our neighbors as ourselves because Jesus loves us. May we be faithful in sharing the hope we have in Jesus with gentleness, respect, and direct honesty. Let us resolve that “this little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine!”

“And he said to the woman, ‘Your faith has saved you; go in peace.'” – Luke 7:50

What a glorious truth! This woman, anonymous to us but infamously sinful in her own hometown, was forgiven and freed from all her sin and her ugly personal history. Only faith in Jesus can cause such a radical change!

There’s no amount of good work we can do to offset the mountain of sin lying in our past. There was nothing that woman could do to earn forgiveness. But the blood of Jesus shed on the cross washes away all guilt and shame! All we must do is believe as that woman believed!

That’s the glory of what Christ accomplished through His sacrificial death on Good Friday and resurrection to life on Easter Sunday. That’s what we particularly celebrate this week. Christ did what we can’t. He saved us – and all we have to do to receive that salvation is believe. Our faith sets us free to go in peace!

“But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.” – Luke 6:27-28

Jesus is crystal clear here! In this era of deep, angry, toxic division over politics, public policy, race, culture, and values, true followers of Jesus don’t get to opt out of loving those who view us enemies, doing good to those who despise us, blessing those who publicly curse us, and praying for those who work against us.

Far too often today, Christians respond to challenges in exactly the same vile, ungodly ways and words of non-Christians. That isn’t the way of Jesus. Anyone who claims to love Jesus but whose words (spoken, written, or posted/reposted electronically) don’t reflect these commands of Jesus needs to repent. Now. Ask God’s forgiveness and stop dishonoring Christ!

Followers of Jesus are supposed to be completely different. Being different brings with it enemies, hatred, cursing, and abuse. Jesus showed us how to endure that Himself. He commands us to endure it like Him. And He lives within us to empower us to do so. Christian, follow Jesus!

“And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ‘Because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.'” – Numbers 20:12

Even the most godly of leaders can go astray at times! Rather than humbly following God’s instructions, Moses and Aaron unleashed their human anger, drawing attention and glory away from God and to themselves. Rather than speak to the rock to miraculously release water in a way that pointed the Israelites to God as their provider, they preached, rebuked, and struck the rock, focusing the crowd’s attention on themselves and their powers. That isn’t the behavior of godly leaders!

It might seem to us a subtle thing, but it wasn’t to God! God holds leaders accountable for the responsibility He has entrusted to them. Godly leaders must be consistently pointing people toward the Lord rather than themselves. Godly leaders must allow themselves to diminish as the people’s vision for the Living God increases. Godly leaders must be content in their relationship with the Lord rather than the adulation of human beings.

There is a humility and gentleness grounded in Christ that should characterize even the most influential godly leaders. If there isn’t, those leaders need to repent and their followers should hold them accountable, for God surely will!