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Salt of the earth: Part 6

I must find strength in Godā€™s promises to carry out his words to blessā€”to bless, even those who persecute.

Mark W. Henrich

I looked out at the congregation, and I hesitated. The text, short though it was, had been difficult for me. Too many hours during the week had been spent staring at these words: ā€œBless those who persecute you; bless and do not curseā€ (Romans 12:14). The thought kept coming, Persecution? What do I really know about persecution?

Persecution isnā€™t just when bad things happenā€”someone cuts you off on the road, your supervisor has a bad day and takes it out on you, or even the heartaches that you have living in a world of sin. There is a difference between problems and persecution. Persecution is hostility or ill treatment designed, intended, targeted to injure, grieve, or afflict. Persecution is normally defined as something that happens because of race, ethnicity, political persuasion, or religious beliefs.

Modern-day persecution

I may have difficult times in my life journey, but persecution has beenā€”can it be?ā€”absent. Yet I know persecution has not been absent in the lives of my spiritual brothers and sisters.

Walterā€”How can I not think of Walter? He grew up in an orphanage; served in World War II; and received a scholarship, sight unseen, to play ball at a major university. He arrived on campus, and the scholarship was taken away.

ā€œWhy, Walter?ā€

ā€œThey didnā€™t know the color of my skin. What could I do? I had to go south to find a school.ā€

Walter graduated, married, got a good job, and moved to a new neighborhood.

I commented on what a nice street it was. ā€œOh, Pastor, it wasnā€™t always so quiet. We were the first people of color on this street. I canā€™t tell you what things happened to me, my wife, and my children. And it kept happening. Pastor, you wouldnā€™t know.ā€

No, I wouldnā€™t. Persecution.

Michelleā€”Michelle was 16 when the phone call came. ā€œCome quickly.ā€

The family was in tears because the announcement had come from the father: He had arranged for Michelle to be married in his home country. The plane ticket was in hand to leave that same week.

Along with the arranged marriage came the further pronouncement. Michelle must give up Christianity and convert. If not? From her fatherā€™s lips came the words, ā€œI never want to see you again. You will not see my wife and the other younger children. Decide now. Obey me. Agree to marriage and your new religion or never be in my life again.ā€

An ultimatum Iā€™ve never been given. Persecution.

Averyā€”the 20-something-year-oldā€”came to the church office to talk. So much had already happened in his life. In order to find a better life, he left his home country and traveled to South Africa, then to South America, and finally to Toronto. Here he came to know Jesus and became a Christian. How wonderful to share the joy of being brothers in Christ!

I asked Avery when he thought he would ever get home to visit family and friends. His words shook me. ā€œOh, I can never go home. Because I am now a Christian, my family has rejected me, and in the area I am from, I will be killed for following Jesus. And my community here now shuns me.ā€

Rejected by family, not allowed home? Not me. Persecution.

Jesus, persecution, and Paul

I donā€™t know much about persecution. But the Bible speaks often and openly about it. The word is used more than 50 times. Jesus himself talked about the reality of persecution and how his disciples are to respond. Recall his challenging words from the Sermon on the Mount? ā€œBlessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you. . . . Rejoice and be glad.ā€ (Matthew 5:10-12). ā€œLove your enemies and pray for those who persecute youā€ (Matthew 5:44). ā€œIf they persecuted me, they will persecute you alsoā€ (John 15:20).

And so it happened. The apostles were arrested because they spoke about new life in Jesus (Acts chapter 5). Stephen was martyred for his faith. (Acts chapter 7) Then we read, ā€œOn that day a great persecution broke out against the churchā€ (Acts 8:1). Paul suffered persecution. He was flogged, stoned, threatened by his own countrymen, and imprisoned (2 Corinthians 11:23-28).

What does Paul write about persecution? ā€œBless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.ā€ How is this possible? Bless, that is, to think well of or to wish Godā€™s blessings on those who cause pain? Our hearts say no. Our hearts say to get even, to get revenge, to let others feel the pain they themselves have inflicted.

But Paul saw Jesusā€”the one who taught about persecution and the one who was persecuted. ā€œWhen they hurled insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead he entrusted himself to the one who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; ā€˜by his wounds you have been healedā€™ ā€ (1 Peter 2:23,24). Paul saw the cross and forgiveness. He was healed. Paul could face whatever came his way. He would live for Jesus as Jesus had lived, died, and rose for him.

Soul searching

To the congregation in front of me that Sunday, I paused, prayed, and spoke more quietly than normal, ā€œPersecution . . .ā€

I must soul search. I havenā€™t seen persecution in my life. Not really. Is this because I am a spiritual wallflower and am better at blending in than speaking about my Lord? Or perhaps God has given me grace to live in a time and place where persecution has not been in my life story. Thank you, Jesus!

I must soul search. Have I been the persecutor, the one who has made life difficult for others? Am I quick to put down, in words or actions, those with whom I do not agree? God, have mercy on me a sinner.

I must soul search. Have I been blind to the persecution, in all its forms, that goes on all around me? Have I stepped in? Have I stepped up? Have I spoken for those who are put down? Have I helped?

I must find strength in Godā€™s promises to carry out his words to blessā€”to bless, even those who persecute.

Walter did. ā€œPastor, Iā€™ve seen a lot of ignorance in my life, but Iā€™ve also seen how God worked things out in my life for good. And I know this. Jesus has never let me down.ā€

Michelle received this strength. In the midst of tears in the room that night came her words, ā€œI choose Jesus.ā€

Avery has been renewed. He will never go home. His community had ostracized him. ā€œBut, Pastor, itā€™s okay. I know Jesus, and I have never known such joy.ā€

And I am humbledā€”and strengthened. This is a hard verse. It is a beautiful verse. It is given to each of us.


Mark Henrich is pastor at Hope, Toronto, Canada.


This is the sixth article in a 12-part series about Christian love in action and how we can the salt in this world.

 


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Author: Mark W. Henrich
Volume 104, Number 12
Issue: December 2017

Copyrighted by WELS Forward in Christ Ā© 2021
Forward in Christ grants permission for any original article (not a reprint) to be printed for use in a WELS church, school, or organization, provided that it is distributed free and indicate Forward in Christ as the source. Images may not be reproduced except in the context of its article.Ā Contact us

 

Salt of the earth: Part 6

The poor and needy are opportunities to help and be hospitable.Ā 

John HuebnerĀ 

ā€œI thought he was going to kidnap me!ā€Ā said my 11-year old grandson after I had given a few dollars to the man in the Home Depot parking lot, asking for rent help.Ā Ā 

Iā€™ve read the articles about enabling addicts and homeless people and teaching a person to fish versus giving him a fish.Ā And I, probably just like you, try to avert my eyes when Iā€™m at the stoplight with someone two feet away from my car window with a hand-printed cardboard sign asking for moneyā€”the sign that often also says,Ā ā€œGod bless you.ā€Ā Ā 

But Jesus says I should help needy people.Ā Who and how are questions for which each of us needs to find answers.Ā 

Who?Ā 

In the sameĀ Sermon on the MountĀ in which Jesus taught the large crowd about beingĀ ā€œthe salt of the earthā€Ā (Matthew 5:13), he also said,Ā ā€œBut when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secretā€Ā (6:3,4). You noticeĀ that heĀ expectsĀ Godā€™s people to give to the needy. He didnā€™t sayĀ ā€œif.ā€Ā He didnā€™t break the needy down into classesā€”ā€œa bit needy,ā€Ā ā€œa lot needy,ā€Ā orĀ ā€œmost needy.ā€Ā He just said,Ā ā€œNeedy.ā€Ā 

St. Paul explains that this is especially true when Godā€™s salty people show loving concern toward one another:Ā ā€œShare with the Lordā€™s people who are in need.Ā Practice hospitalityā€Ā (Romans 12:13).Ā Practicing hospitality literally meansĀ ā€œstriving or aspiring to be one who loves the stranger as a friend.ā€Ā It has something to do with providing a welcoming, safe place, as Abraham andĀ Sarah did for three strangersĀ when they entertainedĀ angels and the Lord without knowing itĀ (Genesis chapter 18).Ā We understand that helping fellow Christians is not optional.Ā Ā 

Katie Luther and her husband,Ā Martin,Ā who had six children of their own, also accommodated nieces, nephews, tutors, monks, nuns, indigent pastors, students, and others at their home.Ā They even took in a fugitive pastor on their wedding nightĀ and sick people during the plague!Ā Their homeĀ was definitely a hospitable place.Ā 

In hisĀ Treatise on Good WorksĀ (Lutherā€™s Works,Ā Vol.Ā 44, p. 17-114),Ā Luther told the world why Christians care for those in need.Ā ā€œFor because a man trusts God, he isĀ generous and does not doubt that he will always have enough; on the other hand, a man is covetous and worries because he does not trust God.ā€Ā Our trust in God warms our hearts to be hospitable and care for the needy.Ā 

Being hospitable involves our attitude toward those in need.Ā Jesus said,Ā ā€œThe poor you will alwaysĀ have with youā€Ā (Matthew 26:11). Moses said the same thing (Deuteronomy 15:11).Ā Iā€™ve sometimes wondered why the street corner beggar isnā€™t working at McDonaldā€™s or why the Section 8 housing occupant doesnā€™t take better care of the place they are being provided.Ā But Jesus never addressed the social/economic reasons behind poverty.Ā He simply said to help.Ā Ā 

How?Ā 

We want to exercise good judgment. We feed a starving person food for the body but alsoĀ provideĀ Godā€™s food for the soulā€”without being or appearing manipulative.Ā Ā 

Good judgment also requires caution.Ā We canā€™t, nor should we, give to every person, charity,Ā or cause that comes along.Ā Our own WELS Christian Aid and Relief is charged with the dual role of providing disaster relief and building bridges to the gospel through long-Ā and short-term humanitarian aid projects.Ā This is the best place to start when sharing our wealth outside of our local area.Ā Ā 

The early Christians knew the value and dignity of work, but it appears they didnā€™t ask the poor why they were poor.Ā Rather, they sold their ownĀ thingsĀ so they could give to anyone who was in need.Ā And they did more than send a check to a charity or drop a dollar in a hat. They invited fellow believers into their homes andĀ ā€œate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the peopleā€Ā (ActsĀ 2:46,47).Ā Ā 

NoticeĀ how hospitable they were!Ā They realized the importance of getting into relationshipsĀ with one another, rich or poor, so they could joyfully share the gospel withĀ one another.Ā Iā€™m guessing you have also discovered that personal faith conversations seem to go deeper with someone you have come to know than with a stranger whose motives and integrity you donā€™t yet know.Ā Ā 

Not long ago, some of us from our church were asked to help a single mother whose older home badly needed a new roof.Ā As we spoke with one another, realizing the importance of our work together to repair and replace that roof,Ā Jesus was in those conversations and blessed them. Acquaintances in Christ became friends in Christ.Ā 

As a congregation, we continue to work at being hospitable and creating a welcome environment for all who enter our doors.Ā There is food and coffee to gather around.Ā Weā€™ve been trained to look for the guest and help them experience Christā€™s love.Ā WeĀ have a very special man in our congregation who recently brought a friend to church and then invited him and about 25 of us to a restaurant after worship so that we could get to know him better.Ā A number of members provide $25 gift cards to various grocery stores and gas stations so that our pastor, at his discretion, might help some who request aid.Ā 

My wife works hard at creating a hospitable home.Ā We still laugh when we rememberĀ the time some seminary students called us one evening on spring break because the house they had thought was available turned out to be occupied and they needed a placeĀ to stay.Ā They ended up camping in our backyard,Ā andĀ my wifeĀ made sure there were towels, food, and showers available for them.Ā We are blessed to have some of our grandchildren near us,Ā andĀ my wifeĀ has turned our home into a haven for them, complete with devotions when they stay over.Ā Countless missionaries and WELS school choirĀ members have found shelter here as well.Ā 

It was Jesus who showed us what perfect hospitality is and looks like.Ā He left the place of perfect peace in order to provide eternal peace for us.Ā As we observe him on the pages of Scripture, we see him giving his time and attention to little children, grieving widows, the sick, the poor, andĀ those disabled.Ā Anyone could come to him for help.Ā He personally fed two crowds of thousands.Ā He had no home while ministering on this earth but has made it possible for the entire world to have a heavenly home forever!Ā 

By the grace of God, we believe in him and long to see him.Ā While we are waiting, there is a growing desire in our hearts to be hospitable to the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, and all others in need.Ā Itā€™s notĀ because weā€™re goingĀ to earn a place in heavenā€”Jesus hasĀ already provided that precious gift.Ā Rather, we just want to hearĀ JesusĀ say those wonderful words,Ā ā€œWhatever you did for one of the least of these brothersĀ and sistersĀ of mine, you did for meā€Ā (Matthew 25:40).Ā 


John Huebner, a retired pastor, is a member at Victory, Jacksonville, Florida.Ā 


This is the sixth article in a 12-part series about Christian love in action and how we can be salt in this world.


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Author: John P. Huebner
Volume 104, Number 11
Issue: November 2017

Copyrighted by WELS Forward in Christ Ā© 2021
Forward in Christ grants permission for any original article (not a reprint) to be printed for use in a WELS church, school, or organization, provided that it is distributed free and indicate Forward in Christ as the source. Images may not be reproduced except in the context of its article.Ā Contact us

 

Salt of the earth: Part 4

After making several communion calls, a pastor is encouraged by his membersā€™ faith, hope, and patience.

Glenn L. Schwanke

The door is partially open, so I step into the room at the Omega House. There sits one of our shut-ins, picking with a fork at some late breakfast. I pause and call out, ā€œDiane, itā€™s Pastor!ā€ It takes a second or two for her to register who I am, but then her eyes sparkle and a warm smile covers her face.

Be joyful in hope

ā€œMay I visit with you and share the Lordā€™s Supper with you?ā€ I ask.

ā€œOf course!ā€ she responds.

ā€œDiane,ā€ I continue, ā€œmy heart breaks over what you and your family have gone through in the past few weeks. First, your husband dies. And then less than a week after his funeral, your house burns down! Now here you are in extended care at the Omega House. How are you holding up?ā€

Still smiling, she responds, ā€œJesus has always taken care of me. Every day, no matter what. I know he will take care of me now too.ā€

I struggle to hold back a tear at such simple, childlike trust. After a moment, I respond, ā€œI want to reassure you that Jesus has made a promise to you, guaranteed in blood. He will be with you always.ā€

ā€œOh, I know he is! He talks to me through his Word, and I talk to himā€”all the time. Every day!ā€

Another tear fights at the corner of my eye. Then I open my communion kit and prepare the Lordā€™s Supper. We celebrate the Supper using the words Diane has heard countless times before. However, age strips away the inhibitions of her youth, so Diane adds commentary along the way. But I donā€™t mind.

ā€œTake eat, this is my body.ā€ ā€œI know it is! I know he loves me.ā€

ā€œTake drink, this is my blood.ā€ ā€œOh, he died on the cross for me!ā€

ā€œFor the forgiveness of all your sins.ā€ ā€œI know he paid for my sins. He loves me! He has always been with me. He always will.ā€

After the Supper is finished, we visit a bit more. Then I pack up my communion kit and leave Diane. I leave a richer man, for I have been with a child of God who is living what the apostle Paul encouraged: ā€œBe joyful in hope.ā€

Endure trials patiently

Itā€™s Sunday evening, and Iā€™ve been puttering in the shop. I glance at the clock and notice itā€™s almost 7 p.m. Itā€™s time to make a communion call. As I pass through my home office, I grab my communion kit, agenda, and Bible. But I donā€™t go out to the garage and jump into the car. Instead, I walk to the living room and sit down in one of the recliners. The communicant, my wife, Teresa, is already seated in the other recliner. Sheā€™s been patiently waiting for me.

We begin with the ā€œshort sermonā€ I promise all the sick and shut-ins I visit. Itā€™s far less structured than the message I shared that same morning in church. With my wife, itā€™s even more so. Our devotion is more like a dialogue based on Scripture, as we discuss Godā€™s plan for our lives and the reason he allows affliction to come into our lives.

As our devotion continues, itā€™s nigh onto impossible for me to rigidly control my emotions. Tears start to trickle down my cheeks, while tears stream down my wifeā€™s. But Jesusā€™ words help dry those tears. ā€œIn my Fatherā€™s house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to be with me, so that you may also be where I amā€ (John 14:2,3). We know heaven waits. Our mansions have already been bought and paid for in full.

But what about the road ahead on this side of the grave? How many U-turns will it hold? How much longer will we be pressed down by the pain? Again, our Saviorā€™s gentle whispers help dry the tears.

ā€œAnd surely I am with you always until the end of the ageā€ (Matthew 28:20).

ā€œEven though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort meā€ (Psalm 23:4).

ā€œBut God is faithful. He will not allow you to be tested beyond your ability, but when he tests you, he will also bring about the outcome that you are able to bear itā€ (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Then I add, ā€œJesus knows all about whatā€™s going on in our lives. The cancer, the treatments, the pain, the setbacks. And he knows all about our weaknesses, our fears, our worries, all our sins. Thatā€™s why he came, lived, and died. And thatā€™s why he has made us another promise, guaranteed in his blood. ā€œIf you ask me for anything in my name, I will do itā€ (John 14:14).

ā€œI know,ā€ my wife responds. ā€œI am praying all the time. Every day.ā€

Then itā€™s time for the Supper, a final prayer, and the benediction. I get up from my chair a humbler man, because Iā€™ve been with a child of God who is living what the apostle Paul encouraged: ā€œEndure trials patiently.ā€

Persist in prayer

ā€œI talk to himā€”all the time. Every day!ā€

ā€œI am praying all the time. Every day.ā€

It strikes me that both my shut-in and my wife have taken Paulā€™s admonition to heart: ā€œPersist in prayer.ā€ Sometimesā€”first thing in the morning or late at nightā€”our prayers may stretch to an hour or more, as we petition our Father on behalf of friends, neighbors, family, coworkers, and classmates. At other times, our prayers last longer because weā€™re wrestling with our Father during a personal crisisā€”whether it be work, health, family, or faith. Then there are times when our prayers are little more than a sentence or two or even nothing but a sigh or a groan (Romans 8:26).

Concerning our prayer life, Dr. Martin Luther once wrote, ā€œA Christian is always praying, whether he is sleeping or waking; for his heart is always praying, and even a little sigh is a great and mighty prayer. For so God says: ā€˜For the sighing of the needy now will I arise, saith the Lordā€™ (Psalm 12:5)ā€ (What Luther Says, Vol. 2, #1087).

We keep praying to our ā€œAbba, Father,ā€ trusting that he answers every prayer in just the right way and at just the right time. We keep praying because we know prayer is a healthy exercise for our Christian faith.

And a healthy, active faith? That will be salt for those around us, just like my shut-inā€™s and my wifeā€™s faith have been for me.


Glenn Schwanke, pastor at Peace, Houghton, Michigan, serves as campus pastor at Michigan Technological University.


At the authorā€™s request, all Bible verses are from the English Heritage Version.


This is the fourth article in a 12-part series about Christian love in action and how we can be salt in this world.


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Author: Glenn L. Schwanke
Volume 104, Number 9
Issue: September 2017

Copyrighted by WELS Forward in Christ Ā© 2021
Forward in Christ grants permission for any original article (not a reprint) to be printed for use in a WELS church, school, or organization, provided that it is distributed free and indicate Forward in Christ as the source. Images may not be reproduced except in the context of its article.Ā Contact us

 

Salt of the earth: Part 3

As Jesus renews us through his grace and mercy, we can be zealous in sharing that hope with others.

Jeffrey D. Enderle

My phone buzzed. Checking it revealed a text message from a dear sister in Christ, Lavinia. She texted a prayer request on behalf of her family. Laviniaā€™s sister had died, and Lavinia was on her way to the memorial service. I sent a quick message expressing my condolences and assured her I would keep her family in my prayers. I would pass along the prayer request to the rest of the congregation as well.

Then it hit me. Her text message sounded really familiar. Hadnā€™t she just sent me a similar message not too long ago? I pulled out my phone again and started scrolling through the messages. There was another message a few weeks ago just like this one. Was this the same person? I fired off another quick text asking for clarification.

Unfortunately, it wasnā€™t the same family member. This was another painful death close to home. As we went back and forth, it came out these werenā€™t the only ones. Additional family tragedies had struck. In all, there had been six deaths in her family over the past few weeks. A sister. A sisterā€™s husband. One had gone suddenly, unexpectedly. Another had been suffering, in declining health for such a long time. Still another had been the result of mounting health issues. And one had been run over by a car. Intentionally.

This was a lot for Lavinia. I had been praying and sharing prayer requests on behalf of her family. Now I turned by attention to Lavinia herself and prayed that God would allow her to endure all this personal tragedy.

Worn down and exposed

Youā€™ve probably experienced enough tragedy of your own to understand some of the side effects. Your tragedies donā€™t have to be as many or as dramatic as Laviniaā€™s. You wrestle with the emotional fallout. You find it hard to concentrate. You are distracted from your normal routine. You canā€™t keep all the doubts and questions from bouncing around in your head. Sometimes it even robs you of sleep, zapping your energy. The whole experience becomes such a burden. Joy gets suffocated out of your life.

In our part of the country, climate conditions can be brutal. The high desert sun can beat down oppressively from above. Winds commonly whip up a frenzy of sand and dust. Without shelter, you can start to feel dried out, cracked, and brittle. You wonder if youā€™re about to get swept away or crumble in the extreme environment.

I couldnā€™t help wondering if that was happening to Laviniaā€”and not because of the weather. I was wondering if all the tragedy was starting to pile up on her and about to crush her. It can all be so brutal.

She is such a quiet, gentle soul. But sheā€™s a tough lady too. Thatā€™s because sheā€™s always such a rock to the people around her. Sheā€™s there for her husband and daughters. Sheā€™s always helping with her grandchildren. Her siblings rely on her for support. Nieces and nephews and cousins rely on her strength. She is always ready to reach out with a kind word, a caring gesture, or her calming presence.

But that kind of care and concern for others can wear you out. It grinds down your enthusiasm when the needs keep piling up. When you keep giving and giving and giving, it uses up your capacity for compassion, leaving your tank empty.

Zeal feels impossible. Enthusiasm appears unattainable. Any kind of energy for other people has already evaporated.

In those cases, the danger is similar to the risks accompanying extreme weather. Exposure is the issue. Exposure to deaths, tragedies, and defeats are issues for our souls. Trying to weather them alone is dangerous. Souls are at risk.

Sheltered by Godā€™s grace

So that became my prayer focus for Lavinia. While I continued to bring her family to the Lord in prayer, I shifted to include prayers for Laviniaā€™s exposure to spiritual extremes as well. If she was exposed to all those tragedies, they could inflict real damage to her soul. Cracks could be created in her confidence in the Lord. Weaknesses in her trust could be exposed. She could end up crumbling under the weight of everything going on all around her.

After the funeral, I decided to give Lavinia a call, just to check how she was holding up. She admitted things were taking their toll on her. But she was thankful she was able to be there to support her family in their time of need.

She was feeling a little worn out. Thatā€™s also when we realized the Lord was using her at this difficult time. Her hope in Jesus was so rare amid all the gloom and despair. She didnā€™t have to do anything amazing. She didnā€™t have to change the circumstances for her family. She simply had a chance to share her hope in Christ.

Lavinia took her refuge under the shelter of Godā€™s grace. Her Savior had done more than just be present for her in her struggles. Jesus had completely dedicated himself to her spiritual rescue. He never let up for a moment. He never took a break from serving sinners. His life was one huge commitment to living the perfection God demands of every human being. In his most helpless and most agonizing moment, he still was able to cry out: ā€œFather, forgive themā€ (Luke 23:34). He knew exactly what sinners needed. Jesus never came up short in giving peace and strength to his people.

Refreshment came from the Lord. Like a cool mist after a punishing desert wind, the Spirit comes to Godā€™s children. The Holy Spirit makes Christā€™s victory your victory. Jesus defeated death and hell, which rob lives of joy and hope. The same power that brings faith to hearts brings confidence to Christian lives. Gospel promises well up in hearts of faith. Blessings bubble up from Godā€™s words of peace.

In times of trial and tragedy Godā€™s people get to be that cool, refreshing breeze for others. We get to be instruments of Godā€™s restoration. We have the chance to share real hope with people going through genuine hardships. Our words and example are real, forged in the fire of our own trials. The good news of what Jesus has done for us is the basis of everything we do for the people in our lives. His power works through us to bring his unconditional love and forgiveness to the people in our lives who are also struggling, perhaps even more than we are. Godā€™s mercies restore and refresh us so we might share his love with others.


Jeffrey Enderle is pastor at Christ the Rock, Farmington, New Mexico.


This is the third article in a 12 part series about Christian love in action and how we can be salt in this world.


SUBMIT YOUR STORY

Do you have a manuscript, idea, or story from your own life you’d like to share for use in Forward in Christ or on wels.net? Use our online form to share it to our editorial office for consideration.

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Author: Jeffrey D. Enderle
Volume 104, Number 8
Issue: August 2017

Copyrighted by WELS Forward in Christ Ā© 2021
Forward in Christ grants permission for any original article (not a reprint) to be printed for use in a WELS church, school, or organization, provided that it is distributed free and indicate Forward in Christ as the source. Images may not be reproduced except in the context of its article.Ā Contact us

 

Salt of the earth: Part 2

Acts of love and devotion can create opportunities for us to witness about the one who gives us strengthā€”Jesus.

Steven J. Pagels

Ann wasnā€™t just a member of my congregation. She was a woman I had come to deeply respect and admire. She had grown up in a loving Christian home, but that didnā€™t prevent her from experiencing some significant setbacks in her life. When she was just a child, her mother suffered a stroke, and from that day on Ann became the matriarch of the family. To make a difficult situation even more so, her father died suddenly and unexpectedly when she was in high school.

Instead of complaining about her lot in life, Ann went into the workforce after graduation. She poured herself into everything she did, and in time her hard work was rewarded. Ann eventually became a business executive, and she enjoyed the perks that went along with the job.

Being devoted in love

But no matter how successful Ann became, she never forgot where she came from, and she never forgot her family.

When her mother could no longer live on her own, Ann brought her to live with her in her own home. That arrangement lasted for several years until it became necessary to find a place where she could receive around-the-clock care. Even though Ann was forced to relinquish her role as her motherā€™s caretaker, she remained a devoted daughter and visited the nursing home after work almost every night.

You donā€™t have to be a Christian to do what Ann did. Lots of people, including lots of people who donā€™t believe in Jesus, take care of their aging parents. They will say, ā€œYou do it for family.ā€ But thatā€™s not why Ann did what she did. As much as Ann loved her mother, she loved her Savior even more. And it gave her great comfort to know that Jesus loved her more than anything.

A few years later Annā€™s mother passed away, and in a perfect world that would have finally given Ann more time for herself and her own life. But we do not live in a perfect world, and it wasnā€™t long before Annā€™s husband took the place of her mother. His decline was a long and slow process, but even as he grew weaker Annā€™s resolve grew stronger. She remained devoted to her husband in sickness and in health until the Lord called him home.

Ann never asked me the question, so I will ask it for her. Why? Why is life so full of heartache and headaches? Why didnā€™t God give Ann a break after her mother died? Maybe you ask similar questions. Why would God allow me to suffer or expect me to give up so much to help another person who is suffering? Why does God seem to be asking me not just to go the extra mile but to run a full-length marathon?

The Lord may not always give us the answers we are looking for, but he does give us promises. He promises he will never leave us or forsake us. He promises he will make every situation in our lives work out for our eternal good. He promises that the challenges we face will stretch us, and, when we turn to his Word, he will strengthen our faith.

In addition to all of Godā€™s promises, the obstacles in our lives also present us with opportunities to share our faith. In fact, some of the most difficult situations give us some of the best opportunities to be salt in the world.

Being salt in the world

A story like Annā€™s can lead us down two very different paths. We can be inspired to follow her example, or we can become depressed because we know we will never be able to follow her example. If you are leaning toward the latter, you need to know something about Ann. As much as she loved her family and as much as she was devoted to others, Ann wasnā€™t perfect. There were times when she became frustrated. There were days when she was tempted to give up. Instead of being some kind of superwoman, Ann was a sinful human being who sought refuge in the loving arms of her Savior.

Jesus gives rest to weary souls. Jesus assures sinners burdened by guilt that they are forgiven. Jesus gives us the peace we could never go out and get on our own. And by his perfect life our Lord also gives us a perfect example to follow. No one was more devoted to others than Jesus. Nobody ever put the needs of others before their own like Jesus. And at no time was that selfless love on greater display than on Good Friday.

The Lord of heaven and earth had been sentenced to death. Even though he was innocent, even though he could have called down angels to rescue him at any moment, Jesus willingly went the way of the cross. And even though he was suffering in ways that we canā€™t even imagine, he remained focused on the needs of others. He asked his Father to forgive his enemies. He assured a dying criminal that they would be reunited in heaven. He wanted to make sure that his mother would be taken care of after he was gone.

In Jesusā€™ sinless mind, the pain and persecution he endured were never reasons to withdraw from the world. Instead they created opportunities for him to reach out. It is a radically different and liberating way to look at life. The daily challenges we face are more than problems that need to be solved. Our struggles may lead to conversations, and those conversations may give us opportunities to witness, to be salt in the world.

Think about Annā€™s struggles but now look at them the way Jesus did. Imagine all the people Ann encountered every weekā€”her family, friends, coworkers, even the staff at the nursing home. They knew how much was on her plate. They could see how she was holding up. And if anyone ever asked Ann how she was doing, if anyone asked her how she did it, she could tell them. She could tell them about the source of her strengthā€”Jesus.

When you look down at your own plate, when you consider the sacrifices God is asking you to make in your life, when you see the faces of all the people the Lord has called you to love and serve, you can ask the question. In fact, as a follower of Jesus who wants to follow his example, you should ask the question. Why? Why has God brought this situation into my life? What is Jesus telling me? What doors is the Holy Spirit opening for me? How can my acts of love and devotion create opportunities for me to witness, to be salt in the world?


Steven Pagels is pastor at St. Matthewā€™s, Oconomowoc, Wisconsin.


This is the second article in a 12 part series about Christian love in action and how we can be salt in this world.


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Author: Steven J. Pagels
Volume 104, Number 7
Issue: July 2017

Copyrighted by WELS Forward in Christ Ā© 2021
Forward in Christ grants permission for any original article (not a reprint) to be printed for use in a WELS church, school, or organization, provided that it is distributed free and indicate Forward in Christ as the source. Images may not be reproduced except in the context of its article.Ā Contact us

 

Salt of the earth: Part 1

As disciples of Jesus, we are to love others. The apostle Paul directs us to put our love into action.

Peter L. Unnasch

On Christmas Eve of 1863, at the height of the American Civil War, a Northern commander asked for volunteers to take part in a special mission. The mission was dangerous, but vital. Men raised their hands. Soon those men boarded two ships and quietly steamed south. By Christmas morning they had reached their objectiveā€”a place called Bear Inlet, North Carolina. If successful, this team of volunteers would put a dagger into the Southern war effort. Through good timing and good fortune, the team succeeded. And as a result, that entire region of the South moaned in distress.

The Northern soldiersā€™ objective, however, was not some supply depot or warehouse. Their objective was salt. The Bear Inlet Salt Works produced salt for the Confederacy. Such a loss was disastrous.

When you and I sit in a fast-food restaurant and shake the white shaker on our fries, itā€™s easy to forget that cheap, plentiful salt is a very recent thing. Itā€™s easy to forget what a profound necessity salt is. For thousands of years, salt was humanityā€™s refrigerator. It was the only way to preserve food and prevent starvation. Salt was essential for tanning leather. It promoted the healing of wounds. And salt held the priceless magic of making the tasteless taste good. For this reason, salt possessed the power to establish the location of major cities, lay out trade routes, even spark wars. Often it served as currency.

And the need for salt remains profound. At last count, there are more than 14,000 known uses for itā€”including what salt does to keep our bodies alive. You and I cannot survive without it.

With all that in mind, perhaps Jesus is saying more than we realize when he proclaims, ā€œYou are the salt of the earthā€ (Matthew 5:13).

This article is the first of a series that will consider how you and I, by Godā€™s grace, are here on this earth to impact people through the message of the gospel. Weā€™ll look to the words of Paul from Romans 12:9-21 to help us see how we can be Godā€™s salt in our daily lives.

ā€œLove must be sincere.ā€

Has sincerity vanished? If you were to ask people to say one word to describe our societyā€™s attitude for the last 20 years or so, no doubt many would choose the word, cynical. A pure cynic is distrustful of everything. A pure cynic takes pleasure in mocking someone instead of listening and learning. A pure cynic is always looking for the next punch line at someone elseā€™s expense.

Recently, however, some observers of our culture have suggested that we have begun to enter what they call ā€œpost cynicism.ā€ This is simply their way of saying that maybe, just maybe, our society is getting tired of assuming that everything is a big joke. After all, if you spend your life only making fun of other people and their ideas, when the day is done you still have no answers.

Perhaps there is a hunger for something more after all. For example, have you heard the true story of Marty Martinson? Marty was an elderly gentleman who worked as a check-out clerk at a Wal-Mart. Whenever Marty was behind a register, the manager couldnā€™t help but notice that a lot of customers chose to get into Martyā€™s lineā€”even when that meant a longer wait, and even when other registers were wide open. What drew them to Martyā€™s line was a deceptively simple thing. Each time Marty got done ringing up your items, he would come around from behind the register, look you in the eye, shake your hand, or give you a hug. In other words, it was an unhurried moment of sincerity. It was an authentic moment of genuine caring. And the people in Martyā€™s line couldnā€™t get enough of it.

The Greek word for sincere means, ā€œwithout hypocrisy.ā€ Christian love is not about putting on an act. But when the Lord, through Paul, tells us that ā€œlove must be sincere,ā€ he does it with the understanding that each of us still has a sinful nature, an old sinful self. And our old, sinful selves are very, very good at insincerity.

In fact, itā€™s no secret that the charge of insincerity against the church has been around for a long timeā€”people going through the motions, outward actions devoid of any gratitude for Christ or love for others. And as you and I know, the charge of insincerity can often be right on target in your life and mine. Every time I give in to that sinful impulse to put on an act, I let down all the people who are waiting in Marty Martinsonā€™s line. I stand in the way of the gospel. I fail my Lord.

When Jesus entered our time and space, he wore no mask. He put on no act. Rather, in full sincerity of heart, he looked at you and me and said, ā€œCome to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you restā€ (Matthew 11:28). Then he went to the cross to make it so. It is that life of perfect sincerity on our behalf that empowers you and me to give unhurried, authentic moments of genuine caring to others.

ā€œHate what is evil; cling to what is good.ā€

Simple words, arenā€™t they? Simple, clear, concise, short. To see a forgiven soul taking those words to heart, howeverā€”that is to see a life that cannot help but impact the lives of others.

Some time ago it was my great privilege to watch the good news of Jesus season such a soul. Troy had grown up in a difficult and angry household. He dulled the bitterness and filled the void with alcohol. Years passed. Eventually the alcohol abuse spilled over and began to poison other parts of his life. He wound up in prison. When he completed his sentence, all he knew was that he did not want to go back to what his life had been. Nevertheless, the emptiness persisted.

Enter Jesus. The message of what we possess in our Savior brought quiet tears to his eyes. So overwhelming was the proclamation of Godā€™s graceā€”Godā€™s undeserved love on the basis of Jesus as our substituteā€”that it took time for him to grasp it. From then on, however, Troy spoke openly about where his focus now was. His focus was on keeping his back turned on the dark things of this world and keeping his face where it could bask in the light of Jesus. This single-minded determination began to radiate. It began to touch others. Rescued in Jesus, Troy was now Godā€™s salt.

You are too.


Peter Unnasch is pastor at Saint Lucas, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.


This is the first article in a 12 part series about Christian love in action and how we can be salt in this world.


SUBMIT YOUR STORY

Do you have a manuscript, idea, or story from your own life you’d like to share for use in Forward in Christ or on wels.net? Use our online form to share it to our editorial office for consideration.

SUBSCRIBE TO FORWARD IN CHRIST

Get inspirational stories, spiritual help, and synod news fromĀ  Forward in Christ every month. Print and digital subscriptions are available from Northwestern Publishing House.

 

Author:Ā Peter L. Unnasch
Volume 104, Number 6
Issue: June 2017

Copyrighted by WELS Forward in Christ Ā© 2021
Forward in Christ grants permission for any original article (not a reprint) to be printed for use in a WELS church, school, or organization, provided that it is distributed free and indicate Forward in Christ as the source. Images may not be reproduced except in the context of its article.Ā Contact us