What pleases the Lord? Applied to Matthew 18.1-14
Perhaps I am more obsessive than I care to admit because sometimes when I get something really gets my attention, could be either good or not so good, I think about it again and again. Now I know I have read it before, but when I heard the young New York preacher quote the verse this week, it really resonated with me and I quickly scrambled to make note of it. My mind keeps going back to the few words-carefully determine what pleases the Lord. Ephesians 5, verse 10. Why, that instruction of Paul's applies to just about everything, doesn't it?
Note to self: Memorize this short verse. Meditate on it. Implement it. Carefully determine what pleases the Lord.
As we zoom out and look at Matthew 18, we see that Jesus speaks to several aspects of what pleases the Lord, particularly pertaining to our relationships. First, we are to be humble as children to be in his kingdom. [Did you read this? http://pastorwoman.com/ReadArchive.aspx?id=2725]
While speaking of children, Jesus shows how he feels about the young and immature-referring to protecting the young, but also speaking to those who are religious, warning them not to cause the 'less mature' to fall into sin (verses 5-10). In modern day terms, 'better to put on some heavy cement shoes and take a walk off a short pier than to be responsible in either case. While the young really knew no protection in the first century Roman empire, Jesus is quite clear of his loving care for them.
You know, regularly we hear of a little child being harmed, sometimes savagely; our hearts break, and our minds reel. I heard of such a toddler yesterday and the thought turns my insides out, as my head screams, 'how could you do this to a baby?!' But hear me-God will avenge every wrong done to the innocent. And yet again, a scripture runs through my mind, "Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord." Romans 12.19 And further, Paul wrote, "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows." Galatians 6.7
Let us be the ones who champion the cause of those weaker than ourselves, whether they are wee children, young in faith, depleted in health or advanced in age! Let us be the ones-as this will please the Lord.
Sometimes it is the one who is all alone, potentially at risk. Several weeks ago, I was making the long drive down California's Highway Five, from Northern California back home to Southern California. The scenery is not too varied over hundreds of miles-a lot of agriculture, a lot of brush, a little business, and a few rest stops. Anything different on the landscape becomes immediately obvious . . . like one lone sheep I spied. It bothered the heck out of me. Surely it was separated from the flock that we eventually drove past, but why? I watched from my mirror, 'How will it rejoin its flock?' I kept thinking. And then I thought of Jesus' example. If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish. v. 12=14 Our Heavenly Father is passionate in his compassion toward just one sheep/one of his flock that strays from the fold. That one grabs his heart, and he goes after it. I, for one, am so glad of this picture, and this reminder of God's heart.
Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. Without a doubt, seeing others as Jesus sees them pleases the Father. Without a doubt, being tender-hearted toward others pleases God as well.
Christine
PastorWoman.com
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