BE USEFUL TO ONE ANOTHER!

Monday, September 9, 2019

BE USEFUL TO ONE ANOTHER!

Gal 5:13-14

13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Eph 4:28-32

28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

           I remember a trip to San Antonio to preach the ordination charge for a young man who had just assumed the leadership of his first church. It was quite an honor to be asked. This trip also found my wife and me holed up at a hotel in San Antonio attending a pastor’s conference. It would have been wonderful had we both not had a stomach virus! I remember the kindness of two people who volunteered to drive six hours to reach us and another six hours to bring us home. We declined the offer and felt some better the next morning. I shouldn’t have been surprised at such a kind offer because I pastor some of the best people in the world. Their Christianity is of the practical kind.

           Actually, the word “kind” in Ephesians 4:32 is the Greek chrestos which, literally, means “useful.” Now isn’t that interesting? If I want to be kind to someone then I need to find a way to be of some practical use.

Dear Lord, thank you for all the useful and kind people that I call friends. Help me to be useful to others today. AMEN