Spiritual Credit Score

~~~ Philippians 2:1-4 ~~~ Psalm 131 ~~~ Luke 14:12-14 ~~~

When you hold a lunch or a dinner,

do not invite your friends or your brothers or sisters
or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors,
in case they may invite you back and you have repayment.

In this time of elections our politicians
would not want to hear this passage from
Paul's letter to the Philippians.

When you are raising money for a political campaign,
or any other campaign, it is precisely the wealthy you want to invite.

Jesus accepts an invitation to dine with an influential Pharisee.
Why this invitation? Jesus certainly had no monetary wealth to offer.
He does, however, offer words of wisdom to the host.

Rather, when you hold a banquet,
invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; 
blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you.

Usually if you borrow money it is required that you
repay it plus any accrued interest.
If you fail to repay then it ultimately affects your credit score.

Many give to the poor...to charities that serve the poor.
When you give to a charitable cause you do not expect anything in return.
These people cannot repay you for your generosity.
We get invitations to attend fund raising gala events.
At these events you give and receive something in return
 either a meal, service, or a product.

Our spiritual credit score may well be determined
 by the attitude with which we give.

What is important is that we give
 to the poor without expecting anything in return.

Jesus went about serving the needs of the poor.
His words were often...go and sin no more or simply repent.

Our spiritual credit score is determined by our heart...
by how much love we are willing to share...
by how many ways we are willing to forgive
 those who trespass against us.

Jesus fed thousands without expecting any form of payment.
Jesus healed as many as could reach him;
even those touching just the tassel of his cloak.

Our joy must come from being of the same mind as Jesus.

...humbly regard others 
as more important than yourselves...

If you want to improve your spiritual credit score...
...stilled and quieted
my soul...

still and quiet your soul

For you will be repaid at the resurrection...

Whatever we do for the least of those created by God
we do also unto him.
There is no need for book keeping in heaven.
There is no possible way we could repay Jesus
 for all that he has done for us.
Jesus is our best insurance plan...give him thanks.

Blessed as we give of our time, talent, and treasure for the Lord.
Our 'payment' is deferred until the day he raises
 us up to be with Him.

Let us be glad...
 In you, O Lord,
I have found my peace.

Let no one repossess your soul.

~~~Peace~~~

What Size Do You Wear?

~~~ Colossians  3:12-17 ~~~ Psalm 150 ~~~ Luke 6:27-38 ~~~

 

Let the heavenly celebrations begin.

Saints Paul and Luke provide us the perfect recipe

for a life filled with unbelievable joy.

At first glance we are all excited...

 

Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,
heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience...

 

When life is great and things are going well it is easy

to be kind and helpful to others.

If only there was this body suit we could 'put on'...

perhaps we could purchase it in just our size from the religious bookstore or

better yet order it online from the privacy of our home.

 

Perhaps it would come splashed with colors representing

 the qualities of being God's chosen ones.

What if you could custom design it...pick out your own color for compassion,

kindness, humility, and the others?

 

The day finally arrives when your very own body suit arrives...

made just for you to fit perfectly.

At first you are so excited to wear your new garment.

You are so happy to be one of God's chosen ones.

 

Do to others as you would have them do to you.

 

Little be little the colors of your body suit begin to fade.

People come into your life challenging

your commitment to acting holy and beloved.

Their words and actions begin to irritate you.

You do not notice the colors of your beautiful suit are getting dimmer.

Then one day you decide not to 'put on' this body suit you once wore so happily.

 

love your enemies and do good to them

 

It becomes harder and harder to love those who are your enemies.

Soon you forget what it means to have compassion for others...

soon you begin to believe gentleness is for the weak.

You begin to believe that you are entitled to better treatment than others...

that you are better than those around you.

 

 

Then one day, by the grace of God,

 you find it in your heart to extend a kindness to one

of those irritating people in your life. 

Little by little you begin to remember that day when you first 'put on'

your new body suit.

Something glorious stirs in your heart.

 

Give and gifts will be given to you;
a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing,
will be poured into your lap.
For the measure with which you measure
will in return be measured out to you.”

You search in your closet and in the dresser drawers until you find it...

the beautiful body suit made just for you.

Even though it is faded you 'put it on' anyway.

You go about your day determined to treat others with love,

compassion, kindness, humility, kindness and patience.

 

You notice the change; the colors of your body suit

begin to revive themselves.

With each passing day as you treat others with heartfelt love

the colors return to their original intensity.

 

Of course this is just a fictional story I made up,

but it is so far from the truth?

I wonder.

Doing good for others encourages one to sing and dance with joy.

 

Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!

 

With gratitude in our hearts let us go forth today spreading the love of God.

Give it away freely; after all it was given to you freely.

 

'Put on' your body suit of brilliant colors and treat others well.

Do to others as you would have them do to you.

This will keep the colors vibrant and you heart will be filled with joy.

 

Blessings today in keeping your colors vibrant...

You were chosen by him for this task

to love beyond your comfort zone.

 

What size do you wear?