It's doubtless happened to you often.  As you walk out of a shopping center, you are approached by someone who asks: "Could you spare a few dollars? – I need help.”  

We have seen the signs many people carry, signs pulling at heart strings from every possible direction – “Homeless” “Veteran” “Injured” “Hungry” “Please help – God bless.”  Some of these requests may reflect genuine need, but police officers and social welfare agents know that this is just a business for a good number of people, and that they are not truly destitute.  

You know this, too, but how are we to judge a given case? What is the Christian's right response when asked for help in such circumstances?  God's word shows that we should always be willing to give, but also that we should not give blindly.  See our new article "The Savvy Samaritan" to understand Christian responsibility and the proper balance of care and caution.

By C.S. Lewis from the classic Mere Christianity



“If conversion to Christianity makes no improvement in a man's outward actions – if he continues to be just as snobbish or spiteful or envious or ambitious as he was before – then I think we must suspect that his 'conversion' was largely imaginary; and after one's original conversion, every time one thinks one has made an advance, that is the test to apply. Fine feelings, new insights, greater interest in 'religion' mean nothing unless they make our actual behavior better; just as in an illness 'feeling better' is not much good if the thermometer shows that your temperature is still going up. In that sense the outer world is quite right to judge Christianity by its results. Christ told us to judge by results. A tree is known by its fruit; or, as we say, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. When we Christians behave badly, or fail to behave well, we are making Christianity unbelievable to the outside world. The war-time posters told us that Careless Talk Costs Lives. It is equally true that Careless Lives Cost Talk. Our careless lives set the outer world talking; and we give them grounds for talking in a way that throws doubt on the truth of Christianity itself.”

Could you use some encouragement right now? Do you know anyone who could?   Either way our new book is for you! 

This new eBook is a collection of practical essays – some from past blog posts on our sites and some specifically written for this book – on a subject we all need to hear about: encouragement.

Some Days We Soar: Words of Encouragement for the Christian Life is available in different formats (including PDF so you can read it on any electronic device). The book  is written from a non-denominational perspective, is completely free and free of advertising. You do not need to give an email address or any other information to download the book (just click on the download link on our "Downloads" page and enjoy).  Like all our books, if you enjoy Some Days We Soar and find it profitable, feel free to make a copy of the file and pass it, or the URL, along to your friends and others you know who may find the book helpful.

This book may not make your problems go away, but it may help you soar over them, so download it now and remember the encouraging fact we mentioned – it's free!

For other free eBooks, see the "Downloads" page on our sister site here.

Scripture in Focus:  Matthew 18:8-9

“If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire.” (Matthew 18:8-9)

These verses have sometimes been taken literally and, in extreme cases, used as a reason for bodily mutilation or removal of a hand, foot or eye.  But is this really what Jesus meant for his followers to do?

The answer is found in two simple facts.  First, Jesus often used figurative language in instructing his disciples and the crowds he taught.  In fact, Jesus specifically used the eye and the hand with clear figurative intent on other occasions. Consider these two examples also found in the Gospel of Matthew: “The eye is the lamp of the body” (Matthew 6:22), and “… when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing” (Matthew 6:3). Clearly neither of these statements is meant to be understood literally.

Secondly, sin is caused by the mind and not by any bodily part or organ (James 1:14-16); and it is not possible for a hand or eye to sin of itself. For example, if our eye is involved in lusting, taking it out does not remove the sin because the mind can still continue to lust.  The only way to remove the sin is to effect an inward change of the mind, as Jesus himself taught (for example, Matthew 23:25-27). The Hebrew Scriptures forbid cutting the body (Leviticus 19:28), and Jesus never contradicted any part of the law in his own teaching (Matthew 5:17-20) – only, on occasion, strengthening it. 

When we remember that Jesus so often spoke figuratively using metaphors, similes, and parables, we can understand that in speaking of a hand, foot or eye that cause us to sin, he was really referring to someone or something in life that might be instrumental in causing us to sin.    In fact, there is good indication that Jesus was actually referring to people in our lives who might cause us to sin. The words of Matthew 18:8-9 and Mark 9:43-47 appear directly after the statement that  “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea” (Mark 9:42).  The context would seem to indicate, then, that Jesus was referring to individuals who might cause sin to occur and who must be “cut off” even if they are as close to us as a part of our own body.

In Matthew 5:29 a similar figure of speech regarding removing a hand or eye is used in a different context, that of adultery, but once again there is no reason not to conclude that it is the person involved in the adulterous behavior that we must remove from our lives, not a physical body part.

This principle was applied directly by the early church in removing or “cutting off” any individual who, as part of the “body” (Romans 12:5), caused others in the church to sin (1 Corinthians 5:1–13, etc.).

Scripture: Romans 12:3 "For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you."

Something to think about:  Is our self-perception or self-worth based on what we have, our appearance, our position in society or any other physical measure? What should our self-perception be based on?  Once we can answer that question correctly, we know what the real value of our life is and why we are of inestimable value and potential in the eyes of God. At the same time, God's word clearly shows we should not elevate ourselves above others in our own thinking!

Can you have loyalty without obedience, or obedience without loyalty?

Imagine a situation where a dedicated high-ranking military officer is loyal to his commander in chief, but disobeys his orders,  or he obeys orders, but is nevertheless disloyal. It may be hard to imagine, but it can happen – and such was the career of King David’s leading general, Joab (2 Samuel 8:16, 20:23; 1 Chronicles 11:6, 18:15, 27:34).

Joab served David well, following every order much of the time and showing loyalty to David much of the time – as when his son Absalom rebelled (2 Samuel 18:1-33). But Joab also repeatedly disobeyed David in killing his rivals, Abner  (2 Samuel 2:13-32, 3:27) and Amasa (2 Samuel 20:8-13, 1 Kings 2:5), and was also disloyal in following David’s rebellious younger son Adonijah (1 Kings 1:1-27).

The strange truth is that Joab was both loyal and obedient, just not always at the same time. I call this the “Joab Factor,” but it doesn’t just apply to that ancient soldier – it can apply to all of us. We too can be loyal but not obedient or the other way around. For example, at the most basic level, we can be loyal in faithfully going to church, but not obedient in keeping God's commandments. Or on the other hand we can be outwardly keeping His commandments, but not really being loyal in putting God first in our lives.  There are many more subtle ways in which we can exhibit the Joab Factor, but we must look to our own lives to determine where that might be.

The main thing is to understand that it really is possible to be loyal but not obedient, or obedient and not loyal – and to keep in mind what God shows us: that from His perspective, if we are only one or the other – loyal or obedient – like Joab, we really aren’t either.

We may not think about it this way, but God exhibits both these traits toward us if we exhibit them both toward Him. He not only commands us to be lovingly loyal to Him and to faithfully keep His covenant, but He also honors these principles Himself:  “Know therefore that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His loving kindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments” (Deuteronomy 7:9).  Those Old Testament words seem to foreshadow the final instructions of the resurrected Christ to his disciples: “ ... obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

God loves us and  keeps His covenant with us, and we are to love Him and keep our covenant with Him. If Joab had followed that same principle in his service to David, he would have been not only a skilled general, but also a perfect servant.

You may have known people who got offended at the concept Christians teach – that an individual’s mind must be “opened” to see the truth. To many it sounds almost insulting that they would not be “intelligent enough” to fully understand Christian belief. Nevertheless, the Bible does teach that no matter how intelligent we may be, we cannot understand spiritual things unless God “opens our mind.” 

The ancient biblical writers did not talk about opening the “mind,” of course, as that is a modern concept. Instead, writers in both the Old Testament and New Testament used the expression to “open the eyes,” meaning the same thing. In fact, antiquated as it might seem, the concept works well because our eyes are already open and yet need to be “opened” – just as people’s minds can be functional, yet may need to be opened spiritually, too. That is why Jesus said: “I praise you, Father… because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children” (Matthew 11:25; see also Matthew 13:13-14). 

That is why the work of the coming messiah was foretold in just these terms by the prophet Isaiah: “Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped” (Isaiah 35:5); “… to open eyes that are blind … to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness” (Isaiah 42:7).  When Christ commissioned Saul – the apostle Paul – it was to do the same work: “I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me” (Acts 26:17-19).

So the opening of the human mind to fully perceive and understand spiritual things requires God’s help. We may know this, but the understanding calls for the use of wisdom in several areas of the Christian life. First, in sharing our faith we cannot expect people to understand the truth of God’s word unless God is opening their minds to see it. That is something to be kept in mind at all times. Trying to “help” or force people to understand spiritual realities cannot work unless God is already calling. 

Second, we should remember that people’s eyes are not usually “opened” all the way at one moment in time. God is gracious in revealing to us what we can handle before helping us to move to the next level of understanding and responsibility. We should always remember to have the same patience with those we aspire to help in the knowledge of the truth.

Finally, we must constantly remind ourselves that the fact spiritual eyes are opened slowly and not all at once is something we must apply to ourselves daily. It is always easy to presume – at every stage along the way – that we know or understand “most things.”  But the truth is, the further we progress along the road of Christian growth, the more we become aware that we still have so much more to learn, so much more to understand.  That is why David prayed – as we should, too – “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law” (Psalm 119:18). It’s a prayer we never outgrow.

Pastor and writer Brad C. Shockley is one of our favorite newer Christian bloggers.  His new blog hasn't been active very long, but he is already putting up some fine material.
We especially like a couple of Brad's latest posts and he has kindly given permission for us to reproduce them on our sites. Today we have uploaded "The six word memoir of Jesus Christ" which he published on January 28, and we are also running another of Brad's posts on our sister site today at LivingWithFaith.org.  We think you will like them.

By Brad C. Shockley 

Legend has it that Ernest Hemingway was once challenged by his peers to write someone’s story in just six words. As they watched, he scribbled on a napkin “For sale. Baby Shoes. Never worn.” They were stunned. Impressive whether true or not.

Inspired by the legend, in 2006 a magazine asked its readers to write their own six-word memoirs. They sent them in by the thousands. Those submissions became the best selling book Not Quite What I was Planning. And they keep coming in via http://www.sixwordmemoirs.com/ .

Here are a few favorites…

• I ate my weight in sweets.
• Break bricks with head. Take aspirin.
• Lost my dog. Lost my wife.
• Maybe I’m on the wrong meds.
• Spending birthday with mom. Send vodka.

And the more serious…

• Cursed with cancer. Blessed with friends.
• I’ll cry if I want to.
• Nothing on earth is like death.

It’s hard to believe so much can be communicated in so few words, but somehow it works. Hemingway wasn’t the first to achieve this, though. Two thousand years ago a doctor named Luke summed up the life of Jesus in just as few words:

“In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach,” (Acts 1:1, ESV)

“Jesus began to do and teach,” the six word memoir of Jesus Christ, sums up perfectly what He was about. And from these six simple words we learn the importance of both doing and teaching. Most churches, denominations, and even Christians major in one or the other but not both.

Some invest in the doing side of faith and are into ministry and community. They have food pantries and meals-on-wheels programs and can organize an army to tackle a neighborhood clean up project overnight, which is awesome. But when it comes to teaching, to confronting people with the truths Jesus preached, crickets are heard chirping.  Others are all about the “Word.” They preach sound doctrine and go door-to-door asking people if they died right then do they know for certain they’d go to heaven, but they haven’t invested a dollar or a day in meeting their community’s needs. It’s not one or the other, it’s both.

We discover something else in this hexad. It’s no accident “do” precedes “teach.” Jesus first addressed physical brokenness so He could tackle the infinitely greater problem, spiritual brokenness. And spiritual brokenness is healed through the truths Jesus taught about why we’re broken and how its remedy comes only through a personal relationship with Him. It’s so cliche but true, people don’t care what you know until they know how much you care.

Christians and churches will always be known for what they do far more than what they teach. The early church was famous for its radical belief in the resurrection of Jesus (teaching), but it was their demonstrated love for people that stunned the world and made them listen (doing).

What Jesus began to do and teach is ongoing through His followers today. Let’s make sure we get it right and live out those six words to the fullest.