Use your gifts to love earnestly

8Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. *9*Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. *10*As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: *1 1*whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
 1 Pe 4:8–11.

Love one another earnestly. Not half-heartedly, not as a second thought, but as a priority.
Loving earnestly is hardwork. It means we hold our tongues at times, we overlook misdemeanours and extend grace. We accept friendship and help from each other, encourage and support each other often at a cost to ourselves. If loving someone doesn’t hurt at times - are you sure you’re doing it right?! It will sometimes; get in the way, be inconvenient and difficult. It will take time and energy, but don’t you too want to be loved in that way? Don't you want others to consider you, look after you and forgive you?
Jesus showed us this kind of earnest love. Sometimes we receive it so easily that we forget the cost. We are told to continue to love earnestly - to give the love imparted to us through Jesus - to one another.

The following verses focus on a few of the ways we can demonstrate this earnest love; showing hospitality, serving one another and public speaking.

Showing hospitality -  without grumbling. Be generously welcoming to others whether inside your home or not, accepting those around you. It seems funny to mention that we should do this without grumbling - you’d hope that good christian people would be welcoming without making a fuss about it, wouldn’t you? But, sometimes we do like a good moan, not always in front of people. Yet, grumbling does not really make us feel good, does it? Grumbling means we fail to see the good around us and get stuck in a spiral of negativity. There's not a lot of point doing the work of being hospitable if your hearts not in it, because are we then really being hospitable? Hospitality is about welcoming people and caring for them. There are some people who are so gifted at doing this and consider it a joy, if you're not one of them then find what your gift is and bless your church by exercising that gift - that's what these verses encourage us to do - to use the gifts God has given us for the benefit of the church.

Speaking - Speakers are to speak as if they are uttering oracles of God; showing the seriousness of the oral word. This seems to indicate the value of public speaking, I don't think it is about chatting hit your friends (although we should still consider our words). As these verses are about loving each other earnestly, it makes sense that this 'speaking' refers to the works used publicly in a church context. so it could be this that sing, preach, deliver a word, teach or share testimony, really whatever way words are publicly used. This is important as your words have purpose and power. Therefore we are to use them wisely. If we consider these public words to be 'oracles of God' then we must consider seriously how we speak. Our words can impact lives. If you are speaking in the pubic domain, consider that you are charged with a message from God - treat it with the reverence that deserves, and deliver it with grace. If you are charged with a message, try to consider how would Jesus say it?

Servers - serve with the strength of God. Helping one another and helping the church, it doesn’t matter how, it doesn't matter what you do - how big or small the job may appear, serving is an important ministry. Serving benefits the whole church. Ensure that the way in which you help is not to exhaust you, but rely on God’s strength to give you physical strength or the capacity to complete the task. If we serve without God’s strength, we can end up striving and this can be exhausting. Entrust your service to God and have faith that it does change and enrich the church.

In conclusion - whatever your gift; do it ‘in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.’

How do you get ready?

To get ready we might; get washed, dressed, sort out our hair, brush teeth, maybe put on a bit of make up. Then we feel like we are ready to face the day - but are we really? Are these practical steps really getting ourselves ready for the day?

I ask this because I read the following passage the other day, and thought about how we prepare for each day we face. i notice how we tend to focus on the appearance we give to those around us everyday. I mean, my start to the day consists of; walking the dog, getting dressed, brushing my teeth, doing my hair, preparing the kids for school and getting lunch sorted. The normal, everyday things, then, practically, I am feeling ready for the day ahead, or at least ready to leave the house! How else are we meant to prepare what the day will bring us?

'Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewellery, or the clothing you wear— 4but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious'
1 Peter 3:3–4.

It seems, from reading this passage that we could be in danger of spending too much time adorning ourselves, and not enough time preparing ourselves. Are you concerned about what you wear? What you look like? Or are you more aware of ‘the hidden person of the heart’?

This piece of scripture encourages us not to focus on our outward appearance for our source of beauty, but to focus on character first. The hidden person the heart needs to be ready for the day ahead, as well as your body and face. Please note, this passage is NOT saying that looking good is a bad thing. We all usually feel a bit better about ourselves when we are content with what we look like, but I do think this passage is challenging us on how much investment we put on what is external.

Do you concern yourself as much with the person people are coming into contact with each day as the face people will see? Do you consider getting your heart, mind and character ready?

The reality is that people may remember a face for a moment, but the impact of a gentle and quiet spirit can last a lifetime. Making sure our hearts are ready to embrace the world is an important way to get ready, making sure our minds are quiet and not disturbed. Can you imagine what your family might be like, your workplace, your community, if everyone spent as much time preparing their hearts and minds as they did their outward appearance?

If everyone made a conscious effort to be adorned with a gentle and quiet spirit what a different world we would live in!  We can make a start at changing the world around us by making sure that we are displaying the ‘imperishable beauty’ that God has given us.

So, maybe as you get ready tomorrow, ask yourself;
How are you going to demonstrate the, ‘imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit’?
How are you going to invest in the hidden person of the heart more than your external appearance?

Suffer in silence

Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. *19*For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. *20*For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. *21*For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. *22*He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. *23*When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.
1 Pe 2:18–23.

What a challenging set of verses. They reminds us that we should display Godly conduct, and that we can truly be like Christ in a practical way. How? - We must get on with our daily tasks faithfully and considerately no matter how we are treated. It should bear no impact on our conduct even if we are mistreated ourselves. If we are slandered, we should bear with it, even if we are beaten we should endure. That sounds incredibly hard if not impossible. Yet it is in those moments when we have the opportunity to be more like Christ. To display to the world something of who God is.

Jesus, we know, did no wrong. He was perfect in every way. He bore with people beating him, spitting at him, saying all kinds of lies about him, twisting his words, whipping him and eventually murdering him. Even to the very point of dying he did not retaliate. He submitted to the maltreatment of others in order for God to be glorified. That’s why he is our saviour!

I don’t expect that God would wants us to endure the many things Christ did, but sometimes it can feel like we are under incredible stress and suffering. You may be innocent, but suffering at the hands of others. So did Jesus. He endured, he persisted, he maintained his own sense of righteousness. Jesus did not let others dictate his behaviour or actions. He knew what he had to do and kept on doing it. He maintained his sense of self and his trust in the Father. Can you do the same?

Who knows what God’s ultimate plan is in your current suffering? Jesus didn’t want to go through the suffering he did, yet he knew that whatever happened to him, God would ultimately be glorified. He trusted God above all things.; above his friends, family and circumstances. He knew God had a plan. God also has a plan for you. It will be for His glory. It will be for the benefit of the kingdom. For now, you are called to endure the difficulties and display who Jesus is. Don’t Loe your cool, go on a rampage or scream how unfair it all is, although it may well be, remember who your saviour is and who you are called to imitate.

You are not called to retaliate, or to dish out, as our kids like to call it, ‘payback’. Jesus did not retaliate and he has told us not to either - there should be no ‘payback’! Our kids were astounded, shocked and I think a bit aggrieved when we read this - The very thing we want to do and it feels right and fair to do, we are told not to! Jesus didn’t do it and nor should we. Jesus endured. Jesus forgave. Jesus entrusted his situation and suffering, ‘to him who judges justly.’

Jesus knew that whatever happened to him, it would be for good in the end. Jesus trusted, ‘him who judges justly. - Will you do the same?

Keep Your Conduct Honourable

Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honourable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.
1 Peter 2:12

For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.
1 Pe 2:15.
English Standard Version

So, basically, we have got to keep doing good things. It doesn’t matter what else is going on, we’ve got to keep behaving well and being kind. Even if people take offence, get you into trouble or dislike you. That’s not is easy is it? To keep behaving nicely and acting kindly when people are against us.
To honour those who dishonour us  is actually quite hard work. So why should we do it? Because as these verses indicate, in the end those who speak out against you will be silenced, your good actions will be seen and God will be glorified.
Such a great, amazing outcome for us, and God! Yet it is so hard to achieve. I remember one work situation where there was a person who was ’against’ me. They tried to quarrel with me whenever they could, tried to make me look and feel stupid. In the end it really got me down. I dreaded seeing that person, I really wanted to avoid them, but I couldn’t. I prayed hard to be removed from that workplace because I didn’t like it. I became emotionally distraught by what was happening everyday, it was painful. I was trying to be honourable, and to keep a good work ethic, but I didn’t really realise the truth in these verses - That God will be glorified and that the other person would eventually be silenced. I’m not sure that God has been glorified in that instance yet, or if they were silenced. Maybe one day I’ll find out, maybe not. It doesn’t really matter now, but what does matter is how you and I respond when we are faced with people that work against us.

Do what is right.

Keep your conduct honourable towards; work colleagues, friends, family and neighbours because in the end it will end well. Your good deeds will be recognised despite the odds. Your kindly character will be honoured eventually. In your conduct you will show the world that those who truly follow God will do good things no matter what. Even when all things seem against us, by our good Godly nature we will be making a positive influence on the world.

The reality is, this is extremely hard as I alluded to in my experience. The human nature wishes to hide away, run away or fight when we are rightly or wrongly accused. We want the situation to disappear, many times we probably pray for that to happen. Rarely do we want to continue to suffer.
I know, for me, I want everyone to love me, I don’t want people to speak ill of me, to be trying to catch me out in wrongdoing or to just putting down my character. Yet, as people of God we have to be prepared for this to happen at times.
These verses encourage us to not alter our behaviour or our actions. Keep your conduct upright, keep behaving well and keep doing those kind things. We are to continue to display the Godly character that is in us even against the odds.
What difference will this make?
Well, those around you will see you not becoming bitter or unforgiving, but acting well and maintaining your own righteousness. They will see someone who perseveres and maintains their peace, who remain kind and generous even when others mistreat them. Surely, by conducting yourself in this way those around you are seeing the love of Jesus displayed.

As for you - what will it do for you? For one thing it will help you to appreciate something of the love Jesus has for you. He persevered in loving you even when you denied him, ignored him and even forgot about him. What others do or can do to you is probably minuscule in comparison. You can also get closer to God - I know during these kind of times I lean on God more, I talk to Him more and rely on Him to get me through. Circumstances like these can increase our dependence on God and decrease our dependence on ourselves or others.

So, take heart. Keep going in the way you know you should go, ‘Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honourable’,  why? Because, ‘by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people’. It may take a while, but it will be worth it in the end!

Are you important?

Have you ever wondered what kind of person you are?
What importance you have?
Or are you stuck in the world’s rut of constantly striving for more?

It’s easy to think that we are not much in this world.  We are surrounded by; media stories, celebrity influence, and the competitive culture to become more. There is an incessant drive in this world to; do more, create more and ultimately become more than we already are.
It’s as if who we are isn’t enough.
There’s even the competitive nature that springs into action about how busy we are. It’s as if, if we do more then we become more. Then we brag about it as if there’s greater respect the more we do. But is it really true?

The world, our culture, is obsessed by the necessity to become better than it currently is. The drive is to become better so that you can become more recognised and feel more valued.

What a desperate and unfulfilling way to live - To be constantly reminded that who we are is not enough. To be continually trying to become someone greater, more important, of greater influence and value. To keep doing more, to become more - how exhausting! Constantly waking up not feeling good enough, working all day to try and become more than you are - how do you ever achieve the more you’re after anyway - once you’ve reached one goalpost - where’s the next?
What an exhausting competitive culture we try to conform to!

Well folks -  I have good news!

You don’t need to lead this exhausting life anymore! Because;

‘you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.’
1 Peter 2:9.
English Standard Version

You have already made it!

You have already achieved what you need to. You are already chosen, you are of importance, in fact - you are royalty! If you’re not feeling good enough - hold that thought because  you are, in fact, holy!

You belong. You have been forgiven. You are important. You are also; welcomed, recognised, valued and honoured. What other acclaim could you be looking for?!!

We have achieved and received the acclaim that the world is looking for!
You are enough, who you are is valued, you are an important person of influence, and you didn’t do anything to get it!! God gave you these things when you first believed in Jesus.

You don’t need to strive for more - you need to believe you ARE more!