the better outcome

To do righteousness and justice

is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.

Proverbs 21:3

God was more concerned that Israel live in the outcomes of the Law that He gave them then that they ritually go through religious motions. The goal of being His people under the Law was for them to do righteous actions and show forth justice in their dealings with people. In the end, those who truly love God will live out His righteousness and love justice. The right will prevail and the wrong shall fail.

How much more is this true for Christians alive today who do not need to ever offer sacrifice since it has “once-for-all” been given by Jesus at the cross? God is most concerned that those forgiven by Jesus not live like they must prove themselves or self-atone. Rather, we have in Jesus, His righteousness appeasing our judgment. We can then live rightly in the world, displaying God’s mercy and working for His justice in an unjust and sin-warped society. The solutions are found in Jesus and His people ought to be leading the way against true social injustices that are an affront to the design of God!

I am moved, because the church should be the last place any injustice should be ever be found. But sadly, we are not like that at all. Sundays find Christians disfigured and fragmented... preferentially segregated by race, social status, age, and gender. We have missed the wisdom of justice and must remind ourselves not to give in to our sinful, selfish view of what we find comfortable. Unity and justice are more acceptable than any of our paltry religious traditions and preferences!

waiting isn’t fun

Do not say, “I will repay evil”;

wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.

Proverbs 20:22

It is so easy to rush to my own defense... to be easily hurt in an offense and seek to justify myself. It is simple to dismiss criticism as unfounded and to seek to get back at perceived attackers. It is hard to contemplate that I too have a sin-warped perspective on my own life and actions and that God might be using a tough situation to help me grow more like Jesus in my suffering for His glory. Jesus was misunderstood. Jesus was accused falsely. Jesus was criticized. Jesus was treated wrongly. He simply spoke and lived the truth anyway and entrusted Himself to the will of God the Father.

Trusting God is the way to counteract my rash tendency toward quick self-defense. And I know Tom Petty wasn’t thinking of Christ’s delivering power when he wrote it... but the poetry rings true: “the waiting is the hardest part... you take it on faith... you take it to the heart...” The promise in this proverb is that if I move beyond my selfish perspective and trust in God Who truly knows my heart, God will bring deliverance in His way, in His time, for His glory. My soul should rest not in my self justification, but in the grace of my Savior, Jesus Christ.

So bad times do come. Sinners misunderstand one another. People do each other wrong. And in that experience, I will be called to first remind myself to wait on God’s promise to deliver.

Perfect.

For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.

Hebrews 2:10

Jesus, the perfect God, the perfect man, the perfect sacrifice was shown to be perfect in suffering for our sins. For the glory of God for whom and by whom this universe in which we live exists, Jesus was made the perfect sacrifice for sins so that we might now be brought, by faith, into God’s family as His children. Those who have trusted in Jesus, the perfect founder of salvation, will be received into this family by His perfect work.

I am not perfect. Jesus is perfect. I could not completely make amends for my sin before a holy God. Jesus did so perfectly. I am not worthy to be called a child of God. But I can be adopted into God’s household by the perfect merits of the Son of God. I would never by made perfect by even an eternity of my own suffering. But Jesus perfectly suffered the wrath of God so that I might know the daily beauty of the grace of God.

Lord,

You saw fit to send Your Son in perfection to heal my imperfections. You founded my salvation in His perfect sacrifice. I will praise You today that I cannot be good enough but instead trust in the complete, perfect forgiveness given by Jesus.

Amen

wisdom in community

Listen to advice and accept instruction,

that you may gain wisdom in the future.

Proverbs 19:20

Every Christian must grow and live in community. We need each other. By God’s design we interact in a way where we can give and receive advice, care, and even correcting insights from one another. We just need to empower each other to do this as we trust that God knows what He is doing in placing people in our lives.

Just yesterday I enjoyed the value of this truth. People turn to me, as their pastor, for advice. It is one of the great joys of ministry to care for people by counseling them from scripture, in prayer, by mutual conversation. And God even brings people into my day with a word of instruction, caution, and encouragement that I know is meant for me. It is a joy to talk things out, with ears to hear words that might be hard for the person to say, and hearts that mutually care for each other. And if the words have a tinge of rebuke, that is coming from God, I will listen and accept that God in His mercy is helping me to find a place to grow in the community of the church. 

To find peace, resolution, and comfort in Christ as Christians settle any misunderstandings and disagreements is wonderful. Lord knows, it is absolutely horrible when we DON’T talk about these things! But the gospel lives when we will give and receive advice and instruction from God’s Word, with God’s people, for God’s glory.

Lord,

I will listen to the people that You bring into my days. Where I can offer Your Word’s wisdom I will. Where I need to hear from them in order to grow in wisdom, I will. Thank You for gospel community!

Amen

the greatest wealth

Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity

than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool.

Proverbs 19:1

Character is the greatest wealth in the world. It cannot be bought or sold at any price in any market of exchange. Integrity and a solid reputation will take a person farther in life toward true respect, contentment, and eternal peace than all the riches one could dream of possessing. Give me character over career success. Give me character over the chattel of this world. Give me character over class status.

And the beauty of the new birth that accompanies salvation by belief in the gospel is that all things are made new. We are given a new nature, the power to understand the Word of God, the companion of the Holy Spirit to guide us and the company of other Christians so that the best possible character can be made anew in us. In Jesus I can walk in integrity and avoid all the foolishness and crooked outcomes that sin does in this world.

Lord,

Please keep doing Your saving and redeeming work in me. I want to be a man who walks in the integrity You give to me. If it is all that I leave this world with, it will be more than enough. Purge me from my crooked speech and foolish ways by the work of Your Spirit and the power of the wisdom of Your Word! 

Amen

a glorious, visible Savior

He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high...

Hebrews 1:3

Three truths about Who Jesus is come powerfully from this verse. First, Jesus is the glorious God. The radiance of the glory of God is seen in Him. Do I want to know God in His glory? All I need to do is to read the gospels, see what Jesus said and did, and bear witness to the glory of God on earth.

Second, Jesus is the visible God. The hardest part of faith is believing the unseen. Yet in history, in the real person of Jesus, God lived and walked among us. Want it see God? Just read the gospels and follow along as Jesus walks, talks, eats, drinks, and lives and loves sinners. His life is the life of God made visible.

Not only is Jesus the glorious God and the visible God, but He is also the salvation of God. In Jesus, a holy sinless sacrifice was made that purified all sin for all time. His sacrifice is complete. His holy work is done. He redeems us completely and so satisfied the demand for justice upon sin that He now sits at the exalted right hand of the Father. Jesus is our Savior and Lord.

Brother in Hard Times

A friend loves at all times,

and a brother is born for adversity.

Proverbs 17:17

I was there with you when you found the truth that saved you. We rejoiced.

I am here with you as you grow in the truth that challenges you. We grow together.

I am right beside you walking in the light... turning from wrong with you... obeying our Lord.

I am your brother, committed to Christ Who is our Savior... in the strongest family.

I will be there with you when hard times come and you feel overwhelmed. I am adversity’s brother.

I will be right beside you, born of the battle, facing the fire fight... caring for you.

I will trust God with you when life gets unbearable and we will be strong. We will rejoice.