Being Seen

 

Being Seen

Philippians 4: ²¹ Greetings to each one of God's people who belong to Christ Jesus. The believers here with me send you their greetings. ²² All God's people here send greetings, especially those who belong to the Emperor's palace.

 

²³ May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

 

============

 

Walking into the convention center, I saw thousands of smiling faces. It was the first day of the convention and I did not know anyone. I wandered the convention floor without destination. When they held a greeting session, I felt better. I was introduced to people.

 

• I felt lonely in a huge crowd.
• I felt unseen even though I was in the middle of thousands.
• I felt better when I was greeted.

 

Paul concludes his letter with greetings from him and many believers. The believers at Philippi had gone through much and some felt dejected, lonely and were on the brink of giving up. Paul mentions twice that the people send their greetings as if to say, “We see you!”

 

My Observations

• GOD wants me to see the unseen people like the homeless person tucked away in the corner.
• GOD wants me to understand that people need prayer.
• GOD wants me to greet people, introducing them to others so I can meet people who may be lonely as I was at the convention.

 

Being seen is not easy. I mean, in these days of self-promotion, the quiet and misunderstood can be pushed out. BUT GOD sees everyone and lives in those who believe in HIS SON. The HOLY SPIRIT guides me to greet people and bring them into HIS family.

 

Greeting people says “I see you and you are welcome here!” I am glad GOD send people to greet and welcome others.

 

Challenge

• Who is the audience of the writer?
• Have you ever felt lonely or insecure?
• Will you join a group of believers in CHRIST and greet people differently so he or she can be seen today?

Together Power

Together Power

Acts 2: When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. ² And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³ Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. ⁴ And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

============

Writing ideas as fast as I could, I could feel the energy in the room. Each of us had a different way of looking at the problem and contributed wholeheartedly to the project. We spent months building the idea into a working prototype. Those who saw it embraced our solution. It worked!

• Working together felt different than tolerance.
• Working together felt different than being part of a forced crowd where people do not really listen to one another.
• Working together felt different than working with those who posture to steal credit or hold people down.

A crowd of JESUS followers were gathered together in one place for the same reason. They all believe in the power of GOD and were not expecting anything but to talk about HIS greatness. As they marveled over the many thing JESUS did for them, GOD filled them with the HOLY SPIRIT.

• GOD wants me to praise HIM without expectation.
• GOD has already filled me with the HOLY SPIRIT.
• GOD needs me to live my life with HIS purpose.

Being together on “one accord” led to something wildly unexpected. The crowd was filled with GOD’s power to do something they had never dreamed of. GOD saw their togetherness and said “I can see their love and they are now ready.”

Being together to marvel over JESUS is all GOD wants. Unfortunately group gatherings quickly turn into posturing over who is right or wrong. JESUS simply wants love and praise. I owe my life to JESUS.

• Are you posturing to be heard or seen?
• Do you feel better alone because people fight?
• Will you examine what makes you want to get away from “those” people and bring GOD’s love to wherever you are or are going?

Simple Math

Simple Math

John 7: ⁴⁰ Therefore many from the crowd, when they heard this saying, said, “Truly this is the Prophet.” ⁴¹ Others said, “This is the Christ.”

But some said, “Will the Christ come out of Galilee? ⁴² Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, where David was?” ⁴³ So there was a division among the people because of Him. ⁴⁴ Now some of them wanted to take Him, but no one laid hands on Him.

============

“Multiplication is addition only quicker and division is subtraction that is just as quick” my math teacher said. I learned the principle and went home. Weekends later I went camping. In a playful way, one of the campers pulled a knife on another.

As the knifeless person pushed the blade away, his hand was cut deeply. Suddenly we were divided at the camp the entire weekend. It happened quickly.

• I have noticed division happens quickly.
• I have been involved with dividing people against “those” people.
• I have warned others to stay away from “those” people.

The crowd tried to figure out who JESUS was. Some said HE is the CHRIST, while others said HE is the Prophet. But there was a group who refused to believe and they traced HIS roots back to where HE lived in Galilee. Arguments grew and division rose.

• GOD wants me to follow HIM in unity with others.
• GOD wants me to figure out what is important and unify rather than divide.
• GOD wants me to have grace for others so the unity can speak louder than being right.

Division amongst those who try to follow GOD is a serious problem with HIM. The words “They are doing it wrong” seems to be easy to say yet difficult to rectify. I have been guilty for packing up “my way of doing things” and leaving a church group, searching for a group who acts and sometimes looks like me.

BUT GOD wants different. HE wants me treat all sin the same. HE wants me to look at my sin as ghastly as someone else’s. After my confession that I need GOD as my savior, HE wants me to treat others with care so they will point their lives to HIM. I am glad HE forgives me.

• Are you part of dividing GOD’s kingdom?
• Will you look at what is causing the division and allow GOD to handle the outcome?
• Will you do your part to show unity so others can be healed by GOD?