Look at the Dust

 

Look at the Dust

1 Corinthians 1: ²⁶ Now remember what you were, my friends, when God called you. From the human point of view few of you were wise or powerful or of high social standing. ²⁷ God purposely chose what the world considers nonsense in order to shame the wise, and he chose what the world considers weak in order to shame the powerful. ²⁸ He chose what the world looks down on and despises and thinks is nothing, in order to destroy what the world thinks is important. ²⁹ This means that no one can boast in God's presence. ³⁰ But God has brought you into union with Christ Jesus, and God has made Christ to be our wisdom. By him we are put right with God; we become God's holy people and are set free. ³¹ So then, as the scripture says, “Whoever wants to boast must boast of what the Lord has done.”

 

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Seeing the car this person drove sparked our conversation. It was a very expensive car. I watched his mannerisms on stage and noticed what he did to prepare to get on stage. I took mental notes so I could be just like him when I grew up.

 

• There have been many people I looked at so I could become like them.
• There have been many people I have watched so I could learn how to be “successful.”
• There have been many people I have followed so I could gain their “wisdom.”

 

Paul points out something strange regarding important people. He mentions that the world sees people different than GOD. What the world sees as “important”, GOD will destroy. HE will do this with unconventional methods.

 

• GOD wants me to know I am special to HIM and I am not overlooked.
• GOD wants me to know HE sees people differently than the way the world sees people.
• GOD wants me to know that HE can use people who are overlooked and thrown away.

 

Overlooking people to label others as “important” is a travesty. I mean, GOD may label a person important that the world says is insignificant, then what? That is exactly what happened when JESUS became a human. HE was overlooked as the Messiah and many people did not believe HE was and is GOD.

 

HE then noticed the dusty people and healed them. HE raised up people, who the world would call insignificant, from the dust and placed them over the rich and powerful. I am glad GOD sees me and others different than those who overlook.

 

• Do you feel overlooked?
• Do you think you are insignificant?
• Will you praise GOD for being in the same group as CHRIST, because HE too was overlooked?
• Will you boast about JESUS and what HE did for you today?

Looked Over

 

Looked Over

Romans 13: ⁸ Be under obligation to no one—the only obligation you have is to love one another. Whoever does this has obeyed the Law. ⁹ The commandments, “Do not commit adultery; do not commit murder; do not steal; do not desire what belongs to someone else”—all these, and any others besides, are summed up in the one command, “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” ¹⁰ If you love others, you will never do them wrong; to love, then, is to obey the whole Law.

 

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Getting off the train for the first time on the new job, I ran into a homeless person. I had an extra dollar, so I gave it to him. As I rounded the corner, there was another and another. “I’m sorry, I don’t have anymore” was the lie I told as I had much more in my pocket. The next day it was the same. So the following day I decided to go a different route to avoid seeing the homeless.

 

• Many times I have overlooked the homeless.
• Many times I avoided giving to the homeless because the problem seemed too large for me.
• Many times I said to myself, “I barely have enough for me, let alone this person.”

 

Paul writes about the greatest commandment JESUS spoke about, namely Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” Love is required to obey the Law. But “Who is my neighbor?”

 

• GOD wants me to love the people in my household and the houses surrounding me.
• GOD wants me to love the people who are not in my neighborhood, but are out on the street.
• GOD wants me to love the overlooked such as the poor, widowed and physically sick.

 

When GOD said “The harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few” HE knew many people would be so focused on their own struggles that we could not open our eyes to another person’s struggles. GOD wants me to take a moment to “see” others and be involved by loving them. Even if it is a cup of water given in love, I have obeyed GOD.

 

• What will you do to show your love to a stranger or a homeless person today?
• Will you go out and give to a person in need and do it in secret?
• Can you add love to your heart so you will see more people who GOD wants you to serve today?

Overlooked but not held back

Overlooked but not held back

Acts 10: ⁴⁴ While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. ⁴⁵ And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. ⁴⁶ For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.

Then Peter answered, ⁴⁷ “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” ⁴⁸ And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.

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Angry, I made it home seething with rage. “How dare they!” I thought to myself over and over. The confrontation had escalated and all I could think about was the altercation. As I sat I heard a clap of thunder. It was pouring rain.

One thing I forgot was I prayed for rain because of the severe drought. It rained on my house and on the houses of those I was angry with. I was too angry to notice the rain.

• Sometimes I am too angry to see what GOD is doing.
• Sometimes I am too worried to hear what GOD is saying.
• Sometimes I am too self-absorbed to do what GOD wants me to do.

Peter spoke about JESUS being the Savior of all mankind. As he spoke about belief in JESUS, the HOLY SPIRIT was poured out on everyone who believed. It did not matter about the race or gender or age, anyone who believed received the gift of salvation.

• GOD wants me to see HIM in action.
• GOD wants me to understand HIS grace covers more than what I can imagine.
• GOD wants me to want HIS grace to fall on those I am angry with so HE can grow my heart.

Overlooked is often the action I assign to the HOLY SPIRIT. I mean HE lives inside me and has to put up with my sins. BUT GOD placed HIM there for a reason. The HOLY SPIRIT begs for my forgiveness regularly and comforts me when I feel hurt. GOD wants more than those I would invite. HIS SPIRIT is not held back from anyone who calls on the name of JESUS.

• Are you angry at someone?
• Do you feel so much rage that you cannot see what GOD is doing?
• Will you see GOD is slow to anger because HIS grace is sufficient for you and for them?

Overlooked Items

Luke 23: ¹³ Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people, ¹⁴ and said to them, ‘You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him. ¹⁵ Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us; as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death. ¹⁶ Therefore, I will punish him and then release him.’

¹⁸ But the whole crowd shouted, ‘Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!’ ¹⁹ (Barabbas had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.)

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Wanting to move up in the company, I picked and chose who I sided with. After careful planning I found the right mix of people who could pull me up to where I wanted to be. One person in particular liked flirting with the employees in a drunken state. “Want to come to our afterwork gathering?” was the question with hidden meaning. Hesitantly I said “Sure.”

• There were times when I overlooked what was going on to get what I wanted.
• There were times when I overlooked the poor qualities of the crowd so I could get my desires.
• There were times when I overlooked how people behaved and joined in on the “fun.”

Both Pilate and Herod could not find anything “wrong” with what JESUS did, especially since they did not follow GOD’s laws anyway. The church leaders stirred up the crowd to choose a murderer and a rioter named Barabbas to be released instead of JESUS. They overlooked Barabbas’ poor qualities to get what they wanted.

• GOD wants me to look at my poor qualities before I examine someone else.
• GOD wants me to “test the spirit” of the crowd in order to decide if I should hang with them.
• GOD wants me to bear fruit and not side with the crowd who does not serve HIM.

Being placed in a bubble away from sinners is not where GOD wants me to be. HE wants me to insert myself along side of people, telling them I am a sinner who has been saved by grace. BUT GOD does not want me to join in on the blatant sins that I could easily fall into.

HE wants me to overlook sins of people in order to forgive them rather than joining in. GOD wants me to show HIS grace so HE can show even more.

• Are you joining in with the crowd?
• Do you have complaints about someone GOD may be using for HIS purpose?
• Will you stop your blind complaints and allow GOD to lead you instead of following your desires?

Greatness out of Small Places

Micah 5: ² “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
    though you are small among the clans of Judah,
out of you will come for me
    one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,
    from ancient times.”

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⁴ He will stand and shepherd his flock
    in the strength of the Lord,
    in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
And they will live securely, for then his greatness
    will reach to the ends of the earth.

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Eloquent was his speech and solid was his direction. I watched this person rise from nothing to become the CEO of one of the largest companies in the world. I asked him where he lived when he grew up. Surprisingly he answered “the projects” or “slums” or “ghetto” to others. I thought to myself, “Someone this fantastic can come out of a place that is looked down upon by the masses?”

• Sometimes I underestimate the people in small places.
• Sometimes I overlook the people in places that are categorized as off limits.
• Sometimes I protect myself by labeling places and people instead of searching for bright spots.

When I went to serve in a neighborhood that was classified as dangerous, I found people who had aspirations of becoming a doctor, lawyer, and famous musician. These individuals had something in common, they all followed GOD.

• JESUS chose to become a human in a town that was overlooked.
• JESUS chose to be born in a place where people would classify it as a slum or a ghetto.
• JESUS chose to provide HIS redemption through a small place called Bethlehem.

GOD told me to teach these people about HIM and as they sat in my class I could see them grasping onto HIS message in their own way. They were hungry for the LORD and HE did enable them to become what they sought out to be! GOD raised them to their place and they have not forgotten HIM. I learned a lesson, never label a place or person that GOD has a plan for, including myself!

• Are you labeling people in order to protect yourself?
• Have you labeled people so much that you refuse to serve them?
• Will you remove your label and serve people who do not look or act like you?
• Can you realize that you may serve a person who will be used by GOD to bring millions to HIM?