Which Do You Save?

I really enjoy those moments when the material we study opens up dialog in the classroom.

That is especially true when my students’ discussion turns to how the material applies to today.

A recent discussion we were having made me recall a philosophical question I once encountered.

I altered the premise somewhat to better suit today’s circumstances and offered a hypothetical situation.

It goes as follows:

You are walking down the street one evening.

As you do, you near a museum that has on display a very famous work of art on loan to it.

Without warning, the museum erupts into flame.

You rush in and see this work of art along with an unconscious terrorist who started the blaze.

In a split second, you realize that you only have time to rescue one.

Which of the two do you save?

Do you save the priceless work of art on loan?

Or, do you save the terrorist who not only started the fire but likely hates both you and your beliefs?

One school of thought dictates that you save the work of art.

Its reasoning is that the work is priceless and worth more than the one who wanted it destroyed.

From a Christian perspective, there really is no choice.

You must save the individual regardless of how he feels about you or the things you value.

The work of art, although valuable, is an object.

The other is a human being.

Like yourself, he is made in the image of God and has the potential for change.

Whether that change comes about is between him and God.

But, for as long as we draw breath, there remains hope.

We are each capable of saving someone physically.

Only the Lord is capable of saving someone spiritually.

Our task is to love others, not judge them.

Romans 12:18-19 (NET) - If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all people. Do not avenge yourselves, dear friends, but give place to God’s wrath, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.

If the change does happen, the ensuing testimony will be powerful.

We may not be able to change hearts, but God certainly can.

Ezekiel 36:26 (NET) - I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. I will remove the heart of stone from your body and give you a heart of flesh.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, March 1, 2019.

I will be back here on Friday, March 8, 2019

What We Worship

The more of N. T. Wright I read, the more I understand why he has been referred to as a contemporary C. S. Lewis.

According to Wright: “You become like what you worship. When you gaze in awe, admiration, and wonder at something or someone, you begin to take on something of the character of the object of your worship.”

When I came across this, I was immediately struck by Wright’s honesty.

It goes without saying that God expects us to worship Him.

When we choose to place anything or anyone above God, we immediately become guilty of idolatry.

But that is not all.

Something else occurs when we place things or people above God.

We dehumanize people who, like us, are created in the image of God.

For those who place power above God, people become just another commodity to exploit.

Dictators and despots throughout history have done exactly that.

Genocide, starvation and poverty on a mass scale begin the list of atrocities of those obsessed with power.

History bears this out.

Placing wealth above God can also cause us to dehumanize people.

Those who do look upon others as merely creditors, debtors, credit scores, bad risks and so on.

This dehumanizes people.

The worship of power and wealth merely begin a long list of ways of ignoring God and disregarding His image. 

That is why it is imperative we worship God exclusively.

When we do, He helps us keep everything else in check.

For believers whom God has entrusted with power, God helps them use it to better the conditions of people.

For believers whom God has entrusted with wealth, God helps them be charitable.

Honesty is another thing God expects from believers in whatever career to which He has led them.

Work, after all, is a task ordained by God in Genesis.

Adam’s job was to tend the garden God created.

Genesis 2:15 (NET) - The Lord God took the man and placed him in the orchard in Eden to care for it and to maintain it.

Regardless of our role in life, we must make certain that we worship God exclusively.

In doing so, He will help us succeed in our journey through His world,

Proverbs 3:6 (NET) - Acknowledge him in all your ways, and he will make your paths straight.

Finally, we must remember that those with whom we engage either directly or indirectly are human beings.

Each and every one of them is made in the image of God.

Genesis 1:27 (NET) - God created humankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them, male and female he created them.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, February 15, 2019.

I will be back here on Friday, February 22, 2019