A TALL ORDER
IN BETWEEN TEN DAYS of scans, biopsies, injections, examinations, and consultations, I began reading Thomas Cahill’s DESIRE OF THE EVERLASTING HILLS. It's an odd name for a book about the times before and after Jesus walked the earth as a man. The title comes from Genesis 48:26. It's crouched in the verses of Jacob (now known as Israel) blessing Joseph, his favorite son, the firstborn of his favorite wife, Rachel, the one whom his other eleven sons had told him had been killed so many, many years before.
THE BOOK IS POWERFUL, informative, and not too difficult to wade through (as some Bible scholars can be). It is well worth reading.
NEAR THE END, Cahill points out the joy the early Christians had in their faith and in their community. They’d formed what I like to think of as a covenant group. Close-knit, caring, serving and willing to share a good time as well as a good meal with each other and anyone else lucky enough to be around. I used to think of these simple people as pious and serious, but I can hear the joy in Acts if I pay close attention. They bore the Good News, and they were excited about it.
THESE EARLIEST OF CHRISTIANS lived in double peril. To the Jews they were blasphemers—a sentence punishable by being stoned to death. To the Romans they were disturbers of the peace—a sentence that could easily put them up on the cross. Despite this, they didn’t cringe in the corner. They were, as Cahill describes them, “engaging, affectionate, informal people ready to roll up their sleeves and pitch in.”
IT’S A REMINDER TO ME that as a Christian I need to model the best my faith teaches me to be. People, both non-believers and believers, are watching.
OH, I’LL MAKE MISTAKES. I know I will. I’ll miss doing what I should and many times I’ll do what I shouldn’t. But, as often as I can I need to be kind, slow to anger, and patient. I must try to never be rude, boastful, arrogant, or insist on my own way. I need to check any tendency to be irritable or resentful. The whole list is there in I Corinthians 13.
A TALL ORDER for anyone.
You’re blessed. Be a blessing!
THE BOOK IS POWERFUL, informative, and not too difficult to wade through (as some Bible scholars can be). It is well worth reading.
NEAR THE END, Cahill points out the joy the early Christians had in their faith and in their community. They’d formed what I like to think of as a covenant group. Close-knit, caring, serving and willing to share a good time as well as a good meal with each other and anyone else lucky enough to be around. I used to think of these simple people as pious and serious, but I can hear the joy in Acts if I pay close attention. They bore the Good News, and they were excited about it.
THESE EARLIEST OF CHRISTIANS lived in double peril. To the Jews they were blasphemers—a sentence punishable by being stoned to death. To the Romans they were disturbers of the peace—a sentence that could easily put them up on the cross. Despite this, they didn’t cringe in the corner. They were, as Cahill describes them, “engaging, affectionate, informal people ready to roll up their sleeves and pitch in.”
IT’S A REMINDER TO ME that as a Christian I need to model the best my faith teaches me to be. People, both non-believers and believers, are watching.
OH, I’LL MAKE MISTAKES. I know I will. I’ll miss doing what I should and many times I’ll do what I shouldn’t. But, as often as I can I need to be kind, slow to anger, and patient. I must try to never be rude, boastful, arrogant, or insist on my own way. I need to check any tendency to be irritable or resentful. The whole list is there in I Corinthians 13.
A TALL ORDER for anyone.
You’re blessed. Be a blessing!
Labels: anger, arrogant, boastful, Cahill, covenant, early Christians, irritable, kind, love, patience, resentful, rude
posted by Chronic Hope at 6:09 PM
1 Comments:
You have fulfilled many tall orders. Gracefully and with good humor. Best wishes on your travels.
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