Numbers 36 – Deuteronomy 1 / Luke 5:29-5:11 / Psalm 66 / Proverbs 11:24-26
Give freely – be generous – refresh others – and fellowship with sinners
I love the stories about those Jesus chose to spend His free time with, those He ate and laughed with because He did the unexpected. He ate with those who were considered lowly in Jewish society. He ate with tax collectors, prostitutes.
I believe Jesus’s heart was to go where He was needed and accepted. He went where His message was ready to be received, and that was not usually to the religious leaders of the day (though there were a few, like Nicodemus).
I imagine Jesus to have been both gentle and strong, kind, and full of wisdom and truth. I know He was without sin, so there was no compromise as He spent time with these “outcasts”. Remember, He was able to see what was in their hearts, so I think He knew they were ready to hear His message of salvation. I think He was drawn to those with hungry hearts.
What about you? Who do you spend time with? Are you afraid to be seen with “sinners”? Are you afraid your reputation will be ruined? What if we were more concerned with obeying God and not with what others thought about us? These are some great questions!
I enjoy all types of people and I love hearing their stories. Every story has pain and triumph, and every person is searching for Truth and Love. As a follower of Jesus, I’m able to offer both, so why would I not choose to spend time with those who need what I have? This allows me to spend time with those who have hungry hearts, whether they know Jesus or not, and it brings me great joy to do so because one never knows when Holy Spirit will allow a seed to be planted or watered.
I love to plant seeds and to water those already planted. 1 Corinthians 3:5-9 states: After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. 6 I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. 7 It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. 9 For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building.
Let’s get out there to plant and water and watch God work. Talk about the great adventure!
