Tag Archives: Jesus

Talent Spotting

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How good are we as churches at recognising potential? Do we look at each other and see only faults, or can we see the signs of talents that could grow to become something special?

Jesus saw potential in what might have looked to others like hopeless causes. He not only spotted what people could become, he did something about it, too. You could say that this was a characteristic of much of Jesus’ ministry, but it is perhaps most noticeable in his choice of disciples.

It has been remarked many times that Jesus chooses an unlikely bunch to work with and to entrust with the task of spreading the good news of God’s kingdom. Surely he should have chosen some “religious leaders” who would command the respect of the community and have a good education in the Scriptures? Instead, Jesus chooses fishermen and a tax collector, to name a few.

Somehow, when Jesus gets to know Simon, Andrew and James, he decides that these are the people he wants to work with. He sees their potential to do more than catch fish (not that he disparages this at all, of course); Jesus sees people with talents that could be developed to help bring people into the kingdom (Mark 1:16-20).

When Jesus meets Simon in John 1:42 he says that he will have a new name – “Peter”. This is not just a case of using a different name as his old one was hard to pronounce or anything like that! Jesus renames him as an indication of something he sees in him that will later come to fruition.

Barnabas is another example from the New Testament of someone who sees potential in others. Most notably, he believes in Paul and opens up opportunities for him to use his talents – Acts 9:26-28, 11:19-26  (see also my article on Barnabas – “Encourage – then everyone wins”).

Whilst it may be right to emphasise growth in character, becoming more Christ-like in personal “holiness”, we shouldn’t be so keen to drive the bad out of ourselves that we fail to notice the good that can be developed and the talents that can be used for God’s kingdom. We may not have the immense abilities of insight that Jesus had, but with prayer and an effort on our part to notice, we can learn to see not only the good in one another, but the potential as well.

Have you noticed talent or potential in someone recently? Have you told them so? Are we too preoccupied with getting our own talents spotted and used to notice others’? What might happen to our churches and the work for the kingdom if we spent more time encouraging one another, opening doors and developing people?

© Joe Lenton, October 2012

Loving like Jonathan

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It is easy to get the impression from the stories told by our contemporary culture that love is essentially about sex – that is, if love is mentioned at all. However, it is possible to love someone deeply, to have an intimate bond with another human being without it having to be sexual at all. In fact, according to Jesus, the greatest expression of love is to give oneself for others:

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13)

We are to be self-sacrificial, not self-centred. Followers of Christ are to love their neighbours as themselves – to do so is to keep God’s law (Galatians 5:14).

The story of Jonathan and David found in 1 Samuel is a great Old Testament example of these principles in action. In 1 Samuel 18:3 it says that Jonathan “made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself”. Jonathan is an example from the Old Testament of what the New Testament people of God are to aspire to.

There are several specific aspects of the story of David and Jonathan that reveal Jonathan’s incredible love for David. The following examples are taken from 1 Samuel 20:

1.      Jonathan put himself at risk for David’s sake. To find out precisely what Saul’s attitude to David was, Jonathan risked not only upsetting his father, but becoming a target for his anger himself. Asking probing questions when David had warned him of Saul’s angry, vengeful attitude was a real personal risk.

2.      Jonathan relinquished his claim to the throne for David’s sake and out of obedience to God. Although he might have expected to inherit the throne from his father Saul, Jonathan knew that God was with David and wanted him to be king. Rather than stubbornly oppose this, Jonathan stepped to one side, even supporting his friend.

3.      Jonathan didn’t just let David go so that he could escape Saul, he encouraged him to do so. It must have been terribly hard to see David leave. Jonathan wouldn’t know if or when he’d see David again or how Saul would treat him went he went home to his father. Jonathan watched his best friend leave, putting aside his own wishes to be with him for the sake of David’s safety.

4.      Jonathan is also faithful to his family and remains with Saul. He could have fled with David and taken sides against his own family, but he didn’t. He drew the line when he had to, but that didn’t stop him being loyal at other times. Clearly, he also loved others as well as David. Having one good, loving relationship to which he was loyal was not enough.

In 1 Samuel 20:14 – Jonathan asks David to show him the “faithful love of the Lord” (NRSV) – hesed. As Jonathan has protected David and his dynasty to come, he requests that David reciprocate the covenant faithfulness and love and protect Jonathan and his family. This hesed is a mixture of love, loyalty/faithfulness and other such qualities as exhibited in God’s relationship with Israel.

Like Jonathan requested David to, we are to show the “faithful love” of God, being like Him in relationship with God and others. This is what Jonathan had already been doing for David, of course. Their relationship was one of mutual love and concern, not just one-sided. We cannot expect healthy relationships to be one-sided either. Yes, we might expect others to look out for us, but we also must play our part and support them.

Jonathan’s love for David is costly, it comes with personal risk and a willingness to lower himself so that David might become the person God intended. It is a self-sacrificial love, giving of himself for the sake of the person he loves. Jonathan theoretically laid down his life for David – he didn’t know if Saul would kill his own son or not.

Jonathan shows what Jesus told us and later did himself – “greater love has no one than this: that they lay down their life for their friends”.

Jonathan and David aren’t “lovers”, but this is certainly a story of deep, deep, love in relationship. This is a story about God-like, godly relationship – a man who chose to give himself self-sacrificially for his friend rather than try to play God and put himself at the centre of the universe. He is an inspiration to all of us.

© Joe Lenton, August 2012

Salvation at the Cross

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Salvation at the Cross

This cross offers hope and salvation, not by itself, but because of the lifebelt that hangs upon it. The lifebelt must also be taken hold of in faith if it is to save anyone.

The cross of Christ offers hope and salvation. The cross itself is merely a cross of wood – the person who hung upon it is the source of our salvation. He is able to save each and every one of us from drowning in our sin and from an eternity separated from God. Yet, if we don’t grab hold of Jesus in faith we don’t benefit from this salvation. If we don’t offer him to others, how can they benefit and be rescued?

Perhaps spend some time today meditating on the salvation and healing that Jesus has brought by hanging on a cross. Think of the freedom, the liberation from rebellion against God, the renewal of relationship, the remaking of creation. Are we clinging on to our “lifebelt”? Are we offering him to others?

© Joe Lenton, August 2012

If you liked this then you may enjoy our picture-based Meditations – find them here.

Praying with Scripture – Part Ten – Whenever, wherever, alone & together

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Wymondham Abbey Side Chapel

Is there a “best” time, place and way to pray? Should we follow a particular pattern of, e.g., 30 minutes alone every morning in our bedroom? Should churches stop worrying about attendance at prayer meetings?

Scripture presents us with a varied picture of God’s people at prayer. Sometimes, we are encouraged to pray alone, perhaps seeking out a moment of quiet just between us and God, as Christ also did:

Cornwall Coast

  • “when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” (Matthew 6:6, NIV)
  • “Very early the next morning, Jesus got up and went to a place where he could be alone and pray.” (Mark 1:35, CEV)

 

Paul encouraged Christians to pray (e.g. Philippians 4:6, Colossians 4:2, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, 2 Thessalonians 3:1, 1 Timothy 2:1-8). As with his other “commands”, they are addressed to the gathered group of God’s people in those places. The letters were probably read out to them when they assembled together and the assumption seems to be that they would pray together.

Edinburgh City Scene

In Acts, one of the first things the disciples did together after Jesus’ ascension was pray (1:14, 24f). After Pentecost, the disciples met and prayed regularly (2:42f, 4:31, etc.). This seems to have happened in the temple courts in Jerusalem and in people’s homes.

So, the New Testament shows prayer happening in quiet, secluded places, in bustling, busy public gatherings in the city and in the intimate setting of one another’s homes. It was something natural to do when Jesus’ followers met together as well as something for which to set aside personal, private time.

All of this stands in clear continuity with what we see in the Old Testament. The Psalms can at times read like very personal prayers, yet they are corporate in the sense that God’s people use them as Scripture and also sometimes have said and continue to say them publicly together. Likewise, we have records of characters such as David and Solomon praying publicly on behalf of the people (e.g. 1 Chronicles 29:10-13,2 Chronicles 6:12-42), whilst also conversing privately with God (e.g. 2 Chronicles 1:7-12 – did he tell someone afterwards, or was this not as private as Solomon thought?!).

Moreover, we know that the Spirit empowers individuals, yet also forms the fellowship of God’s people, equipping for individual and corporate worship and ministry. The Spirit enables us to pray on our own and when we are together. Both private and public prayer, personal and corporate are works of the Spirit in God’s people.

Finally, as Psalm 139 reminds us, there is nowhere we can go to escape God’s presence. The Spirit of God is everywhere; whether in a church building, in the countryside, a bustling crowd, a hospital ward, prison cell, street or bedroom we are always in a position to connect with God.

So, what about this variety of locations – is any “best” or “better”? It would appear not. The evidence suggests it would be a mistake to deprive ourselves of either personal or corporate prayer – both are part of a healthy prayer life. Other aspects seem to have more to do with where we find ourselves and our personalities.

How easy do you find it to pray in different situations? What makes it harder for you to pray – quiet isolation or big crowds, being in the countryside or the city, in church or at home? Can you see how your favoured ways of praying reflect your personality (and location)? What about others – can you see how their personalities affect how they pray?

Given that prayer is a relationship and all of us are different, it shouldn’t surprise us to discover that people pray in many different ways, in many different places and at different times. Perhaps we can challenge ourselves to try something outside our comfort zone and have a go at something new? Perhaps if we do so, we’ll bring more balance to ourselves and greater understanding of others.

© Joe Lenton, August 2012