The Pen of Theophelous

Matthew 5:5

Words change meaning over time.  Consider when you go to McDonald’s and the employee asks “Can I help you?”  If I am in a playful mood I will say “You look perfectly able to me.”  Of course, they generally laugh but have no idea what I am talking about.  The word “can” used to mean able to do something.  Now it is used as “may” a word of permission.  Which shows that the usage of a term can morph to something else over time.  I have chosen the word gentle as the New American Standard translates it as opposed to other translations for Matthew 5;5 which render the word “meek”.  Meek according to dictionary.com has as it’s first usage humbly patient or docile, as under provocation from others.  The second is just as bad–overly submissive or compliant, spiritless, tame.  This is certainly not the description of a worker Jesus is describing.  Rather a mild and friendly disposition or a gentle person is what is meant.  It also includes the idea of a strong person who is able to be accommodating to others.  I have chosen gentle because you get the picture of a worker who is nice or friendly.

This kind of worker would not arbitrarily nor on the gossip of another employee speak harshly  or criticize them.  Yet I have found myself caught in that trap.  Once the words leave the mouth, you cannot take them back.  I knew I had sinned as soon as I opened my mouth.  It takes a long time before working relations can be restored to some level of friendliness.  The friendly worker treats all as friends.  After all Jesus was the friend of sinners.  The friendly worker is gentle with others, their concerns, their fears, their hopes, their desires and does not treat them harshly or push them around.

Father grant that we would always seek to be gentle and friendly to those we work with.  Keep us conscious of our tongue and it’s power to hurt and to heal.  May we use it to heal and encourage others.  Amen

Matthew 5:4

Have you ever wept because you sinned at your job?  Is it possible to go day by day, week by week, without examining our diligence at work and especially our sins.  Perhaps we lied to the boss or a fellow worker.  Perhaps we hid information or didn’t give our all for a day’s pay.  Perhaps we just didn’t speak up when we should have because of fear or spoke up in the wrong manner and caused unnecessary grief to a co-worker.  It could be any number of things but it is sin.  Do we mourn over our sin and long for God’s forgiveness and healing?  Do we deal with our sin quickly?  God chastens those whom he loves.  Have you been disciplined by the Lord lately such that it brought tears to your eyes and when you repented you felt comfort.  Jesus says that we are blessed by God when we mourn because we shall receive the comfort we need.

Father grant that we take our sin seriously as that which grieves you and thus grieves us.  Grant to us repentance from our sin and renewed comfort from our mourning.  Amen

Welcome!

This blog is dedicated to encourage and challenge all who seek to be obedient to the Lord Jesus Christ.  Because I am a bi-vocational Pastor, my goal is to write only one thought per week.  If God gives me more thoughts in a week, I will post those as well.

Matthew 5:3

What does it take to be a spiritually poor worker?  Is there such a thing as a spiritually rich worker?  No.  The character of a follower of Jesus is one who is poor in spirit.  Jesus speaks to every common laborer, housewife, student, manager, technologist, scientist, office worker, pastor, executive, politician, radio talk host, journalist, and any other employed person and tells them that to be his follower at work and be happy you must be spiritually poor.  You cannot say to yourself that you are rich spiritually.  Jesus condemned the Laodicean church for saying it was rich in need of nothing.  Do we really think we can tackle our jobs without the Savior?  When we begin our day of work without seeking the Master, we say to him we are rich.  When we begin our day without praying ,we say we are rich.  When we begin our day without acknowledging to our Lord that we need him to do our tasks to his glory and honor, we say we are rich.

Father deliver us from self.  We confess our sin of self reliance and cast ourselves upon your son.  May our daily work reflect your glory.  Amen