Thought for Today

Proverbs 25:6 Do not put yourself forward in the king's presence or stand in the place of the great;  

Micah 6:8 He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Luke 10:27 He answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself."  

James 2:16 and one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill," and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that?17 So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.  

“Who doesn’t yearn to rub shoulders with the rich, powerful and famous?” (These Days, August 28, 2025)

If I could type one-handed, my other hand would be raised in response to that question. I can honestly declare that if I were to receive an invitation to THE WEDDING, I would only be tempted by the chance to shake the groom’s hand. He is a very talented football player. I understand the bride is some sort of singer.

But, my mind this  morning is more focused by another line from this morning’s devotional, “Our authentic selves die when we pretend to be someone that we aren’t.” While I agree, that idea is a bit of a two-edged sword. Certainly, as Christians, we are called to be our authentic selves. We are also, however, called to aspire to following the teachings of Jesus, the Christ. The fact is that following those teachings is a transformative event in the lives of us all. No matter who you are, no matter the state of your life or the state of your faith, following Jesus, shaping your life to conform to the life and teachings of Jesus will be transformative.

One of our ministers in Houston used to remind us of the words of his seminary professor who said, “It’s easier to act your way into a new way of thinking that it is to think your way into a new way of acting.” Patterning one’s life after the life of the Son of God, deliberately living like a Christian, will ultimately transform your very being.

That is the truth behind 3 of my favorite verses of scripture, "John 8:31 If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free" and, “Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God—"

Will rubbing shoulders with the rich, powerful and famous help you continue in the words of Jesus? Will doing so help you know the truth of the gospel message of God’s love? Obviously, there are historical figures with whom we would all love to rub shoulders. As a Christian, my first choice would be Jesus, the one who promised, “John 6:37 Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and anyone who comes to me I will never drive away.” It would be great to rub shoulders with any of the disciples. It would even be informative to talk with Judas Iscariot and ask what was going on in his mind.

I am a native Texan. I would love to rub shoulders with Gen. Sam Houston. There are other historical figures, some from ancient history, some from more recent times with whom I would love to rub shoulders, including Augustine, John Calvin, John Knox, Dietrich Bonhoeffer. I do believe I could learn from them all, be aided in my own efforts to do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with God.

My preference, always, is to rub shoulders with those whose lives are filled with examples of their faith in our Creator God. Lives based on looks, position, wealth, even accomplishments, unless they serve and aid other of God’s children are not lives of authenticity to the faith we profess. Those are lives of the “false prophets” so often condemned in the Bible.

I strive for my life to be demonstrative of Jesus’ words, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself." I remember Paul’s words, “Ephesians 1:17 I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ . . . may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, 18 so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints.”

Stay safe, pursue that glorious inheritance among the saints, trust God,

Pastor Ray