I’m a routine guy. I get up at the same time every day except Sundays, kiss the Blonde, meet her at my grandmother’s kitchen table (my prized possession), drink home brewed Cafe Du Monde coffee out of my favorite coffee mug, pray with Jennifer, walk to the office blah, blah, blah.
Before I leave for the office I pack up my gold L. L. Bean backpack (they say old guys shouldn’t carry a back pack, but oh well). I slide my MacBook Pro into an interior sleeve, throw all my wires (charger and cord for my computer, iPhone, Garmin plus some ear buds) into the backpack, make sure I’ve got my Bible and the books I’m reading and then I’m good to go for the day.
I’ve been reading in 1st Corinthians (One Corinthians if you are a Trump fan) and I love what the Apostle Paul says towards the end of this chapter book.
In 16:13-14 he writes to this highly-dysfunctional church. After 14 chapters of rebuke he says, “Hey, guys: Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.”
When I read that it’s like Paul is saying, “Ken, before you go to work, before you get going, as you load up your backpack, don’t forget to take an alertness, be on your guard today.
Don’t be a dead Christian, unsympathetic or having no interest in spiritual things.” Then he says, “Stand firm in your faith today, be a person of conviction.”
That makes me think: When was the last time I did something that was the result of my convictions? When was the last time I did something that required faith?
Does that make sense? And then Paul says something odd, he tells the church to “act like men.” Say what?
This has to do with maturity, simply put, act like a grown up. Earlier he had told these Christians they were fleshly and immature so now he encourages sitting at the adult table at the next family function.
The last thing he says in verse 13 is, “be strong.” We rely way too much on our strength (mental, emotional, physical) don’t we? It is through Christ we can do all things, right? (Philippians 4:13). Again, when is the last time you did something that you could only do as you depend on the Lord?
Finally in verse 14 we are told to, “Let all that you do be done in love.” Saint Peter told us, “Above all things have an intense and unfailing love for one another” (1st Peter 4:8). More than anything we are to love. Love until it hurts, especially when it hurts.
We need to be equipped for the day, we need some goals, we need to be packing faith and love to get through another day.
There’s a story about Charlie Brown playing baseball. He strikes out yet again and as he walks back to the dugout he says, “Rats! I’ll never make it to the big leagues. I just don’t have it! All my life I’ve dreamed of playing in the major leagues but I’ll never make it.”
Lucy tries to console him by saying, “Charlie Brown, you are thinking too far ahead, you need some immediate goals.”
Charlie Brown asked, “What are immediate goals?”
Lucy said, “Charlie Brown, start with the next inning, when you go out to pitch, see if you can walk out to the pitcher’s mound without falling down.”
I guess that’s what Paul was saying to us. Have some immediate goals like: Be watchful, stand faithful, act like a grown up, be strong and, oh yeah, don’t forget to love today as well.
He told me to remind you of that.
“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1)
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