I had a wonderful choice this week due to flight schedules.
A- I could either arrive at the airport hours early before my flight where I could wear a mask, people watch, eat poorly made food that is overpriced, and eavesdrop (I mean, listen) on gate agents complaining about passengers.
B- I could go closer to my flight time but sit in the back of an Uber in rush hour while wearing a mask.
I selected option A.
I had just finished another loop of lovely concourse A at Logan International when I saw someone I decided to follow from a distance (in a non-creepy fashion). It was a random man with a spray bottle and microfiber cloth. He was wiping down some of the most random but commonly touched surfaces. The ones that stood out the most to me were the escalator and "fast-walk" rubber handrails.
I am no germaphobe but I never touch those...ick.
Here he was...meticulously wiping them down with some sort of cleaning agent.
I thought to myself, "Until now, his job was underappreciated by me entirely and even unnoticed."
Because I *might be* odd, I began thinking about underappreciated jobs or relationships; I then thought about which ones should be or should not be.
One that sticks out to me (but shouldn't be one) is the family of God.
In my daily Bible reading, I am in 1st and 2nd Thessalonians.
Paul's theme, perhaps in one word, is rejoice.
A casual reading finds him rejoicing over several topics but a repeated emphasis is his rejoicing over them because of being in the family of God.
He loves them. He prays for them. He longs to see them. He has confidence in God using them.
It made me think, "How do I and how should I value the family of God?"
Here are a few reasons:
We should value it due to the vital connection it holds for unbelievers-
John 13:34-35 says, A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
We should value it because Jesus made a way for this transcendent relationship-
John 1:11-12 says, But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
We should value it because they are vital to our fellowship with Christ-
1 Thessalonians 5:11 says, Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
I could go on...but consider the simple reasons and verses above. This relationship demonstrates the validity of Jesus' offer of salvation, creates a unique bond that has no rival, and helps us become like Jesus until we see Him face to face.
These wonderful truths lend themselves to two final questions:
-Do I share God's value of the family of God?
-Do I express that value in my proactivity towards them and inclusion of them within my week?
Sincerely,
Pastor Paul