Kindred Spirits

I wrote this a couple of years ago as a devotional...it hit me hard today as I read it. hope you enjoy...

Sometimes, I get the opportunity to read the letters in Scripture as they were written, in one sitting. It open us up to the whole message rather than a verse or a chapter. The big picture, so to speak.

most of the time, the thoughts that stay and leave marks in our minds, come when we are not looking for them. Such is the case for me today.

I love watching people. They are the same every where. Wonderful creations of a loving God. Parents with their kids. Senior adults. Teens. Thugs and thuglets, hooches and nerds. All created and upheld by the very hand of God.

Paul write to the Philippians church with such love and concern that it seems he dotes over them as a mother over a new born babe. Concerned about every aspect of their growth and life. Concerned about their continuing education and knowledge of God . Wanting to be with them, but because of house arrest, unable to leave.

who else could he send that would love them and be as concerned for them?

Timothy. Listen to this.

"For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare. For they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus." Phil 2:20-21

This is a huge statement. And a statement that goes to the heart of community.
think outside your little box for a moment here.

Who else could love, serve, heal, help, encourage and save those which He created but His own son? It wasn't as though God was holding auditions for Messiah. The word itself says "anointed, or Chosen" one. So, there was no choice. But this goes a little deeper than that. As God sent His Son, He was sending Himself. There was so much love and concern for His people He sent Himself.

I have a few people in my life that are kindred spirits. We have passion for the God of the Bible. These bonds were formed at the crossroads of self and reality. Sooner or later we will come to this place. A place that shakes every thing we believe to the core of who we are. On the other side of this is birthed a realization that we have looked after our own interests our entire lives. Now, something greater than that is here. When we come to this place and allow God to move us past our selves things change. Everything changes.

this transformation is not as popular as one might think. Church is not full of people like this. "for they all seek after their own interest, not those of Christ Jesus."

what would it look like if we all sought after the interest of Christ Jesus? What would preaching be like? What would worship be like? What would service look like? What would Sunday school look like?

Christians today have few examples from which to watch and learn. Unlike Timothy, we do not have a man like Paul in our lives who is imprisoned and beaten and stoned for the Faith. Most of our mentors are people who are upstanding members of the community. There are certainly none who can be called trouble makers, meaning that we have all become professional Christians.

no need for all that stuff any more...Right?

When did it become the "interest of Christ Jesus" for the Church to have the same standing as the Mormon temple, or the Jehovah's witness Tabernacle, or the Muslim Temple in the community?

His interests are mighty and life changing and full of Power. That is the test. As you worship Sunday. Ask your self whose interests are being met. Yours, or His.