some quotations

I got my Servant magazine (from Prairie) last week and found some good thoughts about the Church and how it must relate to a culture which has turned away from Christianity, due largely to our many mistakes in focusing on doctrine (law) instead of loving and living as Jesus would (grace).

"The cross of Christ is in itself an offense to the world; let us take heed that we add no offense of our own." - Charles Haddon Spurgeon

"A person must court a virgin differently than a divorcee. One welcomes the charming words; the other needs a demonstration of love to overcome inbuilt skepticism." - C.S. Lewis

There was also a great excerpt from Max Lucado's book, Cure for the Common Life, called "Unpacking Your Bag." It was about how God has packed us all with specific gifts in order to do a specific job. It went hand-in-hand with our Sunday morning message on spiritual gifts! I like it a lot. Here's a couple excerpts.

[Secular thinking] simply says, "You can be anything you want to be." But can you? If God didn't pack you with the meat sense of a butcher or the world vision of an ambassador, can you be one? An unhappy, dissatisfied one perhaps. But a fulfilled one? Absolutely not. You cannot be anything you want to be. But you can be everything God wants you to be. God never mass-produces people. He didn't hand you your granddad's bag or your aunt's life; he personally and deliberately packed you. When you live out of the bag God gave, you discover an uncommon joy.

God gives us these gifts not for our own gain, but to use for Him! Many sinful occupations and behaviors would end if everyone worked to please God. "If I'm repairing a car for God, I'm not going to overcharge his children. If I'm painting a wall for God, do you think I'm going to use paint thinner?"

In response to people who hate their jobs, instead of quitting right away Lucado suggests changing your attitude toward it. Every day and all we do belong to God, and He's with us all the time. So "take Christ to work with you" and honor Him in your actions and attitudes.

May these encourage you today as you interact with non-Christians (remember to LOVE them!) and as you work, serving God with your gifts.