There are a couple of big questions on the minds of many people: Do I or don't I get the vaccination? And if I am going to get the vaccination, when? The question becomes more complex when a person is frail for one reason or another. Then there is the matter of believing in the science and the medical practitioners offering the cure. Do I wait for a while to see what the issues/side effects are or do I trust in the science and go ahead?
While fear is at the root of these questions, whether you accept the solution offered or not, your fate is ultimately determined by your personal choice. In much the same way, the deadliest virus of all time has but one cure and your fate is determined by your choice.
Like COVID, you must sense something is amiss and decide to get tested. The rapid test has a high percentage of success.
Unlike the COVID test, there is no physical discomfort when being tested but sometimes there is a mental or emotional reaction.
The test is simple all you need to do is answer a few questions: Have you ever...
hurt another intentionally?
considered yourself before others - your needs, wants or desires?
done, or are in the midst of doing things, you're ashamed of?
thought your happiness was paramount?
pursued unhealthy activities and wondered why you do?
given your all to achieve a goal for money, power or prestige only to wonder upon achievement “is this all there is?”
felt superior to others because of your station in life - the color of your skin, the place you were born, your upbringing?
wondered why, with all your basic needs and wants met, you still wrestle with a sense something is amiss?
lied, stolen, coveted or envied?
been angry or physically hurt another?
If you answered “yes” to any of the questions, you have the soul virus that not only kills this physical existence but all traces of your existence for eternity.
The good news is we have a vaccination. A vaccination which, like the ones offered for COVID, allows the user to experience some aspects of the disease without the fatal consequences. The vaccination is the repenting of your old lifestyle and the acceptance of the new one with Jesus. A process for some is like the sting of the needle of the other vaccinations that soon fades and requires only a regular booster to keep someone protected. These vaccination boosters are what we call our Christian values.
The first booster comes from the “Blessing” others. By blessing others in Christ's name we not only demonstrate God’s love, we stave off the potential effects of the virus of this life: namely sin.
Psychiatrist Carl Jung said, “You are what you do, not what you say you’ll do.”
Aristotle said, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”
Apostle Paul said to those in Colossus and Thessalonica, its word and deed.
James said, "Its faith and deed."
Therefore, we need to conscientiously develop our way of interacting with the world so as to to alert others to the vaccination that comes from recognizing the universal reign of God through Jesus. In applying the rhythms of Christian life, we are propelled outward, beyond ourselves, into the lives of others so we get to share the benefits of the vaccination with others.
The apostle Paul highlighted this in his message to a church he started in Philippi. A city located in northeastern Greece. He wrote to them to thank them for their support and to urge them to reject false teachers and stay unified. He said in the second chapter of his letter:
Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature[a] God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature[b] of a servant, being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Your vaccination comes in the first line - “united in Christ.” In the connection, nothing can kill your soul for eternity. You are assured of life after this one so what changes will you make in your life knowing you will be with Christ for eternity and have the power to give the vaccination to others?
Imagine the social impact you can make because of your immunity? Imagine the increase your story will have as a herald of the vaccination that not only offers benefits after death but in the here and now. Hence, the reason we stress BLESSING as a core value.
As we strive at The Center to offer a vaccination to our neighborhood and the community and the nation, we hope you would participate with God to vaccinate others. The acronym for our practical way to giving others the benefit of the vaccine is B.E.L.L.S.
This week we are looking at the ‘B’ which stands for bless. The etymology (or history) of the term “to bless” is “to add strength to another's arm.” In this regard, bless means to build another up, to fill them with encouragement. There are many ways to bless people around you. When I do premarital counseling, I require couples to read the book by Gary Chapman called “Five Love Languages.” It’s a good book which says there are 5 love languages - acts of service, gifts, words of affirmation, physical touch and quality time. The truth we all have a dominant love language but we need them all to a greater or lesser degree. When you know another’s love language, you can strengthen them in a way they find inspiring.
That last part is really important. Blessing another must be in their love language, not yours. Our action needs to help them, and must be genuine as well as unconditional. We bless others to alert them to the rule and reign of Jesus. PERIOD!
How they receive it, what we will say after or what they do with the message delivered cannot be pre-determined by us. In that great American saying, "It is what it is."
If a person notices your act of love, inquires to your motives, starts a relationship with Jesus or comes to get vaccinated against the virus of the world, is no concern. We believe the Holy Spirit takes it from where our action ends. Even if someone gets upset because of your action with good motives (and some will), you will receive a blessing from God.
Matthew 5:11 is clear, “Blessed are you when all kinds of people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.”
Have you heard the story about Mr Jones, who dies and goes to heaven? When he arrives, St Peter is waiting at the Pearly Gates and takes Mr Jones on a tour of heaven. Mr Jones is awestruck. The streets are paved with gold, beautiful mansions glisten in the sunshine, choirs of angels sing the most beautiful songs.
Part way through his tour of heaven Mr Jones’ eye is drawn to an odd looking building, an enormous warehouse with no windows and just one door. What an odd structure for heaven! “You don’t really want to see what’s in there,” says St Peter. “But I do, I do” says Mr Jones. He races across the lawn and pushes open the door to discover rows and rows of shelves, floor to ceiling. Stacked on the shelves are thousands of white boxes. The boxes all have names on them.
“Is there one with my name on it?” asks Mr Jones as he rushes to the J aisle. He finds the box with his name on it and opens it up. His mouth drops, his pulse quickens, and finally he says to Peter, “What are all these wonderful things inside my box? Are they the good things in store for me now I’ve reached heaven?”. “No” replies St Peter. “They’re all the blessings God wanted to give you while you were alive on earth, but which you never received.” A sad look came over Mr Jones. He looked into the box, to St Peter and then back to the box. “Why?” he asked St Peter. “Why did I miss out on all these blessings?” Well, that's another story…” replied St Peter.
Story adapted from Bruce Wilkerson, The Prayer of Jabez
The story is the truth that we are the only limiting factor in the God-man continuum.
By living as in unity with God, God has issued a role for you to play and as you vaccinate others, the blessing he wants to bestow on you is beyond your wildest imagination.
So this week, I want to challenge you to go and bless three people. One who knows Jesus, one who doesn’t and a third who might be a nemesis.
For additional information on Pastor Bob, go to https://communitycenter.life/rev-robert-butler-info
