Seeds For Thinking

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Scripture: Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. (Acts 3:4-5, NIV)

Look at me!
Often followed by, “When I am talking to you!” There are times when we want someone’s direct attention, and eye to eye contact is essential for communication to take place, or to be acknowledged.
Peter obviously had something more in mind than dropping coins in the beggar’s alms cup. The man gave them his attention. Through the name of Jesus Christ, Peter and John gave him something he never had - the ability to walk.
The phrase “Look at me!” is loaded with meanings, though, and really doesn’t tell us much unless it is put into context. It can be used as an exclamation (look here!) used to call attention to what one is going to say, as I have shown. It can be used as a statement of authority, or to establish communication. “To look” can mean to take heed, to perceive, to behold, to see, to regard, to examine, to investigate. We might look up to someone, to have a great deal of respect for them. Often actions or adornments speak louder than the actual words: The showoff, deliberately attracting attention. The ‘fashionista,’ enrobed in all the latest styles and ornamentation, and, these days, inked skin from top to toe. There is a word for behavior characterized by vulgar or pretentious display: ostentatious, meaning “designed to impress or attract notice.”
Jesus spoke against such practices by the Pharisees of His day:
"Everything they do is for show. On their arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with Scripture verses inside, and they wear robes with extra long tassels. And they love to sit at the head table at banquets and in the seats of honor in the synagogues. They love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces, and to be called 'Rabbi.'
But He passed on this advice to His disciple, and those who would follow in His footsteps: Don't let anyone call you 'Rabbi,' for you have only one teacher, and all of you are equal as brothers and sisters. (Matthew 23:5-8, New Living Translation (©2007)
I wondered if there is a record of Jesus using the phrase, “Look at Me!” in the gospels, much as Peter and John sought the attention of the lame man. Though I found no written record of such, I can imagine Him asking for attention, and eye to eye contact, prior to healing someone. Never-the-less, consider these two examples from scripture, seeking to establish communication, from a petitioner, and as a statement of authority from God:

O look upon me, and have mercy on me: give thy command to thy servant, and save the son of thy handmaid. (Psalm 86:16)

Look to me, and be you saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. (Isaiah 45:22)
(Text: American King James Version)

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Scripture: “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” Luke 10:27

How willing are we to serve in Jesus’ name?
As I was dwelling on the Parable of the Good Samaritan, I began thinking about the actions of all of the persons involved in this passage of scripture. And, I wondered, would I do differently, walking in their shoes?
The lawyer was an expert in Jewish religious teachings of Mosiac law. Eternal life was a current topic of religious debate. He thus answered Jesus’ question by stating the Jewish Shema, a Hebrew text consisting of three passages from the Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 6:4, 11:13–21; Numbers 15:37–41) and beginning “Hear, O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is one.” It forms an important part of Jewish evening and morning prayer and is used as a Jewish confession of faith.
He answered: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind
(from Deut 6:5) and 'Love your neighbor as yourself.”(from Leviticus 19:18 - “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.”)
Jesus responded, “You have answered correctly - do this and you will live.”
(Leviticus 18:5 “Keep my decrees and laws, for the man who obeys them will live by them. I am the LORD.”)
Yes, Jesus died to bring salvation to the world, but this does not absolve us from loving God with all of our being, and loving our neighbor, even as Jesus loves.
We can readily identify with the man - everyone; mankind - at the mercy of the world, who was attacked, beaten and robbed. Mankind has a history of descending. From Genesis to Revelation, we get a picture of descent, especially if Satan has his way with us. Satan: robber, murderer. Taker, of lives. What will be left? Sin! Robbers and thieves act out, “What you have is mine, if I can take it from you.”
The priest and Levite represent ritualism and ceremonialism. Perhaps they tended to think, “What I have is mine, and I am going to keep it.” They were a privileged class. There were many rules & regulations governing them. For example, they had to dress a certain way, and carry out very specific actions as worship. They were not to defile themselves, such as by contact with a corpse. Priests could not even attend a burial except of a close relative. Was the man possibly dead? They knew the dangers, and avoided them. Wouldn’t you?
The Samaritan embodies the concept, “What I have is yours if I can help you.” I found these words from Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary:
“It is lamentable to observe how selfishness governs all ranks; how many excuses men will make to avoid trouble or expense in relieving others. But the true Christian has the law of love written in his heart. The Spirit of Christ dwells in him; Christ's image is renewed in his soul. The parable is a beautiful explanation of the law of loving our neighbour as ourselves, without regard to nation, party, or any other distinction. It also sets forth the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward sinful, miserable men.”
Ritualism, ceremonialism, and legalism could not save the man, nor nor can it save mankind. The question is not whether we will have eternal life, but whether that life will be with God, rather than with Satan. Jesus, through the Grace of God, offers salvation. Having chosen Jesus, then, let us embody fully this example: “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”

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Scripture: So it was, when the Philistine arose and came, and drew near to meet David, that David hurried, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. Then David put his hand in his bag, and took out a stone, and he slung it, and struck the Philistine in his forehead, so that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell on his face to the earth. (1 Samuel 17:48-49, NKJV

Most boys seem to have a penchant for throwing things, and I was no exception. There is plenty of space to engage in that activity on a farm, and a ready supply of things to throw. The challenge is to increase the distance the missile can be hurled. I found that a scrap piece of metal from a roofing project was just what I needed. It was available, required no labor or cost, and it worked!
One type of sheet metal roofing, called channel drain, has ridges shaped like a broad letter ‘M.’ I discovered that a small stone placed in the groove, or channel, could be thrown quite a distance with a two-foot length of leverage. With a little bit of practice, I was fairly accurate with it, as well. I even had a name for it - “vulpatupa.” Sounded neat to me, and, no, I never got into trouble with it. It was a nice diversion activity from the routine of farm chores.
Reading the passage about David’s conquest of the Philistine, Goliath, reminded me of my throwing device. From what I have read on the subject, David probably had the better weapon, which he used with great effectiveness. Note that this was a sling, and not a “sling shot” of modern lore - the ‘Y’ shaped stick with a rubber band for propelling the stone. The sling could be made easily by even a shepherd boy, with twisted wool for the cord, and a patch of leather to hold the stone. One end was held firmly, or attached to the wrist, and the other end gripped by the fingers. The sling was whirled, one end let loose at the appropriate moment, thus allowing stones to be thrown several times farther than they could be by hand.
“So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine, and killed him." (1 Samuel 17:50)
It should be noted that David credited the LORD for the victory; for “the battle is the LORD’s.” (Read 1 Samuel 17:40 47)
Though shepherds made use of the sling, they were not alone in choosing such as a weapon. In the Bible "slingers" were part of the Israelite army like the archers. We read in Judges 20:16, “Among all this people there were seven hundred select men who were lefthanded; every one could sling a stone at a hair’s breadth, and not miss.” (See also Second Kings 3:25, First Chronicles 12:2, and Second Chronicles 26:14 to further illustrate Israelite use.)
Other throwing devices used for hunting or weaponry include a hollow tube for throwing projectiles (much like my vulpatupa), the atlatl, or spear thrower that also uses leverage to achieve greater velocity in dart throwing, and the woomera, an Australian Aboriginal spear-throwing device used for when there is a greater distance to be overcome. The sling or spear thrower has an advantage over spears, javelins, or the Bolas used by the South American gauchos, in that the throwing device remains in the hand, and can be quickly reloaded.
Keep in mind David’s statement that “the battle is the LORD’s;” Let Him be the extension of our power to overcome evil and sin, and accept His loving grace for salvation.
September 12, 2010

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SCRIPTURE: “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words to eternal life.” John 6:67-68, NKJV (John 6:60; 66, 68-69)

A slogan adopted by some school athletic teams proclaims that “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” A challenge entices some people into putting every morsel of heart and soul into the effort to persevere, even though success is questionable and the outcome in doubt. Discipline has its own reward. For some people, anyway.
For others, when the going gets tough, their pathway leads away from the challenges and hard times, as in this passage in John’s Gospel, even if the reward is eternal life. “This is a hard saying,” they complained. (John 6:60) And so many of His disciples went back and walked with him no more. (vs. 66)
I thought of these words, written by Thomas Paine at the beginning of the American Revolution:
“These are the times that try men's souls: The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value.”
Thomas Paine, “The American Crisis”—Published on 23 December 1776

David, the king-annointed of Israel, also endured some very tough times, hiding in the wilderness while the current reigning king, Saul, sought to kill him. (1 Samuel 23:14) David refused to kill King Saul when an easy opportunity was presented, though some urged him to seek that method of ending the hardship. Saul was yet the Lord’s anointed; the matter would be decided by the Lord’s hand, not David’s. (Samuel 24:10)
It is easy to join a cause amid glitz and glamor, to be part of the popular throng, merrily enjoying the “summer sunshine.” So it is in life in the earthly realm, and many will not view the glorious triumph to be worth the hard conflict. A life that is viewed as pressed down and boxed in can be very unpleasant. Like Paul, we pray for relief from our “thorn in the flesh.” (2 Corinthians 12:1-10)
While there are valid reasons to fly the coop, such as abusive relationships, or undesirable situations, we need to think carefully before joining the “green pasture” crowd - those souls continually searching for something better, always searching, but never finding.
Yet, as Thomas Paine observed, what we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness that gives everything its value. Following Jesus the Savior is not always easy, as many who followed Him discovered. Let us, though, not go away from Him, for, as Peter observed Jesus has the words of eternal life.
May 25, 2008