Shade Tree Wisdom 7/5/08

A bit humid this morning with little breeze. But it is summer, and July.

Yesterday’s fireworks reminded me of the care the people who set things up take to get all the connections right, and then they check, and recheck, and I thought of little Jacob. He grew up in a seaside town in the ancient world, and hung around on the waterfront. Everything about ships, cordage, sails and stuff intrigued him. He noticed how carefully ropes were handled, and how each was connected and used to get the sails set right and the ship “ship shape” as it were. He even worked on several ships, first as a chore boy, then as a sailor. But he never took to the sea. His love was in ropes and rope-making.

So he looked for work along the waterfront, and finally went to work for a yard that made ropes for shipping. Rope-making was a special skill that he learned and got good at. He enjoyed seeing the strands of raw hemp being cured and then woven into rope. Soon he was the one chosen by the owners to take charge and see work was done promptly and properly. And when it came to special orders, Jacob did the work, alone, unsupervised, but correctly. Rope from this shop was highly prized as reliable. Rope that would hold and stand the strain of hard use, rough weather, and storm.

When Saul became the Apostle Paul and began preaching Jesus, he “confounded the Jews that were living in Damascus, proving that this was The Christ”. Acts 9,22. They ”took counsel to kill him, and watched the city gates day and night to kill him”. So, to escape, “the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket”. 9,23 – 25. And the rope did not break, because somebody made a good rope.

A group of Christians, we call them a congregation, meets together for worship, prayer, song and learning from the Scripture. Then, during the week, they scatter all over, one to remain at home, seeing to the young children, another in an office on the 24th floor of an office building, still another driving a delivery route in a large city, and yet another leading a company and planning further growth. All believe that Jesus Christ died for their sins. They are called Christians. And wherever they are, whatever they do, they do it “as unto Him”.

In short, these people live daily like the followers of Jesus. St. Peter writes about this when he says, (1 Peter 2,9ff.) “9 But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God's instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you— 10 from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted. 11 Friends, this world is not your home, so don't make yourselves cozy in it. Don't indulge your ego at the expense of your soul. 12 Live an exemplary life among the natives so that your actions will refute their prejudices. Then they'll be won over to God's side and be there to join in the celebration when he arrives. 13 Make the Master proud of you by being good citizens. Respect the authorities, whatever their level.“

That is the order for the Christian. In whatever corner, whether in obscurity or in a bright light, no matter what it may be, he is serving his God. St. Paul lays down just one requirement. “That a man be found faithful”. 1 Cor 4.2. We read again and again that where man thought the church was dying, it flourishes instead under severe pressure. So God found people faithful. In the Church, we are simply sent to Teach and baptize, we can safely let the results rest In the hand of God who “giveth the increase.”
GPD 7/5/08