RE Verse reading–Matthew 23 (day seven) “You have only one Master and you are all brothers.” (vs 8) Pecking order. Nothing is more predictable in human society (or chicken society–thus the name) We tend to have important people and not-so-important people. Leaders and followers. Popular people and nerds. Not in the Kingdom! One of the great corrections of Life in the Spirit is to make brothers of every believer. “For the body is not one member, but many. . .so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.” (1 Corinthians 12:14, 25) Only one person in our family is famous–the Lord Himself. The Pharisees had forgotten how addictive the search for status and superiority can be. Rather than giving glory to God and equality to their brothers, they wasted life in a silly search for recognition. Great people learn humility early. We are all brothers. I am praying for you today, Don
I found it interesting that you quote vs 8 as stating only one Master… most Bible versions say teacher. I could not find what version said Master… except KJV… but the rest does not sound like KJV.
I love that the Bible is so clear on how we are to live in relation to one another. However, just because the Bible clearly outlines it does not necessarily mean we can claim we are doing it. As a infant in Christ I so bought into everything the Bible said, because the Spirit made it so very real to me, that I actually expected that other Christians would have it as their ultimate standard as well. In my former church, I found out the hard way that often times there are divas and “studs” and the in crowd and the out crowd, the rejected and accepted, the preferred and the ignored, gifts of the Spirit that are acceptable and those that are not…. all in a Christian church setting. Sounds pretty much like the world to me… I did not get it.
Praise be to God, though, that He will actually use EVERYTHING for His Glory and our good, if we will commit it to Him and trust Him (easier) and even if we do not (harder)…if we are His children… because He is Faithful.
Now I know that the way of the world is to use relationships to define oneself… but the way of the Spirit is to let God use our relationships to refine our relationship to Him and to clarify that He is our ONLY Source of Love/Acceptance/Affirmation. And He is the Source for flowing through us into the lives of others that they might learn that He is their Source as well.
Honestly, one of the best lessons I ever learned. Makes me so glad for all the rest. Relationships can be messy, but if He is using them, the outcome will be for His Glory and our good.
Father, thank you for your Faithfulness. We love you. Amen.