The Stone Thrower
“Never be discouraged. If I were sunk in the lowest pits of Nova Scotia, with the Rocky Mountains piled on me, I would hang on, exercise faith, and keep up good courage, and I would come out on top.”
Joseph Smith, Jr.
I bet you’ve heard a quote that says that if someone throws a stone at you, use it to build a building. Well, it may be right. Some have tried, and it has worked. Besides, if you are always sensitive to what others say about you, you’ll never progress in life.
The Unloving World
As a believer, you have to realize that you don’t belong to this world. Let that sink in. The world we live in is a temporary home before we go to heaven.
No one will ever appreciate your performance, progress or impact you make in the world. Don’t get me wrong though. A few will be on your side (those indeed born again), but the more significant number will resist you.
Look at this. The world did not accept Jesus yet he came to save it from destruction. What did it do then? It spat on him, ridiculed him, called him names, rejected him and ultimately killed him.
As a born again Christian, you are not exempted. The world will continue throwing stones at you as long as you are marked with Christ.
The other way Round
Now, have you ever asked yourself if at one time you played the world among believers? Did you at one time become a stone thrower?
You may have offended someone without your consent. Maybe you said something that pissed off your friend. How do you react when you are found in such a mess? The answer is merely humbling yourself and not giving way to your ego.
“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you; leave your gift there in front of the altar. First, go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.” (Mat. 5:23-24 NIV)
At some point, Jesus knew that we would cross paths. You may end up viewing the most beloved and friendly brother as a close friend to the devil simply of what he did that you didn’t like.
You have to be careful of what your heart devises. Paul says that it’s good to get angry but not sin. Also, according to scientists, anger still has some upsides that are not known. You can read this here.
As a human being, our bodies are naturally egocentric. It wants to show off and get a little bit corky. However, it should not get the better of you and hence trample everyone on your way to stardom. That’s why Jesus said that before you go to God’s house, mend yours first.
A problem in the Early Church
If there is a time that the gospel was powerful, it was the time of the early church. After Jesus had ascended to heaven and the Holy Spirit descending, a great revival exploded. The gospel was spread, and the power of God was evident.
The church was united. The believers sold their properties and gave out the money. At this time, nothing belonged to an individual. Any possession was everyones.
Amidst all these, there was a problem though. The Hellenists began to complain that their widows were not getting the daily distribution.
To solve this problem, the apostles had to go in prayer and choose seven Spirit-filled people to be handed this duty. Now, why do you think the problem arose? These were people that were born again and witnessed the power of God right before their eyes daily.
The enemy is not happy when God’s people are in unity. He is determined to use the slightest weapon to bring us down. David said a powerful quote in Psalms 133. He knew that there was sweetness in dwelling in unity. He then concludes by saying that the Lord commands a blessing.
What’s next
God does not want us to live like those in the world. We are a peculiar people, and he has called for something better. How we treat our fellow brothers matters a lot. If we degrade them, God will also degrade us.
We are not limited to show love to those in the church alone; God wants us to share it with the world also.
As much as we can be hurt and discouraged, we have to remember that our strength comes from the Lord. In the same way, we extend the same to others. We encourage, pray, and bless those that have been worn down by life.
Remember this; salvation is not only about praying, reading the bible and going to church. It’s more of imparting to others the life of God.
Now, go out there and show the world what God’s love is all about. Shalom!