There are over 900 stories and commentaries on Neil’s One A Day blog that began Nov 24, 2009 . It is added to daily.
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Matthew 16:13-16 KJV When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.
He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
A man worked as a signalman by the sea, giving important signals to the ships as they moved into the narrow harbor. On one storm-seeking night, a ship split open on craggy rocks because the Captain could not see his signals.
There was in inquiry because they wanted to know how the accident happened. The judge asked the signalman, “Were you on duty that night?”
“Yes, sir, I was.”
“Did you have your lamps with you?” Again he answered, yes, and he showed them the
“Did you have your lamps with you?” Again he answered, yes, and he showed them the
lamps.
“Did you give them the right warnings? Did you wave the lamps?” Yes was his answer to both questions. And after a few more questions, the man was excused and left the courtroom.
When he reached home, he told his friend, “I’m just glad that the judge didn’t ask me if my lamps were lighted.”
Who are you and are you the best man or woman for the job? For the job of becoming a child of God whom men will praise and God will be pleased with. It’s called personal destiny and no one else has your particular, peculiar opportunities or talents. No one in the world can be what you can be. YOU…each of you…are one of a kind.
Who are you? Well, how does that scripture in Genesis describe us:
God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
Genesis 1:27
When we first meet someone, one of their first questions, no matter how it is put, is essentially, “Who are you?” And your first reply probably has something to do with what you do to put food on the table. Because what we do for a living is most often how the world sees us.
If I were doing the questioning and were to ask you, “Whose are you?” you would probably have to pause a minute, trying to figure out just where I was coming from. Did I mean are you married and to whom? Did I mean who were your parents?
Well, that’s getting close, for this morning if I were to ask each of you that question, the answer I would really be looking for is -
“I am the Lord’s child.” For first and foremost, you are God’s creation and He is your heavenly Father. That is who you are.
We humans forget this sometimes. Well, if not forget, at least behave as if we have forgotten it. For yes, there are far too many times when we act like recalcitrant adult babies; fighting and feuding in the million and one ways we have learned how to negatively act and react. However, that does not negate the fact that we are God’s children and need to try harder to
act like it.
Who are you? You were meant to be a light unto the world. Living the kind of life that does not promote chaos and darkness. Living the kind of life that is not a disease that infects those around you with greed, or selfishness, or bad temper, or any of the other negative ways of living that we human beings can fall heir to.
In a Peanuts cartoon strip Peppermint Patty is shown talking to Charlie Brown.
“Guess what, Chuck? It’s the first day of school and I got sent to the principal’s office.
And it’s your fault!”
Charlie Brown responds, “My fault? How could it be my fault? Why do you say everything is my fault?”
To which she declares, “You’re my friend, aren’t you, Chuck? You should have been a better influence on me.”
In the comics, it’s funny… but in real life it’s much more complicated.
A 16th century Jacobean poet and preacher, John Donne (1572-1631), is credited with writing “No man is an island unto himself.”
And indeed, we are not islands unto ourselves. We do influence all the currents that flow toward and around all those other islands. So we owe it to our families and friends and all the unknown strangers who watch our daily actions, to influence them toward good rather than evil; toward God rather than godlessness.
Does this thought overwhelm you? You don’t feel you’re up to this kind of challenge?
Well, the Bible tells you that you are indeed your brother’s keeper. And overwhelmed or not…it is your heritage as a Christian. It is repayment for the gift of life. Forgiven when you do not accept it…but blessed when you do.
Who are you? Whose are you?
You may refuse to accept the responsibility of being your brothers’ guide as they watch what you do and where you do go, and follow where you lead.
But refuse or not. Accept or not. You are your heavenly Father’s child and as a member of the great family of creation… everything you do or leave undone cannot be ignored.
Let’s put it this way. The moon reflects the light from the brightness of the sun unless the world gets in the way and a total eclipse makes it impossible. And like the moon, we reflect the brightness of the Son of God, unless the world and all its temptations get in the way.
(TO BE CONTINUED NEXT THURSDAY)
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