Over Qualified

“Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’ “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Luke 18:10-14 NLT

Is it ever possible to be overqualified in the work of the Kingdom of God? This thought was in my mind recently, and wouldn’t go away easily. At first I focussed on the church leadership, not only of my own church but every denomination. But what about the good folks who turn up to praise and worship week after week? Are they qualified? At the end of the day, what makes any of us qualified at all?

In the Bible passage above, the pharisee is undoubtedly the qualified person in the story. The ‘sinner’ has no faith qualification recognised by their society, but Jesus said that it was he who was justified, and not the over-qualified and very educated, pharisee. Who’d have thought? But doesn’t this give you encouragement and pause for thought? It does me. Since Jesus is the true judge of all that’s right, and makes no mistakes, that means the Kingdom is not solely reserved for the university educated. Yes, most churches require their pastors to be educated to a minimum level before they are let loose on a congregation, but it is good to understand that the degree gained is not the entry pass into heaven. You and I can have that assurance too, as long as we behave like the sinner and ask God to be merciful to us!

Since we are all equally qualified, we are all part of the great commission because we are Jesus’ followers and it was Jesus who said: Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. Mark 16:15 NLT. But, but… I hear you say, I am no good at talking to others, or reading and remembering things. I was no good in school and I’m no good now. Isn’t it amazing that Jesus thought of this too when He assures us: But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. John 14:26 NIV. So, there is no doubt about it, you and I are well qualified and not over-qualified. Let’s face it, who would want to be that pompous overqualified pharisee anyway?

What Makes The Difference?

There was a sinful woman in that town. She knew that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house. So the woman brought some expensive perfume in an alabaster jar. She stood at Jesus’ feet, crying. Then she began to wash his feet with her tears. She dried his feet with her hair. She kissed his feet many times and rubbed them with the perfume. I tell you that her many sins are forgiven. This is clear, because she showed great love. People who are forgiven only a little will love only a little.” Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” Luke 7:37-38, 47-48 ERV

Have you ever asked yourself what the big deal is about being a Christian? What difference does it make? And perhaps more important is the question, “What changes do others see in me?” Do they see me as approachable, loving, or forgiving? Let’s be honest, in this world many people desperately need the assurance of love and forgiveness.

The woman in this passage is a good example of the overwhelming love of God, and His total forgiveness. In a relatively short period of time she goes from being a social outcast, to being loved, forgiven, and a child of the Kingdom. What happened? The short answer is that she opened her heart in love to the Saviour, and forgiveness naturally followed.

Who do you and I need to forgive? Or let me put it another way, who is there that might need forgiveness FROM us? Can you think of someone who needs our love and assurance, or are we so ‘good’ that there is no one in that category? Think again. The chances are that we may have dismissed some needy person from our life, and that person is desperate for our forgiveness. How about the ones whom we avoid, or move away from because of their bad history just like the sinner in Luke’s account? The others round the table didn’t think her past lifestyle deserved that second chance, but thankfully Jesus did.

For me, the key lies in the words near the end of the verse: “People who are forgiven only a little will love only a little.” Your ability to love is directly linked to your capacity to forgive. So that person we have decided can’t be forgiven has cost us our love. Can we be happy with that? A better question would be: Is Jesus happy with us being like that?

'Bad' Company

Oh, the joys of those who do not follow evil men’s advice, who do not hang around with sinners, scoffing at the things of God. But they delight in doing everything God wants them to, and day and night are always meditating on his laws and thinking about ways to follow him more closely. Psalms 1:1,2 TLB

These two verses have caused some confusion in Christian circles, and mostly because the first verse is rendered in the KJV as: Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. Can you see the difference of emphasis in each version?

Some read this Psalm as an excuse to avoid the contact and friendship of sinners, while forgetting that we are all sinners in the sight of a Holy God. It can then follow that we only seek out the good and pure as our chosen circle of friends and shut out the rest. There are denominations that set themselves up as ‘separate’ from the rest of the world, whether Christian or not. Others will actively seek out their own inner circle of confidants to the expense of their own ability to witness and minister to the fallen and hurting.

We certainly should not ‘follow evil men’s advice’ or ‘hang around with sinners scoffing at the things of God’ but there is nothing that suggests we should separate ourselves from them completely. Otherwise how can we live up to the great commission of reaching the world with the saving gospel of Jesus? Let’s use all the resources at our disposal to rightly divide and discern the Word of God’s truth, and not fall into the convenient trap of interpreting verses to suit our own thinking.

Saint or Sinner?

The singer Amy Winehouse was found dead in her flat, at the young age of 27. She had a chequered career, and openly struggled with her own demons of alcohol and drugs. She was no role model to the youth of our country, and made no pretence of being so. In spite of that, she was too young to die.

Our society does strange things to celebrities. When they are alive, and struggling, the media makes sure we know all about their shortcomings, and make headlines of their inadequacies and failings. They are mocked and ridiculed. We like that. We seem to like to hit out at those who struggle, especially those who try to face up to their demons, and fail.

Then overnight, a stranger thing happens. The same media who made their living out of debasing her, now make her out to be a saint, with glowing tributes, and statements of how richly talented she was, and that she would be a loss to the world wide music industry. She, who had nothing left to give, now is in the situation of having so much more to offer, if only we had realised it! A real case of double standards if ever there was one!

Let's not fool ourselves any more than we need to. Amy Winehouse lived a terrible, addicted, sinful life, and was often in the headlines because of her problems, and for all the wrong reasons. She was most certainly not a role model for anyone, especially our youth. But having said all that, she was still cherished by a loving God, but one who had strayed far from His love and care. Who are we to either bring her down, or to lift her up in praise? Who knows her final minutes, except God Himself? And who are we to think anything else, except “there but for the Grace of God, go I”.

I saw the following quote by Steven Crowder on twitter:

Maybe if the entertainment industry didn't reward/encourage such immoral behaviour, she'd be alive. RIP Amy Winehouse.

Now, what does that tell you?

So let us thank our God anew for His great salvation, and free grace, which is ours just for the asking. For me, it begs the simple question, “why do more people not just ask”?