July 2023 - Like a Sair Finger’ !

I do love the Scots dialect. A ‘sore finger’ is what the above means (try it and see). We have that phrase in English don’t we about standing out like a sore thumb. I always picture those old Tom and Jerry cartoons where, in an epic game of cat and mouse chase, Tom would often take a knock to the head or jam his hand in the door  in his pursuit of Jerry. His thumb would often swell up and go purple in classic slapstick comedy style. When your thumb is a different size and colour to the rest of your fingers - that’s the word picture that the phrase is meant to conjure up in our minds.

I always love the images that Jesus uses to get his readers to picture the reality of following him. I guess in the days before Powerpoint you needed to engage people’s imaginations a lot more!  Indeed, the imagination is often the key to heart. Like city on a hill and like salt doing its thing - distinctiveness is never far from his mind when preparing his disciples to be in the world but not of it.

How do you be distinct in a place like Thessalonica? Well, spend time in Acts 17 and you get the impression that the city is full of people who like to make their voice heard and who demand their rights. How postmodern indeed! So how can the Thessalonians live distinctly for Christ in their city? Well Paul tells them that a Christ-like community will be one that…

Rejoices in a culture where everyone complains!

Rejoice and give thanks. Seems straightforward enough until you consider then when. Always and in all circumstances. There’s an acknowledgement that life will be full of different seasons. Mourning and celebrating. Weeping and hoping. To quote an a song from Robbie Williams, our world only sings when it’s winning. How refreshingly different the Christian believer. The believer can see both the loving heart and sovereign hand of Jesus in all seasons.

Prays in a culture where everyone fears!

Our world trains us to stay calm and carry on. My default is to channel my inner Bob the Builder who when asked ‘can I fix it‘ responds instantly ‘yes I can’! But I’m no fixer. I’m a broken and scared sinner. Where can we run with our concerns and burdens? Through the Son, in the Spirit we can run to our Father who is big enough to take our concerns and loving enough to care. When everyone else panics and frets the believer gets on their knees and prays.

Tests in a culture when anyone’s right!

The context here is prophecy. Whatever that meant in it’s context and however we understand that today we need to see that Paul is talking first and foremost about an inner attitude. The individualistic spirit of our day tells us that we need to be true to ourselves. After all, who are we to pronounce someone else as being in the right or  in the wrong!? But Jesus calls the believer to be discerning. Maybe you’ve ever had that frustrating experience of doing a jigsaw puzzle only to discover there’s a rogue piece from another puzzle in amongst your pieces. How did you know? It doesn’t look like what’s on the box! That’s the attitude. Does what I am hearing measure up with and aline in accordance with God’s truth? Don’t jump too quickly to say yes. Don’t be a hurry to say no.

Abstains in a culture where anything goes!

That’s the famous song from the musical which has subtly been adopted as the anthem of our age. Thessalonica would have been little different. In culture that says hang loose with the truth, Paul urges the Thessalonians to hold fast to the good. In a culture that says if it feels good do it Paul says abstain from evil. There was a film starring Jim Carey that came out a number of years ago called Yes Man. The premise of the film was easy to discern - life gets a lot more interesting and your spirit a lot more adventurous when you say yes to life! However, not so for the believer who’s had their mind and heart renewed by Jesus. Have you ever considered that one of the most revolutionary things you can do in the world today is to say no? To refrain from indulgence. To restrain desires. To not overcommit. To choose holiness and self-control.

Imagine a world that church that rejoices, prays, tests and abstains. The world should be able to look at us with a puzzled expression and ask why? Then we have an opportunity to talk about the hope that we have in the crucified and risen Christ. Our hearts have been graciously drawn to see a greater beauty. Talk about standing out like a sair finger!