May the mumbling commence!
Give thanks this day for those people who have been faith pillars for you. An appropriate way to give thanks to these people is to live a life worthy of Christ Jesus. This call to give thanks is how the Apostle Paul begins his second letter to Timothy. Read from Second Timothy chapter one:
I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.
For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life – not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. (Verses 3-10)
I give thanks this day for the people who raised me up in the faith. At first glance, I am concerned when I read about mothers and grandmothers being where sincere faith lives. Don’t get me wrong – there have been wonderful women of the faith who have helped me to grow.
I think about my next door neighbor, Minnie Early. Though she did not have a biological relationship to me, she prayed me into a relationship with God from my earliest days – even when I was not aware of either God or her prayers. Those people who are spiritual mothers and grandmothers need not be physically related to their children or grandchildren. Minnie was a grandmother of the faith to me.
So do not think just because you are not a biological mother (or father for that matter) do not make the mistake of assuming you cannot be a spiritual mother or father to someone else. There a quite a number of children that I saw grow up in the church. I remember teaching them in Sunday school and Bible school. I currently am developing relationships to young people at camp in the summer months.
But let’s not forget our biological family! I remember my biological Grandma Margaret; my mother, and my Aunt Rose. All of them are great women of the faith!
But where are the men of faith in my life?!? They are there, too. I remember my Grandpa Jess and my Uncle Al. And there are many more in the church family. I think specifically of Leonard Hershey, the pastor who helped lead me to a saving faith in Jesus. I think of Myrl Nafziger, Myron Rohrer, and Ralph Kilmer.
How do I honor these people in my life? How should you honor the people of faith in your life? Honor God! Fan into flame the gifts that the Holy Spirit breathed upon you. Be self-disciplined and work for the Lord with all your might, but do not leave love behind.
Love makes sense of all things – eventually. Love is the final word of testimony about God. We are fueled by the grace of God through Jesus Christ. Love helps us endure suffering for the sake of the gospel. And we do all these things in Christ’s name (Christ’s purpose).
And we discover all these things in the context of our chosen faith communities as we read and meditate on the Scriptures together. Read a passage from Second Timothy chapter three:
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. (Verses 14-15)
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
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