The new way of thinking we discussed yesterday, combined with Paul’s guideline of humility, should not just linger as an abstract concept. After all, the Bible is not about appealing philosophies of life, but offers practical guidelines on how we should live to make a difference in this world.

 

The fact that God calls us to be humble does not mean that we are insignificant in advancing his kingdom in this world. We should realise that we are here to help change the world; otherwise, our new way of thinking is meaningless. This new way of thinking encourages us to inspire others to think differently, even if it means providing our enemies with something to eat and drink to achieve this goal.

 

Only when we start to think of ourselves as God’s servants can we fully begin to serve as his ambassadors. Serving God means using the gifts that the Spirit has given us to the best of our abilities. We discussed these gifts earlier in this series, but I want to emphasise their importance once again.

 

It is not important how many gifts we have received or what those gifts are. The most important thing is to use it whenever and wherever there is an opportunity. I may feel that my gift is insignificant and that I cannot make much of a difference in the world. But, consider this: a few months ago, an article featured in the Afrikaans newspaper "Die Burger", Professor Wilhelm Jordaan said something similar to this: “And when everything is done and you have vanished, you will have left something behind.” He then went on to quote from the poem Lines Composed a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey by William Wordsworth: “That best portion of a good man’s life, / His little, nameless, unremembered, acts / Of kindness and of love.”

 

If we can leave a legacy such as this, even our enemies will have had a taste of God’s love.

 

Prayer: We thank you, Lord, that despite our many shortcomings, you want to use us. Please help us to bring a portion of your love to this world and all humanity. Amen