With a Subtitle: Luke 3 reminds believers that obedience is often simple: share what God has given you
A brief Excerpt: In Luke 3:10–11, John the Baptist gives a clear answer to those asking how to live in repentance. This devotional reminds Christians that following Christ often begins with simple acts of generosity, compassion, and obedience.
Scripture
Our verse for today comes from Luke 3:10-11, ” So the people asked him, ‘What then shall we do?’ And he answered them, ‘Whoever has two coats is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.’ “
Background
Don’t you feel sometimes that things are just too complicated? At our jobs, meetings and discussions and an endless parade of e-mails can precede an action or decision that seemed so simple and straight forward when it was first mentioned. You get to the end and feel like the same conclusion could have been reached with a simple 5 or 10 minute chat. And how about our government? Is anything simple or direct with that beast? Committees, subcommittees, forms, regulations, and the red tape to beat all red tape characterize this entity that tries to regulate and manage our society while so often defeating the very purpose it was intended to accomplish. What appears so obvious to so many of us seems never to be quite that simple to our officials. But we do the same kinds of things in our walk with the Lord.
Application
Look again at the conversation in our verses above. John the baptizer is preaching repentance and the coming kingdom, and the crowd asks him what they should do about it. Can’t you almost feel John’s exasperation? He might’ve wondered, do they really need someone living in the wilderness who eats bugs and honey to tell them what they should do? Do I have to tell them to take their bounty of food and give some to the hungry? Do I really need to tell them to take their extra coat and share it with someone who doesn’t have one? He says to look at your situation, your place of blessing and grace from God, and do what makes sense. So what is your situation? Are you blessed with a bunch of money? Then let welfare and the lottery remind us as the church of how we leave the care of the needy to the government and the chance of a pipe dream. Are you retired and blessed with free time? Then let the uneducated and illiterate remind us of the need to read and mentor them. Regardless of who you are, your blessings overflow. So do what makes sense and share them with him who might have none. The crowd heard John’s words and wondered if he might be the Christ. Could your actions make someone wonder that about you?
Charge
As we seek Him today, let’s try to keep it as simple as possible. Give, or do, or help. Don’t wait or wonder or debate. Take that step, make the first move, and do what comes to mind.
Salvation – Eternal Life in Less Than 150 Words
Distributed by – BCWorldview.org