Joshua 6:1-5

One of my favorite songs is “Trust and Obey” because it sums up God’s purpose for our lives. When we practice these two commands, a beautiful cycle begins. Trusting the Lord makes obedience easier, and obedience produces ever-increasing trust. Can you recall facing a challenge that was difficult or perplexing? If so, you know how important these two commands are.

When the Lord calls you to a task that seems unreasonable, you have two options. You can obey Him even though you don’t understand what will happen, or you can become fearful and attempt to find a way out. Joshua chose the first option. Because he trusted the Lord, he disregarded all his military experience and adopted God’s bizarre battle plan. Over the years, he had learned that the Lord is trustworthy.

The way we respond to God’s challenging assignments reveals our level of commitment. We may feel as if we’re right in step with Him–until He proposes a change of direction. That’s when our resistance kicks in, and with it, the realization we aren’t as close to Him as we thought. At that point, our decision determines whether the Lord will be able to use us as He desires. Because Joshua never lost his commitment, he continued to serve the Lord for the remainder of his life.

At times obedience is a struggle, as your mind runs through all the reasons God’s path is illogical. Fear dominates and your will battles to comply when everything within is screaming to run the other way. But obedience is always the best choice, because the Lord is trustworthy and wise.

 D.I.Y or “Do it yourself” is often a necessity in lean, economic times. It is also a return to a simpler time, when craft and skill involved far more than technological prowess. More than the fad movement it has become, do-it-yourself was simply the way people ate through the cold winter months, or fixed what was broken, or made something new for a child to enjoy. 

 In my own life, I have come to embrace D.I.Y partially out of necessity. I am making my own granola and bread, growing vegetables in a garden that I eat during the summer months and preserve for the winter, and learning to fix broken things around my house. I love the sense of self-sufficiency that comes from doing things the hard way, or the slow way, or just on my own. 

 But a much greater sense of satisfaction comes when what I have made or fixed contributes nourishment and benefit for those around me. This is especially true when it comes to food. I love sharing a meal that comes from the garden with others who live in a D.I.Y world, not by choice, but by necessity. I love baking an extra loaf of bread, or making more than enough food to feed not just myself but others.  There is something transformative when what I have done myself is done for the benefit of others.

 Throughout the narrative of the gospel according to Luke, Jesus is often coming and going from meals. Interestingly enough, Jesus is often eating meals with a very sundry cast of characters who were often consigned into a do-it-yourself corner because they were not welcome at the table of their religious communities. Yet, meals with Jesus were about more than the food. They were the conduits for spiritual and life transformation. One dramatic example of this transformation occurs with a chief tax gatherer, Zaccheus. And unlike other accounts of meals with Jesus in Luke’s gospel where he is the invited guest, Jesus invites himself over to dine in Zaccheus’s home. As a result of this dining experience, Jesus gives Zaccheus a new identity as a “Son of Abraham,” a title that inflamed the religious leaders of his day. How could Jesus count a scheming, conniving, tax-collecting outsider as a “Son of Abraham”—which meant he was a son of the faithful patriarch and a true Israelite? And how did Zaccheus demonstrate faith that garnered Jesus’s commendation?

 Hearing the news of Jesus’s arrival, this much-maligned man pushed his way through the crowds, and climbed up in a tree just to get a glimpse of this man. Zaccheus had heard the stories about Jesus—his healings, his hospitality towards tax collectors and sinners, and his remarkable, authoritative teachings. Now his curious faith compelled him to see for himself if all that he had heard was really true. 

 How surprising it must have been when Jesus invites himself over for dinner! Jesus wants to dine with this one who is despised. In response, Zaccheus overflows with generous gratitude. “Lord, half of my possessions I will give to the poor” (Luke 19:8). Jesus has asked for nothing but hospitality from Zaccheus, and in response, Zaccheus willingly surrenders half of his wealth. The tax collector’s willingness to let go of half of his wealth demonstrates faith—a faith, just like Abraham. The hospitality of Jesus prompts his faith-fueled donation.

 But his faithful response goes beyond gratitude as he seeks to restore justice to those whom he has defrauded. It wasn’t enough for Zaccheus to give away half of his wealth in response to Jesus; he insists on repaying those he has defrauded. The Old Testament requirement for restitution is for the amount defrauded plus one-fifth.(1)But Zaccheus doesn’t simply meet the letter of the law; he offers to repay four times as much as he has defrauded others! Four-fold restitution will impoverish Zaccheus, as he’s already committed to give away half of his wealth. Yet in response to Jesus’s gracious invitation, Zaccheus parts with his wealth as a sign of his saving faith.

 Like Abraham, Zaccheus responds with faith that prompts action. Voluntarily impoverishing himself, Zaccheus shows that he, too, will live by faith—faith that demonstrates its true character in action. Thus, Zaccheus’s faith also benefits the community around him. At some point after Jesus invites himself to the tax collector’s home, Zaccheus rises—uncoerced, unadmonished, and unprompted—and commits himself to doing justice. For Zaccheus, justice rolls down like waters from the hospitality of Jesus, and it flows into his own faithful demonstration of hospitality towards others: he shares his wealth and restores what was ill-gotten.  

 “Salvation has come to this house”—all in response to a meal. Imagine that. Rather than hoarding resources in a self-centered world it is the gift of hospitality—giving both emotional and physical nurture—that proves the vessel for transformation. In a world where do–it-yourself independence is valued above seeing one’s means as an opportunity for sharing, surely the faithful witness of Zaccheus offers a sobering challenge. Do unto others as you would have it done unto you.

 Margaret Manning is a member of the speaking and writing team at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Seattle, Washington. 

 (1) See Leviticus 6:5 and Numbers 5:7.

Morning “Be ye separate.” / 2 Corinthians 6:17

The Christian, while in the world, is not to be of the world. He should be
distinguished from it in the great object of his life. To him, “to live,”
should be “Christ.” Whether he eats, or drinks, or whatever he does, he should
do all to God’s glory. You may lay up treasure; but lay it up in heaven, where
neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, where thieves break not through nor steal.
You may strive to be rich; but be it your ambition to be “rich in faith,” and
good works. You may have pleasure; but when you are merry, sing psalms and
make melody in your hearts to the Lord. In your spirit, as well as in your
aim, you should differ from the world. Waiting humbly before God, always
conscious of his presence, delighting in communion with him, and seeking to
know his will, you will prove that you are of heavenly race. And you should be
separate from the world in your actions. If a thing be right, though you lose
by it, it must be done; if it be wrong, though you would gain by it, you must
scorn the sin for your Master’s sake. You must have no fellowship with the
unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. Walk worthy of your
high calling and dignity. Remember, O Christian, that thou art a son of the
King of kings. Therefore, keep thyself unspotted from the world. Soil not the
fingers which are soon to sweep celestial strings; let not these eyes become
the windows of lust which are soon to see the King in his beauty–let not
those feet be defiled in miry places, which are soon to walk the golden
streets–let not those hearts be filled with pride and bitterness which are
ere long to be filled with heaven, and to overflow with ecstatic joy.

Then rise my soul! and soar away,

Above the thoughtless crowd;

Above the pleasures of the gay,

And splendours of the proud;

Up where eternal beauties bloom,

And pleasures all divine;

Where wealth, that never can consume,

And endless glories shine.

Evening “Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies.” / Psalms 5:8

Very bitter is the enmity of the world against the people of Christ. Men will
forgive a thousand faults in others, but they will magnify the most trivial
offence in the followers of Jesus. Instead of vainly regretting this, let us
turn it to account, and since so many are watching for our halting, let this
be a special motive for walking very carefully before God. If we live
carelessly, the lynx-eyed world will soon see it, and with its hundred
tongues, it will spread the story, exaggerated and emblazoned by the zeal of
slander. They will shout triumphantly. “Aha! So would we have it! See how
these Christians act! They are hypocrites to a man.” Thus will much damage be
done to the cause of Christ, and much insult offered to his name. The cross of
Christ is in itself an offence to the world; let us take heed that we add no
offence of our own. It is “to the Jews a stumblingblock”: let us mind that we
put no stumblingblocks where there are enough already. “To the Greeks it is
foolishness”: let us not add our folly to give point to the scorn with which
the worldly-wise deride the gospel. How jealous should we be of ourselves! How
rigid with our consciences! In the presence of adversaries who will
misrepresent our best deeds, and impugn our motives where they cannot censure
our actions, how circumspect should we be! Pilgrims travel as suspected
persons through Vanity Fair. Not only are we under surveillance, but there are
more spies than we know of. The espionage is everywhere, at home and abroad.
If we fall into the enemies’ hands we may sooner expect generosity from a
wolf, or mercy from a fiend, than anything like patience with our infirmities
from men who spice their infidelity towards God with scandals against his
people. O Lord, lead us ever, lest our enemies trip us up!

Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness because of my enemies.   Psalm 5:8

The enmity of the world is bitter in its assault against the people of Christ. Men will forgive a thousand faults in others, but they will magnify the most trivial offense in the followers of Jesus. Instead of vainly regretting this, let us make it work for us, and since so many are watching for our collapse, let it be a special motive for walking very carefully before God. If we live carelessly, the watching world will soon see it, and multiple tongues will spread the story, exaggerated and emblazoned by the zeal of slander.

They will shout triumphantly, “See! See how these Christians act! They are hypocrites to everyone.” And so great damage will be done to the cause of Christ, and His name will be greatly maligned. The cross of Christ is in itself an offense to the world; let us take care that we add no offense of our own. It is “a stumbling block to Jews”1: Let us ensure that we put no stumbling blocks where there are enough already. “Folly to Gentiles”: let us not add our folly to give apparent reason for the scorn with which the worldly deride the Gospel. How concerned we should be with ourselves! How rigid with our consciences!

In the presence of adversaries who will misrepresent our best deeds and impugn our motives if they cannot censure our actions, we should be circumspect! Like pilgrims we travel under suspicion through Vanity Fair. Not only are we under surveillance, but there are more spies than we imagine, at home and at work. If we fall into the enemies’ hands, we may sooner expect generosity from a wolf or mercy from a fiend than anything like patience with our infirmities from those who spice their infidelity toward God with scandals against His people. Lord, lead us always; do not allow our enemies to trip us up!

11 Corinthians 1:23

Family Reading Plan Ezekiel 14  Psalm 55