“The One You Feed.”

“The One You Feed.”

Good Morning in Friends

There is a Native American proverb that goes like this:

A tribal elder is teaching his grandson about life. “A fight is going on inside me,” he says to the boy.

“It is a terrible fight and it is between two dogs. One is evil – he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.”

He continues, “The other is good – he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you – and inside every other person, too.”

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asks his grandfather, “Which dog will win?”

The chief simply replied, “The One You Feed.”

Scripture: They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

Acts 2:42-47 (NRSV)

Isaiah wrote, “I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!'”

Isaiah 6:8 (NIV)

For if you keep silence at such a time as this, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another quarter, but you and your father’s family will perish. Who knows? Perhaps you have come to royal dignity for just such a time as this.’

Esther 4:14 (NRSV)

Message: There are right times for the right people. I know it in the story of Esther but also in the story of the early church. Today’s scripture from Acts is about feeding hungry souls and the first group of individuals who made up what we call today the church. These diverse brothers and sisters craved for a community of faith that is united in purpose and identity and operates in the power of the Holy Spirit. They saw it, felt it, embraced it, and shared it. And most certainly it dawned on these early disciples and must dawn on us as well today that devotion to Jesus requires a commitment to a holistic way of thinking and living… a practicing community of faith, a daily habit that helps us grow from believers into disciples. I am referring of course to that model of community formed by the Holy Spirit after Pentecost… a community in which people involved themselves in teaching, worshipping, fellowship, learning and communion. Ok we are still in Lent, it is not yet Pentecost, but now with Spring Breakers in our South Florida midst it gets me to thinking about the early church and the flow of diverse groups into the city in the hopes of building community. Friends we need community in which to minister and be ministered to… to grow in a way that reaches beyond. The early church were a generous group, tithing and more. They were favored, and well-liked by outsiders, they prayed, they witnessed, they led others to Christ… to the food He provides… and they received oneness and unity, an expression of love of God and love for one another. Indeed we were created for such community. So too we need to offer hospitality to those in our midst. Even a community that welcomes Spring Breakers on alternative vacations. Friends, God has given us not only the Holy Spirit to comfort us, but also each other to help us through the darkness as we await His return… as we are awaiting this morning’s sunrise.

Pray we realize that devoting time to a community of faith helps to bring us into an intimacy with God that comforts us. Pray we are ready to accept the challenge to follow and serve for the building of the kingdom. Pray we know that if we improve ourselves, even just the tiniest bit, we help improve the world, too. Pray that because of the Christ in us we can impact those who value what is sacred. Pray we feed the good in others as well as the good in ourselves. Pray that good wins.

Blessings,

John Lawson