The Phil Files

When you find a real godly leader, he or she is a servant leader. It really is that simple. Sure, some of them lead loudly from the front, others quietly from the side or in the middle of the pack, but their hearts are always on those they lead.

I have always been struck by the way the Holy Spirit uses Luke to make this point in Acts 6, our daily Bible reading for today. The early followers of Jesus have faced down persecution, the trouble from outside their fresh and growing family of believers. Now, however, they are facing a social division that is based on language and financial power. The widows who do not speak Aramaic (the common form of language at this time in Jerusalem, similar to Hebrew) are being neglected. This is causing division and hard feelings.

The apostles, in their Spirit-led wisdom, make it clear to the ever-growing followers of Jesus that they must remain centered on their primary tasks: preaching the word about Jesus and prayer. So they appoint seven servants to administer and equip the church for making sure these women are not neglected. And it worked. But the punch line for me are the words in that summarize the end of this story:

//Inspiration: Acts 6:7

So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.

//Incarnation:

The priests were not responding at all to the message about Jesus. In fact, they had largely been in opposition to the whole Jesus movement. But apparently there was something in how the early church cared for its own that grabbed their attention and moved them closer to the message so that they responded.

As I look at a culture today that largely dismisses “Christians” as irrelevant or to be pitied or to be opposed because they are hard-hearted hypocrites who want to impose their will on everyone else while not living it themselves. (If this seems harsh, look at the survey data in the book, <u>UnChristian</u> or <u>They Like Jesus, Not the Church</u>!) But if we can move the followers of Jesus away from the political agendas of self-preservation and more toward the delivery of compassion and concern, who knows what hearts it will open. I know it will sure resonate a lot better in the hearts and ears of our young adults who are hanging on to what they see as an irrelevant and inconsequential artifact called the church. They are longing for a reason to stay with it because it makes a difference in the broken world they know.

One of the reasons I believe the current efforts with Compassion are so important is that there are people in need and Jesus calls to step in and minister to them in His name. But another reason, a very important reason to do this, is to give the followers of Jesus a place to invest themselves in something matters.

Please pray that our efforts in Uganda are successful in finding sponsors for hundreds of children. Please consider becoming one yourself!

//Invitation:

Lord Jesus, please move us, stir us, and embolden us to move into our broken world with Your grace in ways that matter and mend. Amen.