It is a dreary day, but I would ask Father that You would enable your light and warmth to radiate from the very core of my being. Inspire me with Your words and wisdom. Amen.

1 Corinthians 4:5 (<<click here to read the passage)

Growing up (and I called Dad to verify), I recall only one church with bats. I have been pastoring two rural churches for 20+ years, and neither has bats, but my newest pastorate does have bats! The people who get everything unlocked before our Sunday morning service do a “bat check” as part of their routine. Many in the congregation don’t worry much about them, but it bothers others greatly. I guess they’ve been known to fly around the sanctuary when temperatures outside get really hot or really cold.

When many see bats, they automatically think the worst. But in reality, many bats eat insects, help pollinate flowers, and disperse seeds for growth, supporting healthy ecosystems. The only thing we might have to fear from bats is if they have rabies. And truth be told, most do not. I read one statistic that of all the bats submitted for rabies testing in the U.S. (these only included bats capable of being captured), only about 6 percent had rabies.

The Apostle Paul doesn’t speak of bats, but he does speak of having a predetermined attitude regarding others. He says in the first part of verse 4,

So don’t make judgments about anyone ahead of time—before the Lord returns.

We cannot truly know what people are like to the very core of their being. Only God truly knows that; over time, we can also get a pretty good idea of that. I’ve had experiences in life where I was cautioned about certain people who many held as problematic, but entering into those relationships with an open heart and mind, I did not find them to be that way.

Ultimately God…

…will bring our darkest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives. Then God will give to each one whatever praise is due.

I realize it requires constant upkeep, but we must remain diligent. Our focus should not be on the speck of dust in someone else’s eye but on the plank in ours. Don’t make judgments on others; instead, we must take care of ourselves.

Our job, as Paul says in Philippians 2:12b-13, is to…

…continue to work out your salvation [that is, cultivate it, bring it to full effect, actively pursue spiritual maturity] with awe-inspired fear and trembling [using serious caution and critical self-evaluation to avoid anything that might offend God or discredit the name of Christ]. For it is [not your strength, but it is] God who is effectively at work in you, both to will and to work [that is, strengthening, energizing, and creating in you the longing and the ability to fulfill your purpose] for His good pleasure. AMP

Amen.

Oct 16th, 2023, Mon, 12:34 pm