Strength for What Purpose?
Many years ago, on a day-time television show, Merv Griffen, the host of the show, interviewed a professional body-builder, and Merv asked him, “Why do you develop those particular muscles?”
The body-builder simply stepped forward and flexed a series of well-defined muscles from chest to calf. The audience applauded, but Merv pressed his question, “What do you use all those muscles for?”
Again, the muscular specimen flexed, and his biceps and triceps sprouted to enormous proportions. “But what do you use those muscles for?” Merv persisted.
The body-builder never provided an answer other than to display his well-developed frame.
Sadly, some Christians have developed such spiritual muscles. They can step forward and spout a multitude of Bible verses; and they can belt out the words of a horde of Christian songs; and they can show off a library full of Christian books, but they don’t have any idea how to live our their faith with compassion, integrity, humility or joy. All they know how to do is to stand there and flex their muscles.
God is more interested in us developing a courage and strength that enables us to love the Lord our God with the whole of our being and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves.
In verse 13, Paul also instructs them, “Keep alert; stand firm in your faith.”
On April 17, 1521, the son of a German coal miner stood trial for heresy before an assembly of church and state rulers. As the Imperial/Ecclesiastical Inquisition began, this coal miner’s son, Martin Luther, was asked if he had written the books that were stacked beside him. He replied in a whisper, “The books are all mine, and I have written more.”
Then came the decisive question, “Are you willing to recant of what you teach in them?”
He whispered his response, “I beg you, give me time to think it over.”
He was given twenty-four hours.
That night, he prayed, “O God, Almighty Everlasting! How dreadful is the world! behold how its mouth opens to swallow me up, and how small is my faith in Thee…. If I am to depend upon any strength of this world, all is over…. O Lord, help me…. Forsake me not.”
Late the next day, Martin Luther returned to the assembly. At first, he tried to answer his inquisitors by giving a speech, but he was cut off. A simple answer was demanded of him: “I ask you, Martin, answer candidly and without horns, do you, or do you not, repudiate your books and the errors which they contain?”
With a strong voice, Luther replied, “Since your Majesty and lordships desire a simple reply, I will answer without horns and without teeth…. My conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand; I cannot do otherwise. God help me!”
Can we, too, stand firm in our faith?
In verse 14, Paul instructs the believers, “Let all that you do be done in love.”
In his first letter to scattered Christians, John stresses, “God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them” (1 John 4:16). If we desire to abide in God, and if we long for God to abide in us, let all that we do be done in love!
C. Neil Strait observes, “Love is the ingredient that makes every relationship in life, whatever it is, a little better. Love has a capacity to mend the broken, heal the hurting, and inspire the despairing. Love that reaches beyond the misunderstandings and the failures is a love that unites and encourages. Such a love is one of our world’s greatest needs.” If we hope to make the world around us a little better, let all that we do be done in love!
The great challenge and goal of the Christian life is to become more and more like Jesus. Is it possible to name one thing that Jesus did that was not motivated by love? I can think of none! Therefore, if we want to become more and more like Jesus, let all that we do be done in love!
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