BUILD UP AND RESPECT ONE ANOTHER
Sakkie Parsons
Translated from Afrikaans “Stig en respekteer die een die ander”
Translator: Robin Barker
One morning, I awoke and turned the radio on and started looking for some beautiful music. I found some beautiful Afrikaans folk music. Unfortunately the announcer stopped the music during the discussion with, which I will call, a destructive comment about people who are not from the same race as himself.
The sadness for me in his commend was, that this specific radio station like to proclaim that they live up to and promulgate the true Christian way of life.
The first thing that our Lord showed me that morning was that some Christians show a skewed image of our Lord to the people that surround them. I know of people who will not even attend a church service to our Lord with someone of a different race. Just imagine how uncomfortable they will be one day in Heaven, remember what our Lord had written in His Word:
ACTS 10:34 Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favouritism
ACTS 10:35 but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.
How wonderful to know that the true believer can and will confess with conviction the following, proclaim and naturally will reflect this throughout their lives:
REV 5:9 And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.
REV 5:10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.”
That same morning I went to my daughter Alta’s house, where she was going to help me in the unfamiliar city with some or other thing and then our Lord lifted me just “big time,” as my daughter Suzette in America would say.
Arriving at Alta’s house I had to wait for her because she had to take time off work so that she could assist me. When she arrived, fairly hastily, she ran to the swimming pool first to look at how the black man whom they had hired was getting along with the repairs to the swimming pool. Then quickly came inside, took me by the arm and while we quickly went out the front door, she said over her shoulder to my grandchildren that they must not forget to nicely heat the food and give it to the ‘uncle’ who was fixing the pool, at twelve.
Yes, I needed to say that the ‘uncle’ was black, otherwise what I need to share with you would not register with certain people. As I have said, then our Lord encouraged me just “big time” with two huge delicacies which still makes me warm around the heart.
Firstly my grandchildren are being raised in a Christian household where a grownup is either ‘uncle’ or ‘aunty’, regardless of race or colour.
Secondly I speak a language which you can say, is entrenched with the Bible’s etiquette and respect for anyone who is older than you. So much so, that it is absolutely normal that when I, who has already retired, was speaking to a lady of 80 years of age, I still addressed her as ‘aunty’.
I want to encourage you – as a Christian, while you are an Afrikaner from Africa, an Englishman from England, a Russian from Russia, an Indian from Indian etc., whatever your language is, because I know that not only white Afrikaners receive my mail. Be like me, just a Christian Afrikaner, Englishman, Russian or Indian etc., and do what Jesus expects of you:
Mat 28:19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
Mat 28:20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
What is it that we need to teach the people, that they must adhere to what Jesus has instructed us to do? According to my understanding of the Bible, it begins and ends with Jesus’s ‘love law’, for us:
Mat 22:36-40
36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
38 This is the first and greatest commandment.
39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’
40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
The New Living Translation (NLT) states Matthew 22:40 as:
MAT 22:40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”
I must also remember when I proclaim the Gospel of Jesus and as a starting point, His ‘love law’ makes clear to me: I may not, as certain people have the habit of doing, selectively proceed. No, I must not disassociate certain people because I do not feel devoted to them. Jesus says concerning this the following:
Mat 5:43-48
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’
44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?
47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?
48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Jesus will never give me a command which is not possible. So, how possible is it for me to, concerning this matter, to be “perfect”? Because, it is written:
Matt 5:48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Luckily He gives us the answer in His Word:
COL 3:12-14
12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
In closure:
ROM 15:2 Let each one of us make it a practice to please (make happy) his neighbour for his good and for his true welfare, to edify him (to strengthen him and build him up spiritually). (Amplified Bible)
Greetings,
Sakkie