Friday 22 March 2013

Pay Up!

Today, I was reminded that I had to pay for our planned summer holiday! 
We can hope that the weather will be improved by mid June! A lot will happen in the next 11 weeks. But we had to pay up.
In our different ways, whether as Cypriots, Greeks, or British, we are all discovering that we have to pay up for past mistakes, in taking on more debts than was healthy. 
Just as smoking can damage your health, so can debt!
The apostle Paul reminded his friends, who had become followers of Christ as a result of his first missionary journey through what we might call south east Turkey, that in all matters, there is an inevitable rule - which we might call 'pay up!'
'Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.  Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.' (Galatians 6.7-10)
It is striking that Paul had to spell this out so clearly. Why is this? 
I guess we mostly imagine that while there may be a general rule about bad consequences from bad actions, and things working out badly from foolish actions, somehow we can convince ourselves that we will be the special case, so we can behave as we wish, with nothing to fear. Paul tells us that that is not the case. You will always harvest what you plant. 
And so, we should remember that 'Pay Up!' principle, which is both an encouragement - those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit - as well as a warning. 
Today, we can all look for ways to do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith, for nothing will be wasted.
Best wishes,
Richard

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