Category: Uncategorized

HONOR GOD’S PRIESTS

Sirach 7:29-31 (not in Protestant Bible)

Fear the Lord with all your soul
And honor His priests.
Love Him who made you
And do not forsake His ministers.
Fear the Lord and honor His priests,
And give them their portion as commanded:
The firstfruits, the trespass offering,
The gift of the shoulder offering,
The sacrifice of sanctification,
And the firstfruits of the holy things.

Personal Challenge

The church, like every other temporal organization, has been established with leaders and followers. It is how we operate within this world. We are charged to honor those who are called to be leaders in the church. They carry an extra burden in their lives and will also be held accountable to a higher standard commensurate with their responsibility. Our honoring them, when they are doing God’s work, supports them in their roles. It is also our responsibility to hold them accountable to fullfilling their role. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

TREATMENT OF THOSE WE LEAD

Sirach 7:20-21 (not in Protestant Bible)

Do not mistreat a servant who does his work in truth
Nor a hired worker who devotes himself to you.
Let your soul love an intelligent servant;
Do not deprive him of his freedom.

Personal Challenge

Most of us have had the opportunity at one time or another to be a manager of another person. Some even have the blessing to own their own business. In either case, this passage provides guidelines on how to treat people under our leadership in a godly way. These principles should be burnt deeply into our way of leading. Glory be to God!

Saint of the Week
St. Basil the Great

REAPING WHAT WE SOW

Sirach 7:1-3 (not in Protestant Bible)

Do no evil things,
And evil will never overtake you.
Stay away from wrongdoing,
And it will turn away from you.
My son, do not sow on the furrows of wrongdoing,
And you will not reap the same things sevenfold.

Personal challenge

Do we want to live our lives with minimalized evil in them? Then don’t do evil things. Do we want to avoid wrongdoing? Then don’t do wrong things. Life has some very clear rules that play out every day. Every action, or inaction, has consequences. Every choice has an outcome. Planting good seed yields good fruit. Bad seeds, to the contrary, produces bad fruit. Lord, have mercy! Lord have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

CHOOSE INSTRUCTION

Sirach 6:18-19 (not in Protestant Bible)

My son, from your youth up, choose instruction,
And you will find wisdom also into old age.
Come to her as one who plows and sows,
And wait expectantly for her good fruits;
For in her work you will labor a little while,
Then you will quickly eat of her fruit.

Personal Challenge

We are never done with process of learning. We should always be willing to embrace instruction. This does not always come from books or blogs or lectures. The school of hard knocks is constantly there to instruct us, especially in our decisions and actions. Instruction of this type is an investment that often takes time to produce dividends. Just as the farmer invests in a future crop by tilling the land, purchasing and sowing the seed, and maintaining the land, the results arrive at harvest time. Lord Jesus Christ. Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

A FAITHFUL FRIEND

Sirach 6:14-17 (not in Protestant Bible)

A faithful friend is a strong shelter,
And he who finds one finds a treasure.
There is nothing that can take the place of a faithful friend,
And there is no way to measure his worth.
A faithful friend is a medicine of life,
And those who fear the Lord will find him.
He who fears the Lord guides his friendship rightly,
Because as he is, so also is his neighbor.

Personal Challenge

Life can be a challenge to navigate. It is full of twists and turns, ups and downs, and yet plugs along whether we are ready or not. The journey through this life can be enhanced by a faithful friend that personifies the characteristics in this passage. These faithful friends are priceless. Glory be to God!

CHARACTERISTICS OF AN ENEMY

Sirach 6:1 (not in Protestant Bible)

Do not be an enemy instead of a friend;
For a bad name brings shame and disgrace,
And a double-tongued sinner is of such a kind.

Personal Challenge

Friendship is such a valuable part of a full life. A challenging part of life are those who choose to be an enemy to others. These people do things that generate a bad name for themselves, which brings them shame and disgrace. If we affiliate with these people, we too, will be tainted. Having a double-tongue also contributes to the aspects of these enemies. Lord have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Sirach 5:10-11 (not in Protestant Bible)

Be established in your understanding
And let your word be consistent.
Be quick to listen
And give your answer with patience.

Personal Challenge

The teachings of Sirach offer words of wisdom on ways to live our lives. Today’s text provides clear guidance on quality communication skills. Start by being established in our understanding of the issue at hand. Follow that with having consistency in our speech and mannerism. Finish that all off with being quick to listen and slow to speak. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

BE HUMBLE

Sirach 3:18-19 (not in Protestant Bible)

The greater you are, the more humble you must be,
And you will find grace before the Lord;
Because great is the power of the Lord,
And He is honored by the humble.

Personal Challenge

Humility does not mean wimpiness or cowardice. It takes deep personal strength to humble oneself and to put others before yourself. Humility is an expected characteristic and endeavor for all followers of Christ. In humility we are able to love God and love our neighbor. In humility we receive God’s great strength to be His representatives here in this earthly realm. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God have mercy on me, the sinner!

Saint of the Week

St. John Climacus