There were no immediate devotional sparks as I read this chapter. I even read it a second time. Sometimes this happens. I am not sure why. Maybe I am not in a good place, distracted, tired, angry, rushed. I don’t know. Maybe the Lord is quiet, wanting me to realize it is being with Him and not only the nuggets He gives that should draw me to times in the Word and prayer.
These daily times, after all, are about being with the Lord, not only receiving from the Lord.
After all of the above, I looked back one more time and verse 9 seemed to rise off the page. All this I saw, as I applied my mind to everything done under the sun. There is a time when a man lords it over others to his own hurt. It was the second sentence that launched some thoughts.
There is a time when a man lords it over others to his own hurt. As strange as it may sound, images of General/President Idi Amin, the vile despotic ruler of
As he lorded it over that country, his heart seemed to grow harder and harder. It was almost like all that is good about humanity drained out of him, leaving only the worst parts of human nature.
We can lord it over others to our own detriment. Our “bigness” and importance can skew reality and twist our thinking and feeling (if we have feelings for others).
As I contemplate this, Jesus’ Words come to mind. Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave-- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:25-28).
Lord, Jesus, help me to serve… You and others in Your name. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment