Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

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26 Feb 10
    Greetings on this rainy Friday morning.
    I'm at it a little earlier than normal as I'm scheduled to meet my brother at Government Camp and hit the ski slopes together this morning...either Timberline or Mt. Hood Meadows.  Whereas it's presently about 45 degrees, I'm a bit worried things could turn to rain up there.
    May you be blessed today as you process what it delivers.
        Love and prayers, Dad/Ray.

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26 February 2010
Passage: Acts 9:32-43
Focus: “In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha, who was always doing good and helping the poor.”  Acts 9:36.

            I’m thinking it could be of benefit to give some comparative consideration to two of the main personalities featured in this short reading—Peter and Tabitha.  Peter, for good reason, gets a great deal of attention in the early Church.  He has become an effective leader of respectable bearing and authority.  He was a star player on the Church Team and was used to score a lot of miraculous points in the course of the public presentation of the Gospel.  But in our typical tendency to be preoccupied with public and sensational greatness, we tend to overlook the quiet spiritual and moral greatness of someone like Tabitha.  By standards set forth by Jesus, Tabitha was great.  We see her described here as a sincere follower of Christ (a disciple) “who was ALWAYS DOING GOOD.”  What a description!  I think she’s as worthy a role model as is Peter. 
            Can we do a little personal checkup?  How do you and I rate on God’s scale of greatness?  Are we characterized by doing good some of the time, most of the time, or always?  Are we guided by what we know to be true and good, or by what we feel (emotions), or by the expectations of others (peer pressure)?  Are we willing to use our talents and abilities to help others, or only to feed our own selfish interests?  How much time and effort do we spend helping needy people?  Are we inclined to serve the lowly in quiet and lowly ways, or do we need a lot of attention given our involvements and achievements?
            In the very next chapter, Peter describes the life and ministry of Jesus saying, “He went around DOING GOOD” (10:38).  He is the supreme role model, you know.  We will be true followers of Christ if we will commit ourselves to ALWAYS DOING GOOD. 
            This is, in fact, the designed and intended EFFECT from the CAUSE of the Word.  That’s why the regular consumption and digestion of the Word of God is so vitally important.  Let’s review that familiar description of the Word given in 2 Timothy 3:16-17.  “All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God (disciple) may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”