A Christian should be different, but am I? When did I last help someone struggling in life? We feel good when we can connect with or assist someone we consider to be significant — someone of affluence and influence. Too often, we gravitate to someone with gravitas. We consider it a privilege — if not an honour to be able to help them. We could even secretly hope our kindness may strengthen our network of contacts.
We like it when people catch us talking to the Mayor, a hockey star at the airport, or a lawyer at the coffee shop. Those are encounters we’re sure to be talking about. We find ways to share our celebrity encounters with others without being too obvious. Casually, in an off-handed way, we engage in the annoying practice of ‘name-dropping.’
"As a matter of fact, I was briefly chatting with Mayor McDermott at the mall this morning and she was telling me about the Downtown Revitalization Initiative." Or, "I bumped into Senator Smith, and he fears a long, dry summer ahead of us."
Leveraging opportunities to build relationships and broaden our network seems critical to success.
As for the single dad waiting at the Food Bank with his three children, or the man curled up on the blanket outside the store, or the young person sitting alone at the coffee shop looking lost, or the single mom pushing the old stroller puffing on a cigarette or the older lady in the fake-fur coat sitting on the bench every day – as for them?
"Well, it's not my thing to go up to someone like that and start a conversation. Besides, I am too busy. Someone will help them out. If I show them kindness, I'll just become another enabler. You can call it tough love — but had they made different choices in life, they wouldn't be living like that!"
Our world is broken. It is characterized by inequities, injustices and unrighteousness – no political party is exempt and no leader is without fault. Some are worse than others, but all fall far short of God’s standard. That’s what makes the reign envisioned in Psalm 72 so beautiful. At first glance, one might think the Psalm is exclusively about King Solomon. It starts like this:
A Psalm of Solomon. Give the king Your judgments, O God, And Your righteousness to the king’s Son. May He judge Your people with righteousness And Your afflicted with justice. Let the mountains bring peace to the people, And the hills, in righteousness. Psalms 72:1-3 NASB
No earthly king, not even Solomon, came close to reflecting the character of the kingdom described in this Psalm. It becomes obvious David’s greater Son is in view. Sixteen times in the Gospels, Jesus is called the “Son of David” — a messianic title.
Psalm 72 describes a time on Earth when the social milieu will be so wonderfully different. The power structure will shift and take on a completely new look. When Christ reigns for one thousand years, the foster kids, the marginalized poor, the downtrodden, the social misfits, the homeless, the minorities, the underprivileged and the disadvantaged — all of them will be the particular objects of His compassion and care. He will ensure they are not overlooked. As you read the Psalm, a righteous definition of justice emerges. It implies so much more than just putting down the oppressor. It also envisions a deliberate lifting up of the oppressed and downtrodden.
Christ will level the playing field, seek out, prosecute and eliminate racism and discrimination and root out unfair advantage. Equity, fairness, equality, and righteousness will be the pervasive force that permeates His kingdom. He will take action to enable the disadvantaged to catch up with the rest of society. No longer will the rich be advantaged and the poor impoverished. He will punish those who oppress or slight the downtrodden or take advantage of them. In that day, no DEI, IDEA, or Affirmative Action programs will be needed. His will be a fair and just rule marked by honesty, compassion and grace.
For He will rescue the poor who cry out and the afflicted who have no helper. He will have pity on the poor and helpless and save the lives of the poor. He will redeem them from oppression and violence, for their lives are precious in His sight. Psalms 72:12-14 CSB
“Hold on a second,” you say. “That’s when He reigns on Earth. Not now!” That’s right, but isn’t He reigning in my heart today? As a Christian, isn’t He reigning in your heart? So, the values, principles, and priorities that will mark His rule worldwide in a future day should govern my personal life this very day. That’s what Christ expects of me today.
Is it too much for all of us to lift our hearts to the Lord just now with a prayer something like this:
Lord, may a greater awareness and sensitivity to the needs of others rise within my heart. Remove the spiritual cataracts from my eyes so I will see opportunities to show compassion and the love of Christ to others outside of my little circle. May my ears become unplugged so I can better hear cries of distress in my community. May I be unshackled from complacency and selfishness so my hands and heart can uplift 'unknown' others with respectful kindness and dignity.
In closing, Isaac Watts wrote a beautiful hymn about the millennial reign of Christ. Here are two of the stanzas.
Jesus shall reign where’er the sun
does its successive journeys run,
his kingdom stretch from shore to shore,
till moons shall wax and wane no more.
Blessings abound where’er he reigns:
the prisoners leap to lose their chains,
the weary find eternal rest,
and all who suffer want are blest.
Don’t hesitate to share a thought from your personal experience or a verse that has been a blessing to you – in the comment section below. Or, if you would like to reach out privately, click below.
