In the prophetic books of Joel and Obadiah, we see a fascinating and frightening vision of locusts decimating the land, and another surrounding the Day of the Lord and the judgment of God. And on the flip side of that coin, we get a glimpse of God’s compassion toward His people, the promise of His Spirit, and the blessing He promises to bestow.
These books are such rich and interesting study. And I was absolutely stopped in my tracks by
the message – the warning – from God through Obadiah:
TREAT YOUR BROTHER WELL
Obadiah teaches that Edom will definitely be judged by God
(Obadiah 1-9). Obadiah spells out Edom’s
sins against Judah (Obadiah 10-14).
Obadiah speaks about the judgment of the nations (Obadiah 15-18) and the
future blessing for Israel (Obadiah 19-21).
Edom will be completely wiped out for mistreating his brother,
Judah. If you recall, the Edomites were
the descendants of Esau. And Obadiah
teaches that they would be judged for their mistreatment of Judah, a descendant
of Israel, aka Jacob. Jacob was Esau’s
younger brother. His twin. A struggle that began in Rebekah’s womb –
remember she prayed to God about the jostling within her while she was pregnant
– continued into the future generations.
John 13:35 says, “By this all men will know that you are My
disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Is that how men would know you?
Do you love lavishly and extravagantly, or are you holding a
grudge against someone?
If Jesus were in your shoes, what would He do in your
situation?
Would people learn you’re a Christian and be shocked?
How can you live out this principle of Scripture more
effectively? This got me thinking: it’s
Christmastime. Shouldn’t Christians
stand out from the crowd at this time of year?
Shouldn’t it be for a good reason?
Where do I look like the rest of the world? What could I change?
Smile. Smiling is a
free gift, and often contagious.
Laugh. The joy of the
Lord is our strength. Right? Let some of that joy bubble out!
Be polite. Be
courteous. Remember to say “please” and “thank
you.” Hold a door open. Write a “thank you” note. Maybe politeness is contagious, too.
Be hospitable. Invite
someone to church. Or dinner. Or host a game night.
Take your time. Time
is a gift. Don’t rush. Have a conversation. Ask someone about their plans. Don’t just tell them about yours and walk
away.
Do any of those ideas resonate with you? Try them out.
Develop them into habits. They
are a good way to start treating your brother well! If this idea helps you, consider sharing this post with someone you know who might also benefit from it.
Merry Christmas!
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