It all started with mortgage foreclosures. Then, there was the banking bailout fueled by speculation. Before long, CEOs of the top three auto makers flew their corporate jets to Washington for their piece of the Government bailout pie. Unfortunately, despite the huge government loans credit remains frozen. The stock market continues to teeter, and job losses continue to rise. The entire world economy seems to be headed for at least another year and a half of recession. All this chaos surrounding a new presidency leaves most of us wondering what Santa has to say HoHoHo about this year.
So, if finances aren’t the answer what is your true net worth all about? When Jesus called his first disciples, many of them were fishermen. The first thing he asked them to do was to leave their nets and fishing to someone else and follow him. Fishing had been their means of earning a living and establishing security for their futures. In many ways he was asking them to place everything that represented security to them on the line.
In the Gospel of Luke chapter five, Jesus comes to the disciples after they had been fishing all night and had nothing to show for it. I imagine that they were both tired and in no mood for Jesus to suggest they go back out and let down their nets. After all didn’t he know that they were professional fisherman? They had spent the entire evening fishing the night before and had caught nothing. In verse six, we are told that when they complied with his request they captured such a large load of fish that the nets broke while they were trying to get them all into the boat.
So spiritually speaking what is in your net? Have you fished your entire life time in the sea of life trying to bring someone else to faith in Christ? Are the holes in your net too big? Does your net need repairing?
It seems like every Wednesday I see Jehovah’s Witnesses out pounding the payment looking for new converts. Shouldn’t that be us out there searching for people to share Christ with and guiding suffering people to Christ? We don’t even have to look hard to find people in that condition right? They are all around us. Don’t feel bad they were all around Jesus too but remember he always had compassion on them. In Matthew 9:36, the scripture tells us that “he saw the crowds and had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like a sheep without a shepherd.” Later, in Matthew chapter 14, we see that he had compassion on the crowds and healed their sick. How many sick, harassed, or helpless people have you taken the time to show compassion for this week? If you are like me, truly we haven’t shown concern and kindness to as many as we should of.
Christmas is a great time to stretch beyond our normal limits and give generously. Even extravagantly! Samuel Chadwick says, “Compassion costs. It is easy enough to argue, criticize, and condemn; but redemption is costly and comfort draws from the deep. Brains can argue, but it takes a heart to comfort.” Why not ask the Great Shepherd to give you a few creative ways to show compassion to those around us at this very special time of year. Let him help you radically improve your true net worth. Wishing each of you a very meaningful Christmas!
