Eternal Dwellings

 "Make friends for yourselves with 

dishonest wealth so that when it fails, 

you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings." 

Luke 16:10

We see a lot of people amassing wealth dishonestly. 

There are politicians who think nothing of 

commandeering the coffers of the nation to 

build mansions, travel extravagantly, 

or construct monuments to themselves on our streets. 

Then there are the petty thieves on motorcycles 

who prey on unsuspecting women and children.

But what about us? 

Are we aware that each of us 

are exiles in this place called earth 

and we are only passing through? 

Imagine if you will that we are in a foreign land, 

a poor little village in Africa. 

And amidst the squalor, we start to build a palace, 

and act as if we are going to stay there forever. 

But in a few days we are supposed to leave for home. 

Is it not a folly, a stupid thing to do? A waste? 

When what we should have been doing was 

building good relationships, 

and amassing wealth we can bring home?

 "Command those who are rich 

in this present world not to be arrogant 

nor to put their hope in wealth, 

which is so uncertain, 

but to put their hope in God, 

who richly provides us with everything 

for our enjoyment. 

Command them to do good, 

to be rich in good deeds, and to be 

generous and willing to share. 

In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves 

as a firm foundation for the coming age,

 so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life." 

(1 Timothy 6:17-19)

 "Each one must be careful how he builds upon it." 

1 Cor. 3:10

Jesus laid the foundation and Saint Paul said 

we must each be careful how 

we build upon that foundation. 

The saints added bricks to the foundation 

and we are continuing to add our 

own bricks and stones upon what they built.

I remember a story of 2 masons. 

When asked what they were building, 

one shrugged and dismissed his work as nothing important. 

The other proudly said he was building a Cathedral. 

We should have a VISION of what God is building. 

We are all part of His mission to build His Kingdom, 

His Church here on earth. That is sooo exciting. 

It is not a mundane task to be taken lightly, 

not to be dismissed as nothing important 

like the first mason did.

 There is a story in the 4th chapter 

of Nehemiah that struck me. 

The Jews were rebuilding their wall 

but they had to protect it from their enemies 

who wanted to destroy it, 

so the men were equipped with spears and armor. 

The ones who were carrying materials 

did their work with one hand, 

and held a sword in the other. 

We too are building God's Church, 

but we also have to protect it from the enemy 

who will do everything to destroy it.

What are we doing to build God's Kingdom? 

What are we doing to protect God's church?

 "Forgive him!" Luke 17:3

The entire time I was painting this, 

I was trying to think of someone I needed to forgive. 

If there was anyone I was remotely angry with, 

and I could think of not a single one. 

What freedom!!!

In the same passage in Luke, 

Jesus says there will always be things 

that cause us and others to sin, 

but that we should always forgive. 

This is a non-negotiable. 

After all, He gave the supreme example 

by giving His life so we would be forgiven.

Joyce Meyer, the popular preacher, 

was sexually abused by her father 

when she was young until she was 18 years old. 

He did terrible things to her, 

but she was able to forgive him 

and take care of him in his old age. 

She led him to Christ before he died. 

She found that being angry and bitter only hurt her, 

and she could not move on. 

And that the only one who was happy, 

was her arch enemy, the devil. 

The more adamant we are about 

being angry and unforgiving, 

the more we open the door to the devil's work in our life. 

And there is nothing better he likes more 

than to attach a ball and chain to our foot 

and keep us manacled to him.

Mahatma Gandhi said, "The weak can never forgive. 

Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong." 

I would say forgiveness is not only an attribute of the strong, 

but also of the smart, the wise and the far seeing.

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