"Wisdom from Charlie"

“Wisdom from Charlie”

 

One of the noteworthy statements uttered by Good Ol’ Charlie Brown in Charles Schulz’s “Peanuts” comic strip is, “I love mankind, it’s people I can’t stand!” In a humorous way our round-headed friend expresses how we sometimes feel: it’s easy to say we love others when they’re cloaked in the anonymity of the masses but meeting them one-on-one where we may have to get “down and dirty” is another story. But what did Jesus do? He defended a helpless woman who was accused of sin by men who overlooked their own hypocrisy (John 8:1-11) and loved a man who couldn’t part with his wealth to follow Him (Mark 10:17-22). What does His attitude towards needy individuals say to us?

When it comes to God’s Word have we sometimes said, “I love the Bible, it’s its commands I can’t stand!”? We know Scripture comes from God (“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful….”—2 Timothy 3:16) and we say we’re committed to it, but our excitement wanes when it steps on our toes and tells us to do what we really don’t want to (or not to do what we really want to). What does God say? “…The words of the Lord are flawless….” (Psalm 12:6). That means all of them, including the parts we wish weren’t there! Another psalmist put it this way: “I delight in your commandments because I love them.” (119:47). Do I really?

Our Lord’s brother James reminds us, “Do not merely listen to the word…Do what it says.” (1:22). In other words, the Bible we love is intended to be lived out in a world full of people who need to hear its message. D.L. Moody said, “The Christian’s life is the world’s Bible.” The question is, then, do I love people enough to live God’s truth before them?

 

Blessings!

Jim McMillan