Seeing with our Hearts

27 After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. “Follow me,” Jesus said to him, 28 and Levi got up, left everything and followed him.  Luke 5:27-28

Cross references:

Luke 5:27 : 5:27-32pp — Mt 9:9-13; Mk 2:14-17

Luke 5:27 : S Mt 4:19

Luke 5:28 : ver 11; S Mt 4:19

While driving to work last week I listened to a radio interview of a young woman dealing with extended unemployment.  She had a good education and had been employed in a well-paying, white collar job.  While describing her experiences of being unemployed she began to weep, and shared with the interviewer "I can't participate in society.  I can't go to the store and buy things because I can't afford them. I can't even be a part of an office Christmas party."   She felt excluded because she couldn’t spend like others spend.  She had no community because her job, now gone, was her connection.  The loss of identity and perceived exclusion were sources of real grief.   Normally news is noise to me.  For some reason this woman’s grief and the reason for it caught me off guard.  It continues to trouble me.  This woman was crying for help.    

It occurred to me why I am troubled by this woman.  In my comfortable life I rarely hear the voices of the hurting, the crying, the weary, or the outcasts.  Perhaps unintentionally, but I have separated myself from those who need help.  When I hear them crying, see them hurting, and see their needs I am faced with a decision.  What do I do?  What can I do?  Can I really help?  It is uncomfortable.  When they are out of sight they are out of mind and I don’t have to face that decision.  

When he (Jesus) arrived he saw a great crowd waiting.  He felt sorry for them and healed those who were sick (Matthew 14:14).  "A man with a skin disease came to Jesus.  He fell to his knees and begged Jesus, “You can heal me if you will.”  Jesus felt sorry for the man, so he reached out his hand and touched him and said, “I will.  Be healed!” (Mark 1 40-41).  "When Jesus saw Mary crying and the Jews who came with her also crying, he was upset and was deeply troubled. He asked, "Where did you bury him?" "Come and see, Lord," they said. Jesus cried" (John 11:33-35).

Jesus was constantly around people with physical and spiritual needs.   He saw them, saw their faces, saw their needs, and was moved to serve.  We must do the same.  We must make the decision of daily leaving our comfortable lives and step into the messy, uncertain, and risky gospel of Jesus.  We must avoid the trap of separating ourselves from the lost and hurting in the world we live in and seek them out.  As we see and hear their needs allow the Spirit that resides in us to move us to serve as Christ served.

Father, help me leave behind everything I place ahead of You.  Lead me down the path that brings You glory including serving and loving people who desperately need You.  Place me where you want me to do Your will.   

Scotty Elston

Shallowater, Texas

Keep Running

I am a wanna-be runner. I will train and run and begin to almost feel like a runner, and life, illness, or an injury will set me back. But for whatever reason, I am determined. I will not release the thought of being a runner, so it’s back on the track... so to speak. At least it’s back to the training plan.

Lately it has been a little easier to get back to my plan as I have a very patient running partner. She is consistently ready for me to get back to it, yet understands my need for a break when illness or injury call for it. She won’t let me get away with “I’m just not feeling it today...” because she knows what my ultimate goal is: to be a runner, with maybe a distance race completed eventually.

Hebrews calls me to the same single-minded dedication to the hope I have:

“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” (Hebrews 10:19-24)

Yes, He who promised is faithful, but there are days that I might lose my grip on my hope. These verses give me two remedies for that. First, “draw near to God with a sincere heart.” That is truly some of the best news in the New Testament -- that we don’t have to take our petitions to God through a priest. These scriptures remind us that Christ gave us the confidence to enter the Most Holy Place, cleansed by his very blood. Nothing can prevent us from doing that on a daily, even hourly, basis.

Sometimes I just don’t have it in me to do that, though.  When the unemployment seems to drag on longer than I ever dreamed, or the news from the doctor wasn’t what I hoped it would be, when family news is disappointing or hurtful, sometimes my heart is too broken, too fragile, or too wounded to approach the throne of grace.

That’s when I look to my running partner... or those that “spur me on toward love and good deeds.” God placed us here to be in community so that we may do just that. When I have the strength and energy, it is my time to spur others on toward love and good deeds. Other times, I let those that run this race with me encourage me to simply put one foot in front of the other, to approach the throne of grace.

Let’s run victoriously today.

Sarah Stirman

McKinney, Texas

Think on it!

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.  What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things and the God of peace will be with you (Philippians 4:8, 9).

Bad news is good news for some folks.  They have a sick fascination with anticipating what awful thing is going to happen next.  They’re captivated by it.  Consequently they worry too much, drink too much, sleep too little, and suffer stress-related illnesses of all kinds.

There’s more than enough good news to report, but there’s not a market for it.  If there were, major newspapers, radio stations and TV broadcasters would be outdoing each other’s positive voice and wholesome influence.  Instead, through the magic of modern technology we can experience vicariously every earthly horror and egregious behavior, and the more graphic the better.  No wonder we’re filled with angst!

I’m so thankful the Holy Spirit, through Paul, told us how to live at peace in a world of hostility. He said to think about certain things.  Meditate on them.  Seriously consider whatever is:.

·          True - unconcealed truth, true to fact, conforms to what is true and accurate about God and how God wants us to live;

·          Honorable - gravity and dignity; what inspires reverence and awe; a seriousness of purpose and encourages self-respect.

·          Just - righteous; right conduct.

·          Pure - undefiled, not contaminated, holy.

·          Lovely - pleasing, agreeable, in the direction of brotherly love.

·          Commendable - admirable; of good reputation.

These things are excellent and praiseworthy.  We are to stay focused on them so we can live accordingly.  Father God, the noise of the world targets our vulnerabilities and devours us without mercy if we let it.  Thank you for being our God.  Only in your presence can we find a place to live peacefully all the days of our dangerous life.  Through your son, Christ, who made it possible, we pray and say amen.  

Sandra Milholland
Abilene, Texas

On Cruise Control

A friend of mine was driving down the road with the cruise set on 70. He noticed a highway patrolman ahead of him sitting beside the road. He passed with confidence and even waved as he went by. To his surprise the patrolman started following him with his lights flashing. “Must be stopping a car going the other direction,” he thought to himself. But, there wasn't a car coming the other way and the trooper waved him over. Angrily, he pulled over, got out and walked back to meet the trooper. As he met him he said, "I had my cruise set and I was driving 70 miles per hour. Why did you stop me?" The trooper calmly said, "Sir the speed limit here is 55." My friend knew he was right and boldly proclaimed it. Unfortunately, he wasn’t aware of where he was and had not noticed the signs and the correct speed limit for that stretch of road.


There are times when my spiritual life is on cruise control. I go through each day with little focus and little attention to my relationship with God. In Ephesians 6 Paul makes a chilling statement when he says, “Our fight is not against people on earth but against the rulers and authorities and the powers of this world’s darkness, against the spiritual powers of evil in the heavenly world”. Satan does not want us to experience the perfect relationship God intended we have with Him and with His Son Jesus. The devil does everything he can to stop us from even beginning to know God. For believers, his assaults on us are real and they are cunning. If we aren’t prepared and alert the results are much worse than a speeding ticket in West Texas.


Jesus warned of this when he told the story about planting seed in Luke 8. In sharing the different places the seed (God’s message) falls He describes circumstances when the devil comes, when troubles come, and when the worries, riches, and pleasures of life come. In each case the intent is to keep us away from that perfect relationship with God which is the good soil in the story. My take-away from this story for many years was to be the good soil and produce fruit. Certainly, that is the story’s conclusion. However, I have another understanding. I should expect and know that Satan will attempt to detour my journey of loving God and loving others. He will bring troubles into my life with the sole purpose of disrupting my relationship with God and with those I love. He will bring worries, riches, and pleasure to trap me in my choices and take away the joy and true life that God intended. But, my focus changes as I see these events in a spiritual context. I see them for what they are. They are Satan’s efforts to separate me from the God I love. And I will fight. I will not surrender to the enemy. I won’t attack those I love. I won’t become a victim. I won’t walk away from the church. I won’t blame God should troubles, problems, sufferings, hunger, nakedness, danger or violent death (Romans 8: 35) come into my life. Rather, I see these attacks for what they are and will take courage with the promise that nothing can separate me from the love of God. I will be reminded I am not alone in this battle and will draw strength even in the worst circumstances knowing I will overcome because of His great power (Ephesians 6:10).


Father you never leave us and you never give up on us. Remind us that every day we must make the decision to put you first in everything, and when we do you give us true life, joy, and peace. Amen.

Scotty Elston
Shallowater, Texas