How Do Our Lives Affect Others?

Reading Romans 14, I couldn’t help but think of this statement, penned so long ago by the great English poet John Donne: “No man is an island, entire of itself.”

It’s true. Everything we do or say affects others—for good or for bad.

Romans 14 is all about Christians and their preferences, differing viewpoints, and judging others (on subjects like eating, celebrating holidays, etc.).

The key verses are these:

7-8, For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.

10, But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

12-13, So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.

And then, the conclusion:

19, Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

Amen!

God's Green Thumb

I love plants, but I will never profess to have a green thumb. If you visit my house, you’ll see all the hardiest non-killable plants in my windows and on the shelves. I water them once a week and enjoy their green color. Some even flower in the wintertime. Gotta love a great plant!

My friend can literally put a stick in the ground, and it sprouts leaves and roots. Once, she and her husband put staves around some flowers to protect them from neighborhood dogs. To my surprise, a month later, one of the staves had rooted and sprouted short green branches and leaves. She just has a knack for plants.

I read about an even greater feat in Numbers 17. There were murmurings among the Israelites. (Imagine that—people being crabby!) They weren’t happy with Aaron’s leadership. So God told Moses, Speak unto the children of Israel, and take of every one of them a rod according to the house of their fathers, of all their princes according to the house of their fathers twelve rods: write thou every man’s name upon his rod. And thou shalt write Aaron’s name upon the rod of Levi: for one rod shall be for the head of the house of their fathers (verses 2-3).

Then God said one of the rods would blossom. The name on that rod would be God’s choice.

So, the twelve rods were put in the tabernacle before the LORD.  

And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness;

and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded,

and brought forth buds,

and bloomed blossoms,

and yielded almonds.

And Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD unto all the children of Israel:

and they looked, and took every man his rod (verses 8-9).

These rods, these walking sticks, were dead, peeled sticks.

God, the Creator, the Giver of life, made something amazing happen. Not only did Aaron’s rod bud. It budded, bloomed, and bore fruit—all at the same time.

Now, I’m not a horticulturist, but I know that first there are buds and leaves, then blooms, and then fruit.

God wanted to give those grumbling people a sign that was supernatural, something that would show them His power, His choice, His direction in their lives.

He shows us these same things in the Bible. We can read about Aaron’s rod, how it was kept in the Ark of the Covenant, and how God led His people. We can witness God’s miraculous power through the centuries.

Today, we can rejoice at God’s almighty power.