my Articulate Heart

Looking at the abundance in my life  (not in terms of financial surplus) people assume that I have lot of money. Some tend to misunderstand when I tell them that I don’t have money to spare, more so when they approach me for a share of the tithe or to borrow some in dire need. To those who listen, I tell them; God has been providing for me because I’m mindful, in little ways, of His Kingdom and His righteousness. House, car, office, and children’s schooling, all these came, noticeably in the absence of sufficient bank balance to look forward to. At the same time, I know I should be mindful of the kingdom not in order that I may have my material needs met. But because I seek something much above what material things can offer (true joy and self actualization in my Creator) these needs of mine become God's business to look after.  How wretched I’m if I give tithe in order to feel justified or to receive the double and triple portions God promised to those who give. ...

Mother Hen along with it's many chicks move on as the young ones crisscross and sometime mount on her.  A chick that stayed behind spotting something new on the ground catches up with the rest. An unfriendly noise! A warning call from the mother follows. She lifts her wings and the chicks go hiding under it. Frightened chicks keeps total mum. Mother crouches over the young ones. The chicks hear their mother's heart beat and feel the warmth of her body. While the chicks are lost in this extreme comfort and well being, the mother gets up and walks off.  The chicks fall over, afraid being unprotected, look up to see only the vast expanse of the empty sky. They then find their mother who is already at a distance ahead of them. They run to her   The chicks peck on all things mother scavenge for them and move on.  They now come to the edge of the plain beyond which is a big ditch. The mother Hen waits for no one, jumps off with its wings spread and ...

Every individual has inclinations unique to him. Possessing an inclination does not qualify him to do what he wants with them. Society has identified certain acts to be illegitimate as they are harmful to the harmony of human existence. Someone who is scheming to rob a man and another who is plotting to bomb a railway station are both considered anti social. The society has judicial laws addressing motives such as these.  Same is the case with an individual who has tendency to sexually utilize minors. Anyone, because he is differently oriented, actions, as a result of his disorientation, do not qualify to be legal.  God is madly in love with all of us despite our wrong orientations, motives and methods. A person who is differently oriented, who is sexually attracted to the same gender, is encouraged to identify the disorientation, experience God’s unconditional love which is loaded with tremendous transforming power and strive towards becoming rightly oriented. In a ...

If God has saved our face in shameful situations, averted getting caught in the act of private sins; it is simply because God's love does not permit his children to be disgraced. Have not an iota of doubt that this protection is not God's approval of our sin. The innumerable blessings and providence in our life is no sign that we are any better and we have God’s approval on our side. God lets His sun shine on the wicked and good alike When we preach about our material blessings, we must be careful not to let our brothers think that we follow Jesus for blessings.  Merely attaining salvation or avoiding hell should not be our life’s goal but to be Christ like.

Jesus said "whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me". In another situation He said "a cup of water given to the other in my name will not go unrewarded". My doing and giving should be independent of what I intend receive from that act.  Every good deed done is duly acknowledged by God. But better is when I render a good deed to the other, purely because he or she belongs to Christ , just as I'm one. I may do a good deed for the kick it offers. A good yard stick to gauge my motive is to check on my response when a deed is misunderstood and reciprocated with total ingratitude. Irritation is easy to come by if my intention is not independent of the feel good it offers. The expression "give happily" assumes new meaning in this context. My happiness and consolation is not to be derived directly from what I have done but purely from the joy of having served Christ in my neighbor. This is probably why Mother Te...