Sunday: The Mastery of Many Things
WEEK 34
SUNDAY
THE MASTERY OF MANY THINGS
Philippians 3:13-16
We come now to another mastery in the Acts—the mastery of the many things on behalf of the one.
This mastery is seen in these two contrasting passages: “Jesus knew the dispute that occupied their minds” (Luke 9:47 MNT), and “Paul was occupied with preaching” (Acts 18:5 RSV). In one case the question of personal prestige and position occupied the minds of followers of Jesus; the ego and its interests were at the center. In the other case the question of preaching Jesus was the center of interest; the ego was on the edges, and the sharing of Jesus was at the center. The results of these centers of interest were obvious. In one case the disciples canceled out their own power. The boy possessed with demons had a better case of demon possession than they of God possession, and they could not get the demons out. In Paul’s case he had a better case of God possession than the people had of demon possession, and the demons came out. The difference was in what occupied the center.
What an amazing thing to occupy the minds of his disciples as Jesus walked steadily to the cross—their own selves! Jesus had not moved in to take perfect possession as yet. He was there, but their unsurrendered selves pushed past him and took over the center. They were divided personalities. But in the case of Paul, Jesus held the center; and Paul’s self and its desires were on the margin. He could say, “I do this one thing” (Phil 3:13); and the disciples before Pentecost could say: “These forty things we dabble in.”
The person who cannot say, “I do this one thing,” has to say, “These many things I dabble in.” That person’s soul forces are not fused into one; she or he is a dabbler instead of a doer. The Holy Spirit cleanses from conflict as well as from contamination. The scattered rays of the sun, not concentrated, set nothing afire; but when they are brought through a burning glass and concentrated at one point, they set that point ablaze. Paul set that ancient world on fire, for his soul was a burning glass.
O Holy Spirit, I become receptive to the rays of your power, and I concentrate them upon my task. Help me to set on fire everything I touch. Amen.
AFFIRMATION FOR THE DAY: I am going over my life to eliminate the bad for the good, the good for the better, the better for the Best.