He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
    And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
    and to walk humbly with your God.

• Micah 6:8

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

• 2 Timothy 3:16-17

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

• John 8:12

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

• Galatians 2:20

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

• 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

“We, as Christians, are called to be different, non-conformists to the world’s way, especially when it comes to moral questions. We are to be transformed by our faith in Christ according to the patterns He established. Attempts of the world to appeal to lust and pride, things geared to the baser nature and the sensual appetites of men, are varied and many. Some of them are even hard to recognize as such.”

• Roy Z. Kemp, Measure for Living

Boilerplate

In this new mini-series, I found an old book of mine in my wife’s things.  I did not know that she had it, but she loved collecting inspirational poems.  She had a knack for skimming over the subject matter that the Sunday school class would discuss.  Then she would thumb through the poetry and devotional books on the shelf and seemingly pick one at random.  Then she would open the book to a seemingly random page and read a prayer or two.  Then she would nod her head and place a bookmark at what she had found.  Then after the Sunday school class had wandered around the subject, going down various rabbit holes along the way, she would end the class with the poem and a short prayer.  And the poem seemed to summarize what we had talked about, even the side trails down rabbit holes.  It fit so perfectly every time.

I do not think she ever quoted this book, but it was a keepsake.  I had never read it.  The inscription in the front of the book states, “It has been a joy to have had you this year.  It has been a friendship I will cherish.”  It was signed by the woman who lived next door to my mother’s mother.  She taught piano and organ.  I took organ lessons.

Do not ask me to play anything on the piano.  I learned by gently gliding over the keys, not by striking them.  And after 55+ years of not practicing, I would be lost after a few bars of Swingin’ Shepherd Blues.

Discussion

I thought of simply copying all his poems instead of writing anything.

What is the Christian Life?  It is justice and mercy shown to others in humility.  It is that perfect love that 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 talk about.  It is learning what God has to say about each issue we face.  It is shining God’s light and not our own.  It is living a crucified life.

That goes against anything we see and hear in the world today.  Humility is seen as cowardice and weakness.  But the confident humble person will surprise the braggart.

Justice in the world today is sadly what the rich can get away with.  Money talks.  Power talks.  Humility lets them talk, for their power and money are fleeting and will not last.

Mercy seems to only be given to the people that agree with the one who has the money and power.

But I do not care what the world thinks.  I care what God thinks.  And while the world makes a big show out of the plight of the needy, I wish to help the needy.  The world does virtue signaling, but true virtue is that quality that helps others when the cameras are not running.

Closing Prayer

“Each night, before I go to sleep,
I like to think that I have done
    A deed of kindness, given aid
    Or courage to someone afraid,
Before the setting of the sun.

I like to think that someone else
Was helped by me, that I was there
    When they were friendless and in need,
    And that by my small, simple deed,
They knew that someone else could care.

I like to feel that He, above,
Looks down with favor, with a smile.
    And knows how hard I try each day
    To walk the narrow Christian way,
And walks beside me all the while.”

• Roy Z. Kemp, Measure for Living (Before Sleep Comes)

“Father, guide me.  Help me feel the poetry.
Thrice happy am I in His love
    And this to Him I owe;
I love Him, and my friend in Him.
    And, for His sake, my foe.
In Thy Name I pray.
“Amen”

• Bold and Italics from Roy Z. Kemp, Measure for Living (A Happy Life)

Editor’s Note: This ends this mini-series.  The author may fill this time slot with whatever inspires him for a while.  If He can find another book like this one, He would use it.  I do not know how the reader received these missives, but they felt good to write.

Soli Deo Gloria.  Only to God be the Glory.