SPIRIT LIFE LEADERSHIP: YOUR FAMILY IS BIGGER THAN YOU THINK
1 Peter 5
Jun 18
A verse to remember: Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. 1 Peter 5:2
Gospel: Luke 10:20-22 Rejoice because your names are registered in heaven..
1Peter 5:8-9
8 Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. 9 Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are.
Reflection:
Peter has spoken about elders, youth, and then he make this reference to the devil. It’s brief. A reminder that there is an adversary who wants to take advantage of our weaknesses. And then to stand strong Peter encourages us to remember we are not alone in our struggle we have family! When it comes to Spirit LIfe Leadership, truth is “YOUR FAMILY IS BIGGER THAN YOU THINK”.
I remember talking to a world war II vet. He recalled how his mother encouraged him to find a mom and dad in Christ overseas. She wanted to remind him that “YOUR FAMILY IS BIGGER THAN YOU THINK”.
Bono in the band U2 sings a song that challenges me, one of the refrains goes like this, “there is no them, only us…. there is no them, only us…..” He too is trying to get me heart to a place where i realize OUR FAMILY IS BIGGER THAN WE THINK.
And what about this devil character that want to mess all that up. Combine what Peter has to say in 1 Peter 5:8-9 with what Jesus says in Luke 10:20-22 and i think you get an answer!
There is an enemy. Real as he is is not a threat. From Peter’s perspective and Jesus’ “rejoice because your names are written in heaven”.
Spirit Life Leadership is not distracted by the devil. In fact it is grounded in the truth that “YOUR FAMILY IS BIGGER THAN YOU THINK”. You can always stand strong knowing God’s family has more value and weight than any devil. Stay alert, but don’t forget to rejoice!!