Living for Truth

They were interviewing a lawyer who gave up her work a year ago to become a commander fighting in the army because of where she lived in Kyiv, Ukraine. Like many civilians, she could not stand around “doing nothing” while her beloved country was being invaded. She sent her seven-year-old son away to be safe, to live with an aunt in another country.

My hat goes off to her for her bravery. Would I do the same if our country was invaded?

She went on to say, “You see buildings and houses blowing up and people dying, and you understand at that moment that we have something more important than money, than real estate, than cars.”

I thought she would then say – What is now important is people to live the life God has for them. It was a bit different……. Instead, she said, “We have a very important thing: Our freedom, democracy and law.” Yes, these are important too, they are a part of our lives but not the most important part.

Then her next sentence put her answer very much into perspective of how her mind and so her heart was working. (Remember she is a lawyer.)

She said my brother said it so well, “I don’t want to study law right now (For that is what had been planned), because we don’t need to study law if Russia comes to our country. There is no law in Russia and people have no rules.” They have no freedom. “So, we have to defend our country, and then we can think about the future.”

Not that God was not in her decisions, but practically even her career was being affected by this invasion. She was focusing on the injustice that was occurring and asking herself how could she help?

The way we act, the way we will speak, the way we will treat others, the way we live our lives is so important. Decisions like these is what builds society, builds our communities that we live in, builds the future for us and others.

Let me explain it another way.

God often puts us in situations in our lives at work, at home, in our society where He asks us to show to the world our true selves, our true beliefs, our true way of living.

Do we stand up for the helpless? The destitute? The weak that have no voice?

Do we stand up for our beliefs when we vote? When we who have a voice to speak?

Do we speak even if others are silent?

Do we stand up for the Truth that has been revealed to us? For freedom for all?

Jesus stated:

He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free,…

Luke 4:18b NRSV

And also in the book of John:

So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.

John 8:36 NRSV

Now I know that this freedom can occur even if literally you were in prison and captive, for it is a Spiritual freedom. But the Lord would also desire practical freedom. To choose how you desire to live your life.

God is always a respecter of free choice.

So even if you are not into social justice as such, we all need to ask ourselves these questions and work out our answers to them. We need to work out our response.

This is being a Christian. In word and deed. How we act and speak, how we live. Are we following Jesus, in the way He asks us to live?

In the book of Matthew Jesus states when you did these things to your neighbour you did them to me.

“…for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink?”

Matthew 25:35-37 NRSV

May these jottings from my journal inspire you to believe in and fall in love with Christ- the hope of the world, as stated in Jeremiah 17:7, ‘Blessed is the man who believes and trusts in and relies on the Lord and whose hope and confident expectation is the Lord!’

Love

Rosemary

Every week groups of ladies meet together to chat about the things I raise in my weekly blog post and to chat about life in general. We call these ‘Heart Connect’ groups. If you would like more information please click HERE.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Do you stand up for the helpless? The destitute? The weak that have no voice?

Do you stand up for your beliefs when you vote?

Do you stand up for the Truth that has been revealed to you? If not, why don’t you? What can you do to stand up for truth?