Steve Sjogren wrote a book called Conspiracy of Kindness. He started a church in Cincinnati, Ohio, that grew rapidly to an average attendance of 7,500. Their motto is, ‘Small things done with great love are changing the world.’ They carry out random acts of kindness like paying for a stranger’s coffee or writing a ‘thank you’ note to a shop assistant.
Showing God’s love in practical ways, they have discovered the power of kindness to effect positive change, both in their lives and in the lives of people around them. When kindness is expressed, healthy relationships are created, community connections are nourished and people are inspired to pass kindness on.
There is great power in the name of Jesus. To the Hebrew mind a person’s name revealed their character. This was not a magic formula or a tag-on at the end of a prayer. This was the difference between the ministry of Jesus and that of his disciples. Jesus healed on his own authority, while the disciples did it in his name. In the same way, we are dependent on him. In our weakness, you and I can continue to exercise his ministry, in his power and in his name.
Not only was this man healed (he jumped to his feet and began to walk and praise God, v.8), but many people were also converted. This one act of kindness had an astonishing effect. The people ‘were filled with wonder and amazement at what happened to him… all the people were astonished and came running to them’ (vv.10–11). The demonstration of the power of God was accompanied by the proclamation of the gospel. They had the opportunity to speak about Jesus: his death and resurrection, and the need for faith (vv.14–16).
No comments:
Post a Comment