Bible Verse: But it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath he swore to your ancestors that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments. Deuteronomy 7:8-9
Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 7:1-26
I used to be a chimney sweep.
Yes, a true Mary Poppins, Dick Van Dyke chimney sweep. It was very nearly that dirty, and there wasn’t a lot of singing. The two companies I worked for, believe it or not, were Chim Cheroo and Chim Chimney.
Somehow, perhaps sadly, many people find my previous occupation one of the more interesting things about me.
One of the companies would get contracts with apartment complexes. One day, I was scheduled to clean the fireplaces at a complex.
When I opened the flue and looked up, I didn’t get the tunneled light I had expected. Something was blocking the chimney. When I looked up with my flashlight, I saw what was blocking my view. It was an object just above the damper. I reached up and grabbed the object. Turning it sideways, I wriggled it free.
It was a zippered bank bag. And there was something inside.
Drawing the zipper, I saw the bills. $1800.
Now, the logical thing would be to call the apartment owner over and tell them their chimney was fine, but this may not be the best place for their savings. But here’s the kicker: the apartment was empty. No one lived there. I put the money in my van and finished the day’s work, arguing with myself about what to do the whole time. Of course, the money was not mine! But the apartment was empty, and, truth be told, I was behind on some bills. That money would make a big difference.
But the little voice in my head, or maybe it was the Spirit’s whispering in my heart, wouldn’t let me keep the money. I can’t take credit for it; I wanted that money. In hindsight, I can say God didn’t allow me to keep it.
Doing the right thing was not about me; it was definitely about God.
Most things are about God.
God reminds the Israelites that they are where they are, on the verge of realizing the centuries-old promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, not because of them, but because of Him.
It was not their goodness, their numbers, their skills or any other trait that made them God’s people. It was His goodness and His faithfulness that had brought them to where they were.
It’s a reminder that we all need from time to time.
Prayer: Father, thank You for Your goodness in giving us blessings we do not deserve. We know that it’s not about us or because of us, but because of who You are that You give good things to Your people. Amen.
Reflection: As men, it’s easy to look at our accomplishments and take pride in what we have done. The salary, the title, the trophy, the recognition—we’re tempted to think those things earn us a certain status. How do you remember to stay humble? How does God whisper to you, like He did with me and the money?
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