MONDAY - 11TH MARCH, 2024
MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE - Olusola ADEJUMO
HUMANITY IN ALL OF US
Acts 28:2, KJV
"And the barbarous people shewed us no little kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold."
The word "barbarous" has been variously explained in the dictionary as, "uncivilized, uncultured;
mercilessly impudently violent; cruel or savage." One thing is observable, because this island is very much far from the civilization of people, its people could have remained very much unchanged or refined. If this is not, they could have refused change all together like the Piraha of the Amazon jungle in Brazil. They might have made of none effect the contacts of people with them. Though uncivilized, they however acted contrarily to that. They showed civility and humanity to Paul and all others who escaped the peril of the sea. They kindled fire for them and housed them.
Humanity is in everyone of us including any dubbed uncivilized or aggressive among us. It is God who puts it there. He is love (I John 4:16) and we are products of His love. Because we are, we are to model after God, the ultimate Love. As such, no matter how hard, violent or unapproachable someone may be, yet we know there's bowels of compassion (I John 3:7) in him that can be triggered or called to act humanly. This barbarous people could have acted otherwise and lived up to the label put on them but they seemed to have proven everyone wrong about their being barbarous. Who knows what myths have been formed round them? Who knows whether it was once noised that they were cannibals and should be avoided? However, we see their heart in such timely help they gave to those shipwrecked on the sea.
While there are those whose bowels of compassion might have been perverted, yet we ought know that all humans inherit the capacity to love and be loved from God. He's counting on us to give love and show a heart of compassion to many that'll come our way in our capacity and at our levels.
I John 3:17, KJV
"But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?"
This way, we'll be bringing down his kingdom as we model it to men. Love and kindness are languages that any hears or sees. As you speak it by acting it, you may win some wars without fighting and win people without preaching. Yes, just by observing you.
Humanity is in all of us. We are bound together by that rope and we pray that we'll be more human to each other even as the day are hard. Humanity brings tolerance and a strive for peace in our society. It could make two factions even live peacefully as one. May I continually see you as my brother and neighbor. May I do unto you just like I'll like you do unto me. May we all find acceptance in strange lands and with strange people. Irrespective of where you'll arrive at, no matter the strangeness of the land, you can trust God who delivered Paul out of the mouth of the lion to redeem you from violence and make people favourably disposed to you (II Tim.4:17). They'll see you and be tempered. They'll see you and come as friends.
PRAYER: Teach me more matters of civility, kindness and exercise of human compassion to others.
BIBLE IN A YEAR: Numbers 11:24-13:33, Mark 14:22-52, Psalm 52:1-9, Proverbs 11:1-3
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