What is your Concentric Circle seeing?

Genesis 26:26-31

“When Abimelech went to him from Gerar with Ahuzzath his adviser and Phicol the commander of his army, Isaac said to them, “Why have you come to me, seeing that you hate me and have sent me away from you?”  They said, “We see plainly that the Lord has been with you, So we said, let there be a sworn pact between us, between you and us, and let us make a covenant with you, that you will do us no harm, just as we have not touched you and have done to you nothing but good and have sent you away in peace.  You are now the blessed of the Lord.”

So often I’ve miss the message of a passage like this, it is so much more than a King coming with his adviser and the commander of his army to see Isaac.  It is so much more than Isaac showing his anger for being driven out of the country of Gerar.  The story is about the faithfulness and blessing of God being seen by the nations and people who live around Isaac. “They said, “We see plainly that the Lord has been with you” and they also said “You are now the blessed of the Lord.”   The message to each of us is, how are we being seen by those in your house, neighborhood, the ones you work with or for, and the ones at the places where you eat and shop?  Do they see the blessings of the Lord on your life, as the men from Gerar witnessed Isaac’s life?

Jesus calls us salt and light, and tells us, “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.”   Jesus is telling us that we have a very special purpose of adding flavor to those He has put in our concentric circle, and if we do not use our gifts He has given us, then we lose our value to His kingdom.  He is not saying we lose our relationship with Him, but that the world around us will not see Jesus living His life and power through our earthsuit.

Jesus goes on to state, “You are the light of the world.  A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

These are some questions I must ponder; is my salt still adding flavor to those whom I live with and around?  Is my soul full of light, or am I letting the cares of this world pollute my light?  Do people see what God is doing in my life and give glory to my Father in heaven?

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice