From: Community Development Centre <ComDevCentre@compuserve.com>
Date: Fri May 26, 2000 10:41 pm
Subject: R&D: Jesus as model
In order to continue to understand how to walk out Christian releif and development we need to look at the life of Jesus and look at what He modeled. You may have to draw this out on paper as you read it. Look at Luke 2:52..."Jesus grew in wisdom, and in stature, in favor with God and man" Draw a circle.
In the circle put a little stick figure man. All around the circle,
write WISDOM. At the left foot of the man write PHYSICAL (stature)
and at the right foot write SOCIAL (man). At his head write SPIRITUAL
(God). Luke 2:52 is clear with us that Jesus grew in ALL these areas.
If that is the case, then we should do likewise. But what does that
mean in each of these area? What does it take to grow physically?
Food/good nutrition; air/clean environment; shelter; clothing;
health; etc. are a few things. What does it take to grow in favor with man? Good relationships. Who do we have those relationships with? Family; spouses; friends; people we work with; our community; one community to another; one nation to another...all of these we are to grow in favor with. When we are out of relationship, what do we then need? Reconciliation. On the social side you can write over that
list of relationships, reconciliation. On the physical side, you can
see that every thing on that list are issues of stewardship. God
tells us to steward our bodies, so what we put into it, or how we care for it are issues of stewardship.
Then the proverbs tell us that the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord, so incur diagram we have surrounded ourselves with wisdom or the fear of the Lord in all that we are. I haven't addressed the spiritual relationship, because that is the area we probably understand the most, both about Jesus and His relationship to the Father, and in our own experience.
If we take this diagram one step further, draw a sad man on the left.
Next to him draw a box, divided into four compartments (like a window
with four windowpanes) then on the right draw the cross. In the four
compartments write Social, Spiritual, Physical and Wisdom. Now in our
example you are the window, and the sad man is trying to see he cross
through you, the window. If we understand the wholeness Jesus
designed us for, then we are a clear window for the man to see he
cross. But what if we do not understand that we are to be good
stewards of our bodies, or our health? Then that portion is cracked
or cloudy. What if our relationships at work aren't very good? What
if we do not treat out children or our spouses as those in God's
image? Then that window is not clear either. If these two are not
clear, we probably are not moving in the fear of the Lord, so that
portion is not clear either. Now the person comes to the Lord and we
rejoice, but what is his understanding of what he is responsible for?
On spiritual relationship: So he goes to church, but the other
areas of his life do not change. Now he gets sick. Where does he go
for help? He goes to where he knew there was power or care before,
because he does not understand that Jesus cares about his physical
side or his health. If he is from an animimst society he returns to
the witch doctor for help still calling himself a Believer, but he is
not walking out the fullness of what God intended for his life.
We can continue this in the questions we are asking, what makes Christian relief and development Christian. And what is the model we have before in Jesus. I will be out of touch for a week as I will be traveling and teaching. But I will get to the questions as soon as I am able.
