S) "11 And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargoes any more—"
Revelation 18:11 (NASB)
*because there are already entries for each of these chapters, I also read Revelation 18
*because there are already entries for each of these chapters, I also read Revelation 18
O) Babylon, the great city and symbolic villain of the book, has fallen in this chapter. Regardless of how this passage is taken, whether it is symbolic and historically fulfilled, or more literal and yet to happen, one thing comes through clearly in this single verse. The world only cares as far as their interests are concerned. The merchants of the earth did not weep and mourn because of the lives that perished. They did not weep and mourn because they realized their own guilt by association. They only weep and mourn in this scene, because of the lost commerce. They wanted what Babylon had, they were addicted in a way, they were under her spell (v.23). Their supply was gone, and they wept and mourned over her because of what it meant to their own desires.
A) To be clear, I don't want to sound jaded, I do believe there are people of the world who can love with some amount of genuine selflessness. We know that we love because God first loved us (see 1 John 4:19), and God so loved the world... The world has some capacity for real love because they have been loved by God, even if they don't acknowledge Him or the reason for their ability to love. There is a serious lack of selflessness in the world, but it's not completely gone. Having said that, when I am operating in love, because of the grace of God at work in me, because of the gospel of Jesus Christ - I don't want that to be mistaken for a remarkable humanity. I want it to be recognized as the grace of Christ at work in me. The only way to make that happen, is to glorify God when I show someone love. If I volunteer to help an unbelieving friend, I should tell them I'm doing it because of the help God gives me. When I give money to a homeless person, I need to take the time to share the gospel. In this way, I will not show myself to be an exceptional person, but I will show Jesus Christ to be God, who has worked exceptional miracles in my life.
A) To be clear, I don't want to sound jaded, I do believe there are people of the world who can love with some amount of genuine selflessness. We know that we love because God first loved us (see 1 John 4:19), and God so loved the world... The world has some capacity for real love because they have been loved by God, even if they don't acknowledge Him or the reason for their ability to love. There is a serious lack of selflessness in the world, but it's not completely gone. Having said that, when I am operating in love, because of the grace of God at work in me, because of the gospel of Jesus Christ - I don't want that to be mistaken for a remarkable humanity. I want it to be recognized as the grace of Christ at work in me. The only way to make that happen, is to glorify God when I show someone love. If I volunteer to help an unbelieving friend, I should tell them I'm doing it because of the help God gives me. When I give money to a homeless person, I need to take the time to share the gospel. In this way, I will not show myself to be an exceptional person, but I will show Jesus Christ to be God, who has worked exceptional miracles in my life.
P) Father, Your grace at work in me is obvious to me, but I never want it to be mistaken for anything else, by anyone else. Help me be bold with the gospel, to keep it central to all that I do. When I am moved with compassion, let me make it plain that it's because of You. When I give my time, skills, or resources, let me make it plain that it is all because of Your work in me. Be glorified in every way, and don't let me ever stand in the way of that. I want to be different from the world, but not just for the sake of being different. I want to be different to show You are holy. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.
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