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- Oct 26, 2007
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"came to me; and he stood and said to me, 'Brother Saul, receive your sight.' And at that same hour I looked up at him. Acts 22:13
Imagine God asking you to place a phone call to speak with a murderer who has just been released after nearly twenty years in a maximum-security prison. When he answers the phone, what will you say?
"Brother" may not be the first word that comes to mind.
Yet when Jesus used the word "brothers" throughout the Gospels, who did He have in mind? A lot of different kinds of men. First, his earthly half brothers. Second, his twelve apostles. Third, all of His disciples. Fourth, their relationship with each other. And fifth, their relationship with "the least of these" (Matthew 25:40).
In the book of Acts, this broadens to include all men, even the most outspoken enemies of Jesus Christ (Acts 7:2; 22:1; 23:1, 5-6). The implication is clear: you can use "brothers" whenever you speak with other men as a means to reinforce the value of your common humanity--and to seek to gain rapport.
Yes, this may seem counterintuitive, but you have the clear examples of Jesus Christ, the Gospel writers, the martyr Stephen, the apostle Paul, and others. So, you're on firm biblical ground.
Prayer: Lord I want to be Christ like and grace-filled in all of my interactions. So help me learn to say "brother" to every man I meet.
Imagine God asking you to place a phone call to speak with a murderer who has just been released after nearly twenty years in a maximum-security prison. When he answers the phone, what will you say?
"Brother" may not be the first word that comes to mind.
Yet when Jesus used the word "brothers" throughout the Gospels, who did He have in mind? A lot of different kinds of men. First, his earthly half brothers. Second, his twelve apostles. Third, all of His disciples. Fourth, their relationship with each other. And fifth, their relationship with "the least of these" (Matthew 25:40).
In the book of Acts, this broadens to include all men, even the most outspoken enemies of Jesus Christ (Acts 7:2; 22:1; 23:1, 5-6). The implication is clear: you can use "brothers" whenever you speak with other men as a means to reinforce the value of your common humanity--and to seek to gain rapport.
Yes, this may seem counterintuitive, but you have the clear examples of Jesus Christ, the Gospel writers, the martyr Stephen, the apostle Paul, and others. So, you're on firm biblical ground.
Prayer: Lord I want to be Christ like and grace-filled in all of my interactions. So help me learn to say "brother" to every man I meet.
