Hookers for Jesus
Many, many years ago when I was a freshman in college, there was a group of young ladies doing religious canvassing downtown. They were called “Hookers for Jesus.” They had little pamphlets that they passed out during their recruitment. The founder of the group was a former call girl, Annie Lobert, who was working to help save the women in and from the “sex trade” business. You can read about it here. It is a very difficult life to escape, and a hard life on the outside. And, while I am not suggesting that any of us “hook for Jesus” (or for anything else for that matter), I do want to talk about giving God our very best.
Our text: Malachi 3:6-12
Who is Malachi?
Malachi ministered in the fifth century B.C. In response to the prophetic messages of several other prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, the Jews who had returned from the “dispersion” rebuilt the temple. Houses had been rebuilt. And, the wall of Jerusalem was being rebuilt or had been completed (by Nehemiah’s crew; another prophet). As you can see, many of these prophets were working at the same time. They weren’t all in one location, but they were delivering basically the same messages.
There is a difference in dispersion or Diaspora and migration. A migration is a voluntary move of people from one location to another. Sometimes this is a result of economic or political difficulties, but at its core it is a voluntary choice. Many Americans are products of this type of movement. Many of us are also products of the Diaspora. A diaspora is an involuntary movement of people, such as the American slave trade.
When the Israelites were conquered by the Assyrians and the Babylonians, the were dispersed. They were scattered throughout the territories owned by these nations. During the time of these prophets, they have begun to return to their homelands.
Life was not, by any stretch of the imagination, simple or easy. These psrticular Jews were under the political dominion of Persia. Harvests were poor and subject to locust damage (Malachi 3:11). Most of the people’s hearts were indifferent or resentful toward God. The people had started ignoring the Laws of God given to Moses.
The people were losing hope and faith in God’s covenant and His promises.
What is the problem?
This passage in Micah demonstrates that we sometimes forget: how much respect God deserves. And one of the ways we show disrespect is by withholding our tithes, offerings, gifts, talents, blessing and ourselves. This is the point that Malachi is trying to drive hpme.
Life Application: So What?
For our work situations, many of us take for granted that our services will be needed. We begin to take longer lunches, surf the net in between writing reports, hang out on Twitter whenever we can put 3 seconds together, stand at the coffee pot/ water cooler while we are getting paid.
Many of us have forgotten what it means to be loyal to our companies.
Many of us have forgotten how to be loyal to each other.
Are you blowing off some areas of your life, hoping you will catch up later?
Or, worse, have you stopped caring about being the “best of the best of the best”?
Are you giving your best in every facet of your life?
