ATO

Meditation from Luke Chapter 7

Wondering what ATO is???!!! It’s Attitude Towards Others! In the 7^th chapter of Luke we see the godly attitude of people that teach us wonderful lessons to practice.

1. Humble Centurion – The attitude about his Centurion quite surprise me. Because he ‘highly valued’ his slave (Luke 7:2) and he considered himself as someone who is ‘not worthy’ (7:6)! This attitude is reflected in his actions. He sends people to Jesus to come and heal his slave; such is the care that the Centurion gives to his servant.

Even though he loves the Hebrews and had built a Synagogue for them and he himself is a man of authority he does not want to use all of that to influence Jesus and to make Him come to his place (7:4,5). He sends his friends to Jesus and says that he is not worthy for Jesus to come to his place (7:6).

Do we value others (those who are below us or considered low according to the society)?

2. Compassionate Jesus – Jesus goes out of the way to help the weeping widow whose only son died. Luke 7:13 says, “When the Lord saw her, he had compassion for her…” When He saw her condition, He had compassion. When we see people’s condition are we compassionate or indifferent?

The compassion of Jesus made people to see God’s favour on them!

3. Pretense-less / Plain-dealing John – He has a doubt about Jesus whether He is the Messiah or were they to expect someone else. The way he deals with his doubt is exemplary. He doesn’t go public announcing his doubt rather sends his disciples directly to Jesus to clarify it (Luke 7:18-20).

What a wonderful way to deal with doubts! Most often we go around sharing our doubts about a person, to everyone expect that person; which is not godly. Gossip is not godly! Like John we should take the doubt directly to the person; which will avoid misunderstandings and misinterpretations.

4. Applauding Jesus – John doubts Jesus; yet the way Jesus looks at John and talks about him to the people is extremely amazing! Right after John’s disciples leave, “…Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John… What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet…I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater than John…” (Luke 7:24,26,28).

He applauds and speaks so great of the person who doubted him! How often do we react like this about people who doubt us?

5. Accepting & Approving Jesus – To those house of the Pharisee two guests arrive, one is Jesus who is an invited guest and the other is a woman, an uninvited guest. The Pharisee, though does not publicly expresses his contempt for her, he thinks ill of her in his heart (Luke 7:39). We learn through the other gospels and as well from what the Pharisee thinks, that she must have been a prostitute. The Pharisee saw only as a sinner, but Jesus saw in her the heart of repentance and love for God! That’s why Jesus accepted her!

How often we judge people for their past sins and forget to see their present repented heart and life!

Let us resolve to reflect Humility, Compassion & Genuineness and to show true appreciation and acceptance to others!