Daily Companion  | 2 October

COMFORT AND CALMNESS IN REPROACH

Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. - Luke 6:22

David Livingstone was born in Lanarkshire, Scotland to a tailor. He trained as a medical doctor but ended up also as a geographical explorer in Africa where his passion for souls and African development was second to none among many foreign missionaries to Africa. Despite his famous expeditions, he was reproached as he lost his wife to African malaria and his children grew up without a father. Men deserted his family back home in Scotland as they lived in poverty until his works and discoveries in Africa were published and brought to light. His story reminds us of a Christian couple who lost their newborn to an unusual neonatal disease. And instead of being downcast, they decided not to mourn the death of the child but took solace in Christ. This did not go down with people who saw them unmoved by such tragedy. “Why would they not mourn? They must have killed their own child”, so people reproached them. David Livingston remained calm until his fame grew over the years without borders till date.

 Reproach is an expression of people's disapproval of you; an expression of their disappointment that you are calm when you are supposed to be troubled. That you are happy when you are meant to be downcast. Our Lord Jesus Christ said as a true believer you will be reproached and much more reviled (angrily and abusively reproached). You should not be deterred but remain focused.

Christ was reproached severely to the extreme. To Him they said, “He hast a devil?” (John 8:48). “He deceiveth the people” (John 7:12). “He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils” (Matthew 9:34). They even said, “this man is a sinner” (John 9:24); “a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners.” (Matthew 11:19).“Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46).  These all came from people who claim to know God’s word and enforce its tradition. So don’t be surprised if you are reproached by fellow Christians.

Reproach can cause depression, heaviness of heart or even make you lose your temper. You need the Comforter, the Holy Spirit at such a moment. Are you being reproached for being barren? Or you are reviled for losing your job for righteousness sake? Or becoming poor because you now follow Jesus? You need to remember the Master's approach to reproach and seek comfort in the Holy Ghost. Have the Christ and the Comforter in you today. Perhaps you reproach others, repent today. 

Today’s Recite:  "For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, especially of those that believe." - 1 Timothy 4:10

Today’s Morning Prayers: Heavenly Father, I thank You for today's lesson. I pray You grant me the grace and comfort of the Holy Ghost to react positively when reproached. Turn my reproach into glory and fame. Keep my upright that my garment is unsoiled. May I also not fall into the temptation to reproach others in Jesus' name I pray. Amen!

Today’s Hymn: In Christ Alone

Today’s ReadMe:  Mark 9 - 13