She was a nobody but faith………

This is part of three of my series on Hebrews 11. Read part two here. As I start this post I would like to share a verse that got my attention,

[Prompted] by faith Rahab the prostitute was not destroyed along with those who refused to believe and obey, because she had received the spies in peace [without enmity]. Hebrews 11: 31

Rehab is a hero of the faith but I wonder if she sees the same thing?? If we spoke to her now would she say she is a hero proudly? A lot of people read her story and are inspired and it is good but let us look deeper into her life. She was a prostitute and that meant a few things:

– She slept with men for money. It didn’t matter if the man was married or a drunk, or abusive, as long as they had money she would sleep with them.

– She was looked down upon by society.

– It’s very possible she struggled with a low self esteem

– She was finding it hard to make ends meet and maybe that is why she became a prostitute.

– She lived in fear (it’s possible she was threatened by men she slept with)

– No one respected her.

– She may have broken a few families up. It’s possible wives found out their husbands slept with Rahab and left!

– She must have dealt with guilt and condemnation on a regular basis because of the things she had to do. .

– Did she try to commit suicide???

I would like to make something clear before we move on,

I look up to Rahab and in no way am I trying to tear down her reputation and what God had done for her. I am trying to paint a picture of what she probably went through to make you understand what God saved her from. Because despite all the bad she did and all the bad that happened to her, through faith she was saved. Her name is recorded among the Greats because she trusted God! Because of faith she saved her family and was found in Jesus’s lineage!! (Matthew 1:5)

We need faith and without it we can do nothing pleasing to God. Do I understand what faith is? Not really. What I do know is God did amazing things through the people who trusted Him. No matter what people labeled them, or where they grew up, they turned the world upside down!

This is what the word says about these great men and women of faith,

[Men] of whom the world was not worthy–roaming over the desolate places and the mountains, and [living] in caves and caverns and holes of the earth. (Hebrews 11:38 AMP)

Think about all Rahab could of gone through. How could God use her, one could think but in the end what matters is He did! No one is too far off for God to use!

You might feel like you are of no use and your life doesn’t count for something. You might think you have committed too much sin to ever do anything great or you may be plagued with guilt and condemnation but know God has a plan for you! He wants to do great things through you and that is why He wants you to trust Him. Only God can turn your life into something great but you have to have faith in Him!

Rahab did that. She stepped out in faith to God despite what she had done and what people thought and saved the spies. As she used her faith her life changed never to be the same ever. What an amazing testimony for her. I am going to look forward to meeting her and hearing her story! Her story is an example of what God can do with someone who has faith in Him!

Our faith in God can do things we never imagined ever. It can open doors only God can open. Have faith in Him.

Rolain

The unknown truth about the rich and the poor……

It has been four days, four days since I read that specific scripture. I have not been able to shake it. God wanted to show me something and I think I see it now. The scripture I read is in Proverbs 22;2 and it says,

The rich and the poor shake hands as equals – God made them both. 

God made the rich and the poor and they are equal. The rich have abundant possessions and are wealthy but they are still equal to the poor, to the man and women on the street who have nothing, who struggle just to get a single meal a day, who have to beg to get by day by day, the rich and the poor are equal! We don’t treat the poor like they are equal though. In fact, we demand they beg! How dare they come and embarrass us as we walk. Our money is our weapon against them! They are not our equals. We are superior over them. They must jump when we say jump. We think by having more than them makes us more superior, we are wrong……Lord please forgive us. We are equal! We need to treat them as such.

In the movie “The Dark Knight Rises” we see this kind of erroneous attitude at work. John Daggett who is very wealthy confronts Bane because plans have not gone according to plan.

Daggett tries to assert his authority over Bane because he is wealthy but it doesn’t work. Bane kills him. It’s this kind of attitude that the world has and even Christians. The attitude that looks down on the poor because they have nothing not realizing that God says we are equal!! I was that person. Yes, I had made a point to give to the poor as much as I could but I always saw them as inferior. But I see now, that was wrong. We are equal. The reason God has given what He has given me is so I can be a blessing. Why the poor are poor is none of my business, God just wants me to be a blessing. He wants me to see the poor the way He sees them. He wants me to treat them with respect and He wants me to honor them. They are human beings after all. They have families as well. They have problems and they have doubts, and they have dreams. They have desires and aspirations!!

Just know God has made the poor and rich alike. They are equal. Let us treat them the way God would like us to treat them. God bless….

Rolain