Deuteronomy 14:2. “For thou art an holy people unto the Lord Thy God, and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto Himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.”
PECULIAR PEOPLE. When one of God’s people dies, we who mourn do testify By the way we respond to death, what we truly believe. We cannot help but cry, all the people around know why – It’s alright, when we make sure our mourning is done with dignity.
To make a great “to-do”, or be seen going into a swoon – Really casts a bad reflection on whether our faith is in the Lord. It will happen again quite soon, when we are called into a room – And watch another person we love cross over Jordan’s flood.
Dignity in the face of death is a testimony of great worth – It shows we rest in Christ even when a loss is great. Facing things over which we have no control, we rest assured – Knowing God is in control, we are not at the mercy of fate.
Even the things we eat, or other things from which we forebear – Is a way we show to those who watch, we are a peculiar people. Some may misunderstand why we won’t in their drinks take a share – Then we must explain it is because of conviction, not some imposed scruple.
When it comes to the use of our money, we are obliged to be very honest. All we have is by God’s grace alone that we have money received. He has given it to be used faithfully, He has put in our hands as a trust. Peculiar people then are privileged to give back to God a tithe.
It belonged to God in the first place and is given to us like a loan. When we use it properly, God enables us to provide for others. After all, it is not like this money is given to us to own – We are giving back to God, when we meet the needs of sisters and brothers.
“Father, grant to Thy people a sense of real dignity in times of sorrow and testing. Create within them a desire to abstain from anything that would dishonor Thy name. Give them the earnest desire to be honest in all their dealings and to never forget that all they are, and have, and hope to be – they owe to Thee. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.”