THE Silver Lining

Life on Mission: Serve

Matthew 5:1-12

The 2012 movie, Silver Linings Playbook, is a heartwarming story about two people who find each other in the midst of chaos and pain. Pat, after losing his job and his wife, has been recently released from a mental institution. Tiffany is a young widow who also lost her job. Together, they find their silver lining.

 An argument can be made that each Beatitude has a silver lining of its own. I like how Eugene Peterson interprets them. Here are the first three. See if you can find their silver lining.

³ “You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule. ⁴ “You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you. ⁵ “You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought.”

Even Jesus’ opening ministry statement in Luke 4 has an element of a silver lining. ¹⁸ “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, ¹⁹ to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

 What these verses are saying is that people are more likely to reach out to God when life is painful; when hardships are upon us; when we are dealing with difficulties. Pain, hardships and difficulties can all lead to a silver lining. We’ve all had them in our life.

 Pastor Cam Huxford shared in the DVD about a group of women at his church in Savannah who would take baked goods to the young women who worked at a nearby strip club. He pointed out that most women who work in the adult entertainment industry have been abused as a child.

 Here’s a group of individuals that are extremely needy. Their hearts have been broken; their lives shattered. What an opportunity to serve. What an opportunity to share the love of Christ.

 

 Jesus knew how needy people were. Those are the ones he served. Prostitutes, lepers, demon possessed, tax collectors, the blind and the lame: he touched their lives one at a time.

He was their Silver Lining. He has called us to serve and to share THE Silver Lining with those in need. Will you do it?