Aim Well - Loose Your Arrow

Scripture: Luke 10:25-37; Deut 6:4-9

Bottom line: Aim your arrow to be and do like Jesus and then loose your arrow to love their neighbor around the corner and around the world.

Context: 

What a gut-wrenching but refreshing read. Wow

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/george-floyd-and-me/

Fruit of the Spirit - have you loved your neighbor as you love yourself?

Who’s your neighbor? Jesus teaches us that our neighbor is anyone who is in need in front of us. 

• even if not your so-called race

• even if not like you

• even if they make you uncomfortable

• Even if they are your enemy

The Jews listening to Jesus definitely weren’t loving Samaritans (outcasts to them) like they loved their fellow Jewish neighbors. They saw Samaritans as half-breeds and worse than Gentiles, who they called dogs.

“What are you aiming at?

The kid who shoots his arrow and then paints a  around it. 

“If you aim at nothing you will hit it every time.”

Or do you even give it much thought?

We’re all shooting. Aiming ourselves and then others. It’s what we mean when we say, “I’m going that way!” “Come on, let’s go!”

Where are you headed?

Where are you aiming your arrows?

The Bible uses arrows to symbolize our kids.

“Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court.” -Solomon

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭127:3-5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

http://bible.com/111/psa.127.3-5.niv

Notice

• Children are not a disease, hassle or distraction. Not even a necessary evil. They are a lasting reward for our efforts and gift from God himself.

• Contrary to modern sensibilities, a large family is a blessing. Think about the blessing your current family is. It can be more. God is encouraging more children for his people. Obviously we’re all limited and so should our family be. But when weighing out the cost of another child consider the blessing will be even more than you can imagine.

• A quiver full of arrows is meant to be emptied. Don’t empty is aimlessly. This would be a

L - Learn

We continue to live in remarkable days unlike anything any of us have ever lived through. I was reflecting this week with leaders in one of our Gravity Leadership Academy cohorts that it's hard to even know how to answer the question "How are you?" right now. I don't think I've felt more disoriented as a leader. Most of the time I feel "fine," but then there are moments when I realize that my body is telling me that I've been dealing with a whole host of low-grade stressors I'm not used to.

O - Obey

L - Lead others to do the same.

After the message:

Arrows - object lesson and gift

[Children hold their arrow out to their father as one child reads on behalf of them all]

Dear Dad, I am an arrow from God in your quiver called home. 

When I was born, God entrusted my life to you, represented by this arrow. Notch me into the bow that is your life. 

Aim me, through your words and actions, in the way that I should go. 

Aim me towards Jesus so that I’ll BE and DO like Jesus. 

Teach me to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God. 

Encourage me to follow you as you follow Jesus Christ.

As you draw me back on your bowstring of God’s power, love, and self-control, prepare me for the day you will release me into this dark world. 

Launch me to soar on wings like eagles burning brightly like the stars in the sky. 

I thank God for you. I love you, dad.