"Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to
make him stumble." - 1 John 2:10
In the mid-200's AD, Lawrence was a deacon in Rome. He was martyred in 258 A.D.
The St. Lawrence River and more than 250 churches in England are named for him.
Lawrence served under Pope Sixtus II who was arrested and martyred under the
persecution of the Roman Emperor Valerian.
As deacon in Rome, Lawrence was charged with the responsibility for the material
goods of the Church, and the distribution of alms to the poor. Before his death,
Sextus' captors demanded, "Where is the treasure of the church?" The Pope would
not tell, and they tortured him to death. He never did tell, but in his agony
and pain, Pope Sextus somehow mentioned the name of Archdeacon Lawrence. They
took Lawrence captive.
"Where is the treasure of the Church?" They demanded, threatening with the same
fate that came to the Pope.
Lawrence replied, "Governor, I cannot get it for you instantaneously; but if you
give me three days, I will give you the treasure."
The Governor agreed. Lawrence left. Three days later he walked into the
Governor's courtyard followed by a great flood of people.
The Governor walked out onto his balcony and said, "Where is the treasure of
your church?"
Lawrence stepped forward, and pointed to the crowd that accompanied him -- the
lame, the blind, the deaf, the nobodies of society -- and said, "Here are the
treasures of the Christian church."
The treasures of this life are the same as those in heaven, other people. Today
in prayer, thank the Lord for those people He has brought in your life and
treasure them above any earthly thing.
"We don't live alone. We are members of one body. We are responsible for each
other. And I tell you that the time will soon come when, if men will not learn
that lesson, then they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish." - J. B.
Priestly
God's Word: "'Who are my mother and my brothers?' He asked. Then he looked at
those seated in a circle around him and said, 'Here are my mother and my
brothers!'" - Mark 3:33-34
By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2005, Devotional E-Mail DEVOTIONS IN THE LETTERS OF
JOHN pkennedy6@yahoo.com
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