August 7, 2000
FAMILY MATTERS:
Faith shapes the legacy you will leave
___What kind of faith do you have?
STEVE SMITH
Minister to Singles
Prestonwood Baptist Church, Plano
___We always hear of men and women who have gone before us who have lived lives full of faith. What can we learn from these people?
___St. Francis of Assisi is a person we can look to as a model for humility, love and service. Though we, as Baptists, may not completely agree with all of his theology, we can learn some valuable life lessons from this saint.
___Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone was born in 1181 or 1182 in Assisi, Umbria, Italy. His father called him Francesco because of his love for France.
___Francis' family was wealthy, and he had the luxuries afforded a wealthy family. Early in his life, he was quite reckless in his living and did everything to a grand scale, whether for himself or for others. This revelry came to a halt, though, one evening in February 1206, when after one of his wild parties, he had a vision that called him to abandon his life of wealth and serve the poor.
___This dramatic encounter with God forever changed the attitude and lifestyle of Francis. From that moment, he renounced his wealth and began living as a beggar. He would be wed to Lady Poverty, becoming poor with the poor.
___His newfound life began with the rebuilding of churches. His first project was the St. Damian church in Assisi. Francis went on to rebuild two more church buildings, and it was during a mass held at the third church in 1209 that he received his call to preach.
___Matthew 10 would be his life passage. As he began his quest to imitate Christ, follow Christ's teachings literally and proclaim Christ's message, Francis maintained his obedience to the church. He had a straightforward, all-out faith that was evident throughout his preaching career and has lived on since his death in 1226.
___What is our faith like?
___Are we willing to give up the "luxuries" of this world to serve the poor?
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___St. Francis of Assisi can teach all of us a valuable lesson about the "riches" of faith.
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