Clement of Alexandria: The Lord’s little chickens and colts

Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. Psalm 63:7

“He calls us little chickens the Scripture testifies: “As a hen gathereth her chicks under her wings.” Thus are we the Lord’s chicks; the Word thus marvellously and mystically describing the simplicity of childhood. For sometimes He calls us children, sometimes chickens, sometimes infants, and at other times sons, and “a new people,” and “a recent people.” “And my servants shall be called by a new name” (a new name, He says, fresh and eternal, pure and simple, and childlike and true), which shall be blessed on the earth.

And again, He figuratively calls us colts unyoked to vice, not broken in by wickedness; but simple, and bounding joyously to the Father alone; not such horses “as neigh after their neighbors’ wives, that are under the yoke, and are female-mad;” but free and new-born, jubilant by means of faith, ready to run to the truth, swift to speed to salvation, that tread and stamp under foot the things of the world.

Clement of Alexandria (c.150-c.215) in The Instructor Book 1 Chapter Five (Roberts-Donaldson English Translation).

Don’t miss the wisdom here from the good instructor for you and I as the Lord’s little chickens and colts. Ponder this word picture for a while.

This should inspire us to see ourselves rightly, to pursue lives of childlike faith, and to lives of simplicity which positions us look like new people who practice radical generosity.

Does the little chick under the wing of the Lord worry about provision? Of course not! Is the colt “unyoked to vice” and “not broken in by wickedness” in the right position to be trained? Yes.

That’s us. And notice how neighbors come into view. We are not horses that neigh after anything our neighbor possesses, which positions us to practice the love of neighbor that the Lord desires.

So what’s the takeaway today? Picture yourself as the Lord’s little chicken or as a colt from now on. This should free you worry, remind you of the Lord’s tender care, and motivate you to yoke to righteousness.

When you do, I promise you will start to realize what it means to be the “new people” the Lord wants us to be because we have so much in the way of worldly thinking to unlearn.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Proverbs 9:10

“He asks of wisdom, who seeks to know what is the will of God. And he will show himself prudent who is sparing of his words on that which he has come to learn. If one inquires about wisdom, desiring to learn something about wisdom, while another asks nothing of wisdom, as not only wishing to learn nothing about wisdom himself, but even keeping back his neighbors from so doing, the former certainly is deemed to be more prudent than the latter.”

Hippolytus of Rome (c.170-236) in “On Proverbs” from The Extant Works and Fragments of Hippolytus: Dogmatical and Historical (Roberts-Donaldson English Translation).

The counsel of Hippolytus also reminds me of this verse. The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. Proverbs 4:7

I have always loved Hippolytus because he gives us the oldest existing list of the 70 disciples of Jesus in Luke’s Gospel. Find it here if you are interested in doing further study of the 70 and where they ministered.

I used this list to inspire how I set up GTP with regional facilitators and country coordinators all over the world. This group of 70 were trained in Jerusalem and spread the gospel to all the major cities of the ancient world.

That’s our aim today at GTP. We have 10 staff, 12 regional facilitators, and 48 country coordinators (and counting) strengthening stewards and training them to have churches and ministries follow standards for local sustainability.

And notice how our neighbor comes into view. Our pursuit of wisdom (or lack of this pursuit) impacts those around us. Prudent and generous behavior on our part encourages others to deeper study.

I am preaching the next two Sundays in Hong Kong. That’s required me to do fresh study. I appreciate your support and prayers for GTP workers deployed to Hong Kong, China, and Taiwan from 18 January to 1 February.

What about you? How might you discipline yourself to study for a specific or some future opportunity to bless a neighbor with biblical truth? And if not, how might your lack of this pursuit adversely impact your neighbors?

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8

“Now we also confess that God exists, but that He is one, the Creator, and Maker, and Fashioner of this universe; and we know that all things are arranged by His Providence, but by Him alone. And we have learned a holy law; but we have as lawgiver Him who is really God, who teaches us to act righteously, and to be pious, and to do good.

And concerning piety He says, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I am the LORD thy God.”

And of doing good He said: “Honor thy father and thy mother; that it may be well with thee, and that thy days may be long in the land which I the LORD God give thee.”

Again, concerning righteousness: “Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, nor his land, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his beast of burden, nor any of his cattle, nor anything that is thy neighbor’s.”

Theophilus of Antioch (c.120-c.190) in Book Three, Chapter Nine.

If we think we should pursue a life of righteousness, piety, and generosity, notice the counsel today from Theophilus of Antioch remembering his context.

Antioch is the city where about 100 years before he wrote this treatise that disciples were first called Christians. So this thinking reflects the heart of the early church.

Theophilus lifted up the importance of honoring God as Creator and Sustainer and then demonstrating faith through righteousness, piety, and generosity aligned with the Ten Commandments.

I feel like we miss the mark in many areas in modern times. We put things ahead of God in our lives, dishonor our parents, and covet what our neighbor’s have.

All this leaves us discontent and may explain why there is a lack of righteousness, piety, and generosity in the church. Today Theophilus would give us this advice.

Don’t desire (or covet) the gifts of God that others may have but make God your first and only desire. Any other path will mess up your relationship to Him and to people.

Since an overseer manages God’s household, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. Titus 1:7

“For the law commanded them to abstain from every servile work, that is, from all grasping after wealth which is procured by trading and by other worldly business; but it exhorted them to attend to the exercises of the soul, which consist in reflection, and to addresses of a beneficial kind for their neighbors’ benefit.”

Irenaeus of Lyons (c. 130-c. 202) in Against Heresies Book IV 8.2.

The bishop of Lyons echos Paul’s words to Titus.

Stewards must not grasp after wealth but “attend to the exercises of the soul which consist of reflection” and to serve for the benefit of our neighbor.

When we are greedy for gain, our desire is to take from our neighbor.

But when we attend to the exercises of the soul, we realize, in Christ, we have everything we need, so rather than try to trade and take from others we can bless and benefit them.

Interesting that grasping for gain disqualifies a person from oversight in the church.

While the world celebrates this behavior, it does not contribute to flourishing and certainly does not belong in the church as it fails to bless our neighbors or bring them benefit.

What does this look like in your life? Would people say you pursue gain or generosity?

So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. Matthew 7:12

“For we may see that such persons are unwilling to submit to the same things which they inflict upon others, and reproach each other with hostile consciences for the acts which they perpetrate. And hence I think that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ spoke well when He summed up all righteousness and piety in two commandments. They are these: ‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy strength, and thy neighbour as thyself.’ For the man who loves God with all the heart, and with all the strength, being filled with a God-fearing mind, will reverence no other god; and since God wishes it, he would reverence that angel who is beloved by the same Lord and God. And the man who loves his neighbor as himself will wish for him the same good things that he wishes for himself, and no man will wish evil things for himself. Accordingly, he who loves his neighbor would pray and labour that his neighbor may be possessed of the same benefits as himself. Now nothing else is neighbor to man than that similarly-affectioned and reasonable being–man. Therefore, since all righteousness is divided into two branches, namely, in so far as it regards God and men, whoever, says the Scripture, loves the Lord God with all the heart, and all the strength, and his neighbor as himself, would be truly a righteous man.”

Justin Martry (c.100-c.165) in Dialogue with Trypho XCIII (Roberts-Donaldson English Translation).

In this treatise, Justin Martyr aims to communicate that Christianity is the path all people must take if they desire to pursue righteousness.

Neighbor comes into view in an interesting way. He alerts us that as humans we tend to expect others to follow a higher standard and ignore our own brokenness.

Instead we must love God and show respect to His standard, and demonstrate obedience by loving others and aiding them to have the same benefits we desire.

What might this look like in your generosity? That does not mean to pursue many things for yourself and give a small bit of surplus to a neighbor. It means living differently.

How might you desire the “same good things” for others that you desire for yourself? Tonight is our neighborhood Second Friday Social. Jenni and I are hosting.

We will try to bless them with the “same good things” we would want so that they see and hear our love for God through our sharing of benefits and blessings with them.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Matthew 5:38-48

“And concerning our being patient of injuries, and ready to serve all, and free from anger, this is what He said: “To him that smiteth thee on the one cheek, offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak or coat, forbid not. And whosoever shall be angry, is in danger of the fire. And every one that compelleth thee to go with him a mile, follow him two. And let your good works shine before men, that they, seeing them, may glorify your Father which is in heaven.” For we ought not to strive; neither has He desired us to be imitators of wicked men, but He has exhorted us to lead all men, by patience and gentleness, from shame and the love of evil. And this indeed is proved in the case of many who once were of your way of thinking, but have changed their violent and tyrannical disposition, being overcome either by the constancy which they have witnessed in their neighbors’ lives, or by the extraordinary forbearance they have observed in their fellow travellers when defrauded, or by the honesty of those with whom they have transacted business.”

Justin Martyr (c.100-c.165) in First Apology 16 entitled “Concerning Patience and Swearing” (Roberts-Donaldson English Translation).

I had one of those light bulb moments today as, for the third day in a row in exploring the link between ‘neighbor’ and ‘generosity’ in early church writings I saw the term ‘imitator’ used. Here was my realization.

Few of the Christians in the early church had access to any portions of Scripture. So how would they know how to live? They would hear the teachings of the apostles passed on to them and imitate their teachers.

Justin Martyr encourages us to obey the teachings of Jesus because it can really have an impact on others. The lost can be won by the constancy, the extraordinary forbearance, and the honesty of a neighbor.

Think now of a neighbor who does not know Jesus. Would they say you generously exhibit constancy, extraordinary forbearance, and the honesty? If not, double down. If so, stay the course. Why? You may be the only Jesus they see.

Love your neighbor. Kill them with kindness, constancy, extraordinary forbearance, and honesty.

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2

“For happiness consisteth not in lordship over one’s neighbors, nor in desiring to have more than weaker men, nor in possessing wealth and using force to inferiors; neither can any one imitate God in these matters; nay, these lie outside His greatness. But whosoever taketh upon himself the burden of his neighbor, whosoever desireth to benefit one that is worse off in that in which he himself is superior, whosoever by supplying to those that are in want possessions which he received from God becomes a God to those who receive them from Him, he is an imitator of God.”

The Epistle of Mathetes to Diognetus, 10:5-6 (c. 130). Mathetes, “a disciple of the Apostles,” was likely a student of Paul or one of the Apostle’s associates.

Though this was written nearly 2,000 years ago, it describes modern realities. People think happiness is found in lording over neighbors and possessing wealth.

Interestingly, the idea of being an imitator of God in living differently appears again in the early church writings.

Notice the aim of the first disciples was not to lord over one’s neighbor but to take upon himself the burden of his neighbor.  This entailed benefiting those worse off and supplying the needs to those in want.

A few of you have asked if GTP hit our year-end goal to activate the major grant to expand capacities to serve such people.

We did not. But we believe God left the door open for others to give in January. Hopefully we can hit it by 6 February 2024 when we have a key grant meeting. For now we pray and the work must wait. Click here to give to GTP.

Pray with me for resources to benefit those worse off and to supply the needs of those in want.

Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ. 1 Corinthians 11:1

“The church of God which sojourneth at Smyrna to the Church of God which sojourneth in Philomelium and to all the brotherhoods of the holy and universal Church sojourning in every place; mercy and peace and love from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ be multiplied.

We write unto you, brethren, an account of what befell those that suffered martyrdom and especially the blessed Polycarp, who stayed the persecution, having as it were set his seal upon it by his martyrdom. For nearly all the foregoing events came to pass that the Lord might show us once more an example of martyrdom which is conformable to the Gospel.

For he lingered that he might be delivered up, even as the Lord did, to the end that we too might be imitators of him, not looking only to that which concerneth ourselves, but also to that which concerneth our neighbors. For it is the office of true and steadfast love, not only to desire that oneself be saved, but all the brethren also.”

Polycarp (69-155) in The Martyrdom of Polycarp 1 (J.B. Lightfoot Translation).

The account of Polycarp’s martyrdom aimed to inspire the church in Smyrna and Philomelium and each of us many years later to embrace suffering like our Lord did.

It was passed on to inspire others to be imitators of him. We do this so that onlookers and our neighbors might see and be saved by our example of true and steadfast love.

As we explore the posture toward neighbors in 2024 in the early fathers we discover that everyone is our neighbor. Our generosity may appear as giving resources and today comes into view as setting an example in suffering.

My prayer for myself and every person reading this is that we can be imitators of Christ in both our service and our suffering in view of our neighbors. so they may see and believe or grow deeper in the faith.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13

“These things, brethren, I write unto you concerning righteousness, not because I laid this charge upon myself, but because ye invited me.

For neither am I, nor is any other like unto me, able to follow the wisdom of the blessed and glorious Paul, who when he came among you taught face to face with the men of that day the word which concerneth truth carefully and surely; who also, when he was absent, wrote a letter unto you, into the which if ye look diligently, ye shall be able to be builded up unto the faith given to you,

which is the mother of us all, while hope followeth after and love goeth before–love toward God and Christ and toward our neighbor. For if any man be occupied with these, he hath fulfilled the commandment of righteousness; for he that hath love is far from all sin.”

Polycarp (69-155) in his letter to the Philippians 3:1-3 (J.B. Lightfoot Translation)

Polycarp was discipled by John.

In his letter to the Philippians he reminds them that while neither he nor they could live up to the standard of the Apostle Paul, they could fulfill the command of righteousness if they occupied themselves with faith, hope, and love toward God and their neighbor.

Think about what Polycarp is saying to the Philippians (and us).

He’s saying that we can fulfill what may seem like impossible commands by simply occupying ourselves with what is good and right one step at a time. It reminds me of this expression: How do you eat an elephant? The answer, of course, is one bite at a time.

As you think about extending faith, h0pe, and love to your neighbors, what might this look like practically for you?

For example, we can be generous with encouragement, kindness, and thoughtfulness toward others. This might appear as helping them with a task. Always we think about giving them not what they deserve but what they need most in every moment.

Sometimes it might have financial implications. And always, as Polycarp notes, this will keep us from sin! Double benefit.

From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:16-17

“Let us all therefore love one another in harmony, and let no one look upon his neighbor according to the flesh, but in Christ Jesus. Let nothing exist among you which may divide you.”

Ignatius of Antioch (c.50-c.108) in the Epistle of Ignatius To the Magnesians 6 (Roberts-Donaldson English Translation).

Today Ignatius echoes the Apostle Paul urging us not to regard our neighbor according to the flesh. But what does this mean and how does it relate to our generosity?

It simply means we are not to treat others like we did when we did not know Christ. Our faith should shape our interaction with others. As we have been forgiven, we forgive. As we have been given grace, we give grace.

We get to love others in harmony because we have been made one in Christ. And we let nothing divide us because Christ wants us to remain one.

Ignatius was taken captive and led from Antioch to Rome to experience martyrdom. Along the way he visited cities and then wrote short letters like this one.

Imagine these as his last words to them or to you. He knew that for the church to flourish it must preserve the harmony and avoid division. We do this by regarding no one according to the flesh.