For example, if you have a speaking gift, speak as though God were speaking his words through you. If you have the gift of serving, do it passionately with the strength God gives you, so that in everything God alone will be glorified through Jesus Christ. For to him belong the power and the glory forever throughout all ages! Amen.1 Peter 4:11 TPT
(In March of 2021 as I was studying about St. Patrick, I was captured by the story and legacy of the Guiness family and how they used Ale to change Dublin and bring glory to God and add to His Kingdom. So for the next few days we will revisit this amazing Irish legacy.)
Today is St. Patrick’s Day when an average of 13 million pints of Guiness Beer will be consumed worldwide. To put that in perspective that’s enough Stout to fill 60% of the Empire State Building! All to celebrate the man Maewyn Succat or as we know him St. Patrick. Who was not Irish, but British. As a teenager he was kidnapped and taken as a slave to Ireland where he was a shepherd during his 6 years of captivity. Out alone in the fields Patrick lived the life much like King David, and like him he came into a close relationship with the Lord. Patrick’s master was a Druid and in a dream one night he saw Irish children reaching out their hands to him for help.
Patrick escaped with the help of the Lord and when he returned to England he wanted to begin religious studies and did so with a great desire in his heart to return to Ireland and reach them with the love that Jesus had for them. Patrick brought Jesus to the Irish people and changed the country of Ireland forever. One of those people who came to know Jesus personally was Arthur Guiness and he too help changed the country of Ireland.
Not only did he begin the first Sunday School, and created a Stout Beer that reformed the city of Dublin, and helped change his community. Arthur ran his brewery for the glory of God. Wesley taught a faith that inspired men to make their work an offering to God, to learn a craft with discipline, love of labor and those skills and passion were taught to the next generation. They learned that their work was also their calling from God and he was worthy of excellence in all things in life, whether at work, at home and especially within their communities. Dublin became a city of social responsibility with Arthur leading businessmen to believe that wealth was created for the compassionate use to make a difference in society and establish a godly heritage that would last generations.
Tomorrow we will learn why the Guiness Beer Company became the standard for businesses that generated more success than they could ever imagine and all the glory goes to God.
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