Aunt Deb's Attic: April 2007

These are the first few devotionals in a series I call "Operating in Love." If you want more of them, leave your e-mail address in comments, and I'll get back to you.

Exodus 32:31-32
"And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written."

Have you ever offered to take someone’s place for something unpleasant? There are some people for whom I would make sacrifices… but probably not as many as I would like to believe, when it’s all said and done. I have “taken the rap” for others before, and maybe you have, too. And I guess I did it out of love for that person. Maybe you passed up your allowance when your parents were short on money, so that your siblings could get theirs. Or maybe you skipped a trip or something fun, so that someone else could have your seat or ticket. Or maybe you offered to be a blood donor… or kidney or liver… so that someone who was sick could have a shot at a healthy life. Or maybe you rushed into a burning building to save someone!

But the love of Moses for his people is astounding to me! He is offering to give up his home with God in heaven – is Eternal Life - if God will only forgive the Israelites for making this huge golden idol to another god. This man, who has done everything God has told him to do, is willing to give his very SOUL for the people he loves.

You and I are very much the “Israelites” for whom Christ sacrificed His earthly life. He said, in essence, “God, I am dying on this cross… suffering, bleeding, hurting… so that these people whom I love – and whom YOU love… can be with us in Paradise. Please forgive their sins. Let me bear them. Take MY life instead.” The GOOD NEWS is that, not only did Christ pay for our sins… He rose to sit on the throne with God, and we will see Him again someday. He’s waiting there, eagerly, to see those for whom He gave so much. He LOVES US with a love we cannot begin to comprehend. There is an old song made famous by the Bee Gees that asks, “How Deep is Your Love?” We see in Scripture the depth of Moses love for the Israelites, and Christ’s love for us. I am asking you today… how deep is YOUR love?

©2007 Debbie Robus
Scripture taken from the King James Version, 1987 printing. The KJV is public domain in the United States. To read this passage from The Message, go to www.biblegateway.org and do a passage lookup.

Leviticus 19:18, 34
"Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.

But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God."

When I was in the fifth grade, my family moved to Oklahoma so that my dad could get a good job as a welder, working on the McClellan-Kerr Navigation system, which was being constructed on the Arkansas River. Daddy built tainter gates, which were a type of radial arm floodgate used in dams and canal locks to control water flow. The town in which we lived was very small – just a few hundred in number – but swelled in population with the families of the construction crews who came for many months to a few years to work on this dam. Historically, the crew would do their work, then move on to another lock and dam project on this river or another.

The little community in which we lived had another component… a rather substantial Indian population. We lived near Muskogee, Oklahoma, and there were decendents in this area of the “Five Civilized Tribes” – Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek, and Seminole. We loved to visit the “Five Civilized Tribes Museum” in Muskogee and learn about this rich history, especially when we learned from our grandparents that our own heritage included Indian lineage. We made friends with fellow classmates who were full-blood Indians. My brother’s best friend in first grade was named Marvin Birdtail. My good friend was Leona – I have forgotten her last name. Often, Leona didn’t have money for morning milk, and I “shared” my extra pennies with her. My daddy was making good money working at his job, so I always had extra pennies. But nobody else gave Leona much attention, and I honestly “felt her pain” since I was somewhat an outcast, too. While I was not a happy camper when we lived in Oklahoma, I learned some valuable lessons, particularly about how to treat others.

Ironically, the people of the small town where we lived were not impressed… both by our Indian friends, nor with us. Where we had been well-respected middle-class members of the Heber Springs community, here we were considered lower class… something akin to “gypsies” because our families moved so often. The inference was subtle, but we felt it… and it wasn’t a good feeling. Probably our “saving Grace” - and notice the capital “G” – was that my family had a lot of musical talent, and we were able to contribute that talent to the small Baptist church we attended. They were thrilled to have ready pianists, organists, and soloists, and so we were a little better accepted than many of our friends and fellow construction families.

Looking back on this, I have to wonder if the folks of this little town knew about Leviticus 19. Did they understand that even in Old Testament times, God instructed his people NOT to see color, economic class, family history, talents and abilities. And I have to ask, some 40 years later, are we any better? Do we see the person, or do we see the potential pro athletic talent? Do we see the person, or do we see the cool car that person drives? Do we see the person, or do we see the dirty, outdated clothes? Do we see the person, or do we see the physical deformity?

DO we love our neighbor as ourselves? I encourage you to ask yourself this each and every day, with everyone you encounter. When you see someone you are tempted to judge – both negatively OR positively – ask yourself, “Am I evaluating this person like I would myself?” Remember that we are ALL God’s children, and He loves ALL of us equally. If he can love US… surely He loves the other guy. Your phrase for the day is “Leviticus 19” – I hope you will remember it as you interact with others.

©2007 Debbie Robus Scripture taken from the King James Version, 1987 printing. The KJV is public domain in the United States. To read this passage from The Message, go to www.biblegateway.org and do a passage lookup.

Deuteronomy 10:19
"Love ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt."

Remember my story about living in Oklahoma? Do you remember when I mentioned that our “saving Grace” was being able to contribute to the musical pool at our church? Let’s look at this scripture again. It says to love the stranger, because, remember… we were once strangers! I believe this is exactly what happened to my family in Oklahoma. We WERE strangers there. We felt that sting. But GOD made a way for us. He gave us our musical abilities… and he put us in a position to use them as a tool to gain some acceptance in the community.

We are all “strangers” in an “Egypt” of sorts at some point. Maybe you are sick and have to go to a hospital where you don’t know anyone, and you are dependent on the doctors and nurses there. You surely want them to love you and be nice, don’t you?! Maybe you are on a sports team that travels to opponents’ territory, and you feel the antagonism… maybe you even feel unwelcome! You would love to have some of that “love for a stranger,” wouldn’t you?

So let’s turn the tables. When the opposing team visits OUR gym… let’s clap for them when they enter the gym instead of booing! When somebody in front of you in the line at Wal-Mart is dirty or dressed differently, let’s smile and not form an instant negative opinion in our heads. When you see someone of another race in the store, at your church, or at school, don’t stare and make them feel uncomfortable. If it’s appropriate (like school or church), introduce yourself and make a friend! If you have a job where you have to wait on customers, treat them all equally.

I don’t know what your “Egypt” is or will be, but we all have them. We would do well to remember this the next time we meet a stranger… and to remember Deuteronomy 10:19.

©2007 Debbie Robus Scripture taken from the King James Version, 1987 printing. The KJV is public domain in the United States. To read this passage from The Message, go to www.biblegateway.org and do a passage lookup.

Psalms 133:1-3
"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore."

I don’t know about you, but my sister and brother and I did a “whole lotta fighting” when we were kids. There was a lot of stress and tension in my family’s household, and we vented… a LOT! I’m betting that there is a lot of stress and tension in your family, too. Maybe your parents struggle to make ends meet. Maybe you live with just your mom, and she is always stressed about something. Maybe one (or both) of your parents drink or do drugs, and then they get angry, or violent, or sad… or all three.

Maybe you struggle to make good grades, or friends, or to be accepted in some way, and this is stressful for you, and so you “act out” or release your feelings in a way that is unacceptable. Maybe you struggle to get along with your family and/or friends.

God wants us to get along. The Bible tells us it is like precious ointment to him. It is a blessing. If you are struggling to get along, I encourage you to seek help. For starters, pray, and ask God to show you how to do better… and where to go for help. You can also talk to your counselors at school, your church leaders, or to someone else you trust at church. You may even feel comfortable talking to one of your parents, an older brother or sister, an aunt, uncle, or a cousin you trust and respect. But don’t let this fester. Get busy learning to get along. You will be glad you did!

©2007 Debbie Robus Scripture taken from the King James Version, 1987 printing. The KJV is public domain in the United States. To read this passage from The Message, go to www.biblegateway.org and do a passage lookup.

Proverbs 10:12
"Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins."

Are you holding a grudge? Is there someone who pushes your buttons and makes you bristle and get all tense? Would you go so far as to say you hate some people? I have heard people say they hate Osama Bin Laden, or that they hated Hitler or Saddam Hussein. Is that you? Do you hate evil people who have done evil things?

The Bible tells us that hate… even of evil people… stirs up strife. One translation says it “starts fights.” And how true this is… isn’t that just how wars get started? But notice the rest of the scripture… “love covereth all sins.” You may have heard the saying, “love the sinner; hate the sin.” I think this is what we are being told to do in Proverbs 10:12. Certainly God does not approve of the sinful, evil acts of someone like Bin Laden, Hitler, and Saddam. NEVER!!! But, these men were all children of God… His creation. They all three made very bad choices along the way, and as a result, I cannot say with certainty that they and many other tyrants ever gave their heart to Christ and made it into heaven.

BUT… and this is important… WE, as believers in Christ, are not to hate them. For every tyrant who lives… whether a Bin Laden or Kim Jong-il – or that bully who waits for you every day at school or at work… we are to love them with the love of Christ. We are to pray for their soul – that they may be somehow reached by the message of Christ’s blood covering our sins – and that they will repent of their actions and come to Christ. We are to ask God to give us strength to show Christ’s love when we want to show hate and revenge. We are to ask for strength to speak kindly to a bully who is making life miserable for us. Remember, we may be the only face of Jesus another person ever sees. Let’s make it a face filled with love!

©2007 Debbie Robus Scripture taken from the King James Version, 1987 printing. The KJV is public domain in the United States. To read this passage from The Message, go to www.biblegateway.org and do a passage lookup.