June 29 ~ Romans 12:6-8
If you preach, just preach God's Message, nothing else; if you help, just help, don't take over; if you teach, stick to your teaching; if you give encouraging guidance, be careful that you don't get bossy; if you're put in charge, don't manipulate; if you're called to give aid to people in distress, keep your eyes open and be quick to respond; if you work with the disadvantaged, don't let yourself get irritated with them or depressed by them. Keep a smile on your face.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
Children and grandparents, in particular, are great examples for this scripture. Who among us has worked with a small child learning to tie his/her shoes, and we were sorely tempted to just tie them ourselves and move ahead? Who hasn’t watched an older person struggle to open some package or carton and wanted to say, “Hand it to me, and I will do it.”
I find many instances in my daily life where I am impatient and would just rather do things myself than wait on someone else to learn to do them – or to physically manage them. Are you like this? Maybe your mom or dad is a total nerd when it comes to learning to text or do something on the Internet. Maybe you have a friend or family member who clearly could benefit from your advice about how to do things in their life… if only they would listen to your “encouragement.” It’s tough – I know!
The Christian life is a bit of a tightrope walk. We are called to do all we can – but not to overstep our bounds. We are called to meet the needs of others in Jesus’ name, but we are NOT Jesus! We are called to love – those people and situations that are easy, and those that are “unlovely.”
So I guess today is as good a day as any for a “temperature check.” We should all stop and take a look at our lives and how we are doing in our service to Christ. Are we doing enough? Are we doing more than He has called us to do? Where do we need to accelerate our efforts, and where do we need to “take our foot off the gas” a bit? And where do we rate on the “joy meter?” Do we have a smile on our face? Are we serving Him with a joyful heart, or have we become complacent and/or resentful? How are you serving Christ these days? Is it time for a little makeover?
©2009 Debbie Robus
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June 28 ~ Hebrews 4:14-16
Now that we know what we have - Jesus, this great High Priest with ready access to God - let's not let it slip through our fingers. We don't have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He's been through weakness and testing, experienced it all - all but the sin. So let's walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
It has been my experience that sometimes those who need help the most will not ask for it. I’ve known of friends and family members who were sick for several days and could have used a jar of hot soup or someone to go to the store and get medicine, but they didn’t want to be a bother to anyone. Now mind you, not all people fall into this category, but there are people who don’t want to impose… even when their requests would not qualify as an imposition!
I’ve known of people who needed prayer but wouldn’t call the church and be placed on a prayer list. “There are just so many people in more desperate need than I,” they would say. My response… “How can your brothers and sisters in the church pray for you if they don’t know you need it?” The answer is that they cannot. A pastor once told me, “I can’t visit sick people if I don’t know they are sick!” So just as God wants us to ask for what we need, we must be willing to let our friends, family, and church family help us when we are in need.
At the same time, we need to be paying more attention. Often needs are right under our noses and we fail to see them. A friend who says, “Oh, you don’t have time to hear my problems,” may mean “I really need to talk!” Someone who never is available to go places with your circle of friends may either be short on cash for the activities or feeling awkward about being included in the group. When you don’t see or hear from someone for several days, it may be time to do a “buddy check” and make sure they are okay.
Don’t be guilty of assuming everything is okay with others. Don’t get so self-absorbed or consumed with your own life that you don’t notice the needs of others. And when you need help, don’t hesitate to call on others for help. Take the mercy, accept the help when you need it… and be ready and willing to share mercy and help with others when necessary!
2009 Debbie Robus
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June 27 ~ Galatians 6:1-3
Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day's out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ's law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
I was having dinner at a local restaurant with my husband’s family when closed captioning on a big screen TV reported that Michael Jackson had died. We all commented that this was sad news, and I said, “He was such a genius.” Someone asked, “Do you really think he was a genius?” I replied that I thought his musical and dancing abilities were brilliant… that there was no one else like him. I have always maintained that Michael Jackson, the person, was grossly misunderstood – I am neither condoning or condemning him – I am saying that we know his hype, not his heart.
My heart is broken today for Michael Jackson… not because of who he was, but because of how he was perceived and treated by so many. Somehow, we get caught up in the celebrity of people like Michael Jackson - and the aspects of their lives that we find questionable, we readily criticize. We label them “kooks, nuts, degenerates” and worse, and that is how we ultimately see them. We don’t see them as precious children of God, just like we think of ourselves. We don’t look beyond the façade of their celebrity and see the person inside.
Am I saying we should try to witness to celebrities like Michael Jackson? Obviously I am not suggesting this, literally. Few, if any of us, will ever meet many famous people for more than perhaps a brief moment to grab an autograph. But none of us realizes the impact that we have on others… and its ripple effect. We are so quick to criticize and condemn someone who is not like us… or not the person we feel they should be. We ostracize rather than embrace… and we do this to the poor and unclean, those who dress differently or outrageously, those who fall into sin, and frankly, those who just don’t do to suit us!
With the power of the Internet and online networks like Facebook and Twitter, our abilities to reach others are increased beyond our wildest imagination. So it is not that much of a “stretch” to think we can have “sway” over celebrities like Michael Jackson – that we can show compassion for them and reach out to them in God’s name. If nothing else, maybe our attitude toward others can cause a ripple effect of love and concern for these people. More importantly, we have an impact on those in our own back yard… even in the way we react to celebrities.
It all begins with how we conduct our own lives. It begins with the things that come out of our mouths – criticism, foul language, hurtful comments, judgments of any kind. How we live has far-reaching effects, because remember, someone is always watching! To God, every person is a celebrity… every person is as precious as Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett, who also died on June 25th or Jon and Kate, who have been so prevalent in recent news. We often have a hand in “creating the monster” by giving these individuals notoriety and recognition. But we are also huge hypocrites – ready to tear down these same people when they fail to live up to our hype and exaggerated expectations.
In his lyrics for We Are the World, Michael Jackson wrote…
We can’t go on pretending day by day
That someone, somewhere will soon make a change
We are all a part of God’s great big family
And the truth, you know…love is all we need
We are the world, we are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day
So let’s start giving
There’s a choice we’re making
We’re saving our own lives
It’s true, we’ll make a better day
Just you and me
God has called us to make a better day, to start giving… to love in His name, to choose to share His love and His message with others, and it does start with “just you and me.” Are you ready to see others in a different light… are you ready to recognize God’s creation in ALL people, and to complete Christ’s law by living compassionately and sharing their burdens? How creatively are you living these days?
©2009 Debbie Robus
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June 26 ~ 2 Corinthians 8:8-9
I'm not trying to order you around against your will. But by bringing in the Macedonians' enthusiasm as a stimulus to your love, I am hoping to bring the best out of you. You are familiar with the generosity of our Master, Jesus Christ. Rich as he was, he gave it all away for us - in one stroke he became poor and we became rich.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
If you have ever done without something for the sake of another person, you know how it feels. On one hand… if what you gave up was valuable or important to you, it may sting a bit! But on the other, when you know the joy you brought to someone else – or how you helped them – you can’t help but feel blessed.
There are two things I want to stress today:
- We have the perfect example in Jesus of how to give to others… to meet their needs with our own generosity… to “give until it hurts.”
- You lose some of the blessing if you require credit for your good deeds. In other words, it really doesn’t count as an act of generosity if you brag about it. Why? Because you are not giving from your heart… you are giving with a price tag… personal recognition and praise.
Jesus didn’t ask for – or expect – anything from us. Yes, we are called to tell others about Him. Yes, we are called to share His message with others – and to tell of His sacrifice. But that is not why Jesus died for our sins. He did it purely out of love for us… out of a desire for us to be with Him in heaven. He gave from the depths of His heart so that we could gain our very lives.
So our challenge is to be aware of ways to give away our time, our talents, our money and possessions. I don’t believe that God is calling us to become destitute and homeless in His name or to never have anything for ourselves. But I do believe that God is calling us to be good stewards of the riches He has given us. I believe that God expects us to pay attention to those around us and notice those in need – and to do all we can to meet those needs… humbly, prayerfully, and with a loving heart.
©2009 Debbie Robus---------------------------------------------------------
June 25 ~ John 18:8-9
"I told you," said Jesus, "that's me. I'm the one. So if it's me you're after, let these others go." (This validated the words in his prayer, "I didn't lose one of those you gave.")
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
I’ve heard more than one older person talk about his/her mother frying a chicken for dinner – and then pretending her favorite part was the back, a fairly meatless piece. What she was really doing was making a sacrifice and allowing her other family members to eat the meatier pieces. When my sister and I were small, my mother wore the same dresses for several years so that she could afford to make new ones for us. You may know a parent who did without something so his/her child could have what they wanted or needed. You may have even given up going somewhere with friends to stay home with a younger sister or brother while your parents were away at work or for a night out.
It seems like very few are willing to “take one for the team” these days. We all have grown more self-centered… more oriented toward what is in it for ourselves. “But I can’t sacrifice my life as Jesus did,” you may argue. No, but you can skip those new iTune downloads or a couple of burgers and fries in order to buy a mosquito net for a child in Africa. You can spend an afternoon volunteering at a local charity or a church activity instead of going swimming. You can offer to help around the house instead of lying on the couch and watching TV all day.
You can stop and spend a few minutes looking up someone’s address and mailing them a get-well card to show you care. You can phone a friend. You can skip the new car stereo, piece of jewelry, tattoo, or big-screen TV you don’t need and sponsor a needy child or donate to Heifer International. Instead of driving to the beach for vacation, you can spend a week volunteering at a youth camp or thrift store - or working at the Humane Society animal shelter. You can give up one hour of whatever you enjoy the most to spend it with someone who is a shut-in.
The list is endless. No, we can’t be Jesus. No, we can’t sacrifice ourselves for the sins of mankind as He did. And we praise God that He did this for us! But there ARE ways we can sacrifice to show love and compassion for someone else. Let it be said of you that no opportunities for service to Christ were missed. Think outside the box a little, and see how you can be more caring and generous.
©2009 Debbie Robus
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June 24 ~ John 11:34-38
When Jesus saw her sobbing and the Jews with her sobbing, a deep anger welled up within him. He said, "Where did you put him?"
"Master, come and see," they said. Now Jesus wept.
The Jews said, "Look how deeply he loved him."
Others among them said, "Well, if he loved him so much, why didn't he do something to keep him from dying? After all, he opened the eyes of a blind man."
Then Jesus, the anger again welling up within him, arrived at the tomb. It was a simple cave in the hillside with a slab of stone laid against it. Jesus said, "Remove the stone."
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
When my husband and I went to see the movie Marley and Me, everyone cried – from the youngest kid to the most macho man. We were deeply moved by the story of this dog who endeared himself to everyone he met and those who watched his story on the big screen. We related to the experiences of this family… and we deeply internalized their joys AND their sorrows and had compassion for them.
What we often fail to realize is that Jesus deeply internalizes OUR joys and sorrows. He is saddened when we are sad or hurting. He is overjoyed when we are happy. He feels what we feel. Once we come to see Jesus as someone Who loves us enough to share in all of our feelings and emotions, we see Him in a whole new light. As Christians, we must in turn have such compassion and empathy for those whom we encounter.
There’s one other thing… when we come to understand the depth of Jesus’ love and compassion for us, we must also see the foolishness of the Jews’ question about Lazarus… “If He loved him so much, why didn’t He do something…?” How often do we say this? How often do we ask, “If Jesus really loves us, why did this or that happen? If God cares, where was He when I went through such-and-such?” The answer is… “God was right there. Jesus cares more that we can ever comprehend. Everything we feel, He feels. When we laugh, He laughs – when we cry, He cries, too.”
If we can have empathy and sympathy for a family and their dog that we’ve never met except through a movie, why can’t we have more compassion for those we do know? If we really want to be like Jesus, we have to not only understand how much He cares for us… we must care for others in His name. Never forget how deeply Jesus cares about you… in all of your circumstances. Let this knowledge color every aspect of your life… share this love and compassion with others in His name… and see if it doesn’t make a difference!
©2009 Debbie Robus
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June 23 ~ Luke 19:41-44
When the city came into view, he wept over it. "If you had only recognized this day, and everything that was good for you! But now it's too late. In the days ahead your enemies are going to bring up their heavy artillery and surround you, pressing in from every side. They'll smash you and your babies on the pavement. Not one stone will be left intact. All this because you didn't recognize and welcome God's personal visit."
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
The local news reports have been tragic lately. A young woman shot her six-year-old daughter and then turned the gun on herself. What drove her to this? Why did she feel that this was her only option? A parolee refused to cooperate at a prison checkpoint and even turned his vehicle on officers at the scene. He was shot and killed. He was at the prison to pick up his brother’s girlfriend – the brother is incarcerated at that facility. It is hard for us to imagine situations where more than one family member is – or has been - in prison, but it happens… more often than we realize. What brought this family to such a tragic set of circumstances? An assistant police chief was shot in the chest near Plumerville – and killed – when he stopped a car that had apparently been stolen. The two assailants have been apprehended… how did they come to this end?
Do these reports bother you? When you hear such news, are you saddened? Do you wonder if the people involved failed to recognize God’s presence in their lives? I’m not saying that God caused these tragedies – or any others. But I am saying that so often, people who do not have a relationship with God suffer tremendous heartache, trouble, and tragedy. They have no comprehension of a better way of living – they have no hope or faith. So their solution is mired in poor choices that often lead to tragic results.
This SHOULD break our hearts. It should cause us to ask, “Where are we missing the mark?” Yes, WE, not “they”… because we know Who can change things. We know Who gives us grace and mercy – hope and promise of a better day. And it is up to us to share God’s love with others… to encourage, to inspire, to instill them with hope and options. Sadly, we often sort of half-listen to the news and think, “Oh, that is too bad,” but we fail to see our part in it.
I’m not saying we can stop convicted felons from committing crimes. I realize that some people are harboring thoughts of suicide and personal injury – and we are clueless. But at the end of the day, we must be more compassionate… and more concerned. We must be more awake and alert – and attentive to opportunities for helping those who are in need, misguided, or hurting.
There is no room for “if onlys” – we must be caring, compassionate people of action – Christians in every sense of the word. We must be kind and loving toward every person who comes through the doors of our churches and our businesses. We must love and nurture every student in our classrooms. We must encourage our co-workers, the parents of our children’s friends, and members of our own family. We must care about one another – and share the Good News – in hopes that others will recognize and welcome God’s personal visit. Where do we need to show more compassion today? Where do we need to do more?
©2009 Debbie Robus
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June 22 ~ Luke 7:11-15
Not long after that, Jesus went to the village Nain. His disciples were with him, along with quite a large crowd. As they approached the village gate, they met a funeral procession - a woman's only son was being carried out for burial. And the mother was a widow. When Jesus saw her, his heart broke. He said to her, "Don't cry." Then he went over and touched the coffin. The pallbearers stopped. He said, "Young man, I tell you: Get up." The dead son sat up and began talking. Jesus presented him to his mother.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
My all-time favorite movie is Terms of Endearment. I recall a scene that takes place in the hospital where Emma Horton, played by Debra Winger, is dying of cancer. She is in terrible pain. The nurse will not give her another shot, insisting that she has to wait until 10:00. Emma’s mother, Aurora Greenway - played by Shirley MacLaine - cannot bear to see her daughter suffering. This quote from www.imdb.com follows: “Aurora Greenway: It's past ten. My daughter is in pain. I don't understand why she has to have this pain. All she has to do is hold out until ten, and IT'S PAST TEN! My daughter is in pain, can't you understand that! GIVE MY DAUGHTER THE SHOT!” Aurora was heartbroken for her daughter, and she was doing all she could to ease her pain and make her situation better.
We live near the local hospital, and from our windows, we can see helicopters landing to pick up patients to med-flight to other hospitals. Soon after we moved into our house, I started making a point to say a short prayer whenever I saw or heard one of those helicopters. I don’t know who is involved, but God does, and I simply ask for protection and care for the patient, his/her family members and friends, and the medical staff. Just a few months ago, a helicopter landed one evening, and later I learned that the patient was my cousin, who had been seriously injured in a logging accident. I remembered distinctly praying for that helicopter and its occupants. Little did I know the patient was someone in my own family!
We never know how our care and concern may affect another person or situation. When we act in compassion and Christian love, we may never know the outcome. But I assure you, God uses our efforts. When we stop on the side of the road to pay respect as a funeral procession passes, someone notices. When we pray for people we don’t even know who are air-lifted by helicopter to a hospital for reasons we will never discover, God hears our intercessions. When we reach out to those who are hurting and hungry, lonely or dejected, disabled and discarded… it makes a difference. Our compassion is often “the shot” that eases their pain.
Who breaks your heart today? What touches you and moves you to act on the behalf of someone else? Is it enough… or is there more that you can do? God is calling us to reach out to others in His name. Are you doing your part? Will you understand and “give the shot” that makes a difference?
©2009 Debbie Robus
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