2 Corinthians 10:3-6
The world is unprincipled. It’s dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn’t fight fair. But we don’t live or fight our battles that way—never have and never will. The tools of our trade aren’t for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity.
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.
I still cannot get over the news story this week about the young father of a three-year-old who was allegedly killed by a retired police officer in a movie theater. During the movie previews, this man refused to stop texting a message to his young daughter via the child’s babysitter. The former policeman sitting behind him apparently instigated an argument over this that escalated to his pulling out a gun and shooting this man, who later died. The man’s wife was also shot and received a non-life-threatening wound to her hand. The theater’s website lists prohibited items and actions…among them, any use of a cell phone inside the theater’s auditorium (including texting) - and possession of any weapons.
We rarely go to see a movie in the theater, because we inevitably are distracted by someone who is talking, eating too loudly, or otherwise creating a distraction. However, we would never let things escalate to this level. After all, it is just a movie. And while a theater experience isn’t cheap these days…I cannot imagine any disruption that could present a cause for “war” – much less murder! Yet these days, this seems to be where we have come to in the world as we know it. To quote this scripture passage, “It’s dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn’t fight fair.”
The next sentence of this passage is incredibly profound and important: “But we don’t live or fight our battles that way – never have and never will.” As Christians, we are equipped with what this scripture passage refers to as “God-tools.” Just what are some of our God-tools? These include love, grace, mercy, forgiveness, compassion, empathy, acceptance, encouragement, and responsive obedience. Does this mean that we sit back and let “the world” walk all over us? Not at all! But we are commanded to demonstrate a better way of solving problems and dealing with conflict.
We recently watched a documentary on our local PBS station about Woodruff Elementary School… a neighborhood institution of learning that was once part of the Little Rock School district. Woodruff was located in a truly dangerous part of the city…the principal and guidance counselor claimed that the “Crips” gang actually “met” on school grounds. Violence and murder were familiar to the fabric of life in this neighborhood…even among the young children who were brought up in this culture. The principal, Pat Higginbotham, and counselor Shirley Davis, developed a “plan” to challenge the children to go a set number of days without a single fight occurring at school. At the end of this time period, there would be a reward.
It took a lot of setbacks and restarts, but the children finally made it twenty days without a fight…and they were rewarded with a huge “play day”. From there, the school staff started again…and the time frame extended – eventually reaching 300 days without a single fight at school. Along the way, victories were rewarded with field trips, play days, and more. These administrators, and a subsequent principal, Janice Wilson, credited the children and teachers with making this concept work. They claimed that as new children came into the school, the others would teach them that “we don’t behave like that here.” Daily mantras were recited to remind the children to solve problems with words and cool-headed thinking…not heated actions and reactions.
Other educators repeatedly came to study the school and its success… and to “get a copy of the program.” They were all told, “There is no ‘program’…we are simply instilling a sense of personal worth and values into these children and showing them that fighting is not the answer.” Key in their approach was to emphasize to the children that the school was a “family”…and that families take care of each other, do not solve problems with fighting, and genuinely regard each other with respect.
Do you realize that we are a family in Christ Jesus? As such, don’t you think we owe it to each other to get along without violence, unkindness, and disrespect? How handy are your “God-tools”…and do you use them often? Do you treat others with love, grace, mercy, forgiveness, compassion, empathy, acceptance, and encouragement? Do you practice “responsive obedience” by putting God’s commands and the teachings of Jesus into practice in your daily living? Are you quick to “fly off the handle” and make snap judgments about others…or worse yet, react in a way that belies your Christian faith and witness? Do you let the little things in life get to you in such a way that you are ready to “pull the trigger and shoot somebody”… if only figuratively?
Does it make sense to you that we can use these “God-tools” (with the backing strength of God Almighty) to bring the thoughts and actions of others around without the senseless “spilling of blood”? How long can YOU go without a fight…literally and figuratively? Are you truly operating within the structure of a life shaped by Christ? Isn’t it time you were?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label arguing and fighting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label arguing and fighting. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for August 1, 2013
Matthew 12:25
Jesus knew what they were thinking, and he said to them:
Any kingdom where people fight each other will end up ruined. And a town or family that fights will soon destroy itself.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
This morning, I made a fresh apple pie. I don’t make a lot of desserts, so this is a rare treat for us. And while this recipe is not all that sweet, I looked at the pie and instantly thought, “A little slice of cheddar cheese on the side would be great to ‘cut the sweet’.”
My cousin Natalie recommended a book to me recently… A Little Salty to Cut the Sweet: Southern Stories of Faith, Family, and Fifteen Pounds of Bacon, by Sophie Hudson. The author shares stories of her Mississippi relatives and how they influenced her life. The title is a reference to her grandfather and something he used to say. Like my own grandfather who thought everything tasted better with sugar, hers would often top off his dessert with at least a few bites of something salty – another piece of chicken, some bacon or ham… or in my own grandfather’s case, a “spoonful of white soup beans”! The accompanying explanation was something along the lines of “I need something a little salty to cut the sweet.” I’ve heard this saying all of my life… and I have to admit, I have to have that last “salty” bite to “cut the sweet” quite often!
You probably think I’m going to talk about “salty” relationships in the context of those in which everything isn’t nice and sweet all the time. And I could easily do that… because clearly, Jesus is telling us that anytime we fight, hold grudges, and fail to get along, we are destined for failure and discontentment. There is no peace in relationships where people don’t speak for days/weeks/months/years. Sometimes, a little “saltiness” is okay – as long as we get back to the “sweet”, work things out, and restore order.
But what I really want to talk about today is how God puts together in relationships. Let’s understand something right up front… there is no such thing as a perfect family, friendship, community, or world at large. There will always be conflicts and disagreements, because God created each of us as unique human beings. Somewhere along the way, we’re not going to get along with the other guy. But that doesn’t mean we can allow disagreements and differences to fester and cause unrest or perpetual conflict. God brings us “salty” people to “cut the sweet”… to help us grow in our faith and learn how to share His love with everyone and live in His peace.
Right now, you may be harboring anger, resentment, jealousy, disappointment, or disgust toward a family member, friend, acquaintance, politician… or even a church member! You may base your feelings on an actual experience… or the hearsay and opinions of someone else. You may think you know the truth about someone or a specific situation…when in fact your feelings and attitudes are totally off base. Your “salty” may be totally out of balance to the “sweet” of your relationship with others. You may have been at odds with someone for so long that you honestly don’t remember what started the whole thing!
Where have you judged someone unfairly and failed to give him/her a chance to develop an honest, real relationship with you? Where have you closed the door and walked away, leaving resentments and hurts to fester and escalate? How have you contributed to a disagreement or misunderstanding… have you fanned the flames and made things worse? Have you said nothing and let someone assume you felt a particular way? Have you listened to the ideas and opinions of others and allowed them to tell you how you feel about certain people and/or situations? Do you treat others as you wish to be treated… or do some instantly sense your disapproval and disdain when you meet?
My pie recipe called for a tiny sprinkle of salt… to balance the sweetness and develop the flavor of the apples, I suppose. But adding any more salt than suggested would have totally ruined the dessert. I suggest that we all take a deep breath… that we spend some quiet time with God and ask Him to search our hearts and minds and see where we have added even a little too much “saltiness” to our lives. Life isn’t sweet all the time… and it doesn’t have to be. But we all know what too much salt can do to our diet… and that goes for our spiritual life, as well.
©2013 Debbie Robus
Jesus knew what they were thinking, and he said to them:
Any kingdom where people fight each other will end up ruined. And a town or family that fights will soon destroy itself.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
This morning, I made a fresh apple pie. I don’t make a lot of desserts, so this is a rare treat for us. And while this recipe is not all that sweet, I looked at the pie and instantly thought, “A little slice of cheddar cheese on the side would be great to ‘cut the sweet’.”
My cousin Natalie recommended a book to me recently… A Little Salty to Cut the Sweet: Southern Stories of Faith, Family, and Fifteen Pounds of Bacon, by Sophie Hudson. The author shares stories of her Mississippi relatives and how they influenced her life. The title is a reference to her grandfather and something he used to say. Like my own grandfather who thought everything tasted better with sugar, hers would often top off his dessert with at least a few bites of something salty – another piece of chicken, some bacon or ham… or in my own grandfather’s case, a “spoonful of white soup beans”! The accompanying explanation was something along the lines of “I need something a little salty to cut the sweet.” I’ve heard this saying all of my life… and I have to admit, I have to have that last “salty” bite to “cut the sweet” quite often!
You probably think I’m going to talk about “salty” relationships in the context of those in which everything isn’t nice and sweet all the time. And I could easily do that… because clearly, Jesus is telling us that anytime we fight, hold grudges, and fail to get along, we are destined for failure and discontentment. There is no peace in relationships where people don’t speak for days/weeks/months/years. Sometimes, a little “saltiness” is okay – as long as we get back to the “sweet”, work things out, and restore order.
But what I really want to talk about today is how God puts together in relationships. Let’s understand something right up front… there is no such thing as a perfect family, friendship, community, or world at large. There will always be conflicts and disagreements, because God created each of us as unique human beings. Somewhere along the way, we’re not going to get along with the other guy. But that doesn’t mean we can allow disagreements and differences to fester and cause unrest or perpetual conflict. God brings us “salty” people to “cut the sweet”… to help us grow in our faith and learn how to share His love with everyone and live in His peace.
Right now, you may be harboring anger, resentment, jealousy, disappointment, or disgust toward a family member, friend, acquaintance, politician… or even a church member! You may base your feelings on an actual experience… or the hearsay and opinions of someone else. You may think you know the truth about someone or a specific situation…when in fact your feelings and attitudes are totally off base. Your “salty” may be totally out of balance to the “sweet” of your relationship with others. You may have been at odds with someone for so long that you honestly don’t remember what started the whole thing!
Where have you judged someone unfairly and failed to give him/her a chance to develop an honest, real relationship with you? Where have you closed the door and walked away, leaving resentments and hurts to fester and escalate? How have you contributed to a disagreement or misunderstanding… have you fanned the flames and made things worse? Have you said nothing and let someone assume you felt a particular way? Have you listened to the ideas and opinions of others and allowed them to tell you how you feel about certain people and/or situations? Do you treat others as you wish to be treated… or do some instantly sense your disapproval and disdain when you meet?
My pie recipe called for a tiny sprinkle of salt… to balance the sweetness and develop the flavor of the apples, I suppose. But adding any more salt than suggested would have totally ruined the dessert. I suggest that we all take a deep breath… that we spend some quiet time with God and ask Him to search our hearts and minds and see where we have added even a little too much “saltiness” to our lives. Life isn’t sweet all the time… and it doesn’t have to be. But we all know what too much salt can do to our diet… and that goes for our spiritual life, as well.
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for July 19, 2013
James 4:1-2
Why do you fight and argue with each other? Isn’t it because you are full of selfish desires that fight to control your body? You want something you don’t have, and you will do anything to get it. You will even kill! But you still cannot get what you want, and you won’t get it by fighting and arguing. You should pray for it.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
In one of her workout videos, trainer Jillian Michaels points to the rock-hard abs of one of her models and says, “I would do just about anything to get abs like these.” Serious athletes and trainers like Michaels are probably willing to put in the necessary hours of work and make dietary sacrifices to achieve such a look. Most of us are willing to settle for something less… or we desire this effect but are unwilling to put in the necessary work to achieve it. In fact, we are drawn like moths to a flame when we see ads for “10-minute Workouts” or “Ripped in 30”… or those "weight loss centers" where you can lose several inches and clothing sizes in an hour. Whether we are willing to practically “kill” for the results we desire… or we want them handed to us… we often lack peace about our situation. We are frustrated, stressed, and often express our feelings via arguments and outbursts. In the words of author Lysa TerKeurst… we “come unglued!”
Still others spend hours/days/weeks seeking a solution to their problems via life coaches, relationship experts, and “spiritual mentors” who write books, produce tapes and create programs designed to help us become rich, prosperous, and discover the secret to finding happiness. One of the most popular of late has involved letting us in on “The Secret!” I almost cringe every time I hear this phrase. It reminds me of an old spiritual song, “There Is No Secret What God Can Do”!
To me, this is the great part of my relationship with Jesus Christ… there are no secrets! The Bible clearly tells us what God has done for us… what He is doing for us each day… and what He will do for us into Eternity. Our role is precisely detailed… love God with all of our heart… love others as we love ourselves… and “go and make disciples” – or share the GOOD NEWS of Jesus Christ with others. Fighting and arguing accomplish none of this. Looking for a “quick fix” doesn’t work… and frankly, neither does pinning all of our hopes and dreams on some “guru” who is going to give us the “magic bullet” for turning our life around!
During Vacation Bible School, I talked to the children about hearing from God. Some said they had never “heard” from Him. So I asked… “When you talk to your mom or dad about a problem, and they give you a good solution… where do you think they got it? When you read your Bible and search for answers, and you find just what you needed… how do you suppose that happened?” You could see the “light bulbs” going on all across the room as children realized that God is at work answering us and helping us to get what we need… and He uses many tools to deliver His message. Notice, though, that I said He gives us what we need… and this is very different from what we may want!
You may think that you can only find peace and joy if you are rich, thin, pretty, famous, athletic, artistic, talented, popular – you fill in the blanks. But God sees us in a completely different way than we often see ourselves. His plans for us – which are perfect – may not be what we had in mind. But if we will listen and pay attention, God will show us how to find happiness and peace in HIS will. This means that we may not have as much money or material wealth as we had hoped… we may always have that extra bump or bulge we can’t quite shed… we may not be able to run a marathon or win a beauty contest… and we certainly may not be the next American Idol! But we will be the person God designed us to be… we will be His masterpiece. And if we operate out of a desire to serve Him with our whole heart, we will have joy and peace beyond anything we could ever have imagined.
What are your heart’s desires? What are you doing to get them? Isn’t it time you stopped and spent some time in prayer… asked God what HE wants for you? It truly is no secret what God can do in your life… if only you will ask Him and submit to His will. Aren’t you ready to operate in His complete peace? Have you prayed for it lately?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Why do you fight and argue with each other? Isn’t it because you are full of selfish desires that fight to control your body? You want something you don’t have, and you will do anything to get it. You will even kill! But you still cannot get what you want, and you won’t get it by fighting and arguing. You should pray for it.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
In one of her workout videos, trainer Jillian Michaels points to the rock-hard abs of one of her models and says, “I would do just about anything to get abs like these.” Serious athletes and trainers like Michaels are probably willing to put in the necessary hours of work and make dietary sacrifices to achieve such a look. Most of us are willing to settle for something less… or we desire this effect but are unwilling to put in the necessary work to achieve it. In fact, we are drawn like moths to a flame when we see ads for “10-minute Workouts” or “Ripped in 30”… or those "weight loss centers" where you can lose several inches and clothing sizes in an hour. Whether we are willing to practically “kill” for the results we desire… or we want them handed to us… we often lack peace about our situation. We are frustrated, stressed, and often express our feelings via arguments and outbursts. In the words of author Lysa TerKeurst… we “come unglued!”
Still others spend hours/days/weeks seeking a solution to their problems via life coaches, relationship experts, and “spiritual mentors” who write books, produce tapes and create programs designed to help us become rich, prosperous, and discover the secret to finding happiness. One of the most popular of late has involved letting us in on “The Secret!” I almost cringe every time I hear this phrase. It reminds me of an old spiritual song, “There Is No Secret What God Can Do”!
To me, this is the great part of my relationship with Jesus Christ… there are no secrets! The Bible clearly tells us what God has done for us… what He is doing for us each day… and what He will do for us into Eternity. Our role is precisely detailed… love God with all of our heart… love others as we love ourselves… and “go and make disciples” – or share the GOOD NEWS of Jesus Christ with others. Fighting and arguing accomplish none of this. Looking for a “quick fix” doesn’t work… and frankly, neither does pinning all of our hopes and dreams on some “guru” who is going to give us the “magic bullet” for turning our life around!
During Vacation Bible School, I talked to the children about hearing from God. Some said they had never “heard” from Him. So I asked… “When you talk to your mom or dad about a problem, and they give you a good solution… where do you think they got it? When you read your Bible and search for answers, and you find just what you needed… how do you suppose that happened?” You could see the “light bulbs” going on all across the room as children realized that God is at work answering us and helping us to get what we need… and He uses many tools to deliver His message. Notice, though, that I said He gives us what we need… and this is very different from what we may want!
You may think that you can only find peace and joy if you are rich, thin, pretty, famous, athletic, artistic, talented, popular – you fill in the blanks. But God sees us in a completely different way than we often see ourselves. His plans for us – which are perfect – may not be what we had in mind. But if we will listen and pay attention, God will show us how to find happiness and peace in HIS will. This means that we may not have as much money or material wealth as we had hoped… we may always have that extra bump or bulge we can’t quite shed… we may not be able to run a marathon or win a beauty contest… and we certainly may not be the next American Idol! But we will be the person God designed us to be… we will be His masterpiece. And if we operate out of a desire to serve Him with our whole heart, we will have joy and peace beyond anything we could ever have imagined.
What are your heart’s desires? What are you doing to get them? Isn’t it time you stopped and spent some time in prayer… asked God what HE wants for you? It truly is no secret what God can do in your life… if only you will ask Him and submit to His will. Aren’t you ready to operate in His complete peace? Have you prayed for it lately?
©2013 Debbie Robus
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