1 Samuel 16:7
But the Lord told him, “Samuel, don’t think Eliab is the one just because he’s tall and handsome. He isn’t the one I’ve chosen. People judge others by what they look like, but I judge people by what is in their hearts.”
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
We don’t have to look very far to see people who appear to have it all… yet their lives are falling apart. Have you ever asked yourself why “hunks” and “leading ladies” seem to have trouble staying in a relationship or marriage? Have you ever heard celebrities who were being interviewed by a talk show host declare that they would like to find love, but it kept eluding them? Do you notice how many “rich and famous” people seem to have trouble with addictions, money management, and more?
Looks are deceiving… and I, for one, am thankful that God sees beyond appearances. I’m glad that He doesn’t choose to love us based on the success of our last movie, whether our nose is shaped just right, or because we have the perfect abs and a full head of gorgeous (natural) hair! God loves us… He cares what we think and feel, how we treat others, and how we serve Him!
What about you? How do you judge others? Do you look at their skin color, socio-economic status, political leanings, sexual preferences, nationality, or whether or not society deems them to be “beautiful”? Are they too young, too old, too fat, too thin, or just too ugly? Or do you choose to look at their heart… to see them as God sees them… to recognize their innate sense of right and wrong - and whether they desire to serve God and share His love with their fellow man?
We are all far too judgmental… for all the wrong reasons. We put way too much emphasis on appearances… physical, material, and otherwise. It’s time we started getting to know people and looking at their character - their heart - and their potential to serve as a disciple of Christ. We need to choose to see what God sees. What are you choosing?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label character. Show all posts
Showing posts with label character. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for June 14, 2012
Matthew 6:19-21
Don't store up treasures on earth! Moths and rust can destroy them, and thieves can break in and steal them. Instead, store up your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy them, and thieves cannot break in and steal them. Your heart will always be where your treasure is.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
After my husband and I both graduated from college, we moved back to Heber Springs and worked for one year. The following year, we got an opportunity to return to Russellville, Arkansas, where we had attended college. I applied for a teaching job and received a call for an interview. I wore the only decent dress I had… made by my mother from green polka dot jersey knit. About two weeks later, I was called back for a second interview. I didn’t have another dress to wear… or time to shop for one. Clothing stores were not exactly on every corner of Heber Springs in 1977 – and there were no malls in nearby towns. So I had no choice but to wear the same dress to the second interview.
After all of the questions had been asked and I stood to leave, the school superintendent asked, “Isn’t that is the same dress you wore to the first interview?” Embarrassed that he remembered, I replied, “Yes, sir, it is.” “It looks very nice,” he replied with a smile. Pleasantly surprised – and relieved – I thanked him and hurried from the building. I got the job… and the superintendent, became a friend and mentor over the next eight years.
I don’t know if my superintendent realized that I could only afford one decent dress… or wearing the same dress to both interviews made me more memorable to him and the rest of the interview panel. But I like to think that I was judged on my merits and my resume… and not on whether or not I had a closet full of beautiful clothes. I learned two things from this experience: 1) I probably needed at least one more dress in my wardrobe, and 2) substance trumps surplus.
One school year, I conducted an experiment. I created enough “uniforms” for two consecutive weeks. One week, I mixed and matched a pair of pants, a skirt, a sweater and a blouse to create five outfits for work. The next week, I did the same thing with about a half dozen clothing items in a different color scheme. Nobody ever mentioned that I was wearing the same clothes over and again. Nobody complained about my teaching ability. I had less laundry and more time. I didn’t have to spend as much time thinking about what I was going to wear. I had confidence that I was neatly clothed, and I was free to concentrate on my students, my work, and my personal life.
I will admit… after several weeks, I got tired of wearing the same things over and over… I’m not a big fan of uniforms for the long haul! But how many of us have closets filled with clothes - and we open the doors and say, “I have nothing to wear.” By and large, we have become mass consumers who are largely insatiable. We constantly need more STUFF!
There is nothing wrong with having nice clothes – or the latest gadget or gizmo. Living in abundance is neither a sin nor a crime. But when STUFF becomes our focus… this is a whole other matter! For many of us, the focus of our worship has become our things… homes, cars, clothing, and gadgets. We would rather shop for new shoes than spend time helping the hungry and homeless. We are willing to buy clothing for someone in need… but only if we can buy something for ourselves, too. We will give what we can of our time, talents and money… but only after we have taken care of Numero Uno!
All you have to do is go to a couple or three estate sales and see what “moths and rust” do to STUFF! The things of this world do not make us better friends, teachers, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, ministers, or disciples. What matters is our relationship – with God first, and then with others. If you really want to live in abundance, you have to trim the fat – in every area of your life. You have to focus on the treasures of heaven – living for Jesus and serving as His hands and feet in this lifetime – and care little for the things of this world.
This is not a call to toss all of your clothes and wear the same thing every day. I’m not suggesting you sell your car, home and all of your belongings and live in a pup tent. The key is balance… and single-mindedness – on Jesus Christ. When you store up “treasures of heaven” and help to build the Kingdom of God, earthly blessings and provisions will follow. You will always have plenty. Your closets and shelves may not be full… but your heart will be overflowing. Where is your focus... where are you storing up treasures?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Don't store up treasures on earth! Moths and rust can destroy them, and thieves can break in and steal them. Instead, store up your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy them, and thieves cannot break in and steal them. Your heart will always be where your treasure is.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
After my husband and I both graduated from college, we moved back to Heber Springs and worked for one year. The following year, we got an opportunity to return to Russellville, Arkansas, where we had attended college. I applied for a teaching job and received a call for an interview. I wore the only decent dress I had… made by my mother from green polka dot jersey knit. About two weeks later, I was called back for a second interview. I didn’t have another dress to wear… or time to shop for one. Clothing stores were not exactly on every corner of Heber Springs in 1977 – and there were no malls in nearby towns. So I had no choice but to wear the same dress to the second interview.
After all of the questions had been asked and I stood to leave, the school superintendent asked, “Isn’t that is the same dress you wore to the first interview?” Embarrassed that he remembered, I replied, “Yes, sir, it is.” “It looks very nice,” he replied with a smile. Pleasantly surprised – and relieved – I thanked him and hurried from the building. I got the job… and the superintendent, became a friend and mentor over the next eight years.
I don’t know if my superintendent realized that I could only afford one decent dress… or wearing the same dress to both interviews made me more memorable to him and the rest of the interview panel. But I like to think that I was judged on my merits and my resume… and not on whether or not I had a closet full of beautiful clothes. I learned two things from this experience: 1) I probably needed at least one more dress in my wardrobe, and 2) substance trumps surplus.
One school year, I conducted an experiment. I created enough “uniforms” for two consecutive weeks. One week, I mixed and matched a pair of pants, a skirt, a sweater and a blouse to create five outfits for work. The next week, I did the same thing with about a half dozen clothing items in a different color scheme. Nobody ever mentioned that I was wearing the same clothes over and again. Nobody complained about my teaching ability. I had less laundry and more time. I didn’t have to spend as much time thinking about what I was going to wear. I had confidence that I was neatly clothed, and I was free to concentrate on my students, my work, and my personal life.
I will admit… after several weeks, I got tired of wearing the same things over and over… I’m not a big fan of uniforms for the long haul! But how many of us have closets filled with clothes - and we open the doors and say, “I have nothing to wear.” By and large, we have become mass consumers who are largely insatiable. We constantly need more STUFF!
There is nothing wrong with having nice clothes – or the latest gadget or gizmo. Living in abundance is neither a sin nor a crime. But when STUFF becomes our focus… this is a whole other matter! For many of us, the focus of our worship has become our things… homes, cars, clothing, and gadgets. We would rather shop for new shoes than spend time helping the hungry and homeless. We are willing to buy clothing for someone in need… but only if we can buy something for ourselves, too. We will give what we can of our time, talents and money… but only after we have taken care of Numero Uno!
All you have to do is go to a couple or three estate sales and see what “moths and rust” do to STUFF! The things of this world do not make us better friends, teachers, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, ministers, or disciples. What matters is our relationship – with God first, and then with others. If you really want to live in abundance, you have to trim the fat – in every area of your life. You have to focus on the treasures of heaven – living for Jesus and serving as His hands and feet in this lifetime – and care little for the things of this world.
This is not a call to toss all of your clothes and wear the same thing every day. I’m not suggesting you sell your car, home and all of your belongings and live in a pup tent. The key is balance… and single-mindedness – on Jesus Christ. When you store up “treasures of heaven” and help to build the Kingdom of God, earthly blessings and provisions will follow. You will always have plenty. Your closets and shelves may not be full… but your heart will be overflowing. Where is your focus... where are you storing up treasures?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for December 18, 2010
2 Peter 1:5-8
Do your best to improve your faith. You can do this by adding goodness, understanding, self-control, patience, devotion to God, concern for others, and love. If you keep growing in this way, it will show that what you know about our Lord Jesus Christ has made your lives useful and meaningful.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
In December 1932, a young man and woman made plans to marry in the community of Hiram, Arkansas. On the appointed wedding day, a heavy snow fell, and it was impossible for the groom and the pastor to get to the bride, so the wedding was postponed. The groom, almost 22, had a new suit. Because he was walking in the heavy snow, he wore his “regular” clothes over to the bride’s home and changed into his [clean and dry] “wedding suit” there. The 20-year-old bride had a new blue dress and new shoes – a luxury for this special occasion. And on December 18, 1932, my paternal grandparents “tied the knot.”
My grandfather died in 1984, culminating a nearly 52-year marriage to my grandmother. My grandparents were by no means perfect, and I have no doubt there were difficult times in their relationship. Like all of us, they both made their fair share of mistakes. I know there were extremely lean times financially and physically, and they both worked very hard from the time they were young children… picking cotton, digging potatoes, working in the fields… whatever they could do to earn a few dollars or some extra food for the table.
For as long as I can remember, my grandparents kept a Bible on their coffee table… and it didn’t just sit there and gather dust. They both were faithful members of their church. The sound of gospel music from the radio and television often resonated through their home, and they were both active, productive citizens in their community. My grandparents exercised the qualities outlined in 2 Peter 1: goodness, understanding, self-control, patience, devotion to God, concern for others, and love. They were both as generous as the day was long… and my grandmother continues to give all she can – and then some – to as many as she can.
Each year on this date, I think of my grandparents and how they leaned on God for guidance, strength, and courage. I always thought my grandparents were “wealthy ranchers.” In truth, they were regular farmers who struggled to make ends meet. But they always shared whatever they had with anyone who crossed their path. They knew that God blessed those who served Him… and they served well. They continually sought ways to improve their faith - and this was a good thing, because their faith was surely tested over the decades… loss of a baby, financial struggles…failed crops… the illnesses and deaths of family members - including my great-grandmother and my grandfather’s brother within days of each other… their own physical challenges… and a fire that claimed their home of 47 years one December morning.
Each time, my grandparents dusted themselves off and kept going. They never seemed to ask “Why me?” They just looked toward heaven and asked, “What’s next?” I know a lot of folks from their generation and the one that followed who experienced similar trials and challenges, and maybe you or your relatives have endured the same. Let’s take a look at these people and how they handled the challenges of life. Did they work at finding ways to build their faith? Did they follow the tenets outlined in 2 Peter 1?
Can we learn from the examples of our elders? Are we building our faith and exhibiting the characteristics that will guide future generations? Shouldn’t we? Ask God to help you to develop these character traits… to build your faith and grow in His wisdom and grace. If you grab this concept and start to work diligently to increase your faith, this could be the best Christmas present you will ever receive. Are you ready to begin strengthening your faith?
©2010 Debbie Robus
Do your best to improve your faith. You can do this by adding goodness, understanding, self-control, patience, devotion to God, concern for others, and love. If you keep growing in this way, it will show that what you know about our Lord Jesus Christ has made your lives useful and meaningful.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
In December 1932, a young man and woman made plans to marry in the community of Hiram, Arkansas. On the appointed wedding day, a heavy snow fell, and it was impossible for the groom and the pastor to get to the bride, so the wedding was postponed. The groom, almost 22, had a new suit. Because he was walking in the heavy snow, he wore his “regular” clothes over to the bride’s home and changed into his [clean and dry] “wedding suit” there. The 20-year-old bride had a new blue dress and new shoes – a luxury for this special occasion. And on December 18, 1932, my paternal grandparents “tied the knot.”
My grandfather died in 1984, culminating a nearly 52-year marriage to my grandmother. My grandparents were by no means perfect, and I have no doubt there were difficult times in their relationship. Like all of us, they both made their fair share of mistakes. I know there were extremely lean times financially and physically, and they both worked very hard from the time they were young children… picking cotton, digging potatoes, working in the fields… whatever they could do to earn a few dollars or some extra food for the table.
For as long as I can remember, my grandparents kept a Bible on their coffee table… and it didn’t just sit there and gather dust. They both were faithful members of their church. The sound of gospel music from the radio and television often resonated through their home, and they were both active, productive citizens in their community. My grandparents exercised the qualities outlined in 2 Peter 1: goodness, understanding, self-control, patience, devotion to God, concern for others, and love. They were both as generous as the day was long… and my grandmother continues to give all she can – and then some – to as many as she can.
Each year on this date, I think of my grandparents and how they leaned on God for guidance, strength, and courage. I always thought my grandparents were “wealthy ranchers.” In truth, they were regular farmers who struggled to make ends meet. But they always shared whatever they had with anyone who crossed their path. They knew that God blessed those who served Him… and they served well. They continually sought ways to improve their faith - and this was a good thing, because their faith was surely tested over the decades… loss of a baby, financial struggles…failed crops… the illnesses and deaths of family members - including my great-grandmother and my grandfather’s brother within days of each other… their own physical challenges… and a fire that claimed their home of 47 years one December morning.
Each time, my grandparents dusted themselves off and kept going. They never seemed to ask “Why me?” They just looked toward heaven and asked, “What’s next?” I know a lot of folks from their generation and the one that followed who experienced similar trials and challenges, and maybe you or your relatives have endured the same. Let’s take a look at these people and how they handled the challenges of life. Did they work at finding ways to build their faith? Did they follow the tenets outlined in 2 Peter 1?
Can we learn from the examples of our elders? Are we building our faith and exhibiting the characteristics that will guide future generations? Shouldn’t we? Ask God to help you to develop these character traits… to build your faith and grow in His wisdom and grace. If you grab this concept and start to work diligently to increase your faith, this could be the best Christmas present you will ever receive. Are you ready to begin strengthening your faith?
©2010 Debbie Robus
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