Daily Devotional for October 20, 2016

Matthew 5:8-9
“You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.

“You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.

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.

Greg and I watched a news report about  I Wish My Teacher Knew…How One Question Can Change Everything for Kids*, a book written by third-grade teacher Kyle New of Denver, Colorado.  Knew wrote the sentence “I wish my teacher knew…” on the board one day in her third grade classroom and asked her students to complete it.  What resulted was astounding and led to this book by the same name.  As I listened to some of the sentence endings, read by young children, I was moved to tears.  They ranged from “I wish my teacher knew how much I love her,” to “I wish my teacher knew that I don’t have very many friends” and “I wish my teacher knew that my dad works two jobs and I don’t get to see him very much.”

Oh.My.Goodness! We have SO much work to do!  As much as we think we know about “children” of all ages…there is so much we do not understand.  We don’t know what is in another person’s mind and heart.  We don’t understand the conflicts, angst, insecurities – or even the running dialogue that plays in the minds of so many around us…maybe even you! We seldom stop to look at others in the grocery line or on the street and think that they have just as many thoughts, ideas – and problems – as you and I have on any given day.

Many people skate through life hoping that nobody discovers who they really are - or what they really think or feel.  But God knows all of it…and He loves us anyway.  So can’t we learn to emulate Him just a little?  Can’t we get our heart and mind right and see others as He sees them - as His children… beautifully crafted and designed…valuable and full of purpose?  Can’t we find a way to cooperate with others…to empathize and understand…to share and get along instead of the operating in the horrible divisive words and actions that so many of us have chosen as our stock in trade?

I look at our own children…and the other little ones I spend time with at church and school…and I wonder what they must think.  What must they be learning from so many of us? Too many children are seeing hatred, discrimination, criticism, judgment based on everything from appearance and body image to ethnicity and economics - and a revolting atmosphere of unkindness like none I’ve ever witnessed before.  They are observing adults who attend worship on Sundays, teach Bible classes, sing in the choir, and espouse “Christian values”…then call others ugly names as they talk about current events – and make excuses for comments and behaviors that would embarrass even the most raucous teenager!

God must surely hang His head in shame and disappointment.  I am truly amazed that He puts up with any of us!  And yet, He is calling us to purify our hearts and minds…to get along and cooperate with others…to operate in HIS blessings rather than the devil’s disturbing ploys to derail us. And He is willing to help us “get there!”

God is calling us to stop and ponder the comment, “I wish my teacher/friend/relative/spouse/pastor/neighbor knew…” and put ourselves in the other person’s shoes. While we cannot know all that GOD knows…we can develop a tender heart for His children…ALL of them.  Today seems like a pretty good time to get started…doesn’t it?

©2016 Debbie Robus    
  
*http://iwishmyteacherknewbook.com/

Daily Devotional for August 2, 2013

Matthew 5:9
“You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.
 
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.
 
Recently, a friend of mine “liked” an editorial comment on Facebook that was written by a young woman who clearly has absolutely zero regard for anyone who accepts government assistance… particularly Food Stamps.  In my opinion, this young woman painted every person who accepts this type of help with a very broad brush, and I felt her comments and “solutions” to what she viewed as “our country’s problem” were harsh and unkind in most cases.  However, I did not comment to this post.  To do so would have only opened up the door for a huge argument… and honestly, it just was not worth the trouble.  I would not change the minds of those who “liked” this post… and I would only have created animosity between myself and my friend, who is not a bad person. We just happen to share different views on this subject.
 
Thankfully, we live in a country where free speech is our right and privilege.  But the temptation is often there to jump in and comment… to write a letter to the editor and publicly berate someone for their ideas and opinions… or to lambast them on social media or in person.  The worst of it is when “Christians” sink to the level of name calling.  I see this often on Facebook and other social media outlets, and it disheartens me.  Again, these are not bad people.  But I will never understand why they think that mockery and deriding others is acceptable to anyone… much less to God.
 
I know that it’s a slippery slope to ignore such comments and actions.  Will others assume we agree with these people and their rants?  Will our silence be an endorsement of sorts?  We have to carefully weigh our options.  Would it be better to keep silent and risk the assumption that we feel the same way… or to comment and open “Pandora’s box” – and perhaps subject ourselves to ridicule and derision?  Is it worth hurting another person’s feelings or damaging a friendship?  I think we have to prayerfully consider all avenues… react and respond in the manner that we feel God is leading us…and then stand by our decision.
 
When I feel strongly about something I see posted on Facebook, I will sometimes privately message the person who made the post and outline my feelings or opinions. On at least one occasion, I quietly “unfriended” a few people, rather than continue the association and have to be confronted with their insulting posts each day.  This, too, can have mixed results.  In one case, a former student realized we were no longer “friends”, and when I tried to gently diffuse the situation, she accused me of lying to her.  I apologized for anything I might have said or done to make her feel I was being deceitful in any way, but she would have none of it.  Now she no longer speaks to me or acknowledges me at all.  That is okay …I still love her. I think at the core, she knows that some of the things she was saying were wrong and inappropriate.  Rather than deal with that, she chose to turn the tide and be mad at me.  Truthfully, we are so far apart politically that she was probably looking for a reason to disassociate.  Nobody ever said being a Christian – or trying to keep the peace – was easy!
 
So what do we do?  How do we become “peacemakers in God’s army”?

• I believe we start with prayer.  We ask God to “slow us and show us”… to give us the patience to stop and prayerfully consider our response… and then to act on the wisdom that God grants us.
• If you simply must write a letter to the editor, park it on your desktop and let it simmer for a few days before you send it.  See if you still feel the same way in retrospect.  Write out your thoughts and feelings before sharing them with someone else… let some time pass.  You don’t have to respond immediately.  Ask God to help you choose your words thoughtfully and carefully.
• Avoid knee-jerk reactions of any kind… even “unfriending” people on social media. Think before you hit that “like” button… or before you share any comments, photos or cartoons.
• Stand up for what is right when God leads you to do so… but be prepared to deal with the fallout.  Trust God to give you strength and courage to do the right thing…whichever direction He sends you!
• Remember that God loves the other guy just as much as He loves you and me.  Think about how precious that person is to Him before you start slinging mud and placing labels.  At every turn, lead with love, grace, mercy, compassion and forgiveness… you know, all those things Jesus gives to you on a daily basis!

Understand that we are all part of God’s family… and families disagree from time to time.  But God wants us to get along… to listen to Him and figure out how to live as peacefully as possible.  His desire is that we find ways to grow together... and avoid the things that tear us apart.  Nothing makes Satan happier than to create discord of any kind among God’s people.  Will you give him that satisfaction?  Instead, won’t you concentrate your efforts on hearing from God and keeping the peace?  Have you found your peaceful place in God’s family?

©2013 Debbie Robus