Psalm 34:11-14
Come, my children, listen as I teach you
to respect the Lord.
Do you want to live
and enjoy a long life?
Then don’t say cruel things
and don’t tell lies.
Do good instead of evil
and try to live at peace.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
In our neck of the woods, today is “Back-To-School Day”. Facebook is flooded with photos of kiddos posing in fresh new outfits with their backpacks… ready to start another year of studies. Some hold signs declaring their grade level. Others look less than thrilled to be photographed. Mommas and daddies are experiencing a mixed bag of emotions… glad to see the kids shoot out the door and back to a routine – but also sad to see how quickly they grow.
When I was teaching kindergarten, I remember the teary-eyed mothers who could hardly bear to say “Goodbye” at the door – as if their child was going off to war or something. I remember children who clung to their parent’s leg and didn’t want them to leave – as if school was a big ole scary place… and I was the Wicked Witch of the West! Somehow, it all worked out after that first morning or two. I totally “get” the jumble of feelings that parents experience when they drop off their most precious cargo and place them in the hands of virtual strangers for 7+ hours a day. We have all been so excited about our own little Timothy starting to pre-K. But at the same time, it signals a major shift in the timeline of life. It seems like once children start to school – even a pre-K – the years really begin to fly.
School is a wonderful experience for most children. School is important… the place where we hope that learning will occur in a structured, organized continuum… a setting where social skills will be honed and we learn to get along with others and find our place in society. And as I read this passage from Psalm 34 today, I thought, “This would be a great starting point for learning!” If only we could start our school year by teaching these verses! In a round-about way, I believe this will happen in many classrooms. I started my first day each year with a lesson about the “ground rules”.
I reviewed three “rules” with my students… 1) Be kind to others; 2) Work and play quietly; and 3) Respect other people’s property. This encompassed pretty much every situation that might arise. Say something cruel or tell a lie? Remember to be kind to others. Raise your voice or yell and scream? Don’t forget to work and play quietly. Take a toy, crayon or book that doesn’t belong to you – or someone else was using? Gotta respect other people’s property!
The same verses – and rules – have application for us…even long after we have finished our school careers. If we will heed the words of this passage from Psalm 34, we will have a much better shot at living in God’s peace. If we will “be kind to others, work and play quietly, and respect other people’s property” – if we will strive to do good instead of evil… God will bless us and give us a good life in Him.
I’ve said before that as a former teacher, this time of year was more my “New Year” than January 1st. So why don’t we make this a time that we resolve to pay attention to these verses in Psalm 34… to listen to the LORD, to tell the truth and be kind… and to live in a way that pleases Him and frustrates the devil. In the words of the old John Lennon song… let’s “give peace a chance” to grow in our hearts - and enjoy a long, full life in the LORD. Happy “Back-to-School Day”… may yours be blessed and filled with peace!
©2013 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label cruelty. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cruelty. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for September 13, 2012
James 4:11-12
My friends, don’t say cruel things about others! If you do, or if you condemn others, you are condemning God’s Law. And if you condemn the Law, you put yourself above the Law and refuse to obey either it or God who gave it. God is our judge, and he can save or destroy us. What right do you have to condemn anyone?
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
If ever there was a season where we need these two verses… this is it! Criticisms and condemnations are flying from people in every political camp. And I get it… the temptation is surely there to rail against my candidates’ opponents in many cases… to call some of them names like “liar, idiot, or loser.” But this would be wrong on many levels… beginning with others’ entitlement to their own opinion and the right to free speech. Additionally, none of us likes it when the other guy is critical or judgmental of us or our candidates. So I have tried very hard to keep my opinions to myself… and hopefully no one has been offended by anything I have said or done.
What I had not fully considered is that judging and saying cruel or condescending things about others condemns God’s Law… and essentially puts us above the Law – and God! So we must be very careful what we say about others… how we react to their words and actions… and any impression we might give that we are condemning one another.
“But wait!” you may say… “What about terrorists? What about tyrants and dictators? Shouldn’t we condemn them?” If I read what James is telling us correctly, we must be careful that what we condemn is the behavior… the comment - or action – not the person who delivered it. So to say that the activities of a terrorist are wrong is one thing… but to say cruel things about him/her is another. For instance, when Osama bin Laden was captured and killed, few would disagree that he committed heinous atrocities towards thousands of people. But for late night comedians to joke about his death was cruel and unGodly.
When we know that someone has done reprehensible things… or spoken hatefully of another, we must not call that person names or publicly condemn the individual. This makes us no better or different than that person. But to say, “I don’t agree with his/her comments or actions,” or “I am praying that he/she has a change of heart” seems to be more in line with God’s Law. We are leaving the actual judging and consequences in His hands, rather than inserting ourselves into this mix.
As I said, I think these are incredibly important scripture verses for all of us to study and incorporate… not just for the next few weeks, but forever. We need to make this a habit… to trust God to handle these things… and to demonstrate His love, grace, mercy and forgiveness by keeping OUR opinions to ourselves… and carefully monitoring our own words and actions. When you feel the urge to say something cruel or judgmental about another person… stop and ask myself… “Would Jesus do this? How would He (who has every right to criticize and condemn) treat this person if they stood face to face?”
Let’s remember… we are all God’s children. He loves that person you have labeled a “liar, idiot or loser” just as much as He loves you. Our responsibility as Christians is to behave in a way that honors God and shows Him due respect. He can – and will – handle the rest. Are you ready to let Him?
©2012 Debbie Robus
My friends, don’t say cruel things about others! If you do, or if you condemn others, you are condemning God’s Law. And if you condemn the Law, you put yourself above the Law and refuse to obey either it or God who gave it. God is our judge, and he can save or destroy us. What right do you have to condemn anyone?
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
If ever there was a season where we need these two verses… this is it! Criticisms and condemnations are flying from people in every political camp. And I get it… the temptation is surely there to rail against my candidates’ opponents in many cases… to call some of them names like “liar, idiot, or loser.” But this would be wrong on many levels… beginning with others’ entitlement to their own opinion and the right to free speech. Additionally, none of us likes it when the other guy is critical or judgmental of us or our candidates. So I have tried very hard to keep my opinions to myself… and hopefully no one has been offended by anything I have said or done.
What I had not fully considered is that judging and saying cruel or condescending things about others condemns God’s Law… and essentially puts us above the Law – and God! So we must be very careful what we say about others… how we react to their words and actions… and any impression we might give that we are condemning one another.
“But wait!” you may say… “What about terrorists? What about tyrants and dictators? Shouldn’t we condemn them?” If I read what James is telling us correctly, we must be careful that what we condemn is the behavior… the comment - or action – not the person who delivered it. So to say that the activities of a terrorist are wrong is one thing… but to say cruel things about him/her is another. For instance, when Osama bin Laden was captured and killed, few would disagree that he committed heinous atrocities towards thousands of people. But for late night comedians to joke about his death was cruel and unGodly.
When we know that someone has done reprehensible things… or spoken hatefully of another, we must not call that person names or publicly condemn the individual. This makes us no better or different than that person. But to say, “I don’t agree with his/her comments or actions,” or “I am praying that he/she has a change of heart” seems to be more in line with God’s Law. We are leaving the actual judging and consequences in His hands, rather than inserting ourselves into this mix.
As I said, I think these are incredibly important scripture verses for all of us to study and incorporate… not just for the next few weeks, but forever. We need to make this a habit… to trust God to handle these things… and to demonstrate His love, grace, mercy and forgiveness by keeping OUR opinions to ourselves… and carefully monitoring our own words and actions. When you feel the urge to say something cruel or judgmental about another person… stop and ask myself… “Would Jesus do this? How would He (who has every right to criticize and condemn) treat this person if they stood face to face?”
Let’s remember… we are all God’s children. He loves that person you have labeled a “liar, idiot or loser” just as much as He loves you. Our responsibility as Christians is to behave in a way that honors God and shows Him due respect. He can – and will – handle the rest. Are you ready to let Him?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for October 2, 2010
James 4:11
My friends, don't say cruel things about others! If you do, or if you condemn others, you are condemning God's Law. And if you condemn the Law, you put yourself above the Law and refuse to obey either it.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I watched The Today Show as the parents of 13-year-old Texas middle school student, Asher Truong, spoke about their son’s suicide one week earlier. The boy was taunted and teased unmercifully because he was gay, and when he couldn’t take any more, he took his father’s gun into a closet and shot himself. Cruel things and condemning words were more than a teenage boy could handle. And Asher is not the only one. Other young people have taken their lives in recent weeks and months – or made an attempt – because of the cruelty of those around them.
This is not about being gay. And don’t tell me that these victims didn’t have enough faith or a strong enough relationship with God. I don’t discount the belief that God can give us strength to overcome tremendous pressures and challenges. But at the same time, this speaks to a very serious issue in our country … the cruelty and condemnation of our words and actions … and it’s running rampant.
We can scarcely turn on the television these days without hearing someone say cruel things about someone else. Condemnation of others has become almost a sport. So it isn’t all that surprising that bullies have upped the ante and escalated their tactics to aggravate and insult their targets. And as a result, we have an increase in suicides among our young people – some no older than upper elementary school age.
The thing I want us to think about today is that this is more than just a “moral issue.” This scripture passage tells us that this is clearly a violation of God’s Law! So when you condemn classmates, people in your community, public figures and others, you are violating the Law and putting yourself above it … which is a sin. When you write vile things in a letter to the editor of your local paper about a person or a group of people, you have effectively snubbed your nose at God. When you tell an off-color joke about a particular race, creed, or color of people … or make a snide comment about someone that alludes to their lifestyle or their ethnicity, you have sinned.
I’ll share two quick examples … I recently heard someone be publicly critical of an outfit our First Lady was wearing while during a television news report. The problem with the criticism was that this person rolled her eyes and “excused” Mrs. Obama’s fashion choices as being a result of her ethnicity. Several in the room laughed. I did not, and I quickly pointed out that her choices were actually the “in” thing at the moment. I could have said more, but I am fairly certain the lady got my point.
The other incident happened on a reality television show, in which a fashion designer created a new fabric with a pattern that included “plus signs” to reflect his status as HIV positive. He had been diagnosed ten years ago, but because of the stigma attached to his lifestyle and this disease, he had never told anyone – not even his parents … until now. He was truly frightened and lonely … but once he explained his fabric design, there were tears, hugs and kind words for him.
So what does this have to do with us? It goes back to the basic tenet that people are watching. They see how we react to unkind comments – even about a fashion choice. And if we behave badly, they sometimes get the idea this is acceptable … and it is perpetuated. The young man who was so scared to reveal his secret could have easily folded and gone the way of Asher Truong and others. And had his fellow contestants and the judges on this show reacted cruelly or with condemnation, he might have done just that.
We don’t realize how the smallest, simplest things – the miniscule gestures, thoughts and comments of our day – are just as important to God as the big stuff. We get that we shouldn’t kill, steal, worship other Gods, and more. But we don’t see how Satan uses the littlest things to do the biggest destruction.
We have to stop this. We have to ask ourselves each and every minute of the day if what we are saying and doing – how we are reacting to others – lines up with God’s Law. Do we really love others as we love ourselves? Do we truly live in a way that honors Jesus Christ, who loved us like no other? It’s time we started … and it begins today. Are you with me?
©2010 Debbie Robus
My friends, don't say cruel things about others! If you do, or if you condemn others, you are condemning God's Law. And if you condemn the Law, you put yourself above the Law and refuse to obey either it.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I watched The Today Show as the parents of 13-year-old Texas middle school student, Asher Truong, spoke about their son’s suicide one week earlier. The boy was taunted and teased unmercifully because he was gay, and when he couldn’t take any more, he took his father’s gun into a closet and shot himself. Cruel things and condemning words were more than a teenage boy could handle. And Asher is not the only one. Other young people have taken their lives in recent weeks and months – or made an attempt – because of the cruelty of those around them.
This is not about being gay. And don’t tell me that these victims didn’t have enough faith or a strong enough relationship with God. I don’t discount the belief that God can give us strength to overcome tremendous pressures and challenges. But at the same time, this speaks to a very serious issue in our country … the cruelty and condemnation of our words and actions … and it’s running rampant.
We can scarcely turn on the television these days without hearing someone say cruel things about someone else. Condemnation of others has become almost a sport. So it isn’t all that surprising that bullies have upped the ante and escalated their tactics to aggravate and insult their targets. And as a result, we have an increase in suicides among our young people – some no older than upper elementary school age.
The thing I want us to think about today is that this is more than just a “moral issue.” This scripture passage tells us that this is clearly a violation of God’s Law! So when you condemn classmates, people in your community, public figures and others, you are violating the Law and putting yourself above it … which is a sin. When you write vile things in a letter to the editor of your local paper about a person or a group of people, you have effectively snubbed your nose at God. When you tell an off-color joke about a particular race, creed, or color of people … or make a snide comment about someone that alludes to their lifestyle or their ethnicity, you have sinned.
I’ll share two quick examples … I recently heard someone be publicly critical of an outfit our First Lady was wearing while during a television news report. The problem with the criticism was that this person rolled her eyes and “excused” Mrs. Obama’s fashion choices as being a result of her ethnicity. Several in the room laughed. I did not, and I quickly pointed out that her choices were actually the “in” thing at the moment. I could have said more, but I am fairly certain the lady got my point.
The other incident happened on a reality television show, in which a fashion designer created a new fabric with a pattern that included “plus signs” to reflect his status as HIV positive. He had been diagnosed ten years ago, but because of the stigma attached to his lifestyle and this disease, he had never told anyone – not even his parents … until now. He was truly frightened and lonely … but once he explained his fabric design, there were tears, hugs and kind words for him.
So what does this have to do with us? It goes back to the basic tenet that people are watching. They see how we react to unkind comments – even about a fashion choice. And if we behave badly, they sometimes get the idea this is acceptable … and it is perpetuated. The young man who was so scared to reveal his secret could have easily folded and gone the way of Asher Truong and others. And had his fellow contestants and the judges on this show reacted cruelly or with condemnation, he might have done just that.
We don’t realize how the smallest, simplest things – the miniscule gestures, thoughts and comments of our day – are just as important to God as the big stuff. We get that we shouldn’t kill, steal, worship other Gods, and more. But we don’t see how Satan uses the littlest things to do the biggest destruction.
We have to stop this. We have to ask ourselves each and every minute of the day if what we are saying and doing – how we are reacting to others – lines up with God’s Law. Do we really love others as we love ourselves? Do we truly live in a way that honors Jesus Christ, who loved us like no other? It’s time we started … and it begins today. Are you with me?
©2010 Debbie Robus
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