Daily Devotional for December 22, 2016

Proverbs 25:21-22
If you see your enemy hungry, go buy him lunch;
    if he’s thirsty, bring him a drink.
Your generosity will surprise him with goodness,
    and God will look after you.

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.

One of the hardest things we will ever have to do as Christians is to show kindness to those who have been unkind to us. For me, the word “enemy” is a little strong…I don’t feel I have any personal enemies.  But this is the word used throughout the Bible for those who treat others in an unkind or unfair manner, and I have encountered unkind people and felt the sting of harsh words and excluding gestures. I bet you have, as well.

For me, the worst is when this comes from fellow church members or people who profess to be Christians.  But sadly, it happens…and I hope and pray that you and I am not guilty of doing the same thing to others.

It would be easy to turn and walk in the other direction when we encounter someone who has spoken to us unkindly. If a person has spread untruths about you, it would be understandable if you were not first in line to offer a helping hand when he/she was in need.  There have been instances in my life that have caused me to think, “I wouldn’t walk across the street to spit on this person if he/she was on fire!”

But then, there is Proverbs 25:21-22 - not to mention Matthew 5:44!  We are called to “love our enemies” and surprise them with generosity…to pray for them and offer them every kindness. So that means speaking to the person who mistreated you – and doing so with a smile.  It means doing whatever God leads you to do to help ALL people in their time of need.  It means reaching out to those you would really rather show your back instead of a smile or a helping hand.

How do we manage this?  We call on God’s grace and mercy.  We ask Him to fill our hearts with compassion for the other person…and we do this because Jesus does it for us.  Certainly, Jesus had every reason to turn His back on you and me.  He doesn’t owe us even a smile…much less Salvation and a home with Him for all eternity.  Yet this is exactly what we are in line to receive.
  
Jesus provides us with His grace, mercy, forgiveness, compassion, kindness and understanding every single day – even though none of us deserves any of it. So how can we, as His disciples, offer others anything less?  I can almost hear Jesus saying, “Suck it up, Buttercup!  If you want to serve in MY army, you have to be willing to treat others as I would - even your ‘enemies.’”  Where does this apply to you today?  Who needs to see Jesus through your words and actions?

Are you making a point…or making a difference in your Christian discipleship?  Isn’t it time to get this right?

©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for September 16, 2016

Leviticus 19:18
Stop being angry and don’t try to take revenge. I am the Lord, and I command you to love others as much as you love yourself.
 
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
 
Last week, I purchased something on eBay, and the seller contacted me the next day to say that extra items were inadvertently shipped with my order.  This person asked if I would return these things and said she would e-mail me a prepaid shipping label.  I agreed to do this.  When the box arrived, there were double the “extra items” - and double the weight.  So I had to contact the seller – who emailed me ANOTHER label that would cover the extra postage costs.
 
I thought about giving this seller a negative rating on eBay - or sending a message to express my dissatisfaction.  But in the end, I have done nothing.  Why?  Partly because someone really MIGHT be in trouble if I did this…and I’ve tried to put myself in that person’s shoes.  Were I to make such a mistake, I would truly appreciate a buyer who didn’t “rub salt in the wound!”
 
Additionally, it WAS a small inconvenience – and something of an aggravation to have to deal with this.  But at the end of the day, it’s really not worth any more of my time and energy…certainly not worth “stirring the pot” and causing a problem for someone else.
 
So often, we "fly off the handle" and react to things that really don’t deserve that much effort and attention.  We get angry when there is no need and seek revenge where it would be best to simply leave things alone.  Timothy told me once when he had pushed Nathan…”He needed to be taught a lesson!”  The truth is that most of the time, this is not our job! Sometimes our efforts to handle things on our own are not pretty – and don’t represent true Christian discipleship.
 
Are you making every effort to operate in love and a spirit of “second chances?” Do you give others the benefit of the doubt? Don’t you think it’s time we learned to check our attitudes before we react to others?  Ask God to help you mature in this area. Learn to take a breath and step back before you totally make a mess of things. Think about how YOU would like to be treated…and make this your guideline for how to respond in kind.
 
In both the Old and New Testaments, we are commanded to love others as we love ourselves.  We are told not to get angry or seek revenge.  I’d say that this is pretty high on God’s list of priorities…wouldn’t you?  So what are you doing to eliminate anger and revenge from your life?
 
©2016 Debbie Robus   

Daily Devotional for September 4, 2016

John 20:30-31
Jesus provided far more God-revealing signs than are written down in this book. These are written down so you will believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and in the act of believing, have real and eternal life in the way he personally revealed it.

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.

This morning, seven second and third graders studied the Book of James with me and my assistant, Carie.  We learned about trials and how God allows all of us to endure trials and problems…and that even Jesus had trials.  If we had no problems or trials, we would not learn to depend on God.  We talked about how God wants us to study His word and talk to Him, so that we know what to do…and learn how He gives us wisdom, perseverance, and joy – even when things are going all wrong.

One of our exercises was to pretend that we just got up and came to church without brushing our teeth, combing our hair – or even changing out of our pajamas.  A couple of the children said, “It doesn’t matter how we look – God loves us anyway, and the people at church will love us.” We all agreed that this is true.  But then I showed the children a mirror and asked, “Suppose you looked in the mirror and saw that you were a wreck…that your hair needed combing and your teeth needed brushing…but you put down the mirror and didn’t do any of these things.”

We talked about how God’s word is like a mirror that shows us where we could make changes or improvements – and “clean up our act!” When we read the scriptures, we see guidelines for how to handle certain situations…rules to live by…and comfort and consolation when things don’t go so smoothly.  If we don’t pay any attention to what this “mirror” shows us, we are essentially saying that we don’t need God – or believe in His word!  And nothing changes.

One of the points in today’s lesson was that it isn’t enough to have faith in Jesus…we have to DO His work as well.  We have to take our own trials and use them to encourage and comfort others who are going through similar experiences.  We have to demonstrate how we seek God’s wisdom and comfort through prayer and Bible study – and how He builds our faith – so that others are encouraged to do the same thing. This is discipleship in action!

How are you handling the trials in your life?  Do you trust God to show you how to find joy and courage even in the midst of problems and adversity?  Do you demonstrate this faith to others?  Do you pay attention to what God shows you in His “mirror”…and make necessary adjustments and improvements?

All of these things take work and effort…but they are vital to furthering God’s Kingdom and serving well until He calls you to your perfect, trial-free home in Heaven.  It’s a lot to take in…but we serve a BIG God who is more than able to help us make the most of His word. I stressed to the children that there are answers in the Bible for handling our questions and problems…but we have to open it and dig in. 

If God’s word sits on the shelf unopened, His message may not reach us. Will this be the week that you open your Bible, dig in and get busy?  Don’t you think it should be?
  
©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for August 6, 2016

Ephesians 4:17-24    
As a follower of the Lord, I order you to stop living like stupid, godless people. Their minds are in the dark, and they are stubborn and ignorant and have missed out on the life that comes from God. They no longer have any feelings about what is right, and they are so greedy that they do all kinds of indecent things.

But that isn’t what you were taught about Jesus Christ. He is the truth, and you heard about him and learned about him. You were told that your foolish desires will destroy you and that you must give up your old way of life with all its bad habits. Let the Spirit change your way of thinking and make you into a new person. You were created to be like God, and so you must please him and be truly holy.

Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.

Greg and I spent one year back in our home town of Heber Springs after college before returning to Russellville, Arkansas, the “college town” where we began our life together.  When I went to interview for a teaching position in Russellville, I first appeared before an “interview committee” that consisted of teachers and administrators from the district.  I wore my best dress (actually, it was almost my ONLY dress – a graduation gift made for me by Mother) and tried to make my best impression.

Two weeks later, I received a “call-back” from the superintendent for a personal interview.  I had no opportunity to find a new dress for my Saturday morning appointment.  So I swallowed hard and wore that same green dotted dress.

The superintendent was kind, and the interview went well.  Much to my chagrin, he noticed that I was wearing the same dress. I wanted the floor to open and swallow me whole.  But he said, “That helped me to remember you from the first interview!” Instead of this being a deterrent, this man turned it into a positive.  And for the eight years that I taught in the Russellville School District, Mr. Harvey Young and I maintained a great working relationship. Mr. Young saw beyond my outward appearance to my professional capabilities. I hope he noted that my concern was more with what I could do for the children than whether I wore a new dress to the interview.

What we say and do matters.  Appearance is important…but it’s not about name brand clothing or “knowing the right people.”  God calls us to stick our nose to the grindstone and “git-r-done” as He has directed.  Whatever and wherever He has called us to serve, we are expected to show up and show out for Him. Often, this means letting go of some old habits – and maybe an old association or two.  We are known by the company we keep…and while God wants us to love ALL people, He calls us to be careful about where and how we associate with a few of them.

This tax-free weekend, many of us will scramble to amass back-to-school items for kiddos.  We will think about the “fresh start” for children and teachers on August 15 (for Arkansas), and we will anticipate how nice everyone looks in their new clothes, toting new backpacks filled with fresh supplies.  It’s a “clean slate,” so to speak.

Many individuals and groups are working to ensure that ALL CHILDREN have a full backpack and nice things for this starting point…a “level playing field” on which to begin the school year.  But like the teacher interviewing twice in the same dress, I pray that what is important is the nurturing of the hearts and minds of these precious youngsters.  And I pray that like my superintendent, we look beyond the outward adornments and see what God sees…the inner person.

What will others see if they scrape away the layers and look at you?  Will they even get that far…or have you covered up with so much effort to fit in and be like everyone else (or someone else altogether) that the Christian disciple whom God has called you to be is buried beyond recognition?  Let this be the day that you remove the facade and allow your “servant self” to shine brightly.  Be the best possible form of you that God has designed.  Let others see someone they really want to be around – and emulate.  This can be something of a fresh start for all of us.  What will you make of yours?

©2016 Debbie Robus 

Daily Devotional for June 25, 2016

Matthew 5:7    
“You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for."

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.

Today, I attended the funeral of my parents’ neighbor, Barbara Heathcott.  Barbara and her husband, Eddie, have been my parents’ neighbors since the mid-1980s.  Two weeks ago, Barbara received a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.  Things progressed very quickly after that, and now she is in heaven. I feel certain that my own mother and daddy were thrilled to greet her there.

At the service, the pastor tearfully talked of Barbara and her spirit of “servitude.”  The obituary even stated…”Barbara was generous, sometimes to a fault. She loved helping others.”  And truly she did.  Barbara was a great cook, and she fed my parents more than once when they were ill – and sometimes just for fun.  The pastor noted that any time someone was sick or bereaved, Barbara prepared more food than she ought - just to comfort them!  He also mentioned her “Christmas,” which consisted of delectable sweet treats, including chocolate covered cherries. The pastor said, “It wasn’t really Christmas until Barbara brought ‘Christmas!’”

My parents’ neighbor Barbara was incredibly “care-full.”  She was also truly cared for, as evidenced by the chapel packed today with people who crowded the pews and stood along the outer walls in order to pay their last respects.

The pastor noted that he last saw Barbara two weeks ago – at church - the day before she underwent surgery that was supposed to have offered her a chance at a cure.  Barbara hugged the pastor and told him, “I’m going to be fine.”  The pastor commented…”I’m sure that she is.”  Another neighbor told me before the service that she and her husband visited Barbara in the hospital last week, and she said, “By the time we left, Barbara had made ME feel better!”

Not everyone has the gift of caring to the level of women like my mother and her neighbor, Barbara.  If nothing else, we can be kind and loving…smile and be pleasant…offer to help when and where we can. We don’t have to be extraordinary cooks in order to feed hungry people in the middle of a health crisis or when a death occurs.  We don’t have to be gifted writers to send a note or e-mail message that says, “I’m thinking of you,” or “God loves you, and so do I.”  We don’t have to have a lot of money or be super attractive in order to make a difference in the life of someone else.  The bottom line is that people really don’t care what you know until they know that you care.  And as Christian disciples, it is our job to care!

I am sure that most of the people who attended the funeral today went away inspired to care more – and to do more for others. I know I did! Clearly, God blessed Barbara’s efforts…she was truly “care-full” in her earthly living.  And now she is blessed beyond measure by the reward of Eternity spent in heaven.  If God gives out assignments there, I’m sure that Barbara’s hand has already shot up to offer to cook and care for others! And that is an amazing legacy for any Christian servant!

So what will be your legacy as a Christian servant? Five months ago when my mother died, her neighbor didn’t even know she was having any problems.  And now both women are in heaven.  Barbara made every minute of that five months – and most of her 77 years - count for Jesus by her efforts to care for others.  Can you say the same?  Don’t you think we should at least give it a try?

©2016 Debbie Robus