Revelation 2:2-3
I know everything you have done, including your hard work and how you have endured. I know you won’t put up with anyone who is evil. When some people pretended to be apostles, you tested them and found out that they were liars. You have endured and gone through hard times because of me, and you have not given up.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I am not sure there are more people who pretend to be someone or something they are not in this day and time than any other era… perhaps we just know more about them. With today’s technology, we have little problem finding out virtually anything and everything about another person… particularly if he/she has elected to take a spot center stage in the public eye. So we at least know and hear a lot more about those who “fall from grace,” so to speak… or whose claims are overstated.
We also live in a time where any one of us can be brought into public view on any given day and criticized for what we say or do… even if we are innocent of the charges. There is plenty of room for misinterpretation. This is a slippery slope… do we remain silent and have people conclude that we agree with the opinions of others? Or do we voice our own sentiments and risk ridicule and attack from those who disagree? I have a few friends who have expressed their viewpoint on social media outlets and suffered greatly via responses (and downright attacks) from other “friends” - many who claim that their own viewpoints represent the “Christian” perspective. I have to wonder how they think some of the unkind and disrespectful comments these responders post help their case – or truly represent a life modeled after the teachings of Jesus!
I don’t want to be guilty of using this scripture passage – or any other – out of context… and you may be asking how these two verses from Revelation are relevant for us today. There are three things I believe we can take away from this passage…
- God can use these verses to show us that what we say and do matters. We must be tolerant of the other guy and his opinions… but we must also be careful and alert. We must weigh carefully all comments and actions - and prayerfully consider how they line up with what God is showing us through His word and our daily communication with Him.
- Many good bakers will tell you to “sift twice” when you are measuring dry ingredients. In Spiritual terms, we would also do well to vigilantly sift what we assimilate. We must be very careful to speak fairly… to treat all comments with kindness and respect… and to always sift through the nonsense and concisely state the facts. And when unkind and disrespectful comments are wielded in our direction, we must not waver… nor retaliate.
- People are watching. More importantly, GOD is watching. He knows our heart… and our motives. He takes notice of how we treat others… and how we react to their treatment of us.
Someday, I plan to stand before God as He welcomes me into Heaven. I want to know that I have done all that He expected of me. I hope to hear Him say, “I know everything you have done, including your hard work and how you have endured… You have gone through hard times because of me, and you have not given up.” I know that our tolerance of others … our love through Christ for each of His children… will all be worth it. In fact, it already is. Wouldn’t you agree?
©2012 Debbie Robus
James 2:12-13
Talk and act like a person expecting to be judged by the Rule that sets us free. For if you refuse to act kindly, you can hardly expect to be treated kindly. Kind mercy wins over harsh judgment every time.
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.
A couple of dear friends of mine have been taken to task on Facebook lately for their political choices. One of these friends decided he had been quiet long enough, and with his usual flair for kindness and fair play, he began to calmly outline his justifications for believing as he does and choosing a particular candidate. The other friend received some particularly nasty posts and decided to fight back with a – let’s just call it somewhat “snarky” – post of her own. Almost immediately, she regretted this… and she said so in a follow-up post.
We all have moments when we lash out… call it “human nature.” And many of us regret what we say or do before the words are barely out of our mouths. Politics is a slippery slope at best. In order for our democracy to work, we have to be able to voice our opinions and state our positions – on both sides of the aisle. But often, we have to exercise great courage in order to do this… even if we are careful to stick to the facts as we know them and deliver our views calmly and nonjudgmentally. At any given moment, we must be prepared for a deluge of harsh discrimination and nastiness from “the other side.” We frequently see this when we try to share our faith and religious beliefs with others, as well.
Should we say nothing… fearing that we will be judged – or even ridiculed – by the other guy? No! We are called by God to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with others. And as citizens of a democracy, we are obligated to exercise our right to support one candidate and platform or another. The problems lie with our delivery… our talk and action. If we try to bully our way in via a “my way or the highway” approach, we can expect some pretty rude responses. If we retaliate when others act in a discourteous or disrespectful manner, we have become no better than that person… and God is disappointed, at best.
My friend with the flair for speaking fairly and kindly still gets flack, but if any of it is truly nasty, I don’t see it. I honestly believe that the way he approaches these subjects with objectivity, kindness, love for the other guy, and most of all – a calm sense of evenhandedness – rubs off on others. He doesn’t return unkindness, even when he receives it. He doesn’t try to cram his ideas down the other guy’s throat. He merely states the facts as he knows them and lets the dust settle.
We would do well to act accordingly. Whether we are “arguing politics” with another person or group, testifying to our walk with Christ and witnessing to others, or merely going about our daily living… we must remember that in all things, we represent Jesus Christ. We must consider whether others see in us a person who represents love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness… and acceptance of those who think or act differently from us… or whether they see someone with a personal agenda.
If we don’t behave in a way that would please Jesus and glorify His sacrifices for each of us, we are really no different from the other guy… and we both need a change of heart. When you voice your opinions these days, how are they received by others? As you go about your daily living, do people see someone who reflects the teachings of Jesus… or someone who practices “Burger King Religion” and has to “have it his/her way” in life?
Jesus offers us freedom to do and say what is truly in our heart… and He has given us Biblical guidelines for our delivery. What are your words and actions saying to others today? Are you operating in the freedoms of kindness and mercy and even-handedness? Isn’t this a good time to start?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Romans 12:14-18
Ask God to bless everyone who mistreats you. Ask him to bless them and not to curse them. When others are happy, be happy with them, and when they are sad, be sad. Be friendly with everyone. Don’t be proud and feel that you are smarter than others. Make friends with ordinary people. Don’t mistreat someone who has mistreated you. But try to earn the respect of others, and do your best to live at peace with everyone.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
In the book The Glass Castle, author Jeannette Walls vividly describes her childhood and how she and her three siblings survived a life of squalor and physical danger. Walls’ parents were not uneducated... her mother was a teacher. But she and the children’s father “danced to a different drummer” – and that’s putting it nicely. The children often went days without food while the dad gambled and drank and the mother painted landscapes and still life canvases. They dug in trash cans at school for food… and seldom bathed. They were placed in one dangerous situation after another with no regard for their safety or feelings. Their parents deemed this lifestyle an “adventure!” Walls grew up in the 1960’s and 70’s. Today, I would hope that someone would notice such mistreatment and call Child Protective Services… although I know a lot of children endure horrific things even now.
Nonetheless, Walls and her siblings somehow managed to become productive citizens. Walls is a journalist and successful columnist who has worked for MSNBC and other media outlets. Her brother is a policeman, and one of her sisters is a respected artist. The children’s father died from health complications brought on by excessive drinking. Their mother is homeless – by choice – to this day in New York City. But through all of this, the children never completely cut their parents out of their lives… they never thoroughly washed their hands of these irresponsible, neglectful – if not abusive – people.
There is a lesson here for each of us. Walls said that, at the end of the day, these were her parents. She loved them and could not totally disown them. And believe me, she and her siblings seem to be poster children for someone who has every right to retaliate and treat another person poorly in return. Yet they did not. I’d like to say that their faith in God enabled them to do this… but Walls doesn’t talk about God in the book. Yet somehow, I believe He was an influence in the lives of these children. I believe that God sent them “angels unaware” to protect and nurture them… to encourage them to overcome their obstacles and rise to their full potential.
The point I want to make is that we cannot give up on others. We cannot give in to the temptation to play on their level and treat them unkindly. We never know when God is using us as an “angel unaware” to support and encourage someone else. The very fact that we do not mistreat someone who is mistreating us may be what sways them to change. Being “ordinary” with everyone we encounter and treating each person as someone with value and importance could be the very thing that makes a difference in that person’s life.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be the person who fails to make this connection! I don’t want my mistreatment of someone be what keeps them from feeling God’s love and presence. How would you feel if you got to heaven and God asked, “Remember Joe and how you were rude to him because he had been rude to you? He was supposed to find Me through your kindness.” Whether Joe ever found God via someone else or not… wouldn’t you feel terrible? Aside from that, God has given these instructions us through Paul’s letter in this chapter of Romans, so failure to act on them is a direct rebellion against God’s will!
Think carefully about the situations in your life. Consider your reaction to others… even the clerk at the grocery store or the driver who cuts you off in traffic. Sometimes it’s hard not to want to lash out at those who are rude and hurtful, but this doesn’t solve a thing… and it’s not God’s will. Ask God to give you patience and peace of mind, even when you are mistreated… and to show you how to minister to others in ALL situations – especially those that make you feel uncomfortable. When you please God in these situations, He will give you comfort and peace… and the satisfaction that you were His obedient servant even when you were tempted to do otherwise.
©2012 Debbie Robus
Psalm 123
Our LORD and our God, I turn my eyes to you, on your throne in heaven. Servants look to their master, but we will look to you, until you have mercy on us. Please have mercy, LORD! We have been insulted more than we can stand, and we can't take more abuse from those proud, conceited people.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
When was the last time you were insulted? I bet it wasn’t that long ago! It seems like the whole world deals in insults these days. It may have been something as seemingly small as a “dig” from a “friend” on Facebook about your political leanings. Or your “friend” may have hacked into your account and posted a dumb (and insulting) status about you… like “Mike plays with dolls” or “Susan is my favorite daughter. I love her the most.”
Or you may have been insulted on a larger scale… embarrassed by a coworker or boss in front of your peers, or by a spouse in front of friends and family. Someone may have been critical of your weight or appearance – or how you dress – someone may have tried to put you down and make you feel dumb. The media insults us several times a day. We’re not smart enough to make good decisions, so the advertisers want to make them for us. The reason you can’t sleep at night is because you don’t take XYZ pill. And if you will only eat a carton or two of ABC yogurt each day, you’ll be fit and trim and never have to diet again. What were we thinking?!
Still others want us to feel inferior because of our faith… or how we worship. Maybe you are ridiculed or made to feel badly by those who attend another church or belong to another denomination… or a different political party. Perhaps others are assuming all sorts of things about you without checking their facts… then making accusations and judgments that really sting, based on these inaccuracies. At the end of the day, we all have times when we are fed up and frustrated by the insults of others… and we are ready for mercy. Sadly, we may be the ones hurling some of those insults… and for that, we need mercy, also.
Thankfully, we serve a God who can rescue us. He stands ready to comfort us when we are hurting… and to correct us and guide our steps when we need that, as well! All we have to do is turn to God… look up and ask for His help… and trust Him to deliver. We must be open – and honest – and hear what God has to say (and listen with an obedient heart). But God will never leave us to fend for ourselves.
When was the last time you turned to God? Are you wallowing in self-pity from the insults of this world… or are you trusting Him to make things better - to shower you with grace, mercy, and unconditional love? Have you asked God to guide your steps and help you avoid insults toward others? Have you asked Him to rescue you from the slings and arrows that may come your way? We can stop the abuse… both the getting and the giving. Turn your eyes toward the heavens and say, “Lord, help me!” He can… and He will. Are you looking upward?
©2011 Debbie Robus
John 13:12-17
After Jesus had washed his disciples' feet and had put his outer garment back on, he sat down again. Then he said: Do you understand what I have done? You call me your teacher and Lord, and you should, because that is who I am. And if your Lord and teacher has washed your feet, you should do the same for each other. I have set the example, and you should do for each other exactly what I have done for you. I tell you for certain that servants are not greater than their master, and messengers are not greater than the one who sent them. You know these things, and God will bless you, if you do them.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Recently I told you about using little twinkling Christmas lights throughout our home for decorating accents. If you know anything about these strands of lights, you know that often a section will stop working, while the rest of the lights continue to glow. Several years ago, my husband told me that he was rescuing “bad” strands of lights I would throw away, and he was recycling them… replacing burned out bulbs from one strand with good bulbs from another, and creating a restored, working set of lights.
Now you may ask, “Why would a man who can afford a small strand of twinkling lights go to this much trouble?” There are at least two answers:
- This sort of conscientious thriftiness is why we can afford to buy twinkling lights in the first place, and
- My husband sees the potential and “good” in the light strand… and he rarely wastes anything!
When I read this passage today, I thought about Jesus… how He always sees our potential. He is always ready to restore us… to exchange the broken, sinful parts of us for His grace, mercy, goodness, and love… and He would never waste the potential in any of us. Yes, a strand of twinkling lights is insignificant in the scheme of things. But aren’t we equally insignificant? Yet Jesus treats us like we are a priceless antique chandelier. He sets us upright and gives us life and luster we do not deserve. And we should be doing this for others.
Each of us is so eager for Jesus to make us shine… to forgive us… to treat us with grace, mercy and kindness… and to see our value even when we cannot. Yet we find it nearly impossible to do this for others. We have to change this. We must stop and look at each person in our path and ask, “How do I wish to be treated by this person?” The answer will directly identify how we should treat him/her.
None of us is better than the next guy. A strand of bulbs that partially sparkles still shines… even if some of the bulbs are not burning at the moment. Those who have frustrated, angered, annoyed, disappointed, irritated or disgusted us still have worth to Jesus… as do we. We are called to treat all people equally… and to give them the same value as Jesus would… and as He demonstrated.
There is a saying that goes around from time to time… “You can tell a lot about a person by how he/she handles a tangled strand of Christmas lights.” How are you handling the “twinkling lights” in your life? Would Jesus handle them the same way?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Psalm 116:4-7
I prayed and said, "LORD, please don't let me die!" You are kind, LORD, so good and merciful. You protect ordinary people, and when I was helpless, you saved me and treated me so kindly that I don't need to worry anymore.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
This week we said goodbye to Louise Hall, a woman my family knew as “Aunt Louise.” She wasn’t really our aunt, but in the words of another friend who grew up alongside us in this community, “she was our ‘Aunt Louise’, too.” Aunt Louise recently celebrated her 90th birthday, only to be hospitalized a few days later… one of her many trips to the hospital in recent years for various ailments and injuries. At her funeral, the pastor spoke of the devotion Aunt Louise had for family and friends… for church members and her community at large.
Louise Hall never married. When her sister suddenly lost her husband – while pregnant and already rearing three small children – Louise and her parents took them in and helped care for the family. When her own mother became ill and frail, Louise took early retirement to care for her. And when her sister developed Alzheimer’s, Louise helped her sister’s children care for her, too.
In between, she managed a 30-year career, taught small children in Sunday School for 25 years, sang in the church choir, and served on numerous church committees… including a stint in her later years on the Condolence Committee, which organized meals for grieving families. And always, Louise helped her own family with whatever they needed. Over and again, the pastor mentioned how Louise was fair and treated everyone so kindly. And she did.
Aunt Louise would have told you she was just an ordinary person doing what God had called her to do. And if we look at this passage in the Psalms and think about how good, fair, merciful, and comforting God is to us, we see that Aunt Louise understood what so many of us do not. She “got it” that we are to do these very things if we want to share the love of God with others. We are to strive to be like Him as much as humanly possible. We will never attain perfection, but the goal is to honor God… not to be perfect… and we must never stop trying to do more.
One more thing… this passage asks God to protect us from death. But I don’t think the Psalmist necessarily meant physical death. Because you see, in death, Aunt Louise and countless other faithful Christians have realized the ultimate reward… a home at the feet of Jesus. Instead, I think the “death” we must ask God to save us from is a sinful life… the emptiness of living without Him… and a “Christian” life that is devoid of service, honor and treating others fairly and mercifully.
The pastor said that preachers do not preach funerals… that people “preach” their own funeral by the way they live their lives… and Aunt Louise “preached a dandy!” What about you? If God called you to heaven tomorrow, would others speak of you as someone who was fair and merciful… always treating others equally and with love and kindness? What sort of funeral would your life preach?
Most of us still have work to do to “polish the edges” of our life sermon. And some of us still need to ask God to save us from the “death” of a life without Him. What sort of work do you still need to do? Where could you use a little “spit and polish” and the mighty hand of God? Isn’t it time you got busy asking Him to help you get on track? When God calls your name and invites you to step into heaven, will your funeral “preach” like Aunt Louise’s? Shouldn’t it?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Proverbs 20:10
Switching price tags and padding the expense account are two things GOD hates.
The shopper says, "That's junk—I'll take it off your hands," then goes off boasting of the bargain.
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.
If you know much about me, you know that I have grown to love estate auctions/sales and garage sales. I “learned the ropes” from my mother-in-law… and also from a lot of practice! And I have gotten some really great things – often at a really great price! Yes, I guess I’m boasting of the bargain – but not in the way referred to in this scripture!
I’ve also learned a lot about being fair and honest. I’ve seen people strategically relocate items at auctions so that they will be sold cheaply in a box of “junk.” I’ve picked up an item that I knew was valuable and told the seller, “You’ve priced this too cheaply.” Don’t get me wrong… I love to get home with a box of goodies from an auction and find something really cool and valuable stuck inside that I purchased for a few pennies if those in charge knowingly grouped it as such. I will gladly pay a low price for an item at a sale if the seller says, “Yes, that really is the price I’m asking.”
But I will not intentionally deceive a seller. For starters, it’s dishonest… and secondly, it always comes back to bite you! I’ve learned that God rewards honesty… and more than once I have been blessed to purchase a good item for very little money and sell it for a huge return. As long as the seller is happy, I’m happy… and it has paid off for me over and again.
So how does this apply to all of us – even if we never attend a sale or auction? Every single day, there are opportunities for us to do the right thing. We can be honest with others about everything from “You gave me a $10 bill in change instead of one dollar” to claiming we didn’t foul the player, when we know full well we caught him/her with our hand… to giving your friend or an acquaintance a lame excuse instead of telling him/her you aren’t available or don’t want to do something. Fudging on your income tax returns, overbilling someone and hoping they don’t notice, and keeping quiet about the extra hamburger the server slipped into your sack by mistake at the drive-thru are all modern-day examples of padding the expense account/changing the price tags/boasting of a bargain. And God is not amused.
Stop and think about what you are doing each day. Are you honest in even the smallest of things? It may seem like such a silly, insignificant thing to switch a price tag or tuck a coveted item into a box at an auction. You may not feel it is worth your time to stop and tell the server that there’s an extra burger or taco in your sack. You may feel it is your lucky day when you are given a $10 bill by mistake for one dollar. But how you handle these situations directly correlates to how you handle bigger ones… how you live for Jesus in general.
What is your “bargain” of the day… are you boasting when you shouldn’t be? Isn’t it time to come clean and live in a way that pleases God… and leave the bargain and blessings dispensations to His discretion?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Psalm 96:10-13
Get out the message—God Rules!
He put the world on a firm foundation;
He treats everyone fair and square.
Let's hear it from Sky,
With Earth joining in,
And a huge round of applause from Sea.
Let Wilderness turn cartwheels,
Animals, come dance,
Put every tree of the forest in the choir—
An extravaganza before God as he comes,
As he comes to set everything right on earth,
Set everything right, treat everyone fair.
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.
“It’s not fair!” If you have never uttered this sentence, you must be an alien from another planet! We all feel that life isn’t fair at some point… that we have not been treated well… that the world is spinning off its axis. And we complain loudly to anyone and everyone who will listen – especially God!
What we often fail to recognize is that many of the indignities and injustices we feel are being imposed on us are very much like those we impose on God! We go days/weeks/months without speaking to Him. We disappoint… speak unkindly… even lie to create the situation we prefer over that we know is honorable to God… we manipulate, whine, complain, disrespect, and more. And remember… any time we do this to another living being, we are doing these things to God, too!
Still, God comes and sets everything right. This is not a license to take Him for granted, but rather, a call to recognize His power, grace and mercy. God treats everyone fairly… He loves each of us and orchestrates the events of our lives - often showering us with undeserved blessings.
Much of life is not fair… or conducted on our terms. And I’m learning that often, when I call out to God, “This is not fair!” or “I am hurt and upset by this,” He answers… “Now you know how I feel sometimes.” I’m not saying God wants us to be hurt or feel mistreated… but sometimes these experiences humble us to the “log in our own eye,” so to speak, and help us to see how we are treating others… and God. When we realize how merciful He is to us in spite of our behavior that, frankly, is often quite awful… we see how much He loves us… how worthy He is of our constant praise.
Today, examine areas of your life where you feel you have been treated unfairly – and where you might have doled out that same treatment to others. Think about how you treat God… how much of your time and attention you give Him (and I’m talking about time spent loving, praising, and worshipping – not asking for something from Him). Praise God for loving us so well… treating us so fairly… and setting everything right on earth.
©2011 Debbie Robus
Luke 22:49-51
When Jesus' disciples saw what was about to happen, they asked, "Lord, should we attack them with a sword?" One of the disciples even struck at the high priest's servant with his sword and cut off the servant's right ear.
"Enough of that!" Jesus said. Then he touched the servant's ear and healed it.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
My mother used to tell us, “Two ‘wrongs’ don’t make a ‘right’.” I will admit, when I was a kid, I got pretty sick of hearing this… but when we were kids, revenge seemed like a pretty good way to go at times. We didn’t have the maturity to understand that we were basically heaping troubles upon troubles.
Sadly, a lot of us still don’t get it! Somebody makes us mad or upsets us, and we immediately start thinking of ways to make them suffer. “I’ll show them how this feels!” we think… and we start plotting ways to ostracize the person who has offended us or one of our friends or loved ones – just like the Disciple cut off the ear of the soldier who had come for Jesus.
We look at someone who seems headed down the wrong path – and on whom most people have already thrown in the towel – and we say, “What’s the use?” And we stop caring – and even praying. We ask God to help us overcome a struggle in our lives, and His answer seems too long in coming (it’s certainly not due to our impatience!)… and we give up and give in to the struggle and the consequences it brings. Someone doesn’t respond to us in the way we feel they should… or we listen to gossip and the talk of others and form a negative opinion about this person… and we decide to ignore them altogether – or we are downright icy (and rude) to them. After all, they are not “our kind.”
The cold hard fact of life is that people are not going to always be who and what we want them to be. They are not going to always treat us as we would like – or respond in ways that suit our agenda. But this doesn’t give us the right to “cut off their ear!” Even if we feel like our motives are justified, we need to listen to the words of Jesus saying, “Enough of that!” If we want to truly model Christian behavior, we have to follow His lead. We have to “turn the other cheek,” continue to treat others as we would wish to be treated, and love one another in Jesus’ name.
It’s a tall order… but not much about the Christian walk is simple or easy. What we have to understand is that the long-term ramifications of our actions and behaviors will far outweigh any immediate satisfaction we might gain from a knee-jerk reaction. Staying the course with Christ will pay off in benefits and blessings we can’t even imagine. “Enough already!” It’s time to remember who we are – and WHOSE we are… and start living up to the grace-filled position we have been given. Have you had enough?
©2011 Debbie Robus
