Daily Devotional for December 15, 2016

Matthew 19:21-23
Jesus replied, “If you want to be perfect, go sell everything you own! Give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven. Then come and be my follower.” When the young man heard this, he was sad, because he was very rich.

Jesus said to his disciples, “It’s terribly hard for rich people to get into the kingdom of heaven!

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

Greg and I cleaned our closets yesterday.  It was long overdue.  We will donate the purged items to a local clothes closet that helps people in need…many who have nothing due to a house fire, domestic violence, job loss, or other unfortunate circumstances.  For the record, I am a bit of a clothes hoarder.  I’ve cleaned my closet countless times and put pretty much everything back on the racks and in the drawers.  I tell myself that I might actually be able to wear the jeans that fit when I was 40…or that I really need a shirt I bought for a song – in 1994!

This time, I tried to be ruthless…and I have to say, I did better than expected.  Because I asked myself one question…”Who needs this worse?”  And if you looked at my closet today, you might ask if I really removed anything.  See, I still have plenty…but now, the person who really needs a good pair of Levis® will be able to have them.  The warm jacket that I have not worn in at least five years will keep someone cozy this winter instead of taking up space in our closet.  Those shoes that pinched my toes might be just the right size for a woman who is looking for a job and wants to look professional.  And honestly, these days, my need for “office attire” is pretty well nil.

I inherited this “clothes hoarding” gene from my mother and grandmother.  I know that to be a fact, because I cleaned out their closets!  And I am not criticizing them…they were careful bargain shoppers.  And after decades of scrimping and scraping so that we kids could have nice things, they deserved to have beautiful garments.  But I also know that “you can’t take it with you.” Even after my purging, I could pretty well wear a different outfit every day for a month and not repeat myself!  In view of the fact that some have NOTHING to wear – at least nothing that is decent – this makes no sense.

So I’ve made a small step toward sharing my “riches.”  I have not sold or given away everything that I own, but I’ve started letting go of an unreasonable attachment to clothes that clutter my closet and could actually benefit someone else.

A couple of years ago, I went through every closet and drawer and purged and organized what was in them…and it’s time to do that again.  This may not seem like a huge deal in the realm of God’s Kingdom, but it is. When we let go of our “things,” we focus more on what is really necessary and important.  When we part with something because we realize that another person has a bigger need for it than we do, we’re making progress.  And I have to believe that this makes God smile.

I don’t want to hinder my journey to heaven with clutter and “stuff”…and I’m betting you don’t either.  This small step could lead to bigger ones - and point us in the right direction, once and for all.  Are you ready to start gleaning?

©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for February 25, 2016

Matthew 18:18-20   
“Take this most seriously: A yes on earth is yes in heaven; a no on earth is no in heaven. What you say to one another is eternal. I mean this. When two of you get together on anything at all on earth and make a prayer of it, my Father in heaven goes into action. And when two or three of you are together because of me, you can be sure that I’ll be there.”

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.

When we are with all three of our little ones, there is inevitably a “he said/she said” or “he did/she did” moment, where one child comes to an adult and wants him/her to “fix things.”  And just as our parents did with us and our siblings, we often tell them to “work it out” as we “mediate” from afar.  Usually, they will come to some sort of mutual agreement.  There are exceptions, but we need to teach our children to work out their differences with minimal guidance from adults…based on the wisdom and principles that we have instilled in them.

You may be wondering why I am telling you this with regard to Matthew 18:18-20.  After all, the last sentence in particular passage is widely known. People use it often as verification that God is with us even when our number is few.  And while this is true…the real point of these verses cannot be understood fully without examining the lines that precede them. 
     
In Matthew 18:12-20, Jesus outlines how to deal with conflict.  He tells us we are to go to the person with whom we have a problem and try to iron out our differences.  If this cannot be accomplished, we are to take a friend or two with us to help “mediate” the situation. If THIS doesn’t work, we are to take the matter before the church (or in the case of a squabble among friends or siblings, perhaps someone with “higher authority,” like a parent, teacher, or supervisor?).  If all of this fails, we are to acknowledge that we have done all that is required and let God handle the rest.  Some translations say that we are to excommunicate this offender, but The Message translation favors a “lather, rinse and repeat” strategy where we continue to try to minister in this situation, as God directs.

The point is that we Christians are not to give up on others.  We are to do all that we can to love, nurture, encourage, and witness to them.  We are to pray for everyone – even our enemies.  And when conflicts arise, we are to seek God’s wisdom about how to handle the situation and proceed accordingly…knowing that He will provide us with the right answers – and maybe a fellow believer or two for support!

Here’s the thing…we must never underestimate God’s power to use us as His earthly agents in the efforts to further His Kingdom. We must recognize the abilities He gives to us and our fellow disciples through His Holy Spirit to make changes and bring about positive outcomes.  We must realize that what we say and do on this earth has Eternal consequences.  And when we operate in the name of Jesus, we must be very careful that we truly are doing His will…and not our own.

Finally, we must accept that there will be situations and circumstances in which the answer is a resounding “No!”…and we must trust God to make the difference and be the ultimate Authority.  We must never give up on others, but we also must know when to step aside and let God have the reins.  This is that “let go and let God” concept in action.

So the next time you read the passage about “whenever two or three are gathered in My name, I am there”…know that this is more than just an assurance that God will meet us anywhere – and anytime.  This is a reminder that we are His agents on this earth…called and sanctified to “feed the sheep”…and bound by our commitment as Christian disciples to do so. And when we prayerfully work together with other believers to accomplish this, the results can be truly astounding.

Our words and actions matter…they have Eternal consequences!  What are yours saying about your commitment to Jesus?  Are you interacting with others in a way that reflects His wisdom and the ability that He has given you to accomplish His goals?  Jesus wants us to grow in our faith and discipleship to a point where He can say, “I’ve equipped you for this mission…and I’m here if you need Me. But you know how to do this…so get busy!”  Are you really ready for this responsibility?  Isn’t it time you were?

©2016 Debbie Robus