James 2:8
Yes indeed, it is good when you truly
obey our Lord’s command, “You must love and help your neighbors just as
much as you love and take care of yourself.”
The
Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by
permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois
60188. All rights reserved.
The boys were playing with
some new toys they chose as rewards for good behavior. Timothy had
quickly passed over a bag of plastic spiders, ants and beetles because
the kids really do not like bugs. Instead, he selected a plastic
chameleon. So Nathan readily chose the bugs! Then things got
interesting, as Timothy immediately had “buyer’s remorse” and wanted to
play with the bugs. The more he wanted to play with them, the more
Nathan did NOT want to share! So we had to have a little “lesson” in
sharing and how to think as much (or more) of the other guy as you care
for yourself! There were a few tears, but in the end, the brothers
figured out how to play together and get along…and love won!
Forty-one
years ago today, Greg and I promised to love each other “till death do
us part.” We promised a lot of things that we probably didn’t fully
grasp at ages 17 and 20…certainly not like we understand them today.
I’m pretty sure that we didn’t fully realize that the love it would take
to sustain more than four decades of marriage would surpass our young
definitions of this word. We couldn’t possibly envision the patience
our love would require as we built a business together…the strength we
would need to share in order to lift each other through illnesses and
injuries…the hope and faith that would be required as we consoled each
other in times of grief and loss. We readily signed on to be the
biggest cheerleader for each other…but I don’t think we had a clue that
there would be days that we might have to cheer even when we really
didn’t feel like doing so.
To say that a happy marriage does
not require hard work would be a lie. But I can tell you one thing for
sure…it’s a whole lot easier when God is at the center. When each party
makes a concerted effort to love God with his/her whole heart…and then
to love one’s spouse with as much tender care as God gives to us…things
fall into place with amazing precision. “Bumps in the road” aren’t as
bumpy…there is nothing that cannot be prayed over and worked through.
The art of “give and take” becomes second nature…and we both find
ourselves putting the needs and desires of the other ahead of our own.
These
same principles apply to any relationship. You have to think as much
of the other guy as you do yourself, or there will be trouble and
conflict. You have to consider his/her feelings at every turn. I’m
talking about much more than leaving the last piece of pie or deciding
who gets to pick the restaurant or movie. It’s more than letting
someone have the last word - or sharing your “toys” and possessions.
God
wants us to be so steeped our love for Him AND our love for each other
that it becomes the rhythm of our lives. He wants us to be so
comfortable in sharing and living unselfishly that we discover what it
truly means to be His disciple. He wants us to understand how Jesus
loves us…and to emulate this in our daily living. I am grateful and
blessed to be loved by God…and to be able to share His love with
others…especially my Greg. And I thank Him for teaching me to love
others without judgment and conditions. I am a work in progress, but I
am certainly making the effort to do this!
Whoever God places in
your path, my prayer is that you would love each of them with the love
of Christ. You may not always get to share their “bugs and spiders,” but
you will impart something far more valuable - unconditional love and
acceptance. And God will use your efforts to do amazing things! Are you
ready to see for yourself?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label getting along. Show all posts
Showing posts with label getting along. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for August 9, 2013
Proverbs 16:7
When people’s lives please the Lord,
even their enemies are at peace with them.
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.
Sometimes, you have to be the bigger person. I know people who have not spoken to each other in years… and neither one will budge. Honestly, they probably couldn’t even tell you at this point how the stand-off started! And maybe there is someone who refuses to acknowledge or speak to you this very day. What are you doing about it? How are you reacting? Your answers can make all the difference!
Do you believe that God has the power to turn disagreements around… to create friendships among “enemies”? Do you trust God to bring you peace in all situations… even those where the disdain from another is palpable? In this verse from Proverbs, we hear God telling us that those who please Him will find peace… even among their enemies. In other words, those who stay faithful and live a life that pleases God have no reason to feel unsettled. God can turn things around… He can supply peace where none seems possible.
Does this mean that every person with whom you disagree will someday come to you and say, “I’m sorry…I want to be your friend again.”? Will your obedience and faithfulness guarantee that all discord will ultimately be resolved, and everyone will live happily ever after? Not in the way you might think! I do not believe that God promises us that everyone will like us, agree with us, and want to make up and be the best of friends. I don’t believe that He will mend every relationship in the way we may anticipate or desire.
When we serve the Lord and do everything we possibly can to please Him, I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that God will give us His peace. We will have comfort and confidence in knowing that we did the right thing… that we focused on our relationship with Jesus and kept the Holy Spirit in our hearts… that we listened to His voice and shared His love, grace, mercy, forgiveness and compassion with everyone we encountered. Whether the other person chooses to reciprocate is up to him/her… but either way, God will fill us with His peace – and it will be more than enough.
So the question becomes this… “What are you doing on your end?” How are you conducting your life...WHO are you serving and trusting? Are you counting on God to meet your needs and handle your worries and cares while you go about the business of serving Him and following His commandments? Or are you “stirring the pot” in relationships that are less than perfect… then wringing your hands and wondering why things never seem to improve? God’s peace is so near… all you have to do is reach out to Him and surrender your own selfish will. When people’s lives please the LORD, He makes sure that they have peace in all things. Do you have His peace today? Isn’t it time you did?
©2013 Debbie Robus
When people’s lives please the Lord,
even their enemies are at peace with them.
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.
Sometimes, you have to be the bigger person. I know people who have not spoken to each other in years… and neither one will budge. Honestly, they probably couldn’t even tell you at this point how the stand-off started! And maybe there is someone who refuses to acknowledge or speak to you this very day. What are you doing about it? How are you reacting? Your answers can make all the difference!
Do you believe that God has the power to turn disagreements around… to create friendships among “enemies”? Do you trust God to bring you peace in all situations… even those where the disdain from another is palpable? In this verse from Proverbs, we hear God telling us that those who please Him will find peace… even among their enemies. In other words, those who stay faithful and live a life that pleases God have no reason to feel unsettled. God can turn things around… He can supply peace where none seems possible.
Does this mean that every person with whom you disagree will someday come to you and say, “I’m sorry…I want to be your friend again.”? Will your obedience and faithfulness guarantee that all discord will ultimately be resolved, and everyone will live happily ever after? Not in the way you might think! I do not believe that God promises us that everyone will like us, agree with us, and want to make up and be the best of friends. I don’t believe that He will mend every relationship in the way we may anticipate or desire.
When we serve the Lord and do everything we possibly can to please Him, I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that God will give us His peace. We will have comfort and confidence in knowing that we did the right thing… that we focused on our relationship with Jesus and kept the Holy Spirit in our hearts… that we listened to His voice and shared His love, grace, mercy, forgiveness and compassion with everyone we encountered. Whether the other person chooses to reciprocate is up to him/her… but either way, God will fill us with His peace – and it will be more than enough.
So the question becomes this… “What are you doing on your end?” How are you conducting your life...WHO are you serving and trusting? Are you counting on God to meet your needs and handle your worries and cares while you go about the business of serving Him and following His commandments? Or are you “stirring the pot” in relationships that are less than perfect… then wringing your hands and wondering why things never seem to improve? God’s peace is so near… all you have to do is reach out to Him and surrender your own selfish will. When people’s lives please the LORD, He makes sure that they have peace in all things. Do you have His peace today? Isn’t it time you did?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for August 1, 2013
Matthew 12:25
Jesus knew what they were thinking, and he said to them:
Any kingdom where people fight each other will end up ruined. And a town or family that fights will soon destroy itself.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
This morning, I made a fresh apple pie. I don’t make a lot of desserts, so this is a rare treat for us. And while this recipe is not all that sweet, I looked at the pie and instantly thought, “A little slice of cheddar cheese on the side would be great to ‘cut the sweet’.”
My cousin Natalie recommended a book to me recently… A Little Salty to Cut the Sweet: Southern Stories of Faith, Family, and Fifteen Pounds of Bacon, by Sophie Hudson. The author shares stories of her Mississippi relatives and how they influenced her life. The title is a reference to her grandfather and something he used to say. Like my own grandfather who thought everything tasted better with sugar, hers would often top off his dessert with at least a few bites of something salty – another piece of chicken, some bacon or ham… or in my own grandfather’s case, a “spoonful of white soup beans”! The accompanying explanation was something along the lines of “I need something a little salty to cut the sweet.” I’ve heard this saying all of my life… and I have to admit, I have to have that last “salty” bite to “cut the sweet” quite often!
You probably think I’m going to talk about “salty” relationships in the context of those in which everything isn’t nice and sweet all the time. And I could easily do that… because clearly, Jesus is telling us that anytime we fight, hold grudges, and fail to get along, we are destined for failure and discontentment. There is no peace in relationships where people don’t speak for days/weeks/months/years. Sometimes, a little “saltiness” is okay – as long as we get back to the “sweet”, work things out, and restore order.
But what I really want to talk about today is how God puts together in relationships. Let’s understand something right up front… there is no such thing as a perfect family, friendship, community, or world at large. There will always be conflicts and disagreements, because God created each of us as unique human beings. Somewhere along the way, we’re not going to get along with the other guy. But that doesn’t mean we can allow disagreements and differences to fester and cause unrest or perpetual conflict. God brings us “salty” people to “cut the sweet”… to help us grow in our faith and learn how to share His love with everyone and live in His peace.
Right now, you may be harboring anger, resentment, jealousy, disappointment, or disgust toward a family member, friend, acquaintance, politician… or even a church member! You may base your feelings on an actual experience… or the hearsay and opinions of someone else. You may think you know the truth about someone or a specific situation…when in fact your feelings and attitudes are totally off base. Your “salty” may be totally out of balance to the “sweet” of your relationship with others. You may have been at odds with someone for so long that you honestly don’t remember what started the whole thing!
Where have you judged someone unfairly and failed to give him/her a chance to develop an honest, real relationship with you? Where have you closed the door and walked away, leaving resentments and hurts to fester and escalate? How have you contributed to a disagreement or misunderstanding… have you fanned the flames and made things worse? Have you said nothing and let someone assume you felt a particular way? Have you listened to the ideas and opinions of others and allowed them to tell you how you feel about certain people and/or situations? Do you treat others as you wish to be treated… or do some instantly sense your disapproval and disdain when you meet?
My pie recipe called for a tiny sprinkle of salt… to balance the sweetness and develop the flavor of the apples, I suppose. But adding any more salt than suggested would have totally ruined the dessert. I suggest that we all take a deep breath… that we spend some quiet time with God and ask Him to search our hearts and minds and see where we have added even a little too much “saltiness” to our lives. Life isn’t sweet all the time… and it doesn’t have to be. But we all know what too much salt can do to our diet… and that goes for our spiritual life, as well.
©2013 Debbie Robus
Jesus knew what they were thinking, and he said to them:
Any kingdom where people fight each other will end up ruined. And a town or family that fights will soon destroy itself.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
This morning, I made a fresh apple pie. I don’t make a lot of desserts, so this is a rare treat for us. And while this recipe is not all that sweet, I looked at the pie and instantly thought, “A little slice of cheddar cheese on the side would be great to ‘cut the sweet’.”
My cousin Natalie recommended a book to me recently… A Little Salty to Cut the Sweet: Southern Stories of Faith, Family, and Fifteen Pounds of Bacon, by Sophie Hudson. The author shares stories of her Mississippi relatives and how they influenced her life. The title is a reference to her grandfather and something he used to say. Like my own grandfather who thought everything tasted better with sugar, hers would often top off his dessert with at least a few bites of something salty – another piece of chicken, some bacon or ham… or in my own grandfather’s case, a “spoonful of white soup beans”! The accompanying explanation was something along the lines of “I need something a little salty to cut the sweet.” I’ve heard this saying all of my life… and I have to admit, I have to have that last “salty” bite to “cut the sweet” quite often!
You probably think I’m going to talk about “salty” relationships in the context of those in which everything isn’t nice and sweet all the time. And I could easily do that… because clearly, Jesus is telling us that anytime we fight, hold grudges, and fail to get along, we are destined for failure and discontentment. There is no peace in relationships where people don’t speak for days/weeks/months/years. Sometimes, a little “saltiness” is okay – as long as we get back to the “sweet”, work things out, and restore order.
But what I really want to talk about today is how God puts together in relationships. Let’s understand something right up front… there is no such thing as a perfect family, friendship, community, or world at large. There will always be conflicts and disagreements, because God created each of us as unique human beings. Somewhere along the way, we’re not going to get along with the other guy. But that doesn’t mean we can allow disagreements and differences to fester and cause unrest or perpetual conflict. God brings us “salty” people to “cut the sweet”… to help us grow in our faith and learn how to share His love with everyone and live in His peace.
Right now, you may be harboring anger, resentment, jealousy, disappointment, or disgust toward a family member, friend, acquaintance, politician… or even a church member! You may base your feelings on an actual experience… or the hearsay and opinions of someone else. You may think you know the truth about someone or a specific situation…when in fact your feelings and attitudes are totally off base. Your “salty” may be totally out of balance to the “sweet” of your relationship with others. You may have been at odds with someone for so long that you honestly don’t remember what started the whole thing!
Where have you judged someone unfairly and failed to give him/her a chance to develop an honest, real relationship with you? Where have you closed the door and walked away, leaving resentments and hurts to fester and escalate? How have you contributed to a disagreement or misunderstanding… have you fanned the flames and made things worse? Have you said nothing and let someone assume you felt a particular way? Have you listened to the ideas and opinions of others and allowed them to tell you how you feel about certain people and/or situations? Do you treat others as you wish to be treated… or do some instantly sense your disapproval and disdain when you meet?
My pie recipe called for a tiny sprinkle of salt… to balance the sweetness and develop the flavor of the apples, I suppose. But adding any more salt than suggested would have totally ruined the dessert. I suggest that we all take a deep breath… that we spend some quiet time with God and ask Him to search our hearts and minds and see where we have added even a little too much “saltiness” to our lives. Life isn’t sweet all the time… and it doesn’t have to be. But we all know what too much salt can do to our diet… and that goes for our spiritual life, as well.
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for July 18, 2013
James 3:18
Real wisdom, God’s wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.
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.
We had record attendance at our Vacation Bible School, and it seemed that each night the number who showed up grew! So by Night #3, we were running low on supplies for the crafts. For the fourth and final night, we actually did run short! Anticipating this, our children’s director had left a bin of supplies in our classroom for an alternate rendition of our craft for the night. We were supposed to make a papier maché memory box that featured a decal of a world globe glued on the lid… and a card printed with the Bible verse from John 3:16 glued inside. During the opening service, my cousin Olivia and some of her friends had asked me what the craft was, and I told them, “We’re going to make a memory box!”… not thinking that we might run out of supplies.
Sure enough, by the time the third graders made it to our last crafting session, we had ten boxes… and about 19 children. So I eagerly displayed a little plaque made of craft foam, popsicle sticks, a glittery pipe cleaner, and a decal of the world and John 3:16 and said, “Tonight, we will make this plaque that you can hang on your doorknob or your wall and remember what you learned at VBS!” Olivia said, “But Aunt Debbie… you said we were going to make a memory box.” I apologized and said, “We ran out of boxes… our ‘marketplace’ is sold out!” “But you promised!” several little girls said in unison.
I asked how many children wanted to make the box. About 14 hands went up. I apologized again and said, “We only have ten boxes… that just will not work… and I want to be fair to everyone. So we will all have to do the same thing.” And then, one little boy said, “I’ll make the plaque… if that will help.” His friend sitting next to him said, “I will, too.” One by one, the little boys began to offer to make the alternate version of the craft project. In short order, all of the boys had decided that the girls could have the boxes… they would make the plaques. Here’s the kicker… we had ten girls!
Isn’t it amazing how God works out the details when we work together in peace and harmony? Don’t you find it incredibly wonderful that He orchestrates a healthy, robust community overflowing with mercy and blessings when we “do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor”? Do you see that a group of 9-year-old-almost-fourth-graders schooled us in how to get this done?!
I stood back and realized that this was the lesson of our Vacation Bible School. These children truly heard the message of the Apostle Paul as he shared the GOOD NEWS of Jesus Christ. They were busy putting into action the meaning of his words in Philippians 3:12-14… “I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.”
Where do you need to compromise and reach for Christ? Where have you been two-faced or behaved unreasonably? Have you treated others with dignity and honor…even when it took every fiber of your being to do so? Do you have your eye on the goal of finding peace by living for Jesus and making every effort to get along? Isn’t it time you humbled yourself like Paul… and these precious children… and made this the focus of your life? Will today be the day you begin?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Real wisdom, God’s wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.
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.
We had record attendance at our Vacation Bible School, and it seemed that each night the number who showed up grew! So by Night #3, we were running low on supplies for the crafts. For the fourth and final night, we actually did run short! Anticipating this, our children’s director had left a bin of supplies in our classroom for an alternate rendition of our craft for the night. We were supposed to make a papier maché memory box that featured a decal of a world globe glued on the lid… and a card printed with the Bible verse from John 3:16 glued inside. During the opening service, my cousin Olivia and some of her friends had asked me what the craft was, and I told them, “We’re going to make a memory box!”… not thinking that we might run out of supplies.
Sure enough, by the time the third graders made it to our last crafting session, we had ten boxes… and about 19 children. So I eagerly displayed a little plaque made of craft foam, popsicle sticks, a glittery pipe cleaner, and a decal of the world and John 3:16 and said, “Tonight, we will make this plaque that you can hang on your doorknob or your wall and remember what you learned at VBS!” Olivia said, “But Aunt Debbie… you said we were going to make a memory box.” I apologized and said, “We ran out of boxes… our ‘marketplace’ is sold out!” “But you promised!” several little girls said in unison.
I asked how many children wanted to make the box. About 14 hands went up. I apologized again and said, “We only have ten boxes… that just will not work… and I want to be fair to everyone. So we will all have to do the same thing.” And then, one little boy said, “I’ll make the plaque… if that will help.” His friend sitting next to him said, “I will, too.” One by one, the little boys began to offer to make the alternate version of the craft project. In short order, all of the boys had decided that the girls could have the boxes… they would make the plaques. Here’s the kicker… we had ten girls!
Isn’t it amazing how God works out the details when we work together in peace and harmony? Don’t you find it incredibly wonderful that He orchestrates a healthy, robust community overflowing with mercy and blessings when we “do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor”? Do you see that a group of 9-year-old-almost-fourth-graders schooled us in how to get this done?!
I stood back and realized that this was the lesson of our Vacation Bible School. These children truly heard the message of the Apostle Paul as he shared the GOOD NEWS of Jesus Christ. They were busy putting into action the meaning of his words in Philippians 3:12-14… “I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.”
Where do you need to compromise and reach for Christ? Where have you been two-faced or behaved unreasonably? Have you treated others with dignity and honor…even when it took every fiber of your being to do so? Do you have your eye on the goal of finding peace by living for Jesus and making every effort to get along? Isn’t it time you humbled yourself like Paul… and these precious children… and made this the focus of your life? Will today be the day you begin?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for July 2, 2013
Isaiah 2:4
He will settle arguments between nations. They will pound their swords and their spears into rakes and shovels; they will never make war or attack one another.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Shortly before Christmas Day 1943, Charles Brown, a 21-year-old West Virginia farm boy, was flying his first WWII combat mission over Germany. His B-17 had been shot to smithereens, several crew members were injured… and his tail gunner was dead. As Brown looked out his window, he saw German 2nd Lt. Franz Stigler fly alongside him in his ME-109. Brown assumed Stigler would finish off him and his crew… and indeed, Stigler had his hand on the trigger to do so.
But Stigler thought of his own older brother, killed earlier in the war. Here was his chance to mete revenge… and to earn a medal for valor – Germany’s highest military honor – if only he could score one more kill. But as Stigler looked at the bloodied body of the tail gunner, he realized that he would be committing murder. He knew that to fail to complete this mission could result in execution if someone reported him. But as a man who had once studied for the priesthood, Stigler pressed his fingers to his rosary and realized that he lived by a Higher Code of honor. So he saluted American pilot Brown and safely escorted the crippled plane to the German border.
I encourage you to take a few minutes and read this entire story at http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/09/living/higher-call-military-chivalry. Learn how the lives of these men – and countless others – were changed forever on this December day in 1943. I don’t know about you, but I can’t help but see God’s hand in this…how He settled the arguments between nations for at least two young men. The reason I share this story with you is twofold… 1) we are nearing our country’s Independence Day… a time when we pause to celebrate our freedom - and those who helped secure it; and 2) this story serves to once again remind us of God’s profound desire for us to live together in peace and harmony… a desire so intense that He would convict the heart of one enemy of war and prevent him from firing on another.
In our daily living, God is hard at work providing us with opportunities to choose to “remove our hand from the trigger”… to operate by a Higher Code of honor… to create and preserve an atmosphere of peace – for ourselves and for those in our midst. This is so characteristic of the God we serve… to want us to get along and operate in peace and calm so passionately that He would go to great lengths to convict us to do the right thing. God wants us to experience serenity and harmony so much that He would provide us with a “safe escort to the border” while enemies swarm us. God is calling on us to “pound our swords and spears into rakes and shovels” and never make war again.
The question for today is this… who – or what – are you battling? Where are you experiencing chaos and turmoil… where so you need to surrender to a Higher Code of honor – GOD’s code? Who do you need to “salute” and “escort to the border” with a heavy dose of compassion and grace? Have you considered what might transpire as a result?
Will this be the year that you celebrate Independence Day with a new perspective… free of the burdens of discord with others? Shouldn’t it?
©2013 Debbie Robus
He will settle arguments between nations. They will pound their swords and their spears into rakes and shovels; they will never make war or attack one another.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Shortly before Christmas Day 1943, Charles Brown, a 21-year-old West Virginia farm boy, was flying his first WWII combat mission over Germany. His B-17 had been shot to smithereens, several crew members were injured… and his tail gunner was dead. As Brown looked out his window, he saw German 2nd Lt. Franz Stigler fly alongside him in his ME-109. Brown assumed Stigler would finish off him and his crew… and indeed, Stigler had his hand on the trigger to do so.
But Stigler thought of his own older brother, killed earlier in the war. Here was his chance to mete revenge… and to earn a medal for valor – Germany’s highest military honor – if only he could score one more kill. But as Stigler looked at the bloodied body of the tail gunner, he realized that he would be committing murder. He knew that to fail to complete this mission could result in execution if someone reported him. But as a man who had once studied for the priesthood, Stigler pressed his fingers to his rosary and realized that he lived by a Higher Code of honor. So he saluted American pilot Brown and safely escorted the crippled plane to the German border.
I encourage you to take a few minutes and read this entire story at http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/09/living/higher-call-military-chivalry. Learn how the lives of these men – and countless others – were changed forever on this December day in 1943. I don’t know about you, but I can’t help but see God’s hand in this…how He settled the arguments between nations for at least two young men. The reason I share this story with you is twofold… 1) we are nearing our country’s Independence Day… a time when we pause to celebrate our freedom - and those who helped secure it; and 2) this story serves to once again remind us of God’s profound desire for us to live together in peace and harmony… a desire so intense that He would convict the heart of one enemy of war and prevent him from firing on another.
In our daily living, God is hard at work providing us with opportunities to choose to “remove our hand from the trigger”… to operate by a Higher Code of honor… to create and preserve an atmosphere of peace – for ourselves and for those in our midst. This is so characteristic of the God we serve… to want us to get along and operate in peace and calm so passionately that He would go to great lengths to convict us to do the right thing. God wants us to experience serenity and harmony so much that He would provide us with a “safe escort to the border” while enemies swarm us. God is calling on us to “pound our swords and spears into rakes and shovels” and never make war again.
The question for today is this… who – or what – are you battling? Where are you experiencing chaos and turmoil… where so you need to surrender to a Higher Code of honor – GOD’s code? Who do you need to “salute” and “escort to the border” with a heavy dose of compassion and grace? Have you considered what might transpire as a result?
Will this be the year that you celebrate Independence Day with a new perspective… free of the burdens of discord with others? Shouldn’t it?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for December 10, 2012
Colossians 3:15-17
Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.
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.
I don’t know about you, but I have a sneaking feeling I have not operated fully in the “Sing-your-heart-out-to-God” Department lately. I’ve let situations and circumstances… frustrations and bumps in the road affect me lately. I’ve not necessarily gone off and done my own thing, but I am pretty certain I’ve not always been in tune with others. And while I am incredibly thankful for all of my blessings, I don’t think any of us are ever thankful enough!
We’re right in the middle of the holiday season. Everywhere you turn, people are getting wild and crazy with stress, frustration, worry, overspending, the busyness of getting it all done, and more. Others are wondering if they will even have a meal to eat on Christmas day… much less toys for their children – or even a roof over their heads. Still others are struggling with illness, relationship issues, the challenges of single parenthood – or aging… and loneliness. It’s pretty easy to get to a point where we lose step with each other…and tempers can flare. We can also see how/why some would appear to have a reason to do anything and everything but sing their hearts out to God.
The thing is…our worst day with God is better than our best day without Him. And even when everything seems to be falling apart, God is still on the clock. He is still by our side, ready to offer common sense, wisdom and the truth for our situation. There is an old adage that says, “If you don’t feel close to God, guess who moved!” That adage applies to this scripture passage. Keep the peace of Christ in your heart… continually be thankful… and let God handle all of the details of your life. C’mon now, move a little closer to Him and feel His presence!
©2012 Debbie Robus
Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.
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.
I don’t know about you, but I have a sneaking feeling I have not operated fully in the “Sing-your-heart-out-to-God” Department lately. I’ve let situations and circumstances… frustrations and bumps in the road affect me lately. I’ve not necessarily gone off and done my own thing, but I am pretty certain I’ve not always been in tune with others. And while I am incredibly thankful for all of my blessings, I don’t think any of us are ever thankful enough!
We’re right in the middle of the holiday season. Everywhere you turn, people are getting wild and crazy with stress, frustration, worry, overspending, the busyness of getting it all done, and more. Others are wondering if they will even have a meal to eat on Christmas day… much less toys for their children – or even a roof over their heads. Still others are struggling with illness, relationship issues, the challenges of single parenthood – or aging… and loneliness. It’s pretty easy to get to a point where we lose step with each other…and tempers can flare. We can also see how/why some would appear to have a reason to do anything and everything but sing their hearts out to God.
The thing is…our worst day with God is better than our best day without Him. And even when everything seems to be falling apart, God is still on the clock. He is still by our side, ready to offer common sense, wisdom and the truth for our situation. There is an old adage that says, “If you don’t feel close to God, guess who moved!” That adage applies to this scripture passage. Keep the peace of Christ in your heart… continually be thankful… and let God handle all of the details of your life. C’mon now, move a little closer to Him and feel His presence!
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for August 16, 2012
Psalm 133:1
It is truly wonderful when relatives live together in peace.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
In the 1970s, The Waltons was a television show about a family who lived in the mountains of Virginia during the Great Depression and World War II. Three generations lived together in one household, and for the most part, they all got along very well. Naturally there were moments of conflict, or there would have been no story line. But mostly, the stories were about how the family handled life challenges and pulled together to handle them. Each episode concluded with what seemed like an endless series of “Good nights!” between the family members as the house darkened.
In reality, very few families seem to resemble The Waltons. I think a more apt description (in TV terms) for a lot of us would be Family Feud! There is an old saying that goes something like, “You can pick your friends… but not your relatives.” And sadly, a lot of families have plenty of discord. It’s really nothing new… go back and read the story of Joseph and his brothers in the Old Testament… or read about Cain and Abel! We haven’t learned much, have we?!
At least once a month, I hear of someone who is having a problem with a sibling. This ranges from a rather tame disagreement over something like politics to an all-out war over an inheritance or settling the estate of another loved one. In some instances, the conflict escalates to the point where family members do not speak for years… if ever again. Some totally estrange themselves from their biological relatives and create a separate life altogether.
I think God must be especially grieved when we can’t seem to get along with members of our own family. He wants us to live in peace with ALL of our brothers and sisters… biological or otherwise. God places us together as family members for a reason. He equips us with the tools for living in harmony… but it is up to us to utilize them.
We don’t have to agree with our family members in every situation. We don’t have to look alike, act alike, live in the same neighborhood or community… or even attend the same church. But we need to be able to be in the same room with each other and be pleasant and civil. We must ask God to give us the ability to exercise patience, tolerance, and love for others – especially our own family members – and to control our tongue and our actions.
If we desire to please God, we must learn to operate in His grace, mercy, forgiveness and love toward all people… even our own family. Does yours more closely resemble The Waltons… or is it more of a Family Feud? I encourage you to ask God to help you do whatever is necessary to at least function somewhere more toward the middle of these two extremes.
Be sure that your words and actions are pleasing to God and honor His gifts to you. Ask Him to work in your family members, as well. You may never fully get along and agree on most points – or even really like each other. But with God’s help, you can operate in His love and maintain a bond. Take the first steps toward creating family harmony. Open the door for God to work toward peace and unity. We can’t pick our family members… but with God’s help, we can learn to love and tolerate each other!
©2012 Debbie Robus
It is truly wonderful when relatives live together in peace.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
In the 1970s, The Waltons was a television show about a family who lived in the mountains of Virginia during the Great Depression and World War II. Three generations lived together in one household, and for the most part, they all got along very well. Naturally there were moments of conflict, or there would have been no story line. But mostly, the stories were about how the family handled life challenges and pulled together to handle them. Each episode concluded with what seemed like an endless series of “Good nights!” between the family members as the house darkened.
In reality, very few families seem to resemble The Waltons. I think a more apt description (in TV terms) for a lot of us would be Family Feud! There is an old saying that goes something like, “You can pick your friends… but not your relatives.” And sadly, a lot of families have plenty of discord. It’s really nothing new… go back and read the story of Joseph and his brothers in the Old Testament… or read about Cain and Abel! We haven’t learned much, have we?!
At least once a month, I hear of someone who is having a problem with a sibling. This ranges from a rather tame disagreement over something like politics to an all-out war over an inheritance or settling the estate of another loved one. In some instances, the conflict escalates to the point where family members do not speak for years… if ever again. Some totally estrange themselves from their biological relatives and create a separate life altogether.
I think God must be especially grieved when we can’t seem to get along with members of our own family. He wants us to live in peace with ALL of our brothers and sisters… biological or otherwise. God places us together as family members for a reason. He equips us with the tools for living in harmony… but it is up to us to utilize them.
We don’t have to agree with our family members in every situation. We don’t have to look alike, act alike, live in the same neighborhood or community… or even attend the same church. But we need to be able to be in the same room with each other and be pleasant and civil. We must ask God to give us the ability to exercise patience, tolerance, and love for others – especially our own family members – and to control our tongue and our actions.
If we desire to please God, we must learn to operate in His grace, mercy, forgiveness and love toward all people… even our own family. Does yours more closely resemble The Waltons… or is it more of a Family Feud? I encourage you to ask God to help you do whatever is necessary to at least function somewhere more toward the middle of these two extremes.
Be sure that your words and actions are pleasing to God and honor His gifts to you. Ask Him to work in your family members, as well. You may never fully get along and agree on most points – or even really like each other. But with God’s help, you can operate in His love and maintain a bond. Take the first steps toward creating family harmony. Open the door for God to work toward peace and unity. We can’t pick our family members… but with God’s help, we can learn to love and tolerate each other!
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for November 19, 2011
Psalm 133:1
It is truly wonderful when relatives live together in peace.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission
Every holiday season, countless magazines carry articles on how to deal with our relatives. Many movies have been made about family dynamics. The truth is, we have a hard time getting along with other people - especially our own family members sometimes! And more than one person dreads spending yet another holiday with the relatives…or the in-laws… or the crazy neighbor who always drops by for a visit and stirs up controversy.
But God designed us for family. He wants us to function together well as a family unit – whether it involves blood relatives, our church family, our friends at school or work, or in the community at large. So we must ask God to give us strength, courage, wisdom… and the ability to bite our tongues when necessary… and do our best to live together in peace.
As we approach another holiday season, I pray that you will find ways to live in harmony with all of your family members. May you find common ground and ways to compromise and live in peace. May God equip you to be a peacemaker this holiday season. And may He help you to bite your tongue as needed!
©2011 Debbie Robus
It is truly wonderful when relatives live together in peace.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission
Every holiday season, countless magazines carry articles on how to deal with our relatives. Many movies have been made about family dynamics. The truth is, we have a hard time getting along with other people - especially our own family members sometimes! And more than one person dreads spending yet another holiday with the relatives…or the in-laws… or the crazy neighbor who always drops by for a visit and stirs up controversy.
But God designed us for family. He wants us to function together well as a family unit – whether it involves blood relatives, our church family, our friends at school or work, or in the community at large. So we must ask God to give us strength, courage, wisdom… and the ability to bite our tongues when necessary… and do our best to live together in peace.
As we approach another holiday season, I pray that you will find ways to live in harmony with all of your family members. May you find common ground and ways to compromise and live in peace. May God equip you to be a peacemaker this holiday season. And may He help you to bite your tongue as needed!
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for November 11, 2011
Psalm 133
How wonderful, how beautiful, when brothers and sisters get along! It's like costly anointing oil flowing down head and beard, Flowing down Aaron's beard, flowing down the collar of his priestly robes. It's like the dew on Mount Hermon flowing down the slopes of Zion. Yes, that's where God commands the blessing, ordains eternal life.
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 is Veteran’s Day in the USA… Remembrance Day in Canada. This is a day when we salute all veterans for their service to our country. It is a noble and honorable holiday… a time to say “Thank You” to those who have served around the globe to protect us and the freedoms we enjoy.
We cannot ignore the fact that military troops are needed because “brothers and sisters” cannot get along. This is nothing new… remember Cain and Abel? Still, God desires peace among His children. He commands us to love one another and live in harmony. So we keep trying… and let’s be honest, it all begins at home.
How are you getting along with your “brothers and sisters” these days… those related to you by blood and those you interact with every day as a child of God? Are you prayerfully doing all you can to live in peace and harmony with others… to love even those who think differently or are “hard to love?” God will reward your efforts, even when others do not reciprocate. If you are obedient to His command to love others as you love yourself, He will pour out an anointing of blessings on your life. Will this be easy? Not always. Will it be worth the effort? Absolutely!
As we pause today to honor our veterans, let’s remember to thank God for loving us even when we are unlovely toward others. Let’s ask Him to guide our thoughts and actions… to make us more tolerant of others… and to anoint our efforts with His blessings. Thank God for promising us eternal life, where harmony will reign supreme… and ask Him to guard our thoughts and actions in the meantime.
©2011 Debbie Robus
How wonderful, how beautiful, when brothers and sisters get along! It's like costly anointing oil flowing down head and beard, Flowing down Aaron's beard, flowing down the collar of his priestly robes. It's like the dew on Mount Hermon flowing down the slopes of Zion. Yes, that's where God commands the blessing, ordains eternal life.
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 is Veteran’s Day in the USA… Remembrance Day in Canada. This is a day when we salute all veterans for their service to our country. It is a noble and honorable holiday… a time to say “Thank You” to those who have served around the globe to protect us and the freedoms we enjoy.
We cannot ignore the fact that military troops are needed because “brothers and sisters” cannot get along. This is nothing new… remember Cain and Abel? Still, God desires peace among His children. He commands us to love one another and live in harmony. So we keep trying… and let’s be honest, it all begins at home.
How are you getting along with your “brothers and sisters” these days… those related to you by blood and those you interact with every day as a child of God? Are you prayerfully doing all you can to live in peace and harmony with others… to love even those who think differently or are “hard to love?” God will reward your efforts, even when others do not reciprocate. If you are obedient to His command to love others as you love yourself, He will pour out an anointing of blessings on your life. Will this be easy? Not always. Will it be worth the effort? Absolutely!
As we pause today to honor our veterans, let’s remember to thank God for loving us even when we are unlovely toward others. Let’s ask Him to guide our thoughts and actions… to make us more tolerant of others… and to anoint our efforts with His blessings. Thank God for promising us eternal life, where harmony will reign supreme… and ask Him to guard our thoughts and actions in the meantime.
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for December 15, 2010
Proverbs 11:12
It's stupid to say bad things about your neighbors. If you are sensible, you will keep quiet.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I grew up in a very tightly-knit neighborhood. For the most part, we all loved each other like family… and some of us were! In a one-block radius from my house were the homes of my grandparents, my great-aunt, my cousins, and my “Aunt Martha” and her parents. And while not related by blood, the Bakers, Baileys, Mrs. Butler… and later – the Davises were very much extended family.
When I was a child, we were in and out of each other’s houses at all hours of the night and day. It was nothing for a next-door neighbor to appear in their pajamas and bathrobe during breakfast and sit down at our table – or to drop in for any other meal. We scarcely even knocked before entering and knew “the lay” of each other’s houses. When something would happen to one family, the others would join forces to offer support – or to celebrate.
But some of the neighbors feuded. One lady got upset, supposedly because another neighbor kept her shovel and hoe leaned against a shed in the yard. The lady thought it was unsightly… and she said so! Others were quick to point out what they deemed “eyesores” to the neighborhood… and to criticize and complain if something wasn’t to their liking.
All of this pettiness was silly… and it really did nothing except make the people involved look a little ridiculous. And I have to admit, many of the biases I struggle to overcome today are directly due to the influences of my youth. When the ladies sat in porch swings on summer evenings and talked about someone they didn’t like, I decided I didn’t like that person or family, either. When I overheard them belittle a certain person as “poor” or “low class,” I decided it must be true.
These were not bad people… I loved my wonderful neighbors. But they were misguided in their thinking and actions on more than one occasion - as human beings often are - and I was a child who was watching (and learning). And that is the lesson. Someone is watching US! Someone is learning from our words and actions. Someone is becoming bigoted or biased if we are demonstrating this. Someone is learning to dislike a certain group or class of people, if that’s what we show them. Someone is deciding that it’s okay to stick your nose in where it doesn’t belong and tell our friends and neighbors how to run their lives and even decorate their houses and yards, if that’s what they see us doing!
I will say this once again… people are watching… and they are looking to us as Christians and deciding whether or not they want to follow Jesus based on how we behave! Being a Christian carries a huge responsibility in this regard. When we consider that every word we speak… the tone in our voice… every action we demonstrate… can sway someone toward or away from Jesus Christ, then even feuding with your neighbor over a hoe and a shovel becomes a big deal - and stupid!
Just how sensible are you willing to be for Christ? Can you bite your tongue when necessary and keep quiet in the face of all sorts of challenges? Are you ready to go “whole hog” for your faith? Are you ready to be the real deal in every way and demonstrate love, grace, mercy, forgiveness, humility, compassion, and more toward those you encounter? Are you ready to really be the hands and feet of Jesus and set high standards for yourself and those around you? Just what sort of “neighbor” will you be? You never know who is watching!
©2010 Debbie Robus
It's stupid to say bad things about your neighbors. If you are sensible, you will keep quiet.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I grew up in a very tightly-knit neighborhood. For the most part, we all loved each other like family… and some of us were! In a one-block radius from my house were the homes of my grandparents, my great-aunt, my cousins, and my “Aunt Martha” and her parents. And while not related by blood, the Bakers, Baileys, Mrs. Butler… and later – the Davises were very much extended family.
When I was a child, we were in and out of each other’s houses at all hours of the night and day. It was nothing for a next-door neighbor to appear in their pajamas and bathrobe during breakfast and sit down at our table – or to drop in for any other meal. We scarcely even knocked before entering and knew “the lay” of each other’s houses. When something would happen to one family, the others would join forces to offer support – or to celebrate.
But some of the neighbors feuded. One lady got upset, supposedly because another neighbor kept her shovel and hoe leaned against a shed in the yard. The lady thought it was unsightly… and she said so! Others were quick to point out what they deemed “eyesores” to the neighborhood… and to criticize and complain if something wasn’t to their liking.
All of this pettiness was silly… and it really did nothing except make the people involved look a little ridiculous. And I have to admit, many of the biases I struggle to overcome today are directly due to the influences of my youth. When the ladies sat in porch swings on summer evenings and talked about someone they didn’t like, I decided I didn’t like that person or family, either. When I overheard them belittle a certain person as “poor” or “low class,” I decided it must be true.
These were not bad people… I loved my wonderful neighbors. But they were misguided in their thinking and actions on more than one occasion - as human beings often are - and I was a child who was watching (and learning). And that is the lesson. Someone is watching US! Someone is learning from our words and actions. Someone is becoming bigoted or biased if we are demonstrating this. Someone is learning to dislike a certain group or class of people, if that’s what we show them. Someone is deciding that it’s okay to stick your nose in where it doesn’t belong and tell our friends and neighbors how to run their lives and even decorate their houses and yards, if that’s what they see us doing!
I will say this once again… people are watching… and they are looking to us as Christians and deciding whether or not they want to follow Jesus based on how we behave! Being a Christian carries a huge responsibility in this regard. When we consider that every word we speak… the tone in our voice… every action we demonstrate… can sway someone toward or away from Jesus Christ, then even feuding with your neighbor over a hoe and a shovel becomes a big deal - and stupid!
Just how sensible are you willing to be for Christ? Can you bite your tongue when necessary and keep quiet in the face of all sorts of challenges? Are you ready to go “whole hog” for your faith? Are you ready to be the real deal in every way and demonstrate love, grace, mercy, forgiveness, humility, compassion, and more toward those you encounter? Are you ready to really be the hands and feet of Jesus and set high standards for yourself and those around you? Just what sort of “neighbor” will you be? You never know who is watching!
©2010 Debbie Robus
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