Daily Devotional for March 3, 2016

1 John 2:9-11
Anyone who claims to live in God’s light and hates a brother or sister is still in the dark. It’s the person who loves brother and sister who dwells in God’s light and doesn’t block the light from others. But whoever hates is still in the dark, stumbles around in the dark, doesn’t know which end is up, blinded by the darkness.

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.
       

My great-aunt Altha (left) and my
maternal grandmother Loree - obviously
on a family picnic.  In the background
is my paternal grandmother, Polly!

Last night I was looking through an old photo album from my mother’s.  I found a photo of my grandmother and my great-aunt – her sister – standing arm-in-arm.  They were obviously on a family outing…both had on red “pedal-pushers” (we sometimes call them “capris” today), and there were items in the background that indicated this was a picnic.  I wanted to get a closer look at this photo, which was dimmed by age.  So I moved the photo album directly under a lamp with a fairly strong light bulb.  I plan to scan the photo and see if I can enhance the details even further with light and shadows, so that I can get a full and clear picture of what was going on that day.

If ever there were an applicable scripture passage for what is currently happening, this is it!  I know that people have been disparaging one another for centuries…but with all of the media that is instantly available to us these days, we are far more aware of this – and much too numb to its effects. 

We have become all too complacent with the darkness of hatred.  You may think it is not only your right – but your DUTY – to speak out against people who observe other religions – or no religious belief at all. You may honestly believe that people who practice alternative lifestyles are sinners who live in immorality. You or someone you know and love may have had an unpleasant experience with a person from another race or ethnic or socioeconomic group, and now you feel justified in lumping everyone from that group together and judging them negatively.

You may be aggravated and disgusted with lazy people who won’t work and those who appear to always have their hand out…often at YOUR expense, if only inadvertently through your tax dollars and charitable gifts.  And you may feel compelled to publicly express your disdain with these folks – even at the risk of including some who really are trying and cannot help their situation and need for assistance.

In each of these situations and circumstances…you may feel completely entitled to shed a little darkness.  And in every one of them, you would be living a contradiction to your Christian faith.  If we truly live in God’s light…we must step aside and let Him shine on every person…with no exceptions.  When we start to criticize, berate, disparage…and yes, HATE someone else…we have effectively blocked God’s light and “blurred the photograph” of others’ lives.  And God is heartbroken by this.

I cannot say this any more effectively than scripture…we cannot claim to live in God’s light and then create an atmosphere of darkness for others.  We cannot say or do anything that might even suggest the impression of blocking His light from anyone else.  We cannot discriminate, condemn, judge, insult, verbally abuse, and yes, HATE other people because they make us uncomfortable or we do not like their words and actions, for whatever reason.  We cannot risk blocking God’s light.  Conversely, we must do everything we can to allow His light to shine even more brightly on all people.

Let me be clear. I am not pleased in the least with a lot of people who are offering their opinions on a variety of subjects and situations these days.  I do not approve of the venom that is being spewed by politicians…the hatred that is directed at so many people and groups.  But insulting these people and trying to “shout them down” in some manner makes us just as bad in God’s eyes. 

Jesus had the power and authority to do this, and yet, the times I can actually count in scripture where He lashed out at someone else are minimal.  Instead He taught us to operate in love, compassion, grace, mercy, forgiveness…and yes, LIGHT!  Jesus demonstrated how we must step aside and let God’s light shine on all people, so that the features and details are fully illuminated and clarified…and His glory can truly be illuminated.

Are we contributing to the darkness with our words and actions?  Or are we positioned so that God’s glory and power shines brightly on others? My question for each of us today is…”Where are we standing?” 

©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for August 1, 2014

1 John 3:14-15
The way we know we’ve been transferred from death to life is that we love our brothers and sisters. Anyone who doesn’t love is as good as dead. Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know very well that eternal life and murder don’t go together.

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 hate when that happens” used to be a phrase that I used frequently...and I still do say this occasionally.  But now, I stop short whenever this comes out of my mouth, because I have come to understand in recent months just how powerful the word “hate” really is...regardless of the context. There truly is no room for “hate” in the Christian vocabulary...much less in the heart of a genuine believer.  If we honestly want to be like Jesus, we must start paying closer attention to how He conducted Himself...and emulating His character in our own daily living.  Jesus didn’t have a hateful bone in His body...toward anyone or anything.

I’m a work in progress...and you probably are, too.  And I’ll admit that there are individuals and situations toward which I am genuinely striving to change my attitude.  But I don’t hate - these people or circumstances.  Even the ravages of the wars in the Middle East, the indignities that are imposed on people around the globe, and the human suffering that plagues every corner of the world cannot bring me to such a serious extreme.  I am saddened...I have empathy for those involved and disgust for the actions of the perpetrators.  But I know in my heart that Jesus does not hate these people...and I’m not supposed to, either.

The actions of many grieve Jesus...they cause Him great sadness and disappointment.  But so do many of my actions and words.  And to Jesus, there is no difference in my sin and that of another.  All of these break His heart...and His grace, mercy and forgiveness are available to anyone who will call on Him.

So I am trying very hard not to use the word “hate”...or to feel such an extreme animosity and/or disdain toward another person.  I am trying to look at them as sinners just like me...and react toward them as Jesus would – with love and compassion, even as I disapprove of their words or actions.  Before you polish my halo, understand that I fail miserably at this much of the time!  But I keep trying...because that’s what God calls us to do as Disciples of Christ.

It’s very hard to love all people at all times.  We humans do some pretty despicable, nasty things...and we are often quite unlovable.  But that’s what makes Jesus so amazing.  He loves us anyway...in spite of our maliciousness and offenses.  And if we want to be like Him, we have to be like Him.  How well are you doing these days?

©2014 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for May 21, 2012

John 15:21-27
"They are going to do all these things to you because of the way they treated me, because they don't know the One who sent me. If I hadn't come and told them all this in plain language, it wouldn't be so bad. As it is, they have no excuse. Hate me, hate my Father—it's all the same. If I hadn't done what I have done among them, works no one has ever done, they wouldn't be to blame. But they saw the God-signs and hated anyway, both me and my Father. Interesting—they have verified the truth of their own Scriptures where it is written, 'They hated me for no good reason.'

"When the Friend I plan to send you from the Father comes—the Spirit of Truth issuing from the Father—he will confirm everything about me. You, too, from your side must give your confirming evidence, since you are in this with me from the start."

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.

Everyone makes an occasional honest mistake. The facts are not clear, and misunderstandings occur… and all involved are able to recover and move forward. You think you recognize someone in the store, only to say “Hello” and realize this is not who you thought it was. Or you hear that someone is ill or injured… then learn that you were misinformed when you express concern or get-well wishes to that person. A temporary, slight embarrassment may occur, but no lasting harm is incurred.

On the other hand, when you run a red light, you know you shouldn’t. Before you get a driver’s license, you learn about traffic lights… you are told that “red means STOP!” So when you choose to move forward on a red light, you have no excuse for the violation… or any collision that may result.

Maya Angelou has a saying… “When you know better, you do better.” Unfortunately, we fail to do better quite often. We know that God has called us to love one another. We read in this passage that to hate or mistreat others is to hate or mistreat God. Yet we gossip, discriminate, inflict pain and abuse, and show disrespect… and we do it often.

The worst part is… we often do this and claim the name of Jesus in the process. Think political and social issues in which many claim to act out of their “Christian faith” – but in the most un-Christian manner. These include such behaviors as ugly protests and hurtful words, open disdain for people who do not meet their personal standards, public taunting – and yes, acts of hatred. We know better… but we certainly don’t do better!

From time to time, we all need to be reminded that what we do to others is a direct reflection of how we are treating God. The next time you start to lash out at someone or something… when you open your mouth to share a tidbit of “juicy” gossip…when you feel the urge to give in to temptation… think of your Heavenly Father. Picture yourself doing these things to Him. Envision Him standing alongside you and see if you can still bring yourself to participate. “Hate me, hate my Father—it's all the same.” Hate or hurt your brother…hate or hurt God - this is all the same, as well.

We have been given the gift of the Holy Spirit to help us with these challenges. All we have to do is call on Him to fill our heart and help us discern the truth. He will help us to not only know better… but do better. Ask Him to guide your thoughts and actions. Enlist His help in behaving in a manner that glorifies God and honors His presence in your life. Operate in God’s truth and love… and confirm His promises to all who cross your path.

©2012 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for December 6, 2010

Proverbs 10:12
Hatred stirs up trouble; love overlooks the wrongs that others do.

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

In the last few months, I’ve become more aware of the use of the word “hate.” We so casually say, “Oh, I hate such-and-such.” Or “So-and-so hates me!” And maybe we don’t literally mean “hate” – but use of this word leaves room for a lot of misinterpretation… and the Bible warns us not to operate in hate. In truth, this word shouldn’t be in our vocabulary!

Newton’s law of motion says for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. For hate, the equal/opposite reaction is love. For negativity, this reaction is positivity. It’s time for us to “spin the dial”, so to speak. It’s time for us to start operating in love and positives rather than hate and negativity. Instead of seeing the glass half empty, we need to see it half full.

We must learn to look for the good in others. We must learn to see them as children of God, not the devil’s agents. We must try to find a positive side to situations we deem hopeless or unpleasant. One exercise that has helped me lately is to view others through the eyes of a parent. Every single person we encounter was once someone’s precious baby. We all know how cute and adorable babies are… how we overlook their flaws and stand ready to gently correct them and forgive them.

If you will stop and picture the person or persons involved in a situation you are drawn to “hate” as a once innocent baby or toddler, you will be more apt to find a loving solution. How would you correct the youngster? How much would you be willing to tolerate and “love away?” What is different now? Sure, the older we get, the more responsible we must become for our actions. But the principle of finding a loving solution still applies.

In everything we do, we are called to look at others with God’s eyes… to see HIS child – the one He loves – and to find a peaceful solution to the problem. Operating in hate is a tool of the devil… not our Heavenly Father. Who are you emulating these days? Whose tools are in your arsenal?

©2010 Debbie Robus