John 18:19-23
The high priest questioned Jesus
about his followers and his teaching. But Jesus told him, “I have spoken
freely in front of everyone. And I have always taught in our meeting
places and in the temple, where all of our people come together. I have
not said anything in secret. Why are you questioning me? Why don’t you
ask the people who heard me? They know what I have said.”
As soon as Jesus said this, one of the temple police hit him and said, “That’s no way to talk to the high priest!”
Jesus answered, “If I have done something wrong, say so. But if not, why did you hit me?”
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Our
daily news is filled with reports of people saying or doing shocking -
and sometimes abhorrent things. We read and hear accounts of everything
from name calling and degradation of others…to heinous acts of
cruelty…to public protests of this issue or that one, and much more.
Sometimes, we are shocked by these words and actions…but quite often,
these behaviors come as no surprise, given the reputation of the people
involved.
I am not condoning these exploits and comments. But we
have come to expect a certain level of behavior – or misbehavior – from
quite a few folks. By the same token…we know people of integrity who
consistently offer truth, grace, mercy, kindness, and wisdom in their
daily living. As the old saying goes…”It takes all kinds.”
Even a
person of utmost character and uprightness will have his/her
detractors. Jesus certainly said or did nothing to deserve to be
slapped around, spit upon, beaten to a pulp and crucified. He didn’t
say or do anything different to merit such cruelty from the high priests
after His arrest. His message was consistent…His actions were
unwavering. Yet Jesus was persecuted. And on our best day as Christian
disciples, you and I will be subject to criticism and unfair assessment,
as well.
OUR JOB is to remain steady in our faith and witness…to
develop a reputation for upright character and fairness – and to do
everything we can to never falter. There will be those who want to trip
us up…or judge us without merit. There will even be people who say
unkind things about us – and maybe spread malicious (and untrue) rumors
about us to disparage our character. They will look for the least
little thing to jump on and “slap us around.” So we must bring our
“A-game” at all times!
What sort of reputation do you have with
others? Are you “one of those” from whom ugly, disrespectful comments
and actions or outbursts are expected? Do you give others reason to
question your discipleship and loyalty to Christ? Or are you known as
someone who is consistent in his/her faithfulness and witness? Are you
able to rise above criticism and disparagement from those who might try
to denigrate your efforts to share the Good News of Jesus…and continue
to serve Him with dignity and honor? And are you careful not to criticize or judge others?
What
is your level of commitment to serving Jesus – and to serving others in
His name? When someone “slaps you around,” how do you react? Let
Christ’s example be your model. Honor your commitment to Him by always
going the extra mile…even when the devil puts obstacles and distractions
in your path. This will probably happen at some point…will you be ready
to handle it?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label honoring our Christian faith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label honoring our Christian faith. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for July 13, 2016
1 Corinthians 10:1-5
Remember our history, friends, and be warned. All our ancestors were led by the providential Cloud and taken miraculously through the Sea. They went through the waters, in a baptism like ours, as Moses led them from enslaving death to salvation life. They all ate and drank identical food and drink, meals provided daily by God. They drank from the Rock, God’s fountain for them that stayed with them wherever they were. And the Rock was Christ. But just experiencing God’s wonder and grace didn’t seem to mean much—most of them were defeated by temptation during the hard times in the desert, and God was not pleased.
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.
Years ago, I had a housekeeper who did an amazing job. She kept our house thoroughly clean and pretty well did a better job than I did! When this person left to take another job, I hired someone new. I should have known there was a problem when the new woman could “clean” the same house in about half the time of the first housekeeper. For a while, I marveled at how nice and neat the house looked – and chalked it up to the additional help from a relative who came along to share the workload.
After a month or two, I began to notice that the house didn’t seem all that clean. It would look nice and neat for a day or so…but I discovered areas that had really not been scrubbed at all…like the shower. A light rub-down and spritz of cleaner gave it a sparkly appearance…but underneath, there was a buildup of grime and scum that soon became disgustingly apparent. And that was the tip of the iceberg. It ultimately took me several days to get our house back to the condition that the other housekeeper had maintained for us. And I ended up doing the housekeeping myself afterward. I’d had the best, and I didn’t think I could ever replicate her level of commitment again!
How does this relate to our spiritual life – and this scripture passage? It’s all about going the second mile. Moses’ people listened to God speak through him…they followed God and pledged allegiance to Him – for a while. And then they went back to their old ways. They were “all in” for God’s gifts, goodness and blessings…but they didn’t fully internalize His message. They didn’t embrace His grace, mercy, forgiveness, and healing - and allow Him to change them from the inside out. So essentially, things looked all sparkly and shiny on the surface…but underneath, a layer of grime and scum built up that could not be ignored.
God has so much to offer us. And most of us are eager to sign on and take all that He will give! But are we willing to go the extra mile…to do the “deep cleaning” of our hearts and minds…to do the hard work of maintaining a spotless vessel for Him? Are we demonstrating a level of commitment to God that is beyond reproach? Or are we giving Him justification to throw up His hands and say, “Enough! I’m done with him/her!” Oh, how I hope it’s not the latter!
I don’t think that any of us want to deliberately disappoint God. But we do get caught up in the temptations of the devil and this world…and we tend to cut corners in our walk with God – and hope that He will overlook this. Let’s not play that game! Let’s give God our very best efforts every single day. Let’s honor God and His blessings over us by serving wholeheartedly and going the second mile. The Bible says that our bodies are God’s “houses”…that we are His vessels on this earth. What sort of “housekeeper” are you these days?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Remember our history, friends, and be warned. All our ancestors were led by the providential Cloud and taken miraculously through the Sea. They went through the waters, in a baptism like ours, as Moses led them from enslaving death to salvation life. They all ate and drank identical food and drink, meals provided daily by God. They drank from the Rock, God’s fountain for them that stayed with them wherever they were. And the Rock was Christ. But just experiencing God’s wonder and grace didn’t seem to mean much—most of them were defeated by temptation during the hard times in the desert, and God was not pleased.
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.
Years ago, I had a housekeeper who did an amazing job. She kept our house thoroughly clean and pretty well did a better job than I did! When this person left to take another job, I hired someone new. I should have known there was a problem when the new woman could “clean” the same house in about half the time of the first housekeeper. For a while, I marveled at how nice and neat the house looked – and chalked it up to the additional help from a relative who came along to share the workload.
After a month or two, I began to notice that the house didn’t seem all that clean. It would look nice and neat for a day or so…but I discovered areas that had really not been scrubbed at all…like the shower. A light rub-down and spritz of cleaner gave it a sparkly appearance…but underneath, there was a buildup of grime and scum that soon became disgustingly apparent. And that was the tip of the iceberg. It ultimately took me several days to get our house back to the condition that the other housekeeper had maintained for us. And I ended up doing the housekeeping myself afterward. I’d had the best, and I didn’t think I could ever replicate her level of commitment again!
How does this relate to our spiritual life – and this scripture passage? It’s all about going the second mile. Moses’ people listened to God speak through him…they followed God and pledged allegiance to Him – for a while. And then they went back to their old ways. They were “all in” for God’s gifts, goodness and blessings…but they didn’t fully internalize His message. They didn’t embrace His grace, mercy, forgiveness, and healing - and allow Him to change them from the inside out. So essentially, things looked all sparkly and shiny on the surface…but underneath, a layer of grime and scum built up that could not be ignored.
God has so much to offer us. And most of us are eager to sign on and take all that He will give! But are we willing to go the extra mile…to do the “deep cleaning” of our hearts and minds…to do the hard work of maintaining a spotless vessel for Him? Are we demonstrating a level of commitment to God that is beyond reproach? Or are we giving Him justification to throw up His hands and say, “Enough! I’m done with him/her!” Oh, how I hope it’s not the latter!
I don’t think that any of us want to deliberately disappoint God. But we do get caught up in the temptations of the devil and this world…and we tend to cut corners in our walk with God – and hope that He will overlook this. Let’s not play that game! Let’s give God our very best efforts every single day. Let’s honor God and His blessings over us by serving wholeheartedly and going the second mile. The Bible says that our bodies are God’s “houses”…that we are His vessels on this earth. What sort of “housekeeper” are you these days?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for January 22, 2016
Proverbs 28:14
The Lord blesses everyone
who is afraid to do evil,
but if you are cruel,
you will end up in trouble.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Let’s be real…there are well-meaning people in this world who seem to stick their foot in their mouths at every turn. They seem to have a knack for saying or doing the wrong thing at the most inappropriate time. We know they have good intentions…their delivery is just poor and misguided. We understand that their hearts are big…but they may be a little lacking in the common sense department.
But then there are those who seem to have a habit of “speaking their mind,” or trying to “put others in their place”…as if they have some level of higher authority. Their smug demeanor and meddling behaviors can be aggravating and insulting…if not downright cruel. They have an opinion, and they are not afraid to express it! And sometimes, the very people who say and do these things are the ones who want to hide behind the name of Jesus and claim to be His most devoted servants.
This is just my opinion – but scripture seems to back me up on it…those who claim to serve Jesus while judging others are headed down a slippery slope. I don’t believe that Jesus called any of us to love others as we love Him - and as we love ourselves - but give them a good dose of the “Reality According to Me” in the process. I believe that Jesus wants us to check our thoughts, words and actions…to ask, “What purpose does this serve?”…to take a breath and determine whether what we are about to deliver represents a witness to His love, grace, mercy and kindness – or the cruel and evil actions of the devil himself.
The question becomes, “To whom will you listen?” Who will you serve…and how will your “witness” represent your relationship with God? These are important questions that we should all be asking with regularity. We cannot downplay the significance of a Christian discipleship that includes a hefty dose of “stop, look, and listen” as we interact with others. To do otherwise is to risk not only the blessings of the LORD…but also the addition of others to His Kingdom because our “witness” was a deterrent. Surely none of us wants this!
Will you join me in taking a few minutes each day to “stop, look and listen” for the voice of God? Will you ask Him to give you a tender and perceptive heart…to replace cruelty and insensitivity with compassion and insight? Will this be the day that your Christian witness truly counts…and glorifies God in every way? Don’t you think it should be?
©2016 Debbie Robus
The Lord blesses everyone
who is afraid to do evil,
but if you are cruel,
you will end up in trouble.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Let’s be real…there are well-meaning people in this world who seem to stick their foot in their mouths at every turn. They seem to have a knack for saying or doing the wrong thing at the most inappropriate time. We know they have good intentions…their delivery is just poor and misguided. We understand that their hearts are big…but they may be a little lacking in the common sense department.
But then there are those who seem to have a habit of “speaking their mind,” or trying to “put others in their place”…as if they have some level of higher authority. Their smug demeanor and meddling behaviors can be aggravating and insulting…if not downright cruel. They have an opinion, and they are not afraid to express it! And sometimes, the very people who say and do these things are the ones who want to hide behind the name of Jesus and claim to be His most devoted servants.
This is just my opinion – but scripture seems to back me up on it…those who claim to serve Jesus while judging others are headed down a slippery slope. I don’t believe that Jesus called any of us to love others as we love Him - and as we love ourselves - but give them a good dose of the “Reality According to Me” in the process. I believe that Jesus wants us to check our thoughts, words and actions…to ask, “What purpose does this serve?”…to take a breath and determine whether what we are about to deliver represents a witness to His love, grace, mercy and kindness – or the cruel and evil actions of the devil himself.
The question becomes, “To whom will you listen?” Who will you serve…and how will your “witness” represent your relationship with God? These are important questions that we should all be asking with regularity. We cannot downplay the significance of a Christian discipleship that includes a hefty dose of “stop, look, and listen” as we interact with others. To do otherwise is to risk not only the blessings of the LORD…but also the addition of others to His Kingdom because our “witness” was a deterrent. Surely none of us wants this!
Will you join me in taking a few minutes each day to “stop, look and listen” for the voice of God? Will you ask Him to give you a tender and perceptive heart…to replace cruelty and insensitivity with compassion and insight? Will this be the day that your Christian witness truly counts…and glorifies God in every way? Don’t you think it should be?
©2016 Debbie Robus
September 3 ~ Matthew 25:41-45
“Then he will turn to the ‘goats,’ the ones on his left, and say, ‘Get out, worthless goats! You’re good for nothing but the fires of hell. And why? Because—
I was hungry and you gave me no meal,
I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
I was homeless and you gave me no bed,
I was shivering and you gave me no clothes,
Sick and in prison, and you never visited.’
“Then those ‘goats’ are going to say, ‘Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or homeless or shivering or sick or in prison and didn’t help?’
“He will answer them, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you failed to do one of these things to someone who was being overlooked or ignored, that was me—you failed to do it to me.’
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.
Are we so far removed from what God’s word says about Jesus’ teachings that we think this is acceptable behavior? Did we skip this passage from Matthew 25? Because it doesn’t just say, “When you feed the hungry and clothe the naked, you do this to Me.” It also says, “When you DON’T do these things, you do them to Me.” And the underlying message is that “When you mistreat others – or judge them, you are essentially judging Me.”
Does your faith really allow you to judge and abuse Jesus? What message does this send to others…particularly to unbelievers? Who in their right mind would want to be part of a faith that “green lights” disrespect and mistreatment of its God? But this is exactly what we do when we participate in any of the actions I’ve listed - and countless others. Whenever we operate in anything but love, grace, mercy, forgiveness, and compassion, we have failed Jesus…and denied our relationship with Him. This breaks His heart…and it should break ours.
You and I have work to do…and we need to get started today. Where do you need to make changes and start treating people like you would treat Jesus? Will this be the day that you humble yourself before Him, beg His forgiveness, and start to model His teachings toward others? Don’t you think it should be?
©2015 Debbie Robus
“Then he will turn to the ‘goats,’ the ones on his left, and say, ‘Get out, worthless goats! You’re good for nothing but the fires of hell. And why? Because—
I was hungry and you gave me no meal,
I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
I was homeless and you gave me no bed,
I was shivering and you gave me no clothes,
Sick and in prison, and you never visited.’
“Then those ‘goats’ are going to say, ‘Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or homeless or shivering or sick or in prison and didn’t help?’
“He will answer them, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you failed to do one of these things to someone who was being overlooked or ignored, that was me—you failed to do it to me.’
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 am fat, and you look at me with disgust.
- I am dirty and disheveled, and you cut me a wide berth.
- I am a member of the LGBTQ community, and you discriminate against me and speak of me with disgust.
- I am of a different race, ethnicity, or nationality…and you make ugly comments about me and treat me differently.
- I practice a different religious faith…and you condemn me and tell me that I’m going to hell.
- I belong to another political party than yours…and you “talk trash” about me and my candidates and causes.
- I am on public assistance to try to feed and care for my family, and you treat me like a Second Class citizen and declare me “lazy” and “backward.”
- I am an unwed mother, and you judge me.
- I had an abortion, and you shun me.
- I had an affair, and you tell everyone you know and talk about all of the “sordid details” as you think you know them.
- I got a divorce, and you treat me differently because of it.
- I am a recovering alcoholic or drug addict, and you act like I have a contagious disease.
- I have a criminal record, and you treat me as if you’re afraid of me.
- I served in the military and suffer from PTSD, and you make me feel like I really am crazy.
Are we so far removed from what God’s word says about Jesus’ teachings that we think this is acceptable behavior? Did we skip this passage from Matthew 25? Because it doesn’t just say, “When you feed the hungry and clothe the naked, you do this to Me.” It also says, “When you DON’T do these things, you do them to Me.” And the underlying message is that “When you mistreat others – or judge them, you are essentially judging Me.”
Does your faith really allow you to judge and abuse Jesus? What message does this send to others…particularly to unbelievers? Who in their right mind would want to be part of a faith that “green lights” disrespect and mistreatment of its God? But this is exactly what we do when we participate in any of the actions I’ve listed - and countless others. Whenever we operate in anything but love, grace, mercy, forgiveness, and compassion, we have failed Jesus…and denied our relationship with Him. This breaks His heart…and it should break ours.
You and I have work to do…and we need to get started today. Where do you need to make changes and start treating people like you would treat Jesus? Will this be the day that you humble yourself before Him, beg His forgiveness, and start to model His teachings toward others? Don’t you think it should be?
©2015 Debbie Robus
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