Daily Devotional for October 23, 2016

Matthew 5:17-19
“Don’t misunderstand why I have come—it isn’t to cancel the laws of Moses and the warnings of the prophets. No, I came to fulfill them and to make them all come true. With all the earnestness I have I say: Every law in the Book will continue until its purpose is achieved. And so if anyone breaks the least commandment and teaches others to, he shall be the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But those who teach God’s laws and obey them shall be great in the Kingdom of Heaven.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
My last year in the classroom as a teacher was 1985-1986. I’ve been tutoring elementary students the last few months, and a lot has changed in 30 years!  There are “new” teaching methods…and the expectations for young students have definitely changed!  I taught kindergarten students to memorize their address, tie their shoes and count to twenty. Now they are doing addition and subtraction, reading and writing sentences…and most of the shoes have Velcro fasteners!  Second graders not only write stories…they are learning how to enhance them with details…to have an opening and a conclusion…and how to do a lot of their lessons via a “Chrome book” and a “smart board.”

Does this mean that the “old ways” have no value?  Absolutely not!  Because at the end of the day, I utilize a lot of the “old” methods I learned almost 40 years ago in order to drive home concepts, such as how to listen for the main topic of a paragraph…what prefixes and suffixes do to change “root” words…and more.  One-on-one instruction will never be obsolete!  And the BIG thing that has not changed is the necessity for each child to feel loved and valued.  At the end of the day, a hug and a few words of genuine concern and encouragement have as great an impact as any tangible “reward” or lesson.

So when we talk about how the “old ways” of the Old Testament have been replaced because of Jesus, we don’t mean they are to be totally discarded.  I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty glad I don’t have to slit the throat of a baby lamb or calf and spill its blood in order for God to forgive my sins.  But I still have to obey the commandments that God laid out in scripture before Jesus was born!  I am thankful that many of the punishments that God meted out (like the plagues on Pharaoh’s Egyptians) are a thing of the past.  But when God speaks, I still listen – and do my best to comply quickly and completely!

In Mark 12:29-31, Jesus says… “The Lord our God is the one and only God. And you must love him with all your heart and soul and mind and strength.’ The second is: ‘You must love others as much as yourself.”  If you follow these commands, you will encompass all of God’s laws by default.  They are still God’s laws…and we must follow all of them. But God has given us a new “method” by which to accomplish this – Salvation through Jesus Christ.  Jesus is our Savior…our blessing…our teacher and Forever Friend.  But He is also our “hug and encouragement” to keep trying and making every effort to be obedient disciples and servants.

Isn’t it time we stopped making this so complicated? I don’t want to have to be constantly asking myself if I am on track with this command or that one.  So I choose to love God – and love others. Anything that I think, say or do that doesn’t line up with this is outside the realm of God’s commands and should not be happening.  I thank Jesus for making this so simple to understand…and for sacrificing His blood to wash away my sins, once and for all.  What about you? 

©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for September 21, 2016

Luke 10:38-42
As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a village where a woman named Martha welcomed them into her home. Her sister Mary sat on the floor, listening to Jesus as he talked.

But Martha was the jittery type and was worrying over the big dinner she was preparing.

She came to Jesus and said, “Sir, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.”

But the Lord said to her, “Martha, dear friend, you are so upset over all these details! There is really only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it—and I won’t take it away from her!”

The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

For the last few years, I have worked with children at church as a Sunday school teacher and VBS assistant. Now that Timothy, Zola and Nathan are in school, I also volunteer in their classrooms. I never lost my love for teaching – or children…but as I work with children nowadays, I am reminded of an incredibly critical objective – to keep the main thing the main thing!

What does this mean?  As I look at the children in each classroom, I see little minds ready to be filled with wisdom and knowledge.  But more importantly, I see little hearts that need to be filled with love…the love of Jesus - and my own.  On any given day, we have no clue what kids bring to the classroom. Some are foster children who may have been shuffled from home to home. Some are living in dysfunctional families with parents who argue constantly or have mountains of problems that fill the home with stress and strife. Some have special needs – physically and mentally - while others just have trouble fitting in with their peers.

Some are brilliant thinkers…or are highly creative and need lots of stimulation to nurture their gifts, while others struggle to grasp even the simplest concepts and need extra attention and repetition. Some are incredibly athletic and fit, while others can barely walk a straight line or dribble a ball.

The bottom line is that each and every child comes hungry for love and attention…for someone to meet them right where they are in that moment.  And if we miss this as teachers/leaders/volunteers, we have missed the most important detail of the day. As I look back to the years that I was actually a public school teacher, I wonder how many days I was more concerned with getting all of my reports in on time - or meeting stated goals - and I missed an opportunity to reassure a child.  How many times was I so frustrated and stressed out that I didn’t smile and offer a kind word to a child who really needed that more than anything else?

I cannot return to my kindergarten classroom of the 80s…but I can make a concerted effort moving forward to meet “children” of all ages, right where they are.  We live in “Martha’s” world…but I want “Mary’s” heart!  At the end of the day, my “to-do” list may still be full. But if I hear the voice of Jesus – and follow His lead, it won’t matter what else is left unchecked.

Have you discovered the One Thing worth worrying about…or are you busy with all of the little details?  Don’t miss out on the most important part of Christian discipleship.  Learn to focus on sharing Jesus with others every day – in all that you do.  Trust Him to organize your details. Ensure that the ones that truly matter are accomplished. Are you ready to focus more on Jesus’ details and missions than your own?  Will this be the day that you get started?
  
©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for August 25, 2016

John 13:34-35    
“Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other.”

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 met a friend in the grocery store today whose husband has just come home from an extended hospital stay.  She said that yesterday, he took his first “real” shower in roughly 38 days.  She said he told her that “spit baths” were just not the same – that “we Baptists need more water!” I had to agree.  Several years ago, I broke my ankle.  While I was in a cast, I could not shower.  I told my friend that I still remember the first day I was free of my plaster cast. Greg put a step-stool in the shower, and I sat on it while he turned on the water and let it pour over me.  A shower never felt so good before or since!

My friend and I agreed that far too often, we take something as basic as a shower for granted.  Yes, you can take a “bath” with a washcloth and a basin of water…but there is nothing like the cleansing power of a shower to make you feel truly clean.  As we talked, we laughed that this was a great analogy for another, more profound “cleansing power”…the blood of Jesus and His love for us.

A lot of the time, Christians tend to operate in “spit bath” mode.  We pick and choose who to love – and how to love them. I recently read a response that Amy Dickinson, whose syndicated column is called “Ask Amy,” gave to a “church-going” woman who wanted to know how to nicely exclude a family member from her social , because this person didn’t quite fit in.  Amy let the woman have it with both barrels for her unkindness and her unloving attitude.  She finished with the admonition that maybe this woman should think about these things while sitting in her church pew, because for all of her time spent in church, she didn’t seem to have learned a whole lot!

Many of us have not gotten much out of our “church attendance,”, either!  We certainly have not learned how to love ALL others as Jesus loves us…and to demonstrate this in our daily living.  We haven’t learned how to think of someone besides ourselves first…to hold our tongue…to readily forgive wrongs and move forward…to encourage others and build them up in hope and faith.  We haven’t accepted that God created ALL of us…not just white people…or Methodists, Baptist and Catholics…or heterosexuals...or Americans!  We fail to believe that God could love drug addicts, alcoholics, sexual predators and other criminals, terrorists, people on welfare, the elderly, and those who do not agree with our politics…much less expect US to love them!  And it shows in our demeanor - and our daily “discipleship.”

We’ve taken “Christian spit baths” long enough.  It’s time for us to sit under the “shower” of the love of Christ and let His blood truly cleanse us from head to toe.  We need to “wash” in His sacrifice until every speck of our sin is removed…and then we need to towel off and move ahead with the full force of His redeeming power.  We need to love others as Christ loves them...and as He loves us!

We need to demonstrate at every turn that we are new creatures because of Christ Jesus…that there is nothing halfway about our walk with Him.  Others need to see that we never cut corners…or make exceptions. And if we do…maybe WE need to spend a little time on a pew…or in a quiet corner where we can listen for the voice of God.  Maybe we need to ask the Holy Spirit to wash over us like the refreshing waters of a hot shower…and give us new eyes for Christ’s mission.

How “clean” are you today?  What – and WHO – do other see in your words and actions?  Is your love for Jesus – and others – readily recognizable?  Don’t you think it’s time it was?

©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for August 11, 2016

Galatians 5:13-15
My friends, you were chosen to be free. So don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do anything you want. Use it as an opportunity to serve each other with love. All that the Law says can be summed up in the command to love others as much as you love yourself. But if you keep attacking each other like wild animals, you had better watch out or you will destroy yourselves.
  
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.

There is a sweet elderly man named Rayburn who works at our local Walmart. The other day I heard him tell a young family, “I’m 92 years old!”  I strongly suspect that Rayburn doesn’t have to work any longer.  Judging from his friendly demeanor toward shoppers, I’d say that Rayburn loves his job – and works because it makes him happy!

A lot of retirees continue to work at something. Don’t misunderstand…these folks have plenty of options.  They could literally do anything they want with their time, but many choose to give at least some of it back to others.  They volunteer at thrift stores, animal shelters, schools, libraries, historical museums, and more.  They deliver Meals on Wheels, work with youth groups, and care for grandchildren and other loved ones.  They serve in every capacity under the sun for their church and its missions and ministries.  And they do it all because they love others and want to pay forward the blessings they receive in life.

Each of us has a choice about how we spend our time.  Some of it is mandated…work, school, family obligations. But we have plenty of minutes in the day that are left to our own discretion. Some of us choose to spend them acting in love and kindness…demonstrating the teachings of Jesus to others.  Some of us spend them attacking others, criticizing, finding ways to tear down rather than build up, complaining, sharing unkind or untrue information with others…and in general, stirring up a mess of trouble!

Author and activist Eldridge Cleaver is attributed with the quote, “You either have to be part of the solution, or you're going to be part of the problem.”  This is a fairly good interpretation of what is stated in Galatians 5:15.  We have a choice.  We can spend our time loving others and building them up, or we can act selfishly and unlovingly toward each other…foster attacks on one another with our critical and judgmental words and actions…and ultimately cultivate an environment where hatred – and at least the potential for eventual destruction – are the end results.

Sadly, some of us are headed toward the latter scenario with lightning speed!  But we can turn it around.  I’m not saying that at 92, we still have to be pushing a janitorial cart at Walmart and greeting the public – or volunteering for anything else!  But we can look for opportunities every day to share the love and Good News of Jesus Christ with others. I know some wonderful seniors who are unable to get out of a chair, but they are some of the best and most fervent prayer warriors you will ever meet!

We can strive to be positive…to see the good in others and to promote it - even at the expense of our own recognition and/or appreciation. It is past time for us to recognize that life as a Christian is bigger than any single one of us! We are called to put Jesus – and others – ahead of ourselves…to love big…and to serve even bigger!  It may not always be fun – or easy – but there truly IS a great freedom in serving in this manner.

This is not something we can afford to ignore.  Are you ready to “hitch up your britches” and serve Jesus by serving others with love?  Will this be the day that you get started?

©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for September 30, 2015

Romans 13:9
In the Law there are many commands, such as, “Be faithful in marriage. Do not murder. Do not steal. Do not want what belongs to others.” But all of these are summed up in the command that says, “Love others as much as you love yourself.”

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

One of the best – and possibly the worst – inventions to come into my life in a while is the smart phone.  This device is all in one…telephone, computer, camera, e-reader, and more.  I can shop online with it, get my weather forecast and check local radar, receive alerts about everything from flash floods to the latest sale at my favorite clothing store, read dozens of newspapers and magazines, and map my next trip. If both parties have FaceTime, it is even possible to “see” who I am talking with while we converse. This little device that almost fits into the palm of my hand has simplified and enhanced my life in countless ways…and it is rarely far from my reach.

At the same time, the phone has been a handicap, because I also spend a lot of time looking at it…checking e-mail and social media or the local weather information.  So I will admit that we can use the phone for our benefit…or sometimes for our detriment.  Sometimes, it’s good to pick up a book or a newspaper and read the printed word.  We need to engage in one-on-one conversations with others…and go outside and check the weather for ourselves.  The smart phone is not intended to completely replace these things…but rather to tie them all together neatly to our advantage.

In the same way, the command to “Love others as much as you love yourself” is all encompassing.  This doesn’t mean that we no longer care about the Ten Commandments…or any of Jesus’ teachings in scripture.  This doesn’t replace the charge to “honor your mother and father” or to “remember the Sabbath.”  Rather, this commandment ties everything together in one directive that serves as a checkpoint for all thoughts, words and actions. 

All we have to do is stop and ask ourselves…”Does this demonstrate love for others?  Is my thought kind and productive?  Does what I am about to say or reflect how I would want to be treated?  Would I feel loved if someone said these things to me…or acted in this manner toward me?  Am I about to honor God in XYZ?  Will it bring glory to His name and show my respect and obedience?”  If we answer in the negative to any of these questions (and a host of others), then we have OUR answer - and a change in our attitude and action(s) is in order.

This command to “Love others as much as you love yourself” is something like our “Heavenly smart phone.”  If we spend even a fraction of the time focused on it as we do our physical electronic device, we will be far better for it.  Have you checked yours today?

©2015 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for August 16, 2015

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

Daily Devotional for August 3, 2015

Galatians 5:13-15
It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. Just make sure that you don’t use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom. Rather, use your freedom to serve one another in love; that’s how freedom grows. For everything we know about God’s Word is summed up in a single sentence: Love others as you love yourself. That’s an act of true freedom. If you bite and ravage each other, watch out—in no time at all you will be annihilating each other, and where will your precious freedom be then?

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.
      
For almost 40 years, I have dabbled in genealogy.  I started with oral histories from my grandmothers and great-aunts.  They would often tell me snippets about family members with the caveat…”You don’t want to dig too deeply!”  Over the years, I learned that there were often at least two sides (or more) to the stories…but I have to admit, some of their memories colored my opinions of our ancestors.  And in a few cases, I took on the resentments and feelings of ill will that were shared with me.

Over time, I have started to let go of grudges and resentments.  I have asked God to show me how to love others as He loves me…to help me to see them as He sees them.  And as I learn to release my prejudices and pre-conceived notions, I am discovering a tremendous freedom.  I find that life is lighter…fuller…more joyful when I concentrate on operating in Christ’s love.

Who are we to judge and disparage another…and then expect God to love us and forgive our sins?  What right do we have to place ourselves on pedestals and condemn those we have decided are wrong in some way? Aside from the fact that this flies in the face of the primary commandment of Jesus Christ (who died for our sins, by the way!), we fail to realize the burden that we impose on ourselves by judging others and operating in anything other than love.  It gets to the point sometimes where we need a score card to remember who we are supposed to like/love…and who is “on our list” for some reason!

I’ve started to look at old pictures and oral histories and try to imagine the people in them as Jesus would…to see what He sees…and to love them with His heart.  It’s made a world of difference in my attitude…and in the joy of “tracing my roots!”  And I am transferring this newfound wisdom to my everyday living…and trying to love and accept others as equals in the eyes of Jesus.

Satan wants to weigh us down with the chains and shackles of judgment, resentment, bias, and disdain – if not outright hate.  But Jesus wants us to cast our burdens and heartaches on Him…and operate in the freedom of His love.  In large part, this is a conscious choice that we must make…but it’s essentially a “game changer!”  Won’t you kick your grudges and judgments to the curb and experience the freedom of loving as Jesus loves?  Isn’t this the perfect day to begin?

©2015 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for June 30, 2015

Proverbs 16:5
Pride disgusts the Lord. Take my word for it - proud men shall be punished.

The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Timothy was terribly restless yesterday.  He had a huge week and weekend, which included a trip on Thursday with his great-grandparents to Blanchard Caverns …and a “guys trip” Saturday night to the stock car races with his Uncle Greg, his Paw-paw, and his dad. I think there were other special activities, too…and by Monday morning, he was one tired little boy.  Like a lot of kids, Timothy does NOT like to nap. So we had a lot of discussions yesterday that went like this…”But I don’t WANT to take a nap!  Don’t rock me…you’re trying to make me go to sleep!  I’m hungry!  But I CAN’T calm down!  I’m really NOT tired!”

When Timothy’s mom came to pick up the children after work, he told her, “Mother, I was HORRIBLE today.”  She said, “Oh, I bet you weren’t that bad!”  He replied, “Oh, yes I was!  I was HORRIBLE!”  Now a lot of children would have totally tried to cover up their “horrible” day…but as Timothy’s mother pointed out – “at least he’s honest!”

Thankfully, this six-year-old boy has not developed a truly prideful heart…and I wish that I could believe that he never will.  Time will tell…but a lot of children have learned to “cover their tracks” by the time they are 8 or 9.  They know how to spin things to their advantage and make themselves look good – or at least innocent.  And when they ARE discovered, the first question (whether voiced or implied) is generally, “Do you still love me?”

As adults, a lot of people want to “spin things,” or force their opinion and ideas on others…then excuse this with, “We can disagree and still love each other!”  The trouble is, more often than not, these people shove their agendas down the throats of others in a judgmental, condescending, and anything-but-loving manner.

Read this passage from Mark 12:28-31…”One of the teachers of the Law of Moses came up while Jesus and the Sadducees were arguing. When he heard Jesus give a good answer, he asked him, ‘What is the most important commandment?’

Jesus answered, ‘The most important one says: “People of Israel, you have only one Lord and God. You must love him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.” The second most important commandment says: “Love others as much as you love yourself.” No other commandment is more important than these.’

If you can figure out where in this passage Jesus tells us that it’s okay to be prideful or arrogant in our “loving”…then show me!  Too many of us want to push our own agendas with criticism – and even an atmosphere of fear and hatred – and then excuse it all with, “But we still love you!” as if those on the receiving end should somehow be grateful.

I cannot stress enough how disheartened I am by the attitudes, words and actions of many people in recent days.  The attacks have been prideful…and vicious.  And far too many people are trying to hide behind the name of Jesus as they toss daggers and stones.  I implore each of us to search our hearts and look for places where we are spinning things to suit our own whims.  Where have we “acted horrible” and then hoped that people would love us anyway?  If we find even a snippet of this malice and manipulation, I pray that we would ask God to remove it from us…for good.

Proud men will indeed be punished.  Let’s do everything we can to make sure that we are not among them!  If we make a concerted effort to operate in love, there will be no room for pride and judgment.  Are you ready to do some heart “search and rescue?”  Don’t you think this is a good time to start?

©2015 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for June 27, 2015

Matthew 7:21-23
Not everyone who calls me their Lord will get into the kingdom of heaven. Only the ones who obey my Father in heaven will get in. On the day of judgment many will call me their Lord. They will say, “We preached in your name, and in your name we forced out demons and worked many miracles.” But I will tell them, “I will have nothing to do with you! Get out of my sight, you evil people!”

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

I spent several hours last night visiting with lifelong friends, and I cannot count how many times we opened our phones and used Google to answer a question.  How old is this person?  What happened to that one?  Was a certain celebrity ever married?  It was all trivial conversation (and I promise, we were not gossiping!).  But rather than speculate, we tried to obtain the facts with regard to our conversation.  Now, before you say it…we all know that you cannot believe everything you find on the Internet.  But we were pretty confident that our search results were at least somewhat more accurate than our own guesses and opinions!

In the end, I would say that we were pretty careful to keep the conversation non-judgmental and loving…to honor our friendship AND our Christian faith. We discussed old neighborhoods, politics, religion and philosophies…and we “kept it clean” - and kind.  If I had to gauge the visit by whether we loved and respected each other…and loved others as God loves us…I would have to say we did pretty well!

If you go back and read all of Matthew 7, it begins with Jesus admonishing us to…”take the log out of your own eye. Then you can see how to take the speck out of your friend’s eye.”(v. 5) Sadly, there are a lot of people who have some pretty big “logs in the eyes”...and yet, they continue to tell others how to remove their “speck.” 

I am reminded of the phrase we often hear…”Love the sinner…hate the sin.”  Someone recently asked me exactly how I thought the two could be separated…and it’s a valid question.  Because if we “hate the sin”…aren’t we judging the sinner? Aren’t we elevating ourselves to Jesus’ level by even naming another person’s “sin?”  In other words, when I claim in the name of Jesus Christ that I am right and you are wrong…how have I loved like Jesus?  Haven’t I somewhat set myself on equal footing with Him?  Where does the Bible teach us that we are ever bumped up to that rank?

Many of us consult Google or another search engine several times each and every day in an attempt to gain the facts. Yet we fail to do the same with our LORD and Savior.  We fail to search the heart and teachings of Jesus and ask Him…”What do You have to say about this?  What is the proper response from me? How do I share You and Your love for others in this situation?” 

Somehow, I think Jesus will show us that a lot of the ranting, raving, demonstrating and judging that we are operating in are not the answer.  And that’s a start.  Once we discern what He desires, we can truly begin to act as His disciples.  We must recognize that to behave otherwise truly is evil…and totally counter to what Jesus has commanded of us. 

I may not always get it right…but I want to be able to say that I always loved Jesus with all my heart…and loved others as He loves me. If I do these things, I trust that He will handle the rest.  What about you?

©2015 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for June 25, 2015

Matthew 22:37-40
Jesus said, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.’ This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: ‘Love others as well as you love yourself.’ These two commands are pegs; everything in God’s Law and the Prophets hangs from 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.

Some of my friends have been talking on Facebook about “cleaning up” their “Friend” lists by removing those folks who insist on spewing venomous statements and sharing pictures/posts that target certain groups or ideologies in a negative or hateful manner.  They have been especially swift in removing those who claim to love Jesus in one post…and make ugly comments in the next.  And I don’t blame them one bit!

This scripture passage is a key component of our Christian discipleship.  Jesus sums up all of His teachings in two simple rules.  It reminds me of when I was a kindergarten teacher.  I had three “rules”…1) be kind to others; 2) work and play quietly; 3) respect other people’s property.  Nothing else was needed.  When a child would misbehave, I would ask, “Are you being kind to others?  Were you working/playing quietly?  Did that respect XYZ’s property?”  If the answer was “No” to any of these questions, the child knew that there would be consequences.

We are Jesus’ “kindergartners,” so to speak…and His rules are as simple and inclusive as that of any teacher of 5-year-olds.  “Are you loving God with all of your passion, prayers and intelligence…with every thought, word and action?  Are you treating others with the same level of respect, kindness, love and compassion that you desire?”  I’m afraid that for some of us, the answer would have to be “No!”…and we must accept that there are consequences for this response…and that we grieve God in the process.

I’m going to give some of us the benefit of the doubt and say that we don’t fully intend to be hurtful with many of our comments and actions.  We don’t mean to be so judgmental.  But we are…and sometimes, it’s a case of being a bit of a bonehead!  We don’t stop to think about what we are posting/saying – or our body language – or even the “public displays” that we make. To live as a true disciple of Christ, you have to live intentionally…which means that we must pay close attention to every thought, word and action.

Someone noted at morning Bible study this week that she sometimes stops and reminds herself that her bumper sticker advertises our local church – and that there is a “fish” symbol on her car…so she really ought not to be an impolite driver or wag her finger at other motorists who irritate her!  And we all should stop and check ourselves - and our words and actions - at every turn.  We should ask those two questions…”Does this demonstrate our love for God?” and “Are we loving others as we love ourselves and wish for others to love us?”  More importantly, we should also ask a third question…”Are we loving others as Jesus loves us?”  Because I guarantee you…He is not demonstrating anything BUT love toward us!

I’ve not done a “social media house cleaning” in a while…but I may have to soon.  I don’t want anyone to see posts associated with me that indicate in any way that I condone unloving statements or actions – from anyone. And I pray that when Jesus asks if I have been “following the rules”…I can wholeheartedly answer, “Yes, LORD! With all I’ve got!”  What about you?

©2015 Debbie Robus