Luke 17:3-4
So be careful what you do. Correct any
followers of mine who sin, and forgive the ones who say they are sorry.
Even if one of them mistreats you seven times in one day and says, “I
am sorry,” you should still forgive that person.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Like
many young children, when Timothy wants to stall and gain time to think
of a question or a response, he will sometimes say,
“But...but...but...” before he answers. Frankly, a lot of us let our
“but” get in the way (and I’m not talking about the kind where you ask,
“Does this make my butt look big” - because if you’re asking, you
probably already know the answer!). We offer all sorts of blame and
excuses. “But you don’t know what he/she did to me!” “But I was
embarrassed!” “But he/she never even said ‘I’m sorry.’” “But this is
not the first time that he/she has done this!” “But I was sick...I was
too busy...I wasn’t myself!”
Dr. Phil says that frequently, when a
person utters the word “but”...they are about to tell you how they
really feel! So I’ve got a suggestion. The next time you feel your
“but” getting in the way... follow it with one word... GOD! When
you have been lied to one time too many, say, “But God...” and remind
yourself that He can help you handle this situation in the right way.
When you are offended or betrayed...maybe for the umpteenth time...say,
“But God...” and let Him show you how to proceed according to His will –
not yours. When YOU stand ready to offer an excuse to someone else for
YOUR sin, pray, “But God...” and let Him give you the strength to own
your mistake and make adequate restitution.
Our 3-year-old niece
Zola is in a stage where she likes to quickly say “Sorry!” any time she
is corrected. My mom reminded me that our late cousin Eddie used to
say, “Sorry doesn’t get you out of trouble!” And there is some truth to
this. When we forgive someone, we are not excusing them or giving them
a “pass”...nor are we making ourselves a doormat for future
mistreatment. But we are acting in obedience to God... and
demonstrating our Christian faith.
Look at it this way...we are
continually telling God we are “sorry” for this thing or another. What
if He said, “Too bad!” and refused to forgive us? Surely we understand
what our repeated sins cost Jesus...yet He has forgiven us for every
single one of them – even those we’ve yet to commit! So when someone
tells us, “I am sorry”...how can we refuse to forgive them? “But I
don’t believe them!” you may say. (There’s that “but” again!) Here’s
where we need to change what we insert after “But...”! Remember - ”but
GOD” is the phrase to keep close at hand!
We are not three or
five years old. It’s time to own our words and actions. When we learn
to substitute God’s power for our own...when we take our emotions and
excuses out of the equation and let Him handle things according to His
will, the forgiveness thing becomes a whole lot easier. When we operate
under His authority and quit trying to play judge and jury and decide
who is really sorry or who will disappoint us again...when we let go and let GOD have control...operating in mercy and forgiveness becomes almost second nature. If we will only learn to say “but GOD”, we.can.do.this! Are you with me?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label making forgiveness a habit. Show all posts
Showing posts with label making forgiveness a habit. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for September 30, 2013
Matthew 5:21-26
You know that our ancestors were told, “Do not murder” and “A murderer must be brought to trial.” But I promise you that if you are angry with someone, you will have to stand trial. If you call someone a fool, you will be taken to court. And if you say that someone is worthless, you will be in danger of the fires of hell.
So if you are about to place your gift on the altar and remember that someone is angry with you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. Make peace with that person, then come back and offer your gift to God.
Before you are dragged into court, make friends with the person who has accused you of doing wrong. If you don’t, you will be handed over to the judge and then to the officer who will put you in jail. I promise you that you will not get out until you have paid the last cent you owe.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
A friend shared a story about a woman who was standing in line at the grocery store, talking on her cell phone… in a foreign language. When she finished, the man in front of her turned and said, “If you want to speak Spanish, go back to Mexico. This is America…you should speak English – not Spanish.” She replied, “I was speaking Navajo… if you want to speak English, go back to England.” Okay, so it’s a silly joke… but it does make the point that we often choose to say things we shouldn’t – and frequently there are consequences for said comments.
Are we really so naïve as to think that we can harbor ill feelings toward someone else and still ask God to cut us some slack? Do we truly believe that we can treat others unkindly and expect God to welcome us with open arms? What is wrong with us, people?! Have we really sunk so lowly that we honestly believe we have some sort of “Golden Pass” when it comes to God’s favor? I’ve got a news flash… Jesus says it just ain’t so! And it would serve us well to listen to what He is telling us!
Before you start asking God for anything, make sure you “have your ducks in a row.” Apologized to your kids for being short and ill-tempered with them? Check! Told your roommate you’re sorry you have been such a slob and promised to do better? Check! Forgiven your neighbor for playing his/her music too loudly or mowing the yard before dawn and disrupting your sleep? Check! Prayed for those who say and do things to ruffle your feathers on a daily basis? Check! Held your tongue in the checkout line when you wanted to say something unkind or derogatory? CHECK!
We all sin… we all fall short. People will offend us and wrong us – and some will treat us unkindly or unfairly. But until we ask forgiveness of others, we cannot ask God for the same. Until we forgive in our hearts those who wrong or offend us and make things right, we have no entitlement to ask God to forgive us and restore us to an authentic relationship with Him. Remember… whatever we do to the least of His creatures, we do to Him. (Matthew 25:40)
Who do you have to forgive today – either personally or in your heart? Where do you need to ask for forgiveness and a second chance? Are you coming before God with a “clean slate” and a pure heart? Isn’t it time you did?
©2013 Debbie Robus
You know that our ancestors were told, “Do not murder” and “A murderer must be brought to trial.” But I promise you that if you are angry with someone, you will have to stand trial. If you call someone a fool, you will be taken to court. And if you say that someone is worthless, you will be in danger of the fires of hell.
So if you are about to place your gift on the altar and remember that someone is angry with you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. Make peace with that person, then come back and offer your gift to God.
Before you are dragged into court, make friends with the person who has accused you of doing wrong. If you don’t, you will be handed over to the judge and then to the officer who will put you in jail. I promise you that you will not get out until you have paid the last cent you owe.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
A friend shared a story about a woman who was standing in line at the grocery store, talking on her cell phone… in a foreign language. When she finished, the man in front of her turned and said, “If you want to speak Spanish, go back to Mexico. This is America…you should speak English – not Spanish.” She replied, “I was speaking Navajo… if you want to speak English, go back to England.” Okay, so it’s a silly joke… but it does make the point that we often choose to say things we shouldn’t – and frequently there are consequences for said comments.
Are we really so naïve as to think that we can harbor ill feelings toward someone else and still ask God to cut us some slack? Do we truly believe that we can treat others unkindly and expect God to welcome us with open arms? What is wrong with us, people?! Have we really sunk so lowly that we honestly believe we have some sort of “Golden Pass” when it comes to God’s favor? I’ve got a news flash… Jesus says it just ain’t so! And it would serve us well to listen to what He is telling us!
Before you start asking God for anything, make sure you “have your ducks in a row.” Apologized to your kids for being short and ill-tempered with them? Check! Told your roommate you’re sorry you have been such a slob and promised to do better? Check! Forgiven your neighbor for playing his/her music too loudly or mowing the yard before dawn and disrupting your sleep? Check! Prayed for those who say and do things to ruffle your feathers on a daily basis? Check! Held your tongue in the checkout line when you wanted to say something unkind or derogatory? CHECK!
We all sin… we all fall short. People will offend us and wrong us – and some will treat us unkindly or unfairly. But until we ask forgiveness of others, we cannot ask God for the same. Until we forgive in our hearts those who wrong or offend us and make things right, we have no entitlement to ask God to forgive us and restore us to an authentic relationship with Him. Remember… whatever we do to the least of His creatures, we do to Him. (Matthew 25:40)
Who do you have to forgive today – either personally or in your heart? Where do you need to ask for forgiveness and a second chance? Are you coming before God with a “clean slate” and a pure heart? Isn’t it time you did?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for February 2, 2013
1 Peter 2:13-17
Make the Master proud of you by being good citizens. Respect the authorities, whatever their level; they are God’s emissaries for keeping order. It is God’s will that by doing good, you might cure the ignorance of the fools who think you’re a danger to society. Exercise your freedom by serving God, not by breaking the rules. Treat everyone you meet with dignity. Love your spiritual family. Revere God. Respect the government.
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.
Recently on a national cable news program, elected officials from my home state were featured… and not in a good light. These men were making some pretty radical statements…lodging criticisms that were unfair, at best – and in at least one instance, inaccurate. I was embarrassed – not only by these people, but also by the fact that they have in any way colored others’ impression of people from my area.
I did not vote for these men, and I do not agree with their positions. However, I am mandated by God to love them… to behave respectfully toward them and refrain from calling them names or criticizing them personally. They have a right to their beliefs. Do I think that what they propose is good for our state or country? Absolutely not! If their mandates are enacted by a majority vote, I won’t like it. But I will do my best to behave honorably and work within our democratic system to bring about changes. And I will trust God to handle the rest.
I have been amazed and deeply saddened by the comments I have seen and heard from people who claim to be disciples of Christ - mentors in our schools, communities and churches – who have spoken unkindly (and in some cases downright hatefully) about our government and its leaders. You cannot call an elected official a hateful name and then expect children and students of all ages to refrain from name calling in their daily living. You can’t blame the government, the President, or even your city council representative for everything that is wrong in your life, then assume that people will believe you when you say you have faith in God to handle the worries of your day.
In our country, we operate under the tenets of a democracy, which means the majority rule. As individuals, we are not always going to be a part of that majority. This is when we have to trust God to handle what we cannot. We can’t reverse the results of elections… but we can trust God to handle things - regardless of the outcome.
We may feel we have very sound reasons for disliking an elected official and/or the way our government is being run. But God still expects us to show respect. God commands us to honor Him… to follow the rules, serve Him, and trust His ability to handle all things on our behalf. God requires us to love one another – even those who didn’t get our vote. We must behave with dignity, use common sense, and focus on our roles as Disciples of Christ. Some of us have lost sight of this. It’s time we took a serious look at how well we offer grace, mercy and forgiveness to others… even those who didn’t get our vote!
©2013 Debbie Robus
Make the Master proud of you by being good citizens. Respect the authorities, whatever their level; they are God’s emissaries for keeping order. It is God’s will that by doing good, you might cure the ignorance of the fools who think you’re a danger to society. Exercise your freedom by serving God, not by breaking the rules. Treat everyone you meet with dignity. Love your spiritual family. Revere God. Respect the government.
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.
Recently on a national cable news program, elected officials from my home state were featured… and not in a good light. These men were making some pretty radical statements…lodging criticisms that were unfair, at best – and in at least one instance, inaccurate. I was embarrassed – not only by these people, but also by the fact that they have in any way colored others’ impression of people from my area.
I did not vote for these men, and I do not agree with their positions. However, I am mandated by God to love them… to behave respectfully toward them and refrain from calling them names or criticizing them personally. They have a right to their beliefs. Do I think that what they propose is good for our state or country? Absolutely not! If their mandates are enacted by a majority vote, I won’t like it. But I will do my best to behave honorably and work within our democratic system to bring about changes. And I will trust God to handle the rest.
I have been amazed and deeply saddened by the comments I have seen and heard from people who claim to be disciples of Christ - mentors in our schools, communities and churches – who have spoken unkindly (and in some cases downright hatefully) about our government and its leaders. You cannot call an elected official a hateful name and then expect children and students of all ages to refrain from name calling in their daily living. You can’t blame the government, the President, or even your city council representative for everything that is wrong in your life, then assume that people will believe you when you say you have faith in God to handle the worries of your day.
In our country, we operate under the tenets of a democracy, which means the majority rule. As individuals, we are not always going to be a part of that majority. This is when we have to trust God to handle what we cannot. We can’t reverse the results of elections… but we can trust God to handle things - regardless of the outcome.
We may feel we have very sound reasons for disliking an elected official and/or the way our government is being run. But God still expects us to show respect. God commands us to honor Him… to follow the rules, serve Him, and trust His ability to handle all things on our behalf. God requires us to love one another – even those who didn’t get our vote. We must behave with dignity, use common sense, and focus on our roles as Disciples of Christ. Some of us have lost sight of this. It’s time we took a serious look at how well we offer grace, mercy and forgiveness to others… even those who didn’t get our vote!
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for February 1, 2013
Mark 11-25-26
And when you assume the posture of prayer, remember that it’s not all asking. If you have anything against someone, forgive—only then will your heavenly Father be inclined to also wipe your slate clean of sins.”
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
When I taught kindergarten, I had to occasionally tell a student, “We don’t say that,” or “We don’t do that. It is rude… or unkind… or disrespectful.” More often than I care to admit, the child replied, “But my mom/dad/someone else does it!” If ever there was an emphasis on the point that people are watching – and noticing – this is it! So when we represent Jesus to others… we had better be very certain that our slate is clean… because I guarantee you that God is watching and listening!
What does this mean in terms of our daily living and forgiveness? For starters, we can’t talk one way in our home or among a circle of our closest friends… and talk another when we are in public. We can’t be nice to someone while they stand before us, and call them an ugly name when they turn to walk away. Just because you don’t use four-letter words in public doesn’t mean people don’t know… and most certainly God hears them!
We can’t serve in ministries – organized or individual – and ask God to bless our efforts if we are harboring ill will toward someone else. We can’t go to God in prayer and ask Him to bless us and those whose names we lift, then disrespect our parents, teachers, bosses, coaches, our elected officials, or even the guy who ran a red light and rammed into our car! Comments like “I’ll make her pay” or “He will wish he had never heard of me” have no place in the life of a Christian. Name calling is never appropriate… and grieves God. Remember Jesus’ words that when we do these unto the least of His brethren, we have done them to Him!
When we show disrespect or speak unkindly toward another person, we fail to offer him/her forgiveness for whatever offense we feel he/she committed. We won’t like every person we meet. I will be the first to tell you that there are people who rub me the wrong way… some who have insulted me… and even a few I try to avoid. We are not going to agree with – or like – every person in the world. But we must still offer them forgiveness and compassion.
Believe me… I know it’s a hard thing to do! When you think of someone who irritates or offends you, try saying, “LORD… I don’t know what it is about this person that makes him/her act this way… or why I let it bother me so much. Please forgive me... and grant me a spirit of forgiveness. Help me to let go of this offense and allow YOU to have control.” This is a prayer I will most certainly offer more than once. But as I begin to allow God to build a spirit of forgiveness into my heart, I will hopefully get better at practicing grace, mercy and tolerance… and my prayers will become more genuine and unencumbered by my own misgivings.
Life as a disciple of Christ is not easy. It requires us to stay awake and alert for any attempts by the devil to trip us up. And when it comes to unforgiveness, we’re often pretty easy marks! If you want to be more like Jesus, you’ve got to check your words, actions… and yes, your feelings. God knows your heart. He knows when you are genuinely operating from the heart… and when you are offering lip service and false pretenses. Search your heart today for pockets of unforgiveness and offense. Clean the slate… and ask God to help you keep it that way.
©2013 Debbie Robus
And when you assume the posture of prayer, remember that it’s not all asking. If you have anything against someone, forgive—only then will your heavenly Father be inclined to also wipe your slate clean of sins.”
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
When I taught kindergarten, I had to occasionally tell a student, “We don’t say that,” or “We don’t do that. It is rude… or unkind… or disrespectful.” More often than I care to admit, the child replied, “But my mom/dad/someone else does it!” If ever there was an emphasis on the point that people are watching – and noticing – this is it! So when we represent Jesus to others… we had better be very certain that our slate is clean… because I guarantee you that God is watching and listening!
What does this mean in terms of our daily living and forgiveness? For starters, we can’t talk one way in our home or among a circle of our closest friends… and talk another when we are in public. We can’t be nice to someone while they stand before us, and call them an ugly name when they turn to walk away. Just because you don’t use four-letter words in public doesn’t mean people don’t know… and most certainly God hears them!
We can’t serve in ministries – organized or individual – and ask God to bless our efforts if we are harboring ill will toward someone else. We can’t go to God in prayer and ask Him to bless us and those whose names we lift, then disrespect our parents, teachers, bosses, coaches, our elected officials, or even the guy who ran a red light and rammed into our car! Comments like “I’ll make her pay” or “He will wish he had never heard of me” have no place in the life of a Christian. Name calling is never appropriate… and grieves God. Remember Jesus’ words that when we do these unto the least of His brethren, we have done them to Him!
When we show disrespect or speak unkindly toward another person, we fail to offer him/her forgiveness for whatever offense we feel he/she committed. We won’t like every person we meet. I will be the first to tell you that there are people who rub me the wrong way… some who have insulted me… and even a few I try to avoid. We are not going to agree with – or like – every person in the world. But we must still offer them forgiveness and compassion.
Believe me… I know it’s a hard thing to do! When you think of someone who irritates or offends you, try saying, “LORD… I don’t know what it is about this person that makes him/her act this way… or why I let it bother me so much. Please forgive me... and grant me a spirit of forgiveness. Help me to let go of this offense and allow YOU to have control.” This is a prayer I will most certainly offer more than once. But as I begin to allow God to build a spirit of forgiveness into my heart, I will hopefully get better at practicing grace, mercy and tolerance… and my prayers will become more genuine and unencumbered by my own misgivings.
Life as a disciple of Christ is not easy. It requires us to stay awake and alert for any attempts by the devil to trip us up. And when it comes to unforgiveness, we’re often pretty easy marks! If you want to be more like Jesus, you’ve got to check your words, actions… and yes, your feelings. God knows your heart. He knows when you are genuinely operating from the heart… and when you are offering lip service and false pretenses. Search your heart today for pockets of unforgiveness and offense. Clean the slate… and ask God to help you keep it that way.
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for January 31, 2013
1 Peter 2:21-25
This is the kind of life you’ve been invited into, the kind of life Christ lived. He suffered everything that came his way so you would know that it could be done, and also know how to do it, step-by-step.
He never did one thing wrong,
Not once said anything amiss.
They called him every name in the book and he said nothing back. He suffered in silence, content to let God set things right. He used his servant body to carry our sins to the Cross so we could be rid of sin, free to live the right way. His wounds became your healing. You were lost sheep with no idea who you were or where you were going. Now you’re named and kept for good by the Shepherd of your souls.
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 found this quote on a website today… “I love everybody. Some I love to be around, some I love to avoid, and others I would love to punch in the face.” On any given day, this could pretty well describe all of us. Our definition of “love” is often a little skewed, at best. We find the perfect example of how to love others in Jesus Christ… Who loved us with His whole heart and carried our sins to the cross so that we could be healed and complete. Yet, we choose to love selectively.
So we rant at the referees at our favorite sporting event for every call we deem as “poor”… forgetting completely that these same men and women are husbands, wives, sons, daughters, aunts and uncles –precious children of the Most High God. We lash out at those who disappoint us or anger us in some way. We criticize those who don’t conform to our standards or ideals. We say and do hurtful things without so much as a backward glance. We are very quick to react… and to retaliate.
I urge you to read this scripture passage again… several times. I have done this, and I am truly convicted by the message here. Jesus “never did one thing wrong… not once said anything amiss.” Picture Him carrying the cross to Calvary… with every sin and wrongdoing of yours and mine upon it. Imagine Him taking the wounds of the thorns, spikes and the spear, so that we could be healed and forgiven. We could not carry the burdens that would fit on a toothpick by comparison. Without the power and strength of God behind us, we are unable to do anything. Without the grace, mercy and forgiveness of Jesus to heal and sustain us, we would sink to the depths of despair… we would be an epic failure in the making.
Read this scripture passage several times. Let it soak in that the One who never did one thing wrong or said anything amiss took all of our missteps and unkind comments, so that we could live freely from the burden of our sins. He did all of this out of a love so strong that we cannot begin to fathom it… an uncanny desire to preserve us so that we can join Him for all eternity in Heaven!
Who does this? Who loves like this? Only JESUS! Don’t you want to be more like Him? Don’t you want to learn His rhythms and how to walk in His ways? Isn’t this a great place to begin… by checking our thoughts, words and actions… and offering grace, mercy and forgiveness to others who would speak and act against us? I wish I could say that we will never again wish to avoid some people… or to punch others in the face. I know that we will never be that much like Jesus. It doesn’t mean we can’t try. Aren’t you willing to give it a shot?
©2013 Debbie Robus
This is the kind of life you’ve been invited into, the kind of life Christ lived. He suffered everything that came his way so you would know that it could be done, and also know how to do it, step-by-step.
He never did one thing wrong,
Not once said anything amiss.
They called him every name in the book and he said nothing back. He suffered in silence, content to let God set things right. He used his servant body to carry our sins to the Cross so we could be rid of sin, free to live the right way. His wounds became your healing. You were lost sheep with no idea who you were or where you were going. Now you’re named and kept for good by the Shepherd of your souls.
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 found this quote on a website today… “I love everybody. Some I love to be around, some I love to avoid, and others I would love to punch in the face.” On any given day, this could pretty well describe all of us. Our definition of “love” is often a little skewed, at best. We find the perfect example of how to love others in Jesus Christ… Who loved us with His whole heart and carried our sins to the cross so that we could be healed and complete. Yet, we choose to love selectively.
So we rant at the referees at our favorite sporting event for every call we deem as “poor”… forgetting completely that these same men and women are husbands, wives, sons, daughters, aunts and uncles –precious children of the Most High God. We lash out at those who disappoint us or anger us in some way. We criticize those who don’t conform to our standards or ideals. We say and do hurtful things without so much as a backward glance. We are very quick to react… and to retaliate.
I urge you to read this scripture passage again… several times. I have done this, and I am truly convicted by the message here. Jesus “never did one thing wrong… not once said anything amiss.” Picture Him carrying the cross to Calvary… with every sin and wrongdoing of yours and mine upon it. Imagine Him taking the wounds of the thorns, spikes and the spear, so that we could be healed and forgiven. We could not carry the burdens that would fit on a toothpick by comparison. Without the power and strength of God behind us, we are unable to do anything. Without the grace, mercy and forgiveness of Jesus to heal and sustain us, we would sink to the depths of despair… we would be an epic failure in the making.
Read this scripture passage several times. Let it soak in that the One who never did one thing wrong or said anything amiss took all of our missteps and unkind comments, so that we could live freely from the burden of our sins. He did all of this out of a love so strong that we cannot begin to fathom it… an uncanny desire to preserve us so that we can join Him for all eternity in Heaven!
Who does this? Who loves like this? Only JESUS! Don’t you want to be more like Him? Don’t you want to learn His rhythms and how to walk in His ways? Isn’t this a great place to begin… by checking our thoughts, words and actions… and offering grace, mercy and forgiveness to others who would speak and act against us? I wish I could say that we will never again wish to avoid some people… or to punch others in the face. I know that we will never be that much like Jesus. It doesn’t mean we can’t try. Aren’t you willing to give it a shot?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for January 28, 2013
Matthew 7:1-5
“Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. It’s easy to see a smudge on your neighbor’s face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, ‘Let me wash your face for you,’ when your own face is distorted by contempt? It’s this whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
My husband and I were watching a sitcom recently in which a couple was getting ready for a party. One partner was criticizing the other… or rather, gently pointing out faults and puffing himself up… and the other was sick and tired of it. So he let his partner know that he was done with the “suggestions.” When he turned around to get something out of a dresser drawer, he had a pair of underwear hanging out of the waistband of his pants. The other guy thought about saying something… but then he remembered how he had just been chastised. He said nothing, and this guy ended up at the party… his extra pair of underwear hanging from his waistband for everyone to see.
This may be a goofy analogy… but hang with me here. First, we don’t know what is truly in another person’s heart …or his/her life. A few months ago, a friend’s pastor called and asked me to sub for her as pianist at a church in a nearby community. My friend was having some medical treatments and needed a little time off. I so wanted to help her… but at the same time, I was terribly busy with my own family, and felt I could not commit to this. I think the pastor called three times… and then my friend called. I explained to her that I plan “in pencil” these days, because we never know when we will be called upon to help with my grandmother or my niece’s family, which includes three babies. And sure enough, "life happened," and I would not have been able to sub for this friend.
I know women who seem to be superhuman… serving on half a dozen committees in their church and community while holding down a fulltime job and managing the care of more than one child and a husband. I used to do a lot more when I was in my twenties and thirties than I can accomplish now in my fifties. But at the same time… I am more cognizant of doing a better job on fewer tasks than trying to spread myself too thinly. AND… what I choose to do is really my business. But we all like to judge… to look at the other guy and say, “He/she could have said that so much better,” or “He/she could be doing a lot more…” or “He/she must not care about XYZ.” And all the while, our underwear is hanging out of our waistband.
We must be careful to consider our judgments of others… to ask ourselves, “What are my own shortcomings?” and to use this moment to rein in our own critical attitudes. At the same time, we cannot totally discount what others say to us… or about us. Use these moments to assess where you are in life... to serve as a checkpoint to determine if you truly are on course and operating in God’s will. If the answer is “Yes,” you can proceed with peace and assurance. If, however, you discover that someone was trying to tell you that your underwear is hanging out of your waistband, it might be time to wash the smudges of arrogance from your face and pay attention!
The bottom line is that we need to be more careful about what we say and do… more willing to give the other guy the benefit of the doubt… more forgiving. We need to offer more grace and mercy to others, because we probably need hefty doses for ourselves! We need to ask God for strength and wisdom… and the presence of His hand over our mouth more often than we care to admit! Otherwise, we’re liable to walk out the door with our underwear hanging out of our waistband… and nobody to blame but ourselves.
©2013 Debbie Robus
“Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. It’s easy to see a smudge on your neighbor’s face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, ‘Let me wash your face for you,’ when your own face is distorted by contempt? It’s this whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
My husband and I were watching a sitcom recently in which a couple was getting ready for a party. One partner was criticizing the other… or rather, gently pointing out faults and puffing himself up… and the other was sick and tired of it. So he let his partner know that he was done with the “suggestions.” When he turned around to get something out of a dresser drawer, he had a pair of underwear hanging out of the waistband of his pants. The other guy thought about saying something… but then he remembered how he had just been chastised. He said nothing, and this guy ended up at the party… his extra pair of underwear hanging from his waistband for everyone to see.
This may be a goofy analogy… but hang with me here. First, we don’t know what is truly in another person’s heart …or his/her life. A few months ago, a friend’s pastor called and asked me to sub for her as pianist at a church in a nearby community. My friend was having some medical treatments and needed a little time off. I so wanted to help her… but at the same time, I was terribly busy with my own family, and felt I could not commit to this. I think the pastor called three times… and then my friend called. I explained to her that I plan “in pencil” these days, because we never know when we will be called upon to help with my grandmother or my niece’s family, which includes three babies. And sure enough, "life happened," and I would not have been able to sub for this friend.
I know women who seem to be superhuman… serving on half a dozen committees in their church and community while holding down a fulltime job and managing the care of more than one child and a husband. I used to do a lot more when I was in my twenties and thirties than I can accomplish now in my fifties. But at the same time… I am more cognizant of doing a better job on fewer tasks than trying to spread myself too thinly. AND… what I choose to do is really my business. But we all like to judge… to look at the other guy and say, “He/she could have said that so much better,” or “He/she could be doing a lot more…” or “He/she must not care about XYZ.” And all the while, our underwear is hanging out of our waistband.
We must be careful to consider our judgments of others… to ask ourselves, “What are my own shortcomings?” and to use this moment to rein in our own critical attitudes. At the same time, we cannot totally discount what others say to us… or about us. Use these moments to assess where you are in life... to serve as a checkpoint to determine if you truly are on course and operating in God’s will. If the answer is “Yes,” you can proceed with peace and assurance. If, however, you discover that someone was trying to tell you that your underwear is hanging out of your waistband, it might be time to wash the smudges of arrogance from your face and pay attention!
The bottom line is that we need to be more careful about what we say and do… more willing to give the other guy the benefit of the doubt… more forgiving. We need to offer more grace and mercy to others, because we probably need hefty doses for ourselves! We need to ask God for strength and wisdom… and the presence of His hand over our mouth more often than we care to admit! Otherwise, we’re liable to walk out the door with our underwear hanging out of our waistband… and nobody to blame but ourselves.
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for January 27, 2013
1 Peter 4:7-11
Everything in the world is about to be wrapped up, so take nothing for granted. Stay wide-awake in prayer. Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it. Love makes up for practically anything. Be quick to give a meal to the hungry, a bed to the homeless—cheerfully. Be generous with the different things God gave you, passing them around so all get in on it: if words, let it be God’s words; if help, let it be God’s hearty help. That way, God’s bright presence will be evident in everything through Jesus, and he’ll get all the credit as the One mighty in everything—encores to the end of time. Oh, yes!
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.
Yesterday, when I visited my niece and her family, I noticed a box of homemade cookies sitting on their kitchen table. My niece said her husband brought them home from a handyman job he had done for a lady who belongs to my church. It was such a simple act…baking a box of cookies for a young couple and their three small children. But I can tell you for certain… that box was filled with a whole lot more than cookies! This woman is a generous, loving person who sees the big picture. She knows the impact of a single act of love and kindness. It wasn’t about the cookies at all… it was about saying, “I love you and care about you… you matter… remember this with every bite!” Even at 3½, Timothy was talking about Mrs. Pierce, the nice lady who had made cookies for them – and they had CHOCOLATE kisses! He felt her love… and he won’t forget it!
Think about the possibilities if each and every believer loved others as if their very lives depended on it… giving meals to the hungry and beds to the homeless – not because there was a church program in place to do this, but because a need existed and a believer met it. And let’s not be as literal as a meal or a bed. What if you see a young mother struggling in line at the store to fish out another dollar for the cashier while two little kids tug on her and whimper… and you are standing there with an extra dollar in your open wallet? Have you considered the impact you might make if you handed the cashier YOUR dollar?
Suppose you notice a friend wearing the same clothing virtually every single day, and you have more clothes in your closet than you can possibly wear. Imagine what might happen if you handed him a t-shirt or an extra pair of sneakers and said, “I almost never wear these, and I thought you might be able to put them to good use.” Do you have half a dozen jackets and coats that you rarely put on? Could you share one with someone who has nothing? When was the last time you spoke to your neighbor? Have you ever called an elderly friend or relative, just to ask how they are getting along and see if there is anything they need? How often do you offer others a spontaneous hug when you greet them?
I don’t know what opportunities you will have to serve. I have no clue whether your schedule will permit you to get involved in organized ministries at your church… or if you are tapped out already and in need of a little ministry for yourself! But I do know that we all miss out on opportunities each and every day to offer love to others. I’m not talking about huge, grand gestures… but small, seemingly insignificant ones. They don’t necessarily take a lot of time or energy, but their impact packs a wallop! In essence, we need to be sure we are plugged in to God and His incredible capacity to forgive us…His astounding desire to shower us with love.
When you lay your head on the pillow tonight, ask yourself how you showed love to someone else today. Did you grab opportunities to be generous with the gifts God gave you… to make His presence known to another by your gesture of love, grace, mercy, forgiveness – or a combination of all of these? Did you love as if your life depended on it… and did Jesus get the credit? Are you attuned to God’s voice? Do you hear Him leading you to opportunities to love others on His behalf? Just how connected are you with God? Isn’t it time you plugged in again?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Everything in the world is about to be wrapped up, so take nothing for granted. Stay wide-awake in prayer. Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it. Love makes up for practically anything. Be quick to give a meal to the hungry, a bed to the homeless—cheerfully. Be generous with the different things God gave you, passing them around so all get in on it: if words, let it be God’s words; if help, let it be God’s hearty help. That way, God’s bright presence will be evident in everything through Jesus, and he’ll get all the credit as the One mighty in everything—encores to the end of time. Oh, yes!
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.
Yesterday, when I visited my niece and her family, I noticed a box of homemade cookies sitting on their kitchen table. My niece said her husband brought them home from a handyman job he had done for a lady who belongs to my church. It was such a simple act…baking a box of cookies for a young couple and their three small children. But I can tell you for certain… that box was filled with a whole lot more than cookies! This woman is a generous, loving person who sees the big picture. She knows the impact of a single act of love and kindness. It wasn’t about the cookies at all… it was about saying, “I love you and care about you… you matter… remember this with every bite!” Even at 3½, Timothy was talking about Mrs. Pierce, the nice lady who had made cookies for them – and they had CHOCOLATE kisses! He felt her love… and he won’t forget it!
Think about the possibilities if each and every believer loved others as if their very lives depended on it… giving meals to the hungry and beds to the homeless – not because there was a church program in place to do this, but because a need existed and a believer met it. And let’s not be as literal as a meal or a bed. What if you see a young mother struggling in line at the store to fish out another dollar for the cashier while two little kids tug on her and whimper… and you are standing there with an extra dollar in your open wallet? Have you considered the impact you might make if you handed the cashier YOUR dollar?
Suppose you notice a friend wearing the same clothing virtually every single day, and you have more clothes in your closet than you can possibly wear. Imagine what might happen if you handed him a t-shirt or an extra pair of sneakers and said, “I almost never wear these, and I thought you might be able to put them to good use.” Do you have half a dozen jackets and coats that you rarely put on? Could you share one with someone who has nothing? When was the last time you spoke to your neighbor? Have you ever called an elderly friend or relative, just to ask how they are getting along and see if there is anything they need? How often do you offer others a spontaneous hug when you greet them?
I don’t know what opportunities you will have to serve. I have no clue whether your schedule will permit you to get involved in organized ministries at your church… or if you are tapped out already and in need of a little ministry for yourself! But I do know that we all miss out on opportunities each and every day to offer love to others. I’m not talking about huge, grand gestures… but small, seemingly insignificant ones. They don’t necessarily take a lot of time or energy, but their impact packs a wallop! In essence, we need to be sure we are plugged in to God and His incredible capacity to forgive us…His astounding desire to shower us with love.
When you lay your head on the pillow tonight, ask yourself how you showed love to someone else today. Did you grab opportunities to be generous with the gifts God gave you… to make His presence known to another by your gesture of love, grace, mercy, forgiveness – or a combination of all of these? Did you love as if your life depended on it… and did Jesus get the credit? Are you attuned to God’s voice? Do you hear Him leading you to opportunities to love others on His behalf? Just how connected are you with God? Isn’t it time you plugged in again?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for January 23, 2013
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 really enjoy Facebook… most of the time. This social media venue is great for keeping up with our friends’ daughter and grandchildren – and my cousins – who live in northwest Arkansas. I’ve reconnected with cousins in Texas that I have not seen since childhood. I can share photos of my niece’s three babies with family members and friends who live out of town and rarely, if ever get to see them. We can see pictures of our great nieces and nephew who live in Tennessee and Missouri. AND…I can keep up with former students from Texas to Iowa to Japan, relatives and friends scattered all over the country… and I can even participate in some online garage sales!
However, I have to wade through some pretty nasty posts a lot of the time. This venue has provided some people with a platform for spewing venom and hatred… and more than a few have thoroughly honed their skills. The worst part is that many of these people spout hatred in one breath… and claim Jesus in the next!
We all need to take a good, hard look at 1 John 3:14-15 today. Do you see the line that says “anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer”? Do you get that when you speak so insufferably about another human being – and encourage your “friends” to join you – that you are as good as wishing them dead? Where in the life of a Christian does this fit? How did you become an officer in the courts of Heaven?
We all have the right of free speech… and the liberty to have - and voice - our opinions. But we cannot claim the name of Jesus and harbor hatred in our heart…even if we never speak it aloud or post a comment on a social media outlet. The minute you start to feel anything that approaches loathing toward another living soul, you need to stop in your tracks and ask God to strengthen you… to give you a spirit if love, forgiveness, grace, mercy and tolerance.
If someone behaves in a way you do not like, talk to God about it. Don’t ask Him to correct this person – you are not the judge and jury. Ask God to touch this person’s heart… to guide him/her according to HIS will… to give them a spirit of receptiveness to His wisdom and teachings. And ask God to give you a spirit of love and acceptance… maybe not of the person’s behaviors – but most certainly of the person.
I know this is hard… we have become a society of haters, it seems. “Oh, but I don’t HATE anybody,” you may say. And maybe you don’t. But you have to admit that we have all found it pretty easy to embrace – and sometimes express – some pretty awful thoughts about others. I don’t want to operate this way… I don’t want to have murderous thoughts or feelings… and that’s exactly what scripture says a spirit of hatred encompasses.
This is really heady stuff, and we need to stop today and take a moment to consider how we think and feel… where we have fallen short of the tremendous power that God grants us through His gifts of grace, mercy and forgiveness. We need to revisit His command to love one another and share these gifts with those in our path. Are you operating in a spirit of hatred? Are you, in essence, a murderer? Don’t you want to change this? Ask God to help you begin your transformation TODAY! Transfer from death to life and operate in the love of Jesus toward everyone. Don’t be one of “those people.” Instead, choose a genuine, loving life in Christ… and let grace, mercy and tolerance of others be your constant hallmark.
©2013 Debbie Robus
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 really enjoy Facebook… most of the time. This social media venue is great for keeping up with our friends’ daughter and grandchildren – and my cousins – who live in northwest Arkansas. I’ve reconnected with cousins in Texas that I have not seen since childhood. I can share photos of my niece’s three babies with family members and friends who live out of town and rarely, if ever get to see them. We can see pictures of our great nieces and nephew who live in Tennessee and Missouri. AND…I can keep up with former students from Texas to Iowa to Japan, relatives and friends scattered all over the country… and I can even participate in some online garage sales!
However, I have to wade through some pretty nasty posts a lot of the time. This venue has provided some people with a platform for spewing venom and hatred… and more than a few have thoroughly honed their skills. The worst part is that many of these people spout hatred in one breath… and claim Jesus in the next!
We all need to take a good, hard look at 1 John 3:14-15 today. Do you see the line that says “anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer”? Do you get that when you speak so insufferably about another human being – and encourage your “friends” to join you – that you are as good as wishing them dead? Where in the life of a Christian does this fit? How did you become an officer in the courts of Heaven?
We all have the right of free speech… and the liberty to have - and voice - our opinions. But we cannot claim the name of Jesus and harbor hatred in our heart…even if we never speak it aloud or post a comment on a social media outlet. The minute you start to feel anything that approaches loathing toward another living soul, you need to stop in your tracks and ask God to strengthen you… to give you a spirit if love, forgiveness, grace, mercy and tolerance.
If someone behaves in a way you do not like, talk to God about it. Don’t ask Him to correct this person – you are not the judge and jury. Ask God to touch this person’s heart… to guide him/her according to HIS will… to give them a spirit of receptiveness to His wisdom and teachings. And ask God to give you a spirit of love and acceptance… maybe not of the person’s behaviors – but most certainly of the person.
I know this is hard… we have become a society of haters, it seems. “Oh, but I don’t HATE anybody,” you may say. And maybe you don’t. But you have to admit that we have all found it pretty easy to embrace – and sometimes express – some pretty awful thoughts about others. I don’t want to operate this way… I don’t want to have murderous thoughts or feelings… and that’s exactly what scripture says a spirit of hatred encompasses.
This is really heady stuff, and we need to stop today and take a moment to consider how we think and feel… where we have fallen short of the tremendous power that God grants us through His gifts of grace, mercy and forgiveness. We need to revisit His command to love one another and share these gifts with those in our path. Are you operating in a spirit of hatred? Are you, in essence, a murderer? Don’t you want to change this? Ask God to help you begin your transformation TODAY! Transfer from death to life and operate in the love of Jesus toward everyone. Don’t be one of “those people.” Instead, choose a genuine, loving life in Christ… and let grace, mercy and tolerance of others be your constant hallmark.
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for January 22, 2013
Matthew 5:43-47
“You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.
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.
Yesterday, we inaugurated Barack Obama for a second term as our 44th President of the United States. During the inauguration ceremonies, Myrlie Evers-Williams delivered an invocation. On June 12, 1963, Myrlie Evers-Williams’ then husband, Medgar Evers, was gunned down on the front lawn of their Mississippi home. Myrlie and her three children were inside when a sniper shot Medgar in the back as he got out of his car and walked toward the house. The bullet ricocheted and entered the home, as the children dove for cover. Myrlie ran outside to attend to her dying husband. Medgar died less than an hour later at a local hospital.
After her husband’s murder, Myrlie Evers continued to fight for civil rights, and she lodged a more-than-30-year battle to bring her husband’s killer to justice. She went back to college and got a degree in sociology, and she worked diligently for the NAACP. She also co-wrote For Us, the Living, a book that chronicled the life and work of her civil-rights-activist husband, Medgar.
I am deeply touched by the story of Medgar and Myrlie Evers. They lived with such conviction and concern for the rights of men and women who felt powerless to speak out themselves. The image of this daddy lying in his own front yard, bleeding to death while his small children cowered inside in complete terror brings tears to my eyes. Yet Myrlie Evers got up and got going… and she let her enemies bring out the best in her… not the worst.
I think of people who rub me the wrong way… those who get on my last nerve and really are unpleasant to be around… and I am ashamed of my attitude toward them. This scripture passage is a really hard one for me. I hear myself saying, “But, God…! Do you know how irritating this person is? Do you know what he/she has said/done to me or someone I care about? Do you know how unkind and unloving this individual is… the ugly, distasteful way he/she treats others and behaves in general?” And I hear God, through this scripture, saying… “Love him/her anyway. I love you, don’t I? You’re not so nice yourself on any given day. Yet I continue to meet your needs. Should I not offer the same to this person? Love them anyway.”
We have no time to waste. Life is short, and the first thing you know, that person you treated poorly or failed to love out of your true self… to pray for and be kind to even when it was truly a challenge… will be gone. At the end of the day, you want to be able to say, “That person gave me a hard time or was really difficult to love… but I did it anyway. With God’s strength behind me, and because He loves even me, I chose to love the unlovable in His name.” Serve the LORD obediently... and with no regrets.
Today is a good day to take inventory. Look around at the people you encounter and ask yourself who is lovable… and who isn’t. Are you treating all of these people equally? Are you merely offering run-of-the-mill-sinner lip service to those you find difficult to love – or to even be around? Isn’t it time to put your Christian faith and love into action… to show them kindness beyond what you feel they deserve? My prayer is that we will never have to face challenges on the same scale as Myrlie Evers-Williams… but that we will live with the same courage and conviction. I pray that we will love our enemies and always give our best in the name of Jesus. He gave us the ultimate example of how to love the unlovely. How well have you demonstrated His lesson?
©2013 Debbie Robus
“You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.
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.
Yesterday, we inaugurated Barack Obama for a second term as our 44th President of the United States. During the inauguration ceremonies, Myrlie Evers-Williams delivered an invocation. On June 12, 1963, Myrlie Evers-Williams’ then husband, Medgar Evers, was gunned down on the front lawn of their Mississippi home. Myrlie and her three children were inside when a sniper shot Medgar in the back as he got out of his car and walked toward the house. The bullet ricocheted and entered the home, as the children dove for cover. Myrlie ran outside to attend to her dying husband. Medgar died less than an hour later at a local hospital.
After her husband’s murder, Myrlie Evers continued to fight for civil rights, and she lodged a more-than-30-year battle to bring her husband’s killer to justice. She went back to college and got a degree in sociology, and she worked diligently for the NAACP. She also co-wrote For Us, the Living, a book that chronicled the life and work of her civil-rights-activist husband, Medgar.
I am deeply touched by the story of Medgar and Myrlie Evers. They lived with such conviction and concern for the rights of men and women who felt powerless to speak out themselves. The image of this daddy lying in his own front yard, bleeding to death while his small children cowered inside in complete terror brings tears to my eyes. Yet Myrlie Evers got up and got going… and she let her enemies bring out the best in her… not the worst.
I think of people who rub me the wrong way… those who get on my last nerve and really are unpleasant to be around… and I am ashamed of my attitude toward them. This scripture passage is a really hard one for me. I hear myself saying, “But, God…! Do you know how irritating this person is? Do you know what he/she has said/done to me or someone I care about? Do you know how unkind and unloving this individual is… the ugly, distasteful way he/she treats others and behaves in general?” And I hear God, through this scripture, saying… “Love him/her anyway. I love you, don’t I? You’re not so nice yourself on any given day. Yet I continue to meet your needs. Should I not offer the same to this person? Love them anyway.”
We have no time to waste. Life is short, and the first thing you know, that person you treated poorly or failed to love out of your true self… to pray for and be kind to even when it was truly a challenge… will be gone. At the end of the day, you want to be able to say, “That person gave me a hard time or was really difficult to love… but I did it anyway. With God’s strength behind me, and because He loves even me, I chose to love the unlovable in His name.” Serve the LORD obediently... and with no regrets.
Today is a good day to take inventory. Look around at the people you encounter and ask yourself who is lovable… and who isn’t. Are you treating all of these people equally? Are you merely offering run-of-the-mill-sinner lip service to those you find difficult to love – or to even be around? Isn’t it time to put your Christian faith and love into action… to show them kindness beyond what you feel they deserve? My prayer is that we will never have to face challenges on the same scale as Myrlie Evers-Williams… but that we will live with the same courage and conviction. I pray that we will love our enemies and always give our best in the name of Jesus. He gave us the ultimate example of how to love the unlovely. How well have you demonstrated His lesson?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for January 21, 2013
1 John 3:18-20
My dear children, let’s not just talk about love; let’s practice real love. This is the only way we’ll know we’re living truly, living in God’s reality. It’s also the way to shut down debilitating self-criticism, even when there is something to it. For God is greater than our worried hearts and knows more about us than we do ourselves.
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.
It’s been one of those days! So when my mother e-mailed me tonight and asked, “Are you sick? I have not had a devo from you today nor heard from you this afternoon”… I laughingly replied that the devo was coming, and I feel fine! There was a time when I would have been beside myself with frustration and self-criticism for not getting the devotional written earlier in the day. But God has shown me a lot of valuable lessons in recent months… and one of them is to cut down on the “worried heart syndrome” that has plagued me for much of my life.
Last October, my husband and I felt a call from God to help my niece and her family move back to Arkansas from Texas. Part of our offer to help included being available when needed to assist with her three children… Timothy, age 3½; Zola, now 20 months; and Nathan, almost 6 months. To say we have learned more than we ever thought possible about “practicing real love” in the last few weeks/months would be an understatement. These babies and their parents are now a vital part of our lives…and frequent visitors at our house!
So this weekend, while both boys were under the weather, we kept Zola for a couple of days/nights. I took her home this morning, just in time to return home and grab a shower, then head to the funeral of a dear friend of my maternal grandmother. Mrs. Evelyn also happened to be a table mate of my Mam-ma Polly at the assisted living facility – and one of the matriarchs of my church. I was blessed by the service and all of the wonderful memories that were shared about this dear soul and her lifetime of practicing real love and her commitment to her family, which extended to three great-great-grandchildren. After the service, I visited my grandmother at the assisted living facility and took her a copy of Mrs. Evelyn’s funeral program.
This evening, we attended a junior high girls’ basketball game to watch my husband’s great-niece play for the local team. We don’t attend all of her games, but we try to make as many of those in the home gym as possible. It is important that she know we love her and support her activities.
So now you know why the devotional is late today. I was busy “practicing real love.” And while I could have set my alarm and gotten up before everyone else this morning – or skipped watching a movie tonight with my husband in order to write this earlier – I chose otherwise. I could have even opted not to write a devo today… and the world would not have come to an end!
The point of this is not to “make more of myself than I ought to,” as my grandmother would say. But I think we need to recognize the acts of “real love” that we practice… and to cut ourselves some slack when we are not superhuman! Even something as seemingly insignificant as caring for a toddler while her brothers were sick, or attending the funeral of someone we knew and loved – and showing concern and support for the family members who survive him/her, is putting love into real practice. Going to a junior high ballgame to cheer for a friend or family member is practicing real love. Writing a note to someone just to say “Hello!” …“Get well soon!” …or “I’m thinking about you” is a gesture of love in action.
It is important that we tell others we love them. It’s more important that we show them. It is also important that we give ourselves a break once in a while and stop all of the negative self-criticism. Sometimes we need to take a step backward and recognize that we are doing the best we can in the moment. We need to learn to trust God to make the difference and realize that He loves us no matter how much we do. Some of us are so worried about disappointing God or others that we fail to stop and practice a little real love on ourselves!
When you read this devo, stop and take a quick inventory of your day. Where are you practicing real love? Have you criticized yourself harshly and operated with a worried heart? How effective were your efforts to love others when you were feeling this way? Isn’t it time to ask God to bless you and keep you… to give you strength and courage to make acts of love – toward others AND yourself – your top priority of the day? If you do this, God will see that everything else that needs to get done is accomplished. After all…He just helped me finish this devotional, didn’t He?!
©2013 Debbie Robus
My dear children, let’s not just talk about love; let’s practice real love. This is the only way we’ll know we’re living truly, living in God’s reality. It’s also the way to shut down debilitating self-criticism, even when there is something to it. For God is greater than our worried hearts and knows more about us than we do ourselves.
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.
It’s been one of those days! So when my mother e-mailed me tonight and asked, “Are you sick? I have not had a devo from you today nor heard from you this afternoon”… I laughingly replied that the devo was coming, and I feel fine! There was a time when I would have been beside myself with frustration and self-criticism for not getting the devotional written earlier in the day. But God has shown me a lot of valuable lessons in recent months… and one of them is to cut down on the “worried heart syndrome” that has plagued me for much of my life.
Last October, my husband and I felt a call from God to help my niece and her family move back to Arkansas from Texas. Part of our offer to help included being available when needed to assist with her three children… Timothy, age 3½; Zola, now 20 months; and Nathan, almost 6 months. To say we have learned more than we ever thought possible about “practicing real love” in the last few weeks/months would be an understatement. These babies and their parents are now a vital part of our lives…and frequent visitors at our house!
So this weekend, while both boys were under the weather, we kept Zola for a couple of days/nights. I took her home this morning, just in time to return home and grab a shower, then head to the funeral of a dear friend of my maternal grandmother. Mrs. Evelyn also happened to be a table mate of my Mam-ma Polly at the assisted living facility – and one of the matriarchs of my church. I was blessed by the service and all of the wonderful memories that were shared about this dear soul and her lifetime of practicing real love and her commitment to her family, which extended to three great-great-grandchildren. After the service, I visited my grandmother at the assisted living facility and took her a copy of Mrs. Evelyn’s funeral program.
This evening, we attended a junior high girls’ basketball game to watch my husband’s great-niece play for the local team. We don’t attend all of her games, but we try to make as many of those in the home gym as possible. It is important that she know we love her and support her activities.
So now you know why the devotional is late today. I was busy “practicing real love.” And while I could have set my alarm and gotten up before everyone else this morning – or skipped watching a movie tonight with my husband in order to write this earlier – I chose otherwise. I could have even opted not to write a devo today… and the world would not have come to an end!
The point of this is not to “make more of myself than I ought to,” as my grandmother would say. But I think we need to recognize the acts of “real love” that we practice… and to cut ourselves some slack when we are not superhuman! Even something as seemingly insignificant as caring for a toddler while her brothers were sick, or attending the funeral of someone we knew and loved – and showing concern and support for the family members who survive him/her, is putting love into real practice. Going to a junior high ballgame to cheer for a friend or family member is practicing real love. Writing a note to someone just to say “Hello!” …“Get well soon!” …or “I’m thinking about you” is a gesture of love in action.
It is important that we tell others we love them. It’s more important that we show them. It is also important that we give ourselves a break once in a while and stop all of the negative self-criticism. Sometimes we need to take a step backward and recognize that we are doing the best we can in the moment. We need to learn to trust God to make the difference and realize that He loves us no matter how much we do. Some of us are so worried about disappointing God or others that we fail to stop and practice a little real love on ourselves!
When you read this devo, stop and take a quick inventory of your day. Where are you practicing real love? Have you criticized yourself harshly and operated with a worried heart? How effective were your efforts to love others when you were feeling this way? Isn’t it time to ask God to bless you and keep you… to give you strength and courage to make acts of love – toward others AND yourself – your top priority of the day? If you do this, God will see that everything else that needs to get done is accomplished. After all…He just helped me finish this devotional, didn’t He?!
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for July 29, 2012
Matthew 6:12
Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.
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.
Our 13-year-old cats are fairly asocial. They particularly do not like sudden movements, loud noises… and children. Ironically, our little ones like Timothy and my cousin Owen want nothing more than to get close to the cats. They so want to see them, touch them, talk to them… and become friends! So one day when Owen bent down in front of a chair that housed our cat, Lucy, she reached out and gave him a declawed swat on the head. Owen was devastated. He cried, “That kitty hit me! Why that kitty not like me?” We all justified Lucy’s little swat as a reaction to someone she didn’t know – an innate fear and dislike of something unfamiliar. And even Owen still asks every time, “Where are the kitties?” Although he has not forgotten the swat, he has forgiven the cat!
Isn’t it funny that we can forgive the outburst of a small animal… but not of a human being? We can readily understand – and excuse – the behavior of a pet that reacts to particular situations and circumstances, but we have no compassion for people who are responding out of their own fears and stresses.
I’m not saying that people have a license to be rude and disgruntled – or to gripe, complain and snap at others and expect to be given a free pass. But we often react to others quickly – and rashly – (if only in our thoughts) and fail to consider what may be their “back-story”… what may be really happening within their heart and mind. More importantly, we don’t see how often we do the very same thing… toward others, and toward God. We snap, we are rude, brash, unkind, judgmental and uncaring… and we expect God and others to forgive and forget our own lapses.
I’m pretty sure that most of us have a deep desire for forgiveness. We want God to bury the hatchet and offer us a chance to make a fresh start – and we want this from our human counterparts, as well. What we don’t realize is that we have to make the first move. We have to let bygones be bygones with others and reconcile our differences in order to unblock our own forgiveness.
The more you put this into practice, the easier it becomes… and the more you see areas where you need to offer mercy and compassion to others. When you stop and consider how you feel when you are judged and unforgiven… how much you desire God’s grace and understanding in your own life… you will see more clearly how important it is that you forgive others in the same way.
The most important thing you say today could possibly be, “I am willing to forgive one person.” If you can say that you are willing to stop judging and criticizing others, or harboring ill feelings toward even one person, you will have taken a step closer to operating in God’s love and redemption. As we strive to walk more closely with Jesus every day – to emulate His tenderness and affection for us in our daily living – amazing things will happen. We will be released from the burdens of our own recklessness. We will have the peace of God’s forgiveness – and knowing His pleasure as we forgive others.
Who are you willing to forgive today?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.
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.
Our 13-year-old cats are fairly asocial. They particularly do not like sudden movements, loud noises… and children. Ironically, our little ones like Timothy and my cousin Owen want nothing more than to get close to the cats. They so want to see them, touch them, talk to them… and become friends! So one day when Owen bent down in front of a chair that housed our cat, Lucy, she reached out and gave him a declawed swat on the head. Owen was devastated. He cried, “That kitty hit me! Why that kitty not like me?” We all justified Lucy’s little swat as a reaction to someone she didn’t know – an innate fear and dislike of something unfamiliar. And even Owen still asks every time, “Where are the kitties?” Although he has not forgotten the swat, he has forgiven the cat!
Isn’t it funny that we can forgive the outburst of a small animal… but not of a human being? We can readily understand – and excuse – the behavior of a pet that reacts to particular situations and circumstances, but we have no compassion for people who are responding out of their own fears and stresses.
I’m not saying that people have a license to be rude and disgruntled – or to gripe, complain and snap at others and expect to be given a free pass. But we often react to others quickly – and rashly – (if only in our thoughts) and fail to consider what may be their “back-story”… what may be really happening within their heart and mind. More importantly, we don’t see how often we do the very same thing… toward others, and toward God. We snap, we are rude, brash, unkind, judgmental and uncaring… and we expect God and others to forgive and forget our own lapses.
I’m pretty sure that most of us have a deep desire for forgiveness. We want God to bury the hatchet and offer us a chance to make a fresh start – and we want this from our human counterparts, as well. What we don’t realize is that we have to make the first move. We have to let bygones be bygones with others and reconcile our differences in order to unblock our own forgiveness.
The more you put this into practice, the easier it becomes… and the more you see areas where you need to offer mercy and compassion to others. When you stop and consider how you feel when you are judged and unforgiven… how much you desire God’s grace and understanding in your own life… you will see more clearly how important it is that you forgive others in the same way.
The most important thing you say today could possibly be, “I am willing to forgive one person.” If you can say that you are willing to stop judging and criticizing others, or harboring ill feelings toward even one person, you will have taken a step closer to operating in God’s love and redemption. As we strive to walk more closely with Jesus every day – to emulate His tenderness and affection for us in our daily living – amazing things will happen. We will be released from the burdens of our own recklessness. We will have the peace of God’s forgiveness – and knowing His pleasure as we forgive others.
Who are you willing to forgive today?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for July 26, 2012
Matthew 18:21-22
Peter came up to the Lord and asked, “How many times should I forgive someone who does something wrong to me? Is seven times enough?” Jesus answered: Not just seven times, but seventy-seven times!
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
There seems to be a general consensus that you can make a behavior a habit in twenty-one days – or three weeks. So it would follow that forgiving someone for doing something wrong every day for three weeks would pretty well solidify our ability to forgive that person. Yet Jesus says to forgive seventy-seven times… or 10 weeks! Why do you suppose He chose this time frame? If something becomes a habit or “part of our nature” in three weeks, why continue working on it another seven?
If you read the parable in Matthew 18 that follows this command from Jesus in Verses 21-22, you will see that He is trying to get us to a point where we don’t even think about the offense… where forgiveness is second nature. He illustrates our forgiveness from God and makes the point that literally forgiving someone seventy-seven times is not the issue – it’s about treating others as God treats us.
Look… we cannot hope to be even the least bit like God and harbor feelings of un-forgiveness in our heart. We must practice forgiveness of all people and things until this becomes habitual… second nature. Notice Jesus didn’t say, “Don’t be cautious or smart. Don’t become a doormat for others.” This is not about allowing someone to mistreat you or take advantage of you in some way. But when someone or something is offensive to you, and you harbor a feeling of ill will toward that person or situation, YOU are the one who is most affected.
Forgiveness is liberating. Forgiveness says that we are better than the offense (which is a tool of the devil). Forgiveness indicates that we are striving to be like our Heavenly Father, Who forgives us over and again each and every day. Forgiveness is not a sign of weakness… but rather, a sign of strength in the LORD!
Who do you need to forgive today? Where do you need to implement a “three-week course” in forgiveness and make this a habit in your life? Do you truly desire to grow closer to Jesus and become more like Him? Start exercising forgiveness in your life today. Work hard at forgiving seventy-seven times… and more! Operate in the freedom of Christ’s love, grace and mercy… and extend it to those you meet. This is one habit we could all stand to cultivate!
©2012 Debbie Robus
Peter came up to the Lord and asked, “How many times should I forgive someone who does something wrong to me? Is seven times enough?” Jesus answered: Not just seven times, but seventy-seven times!
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
There seems to be a general consensus that you can make a behavior a habit in twenty-one days – or three weeks. So it would follow that forgiving someone for doing something wrong every day for three weeks would pretty well solidify our ability to forgive that person. Yet Jesus says to forgive seventy-seven times… or 10 weeks! Why do you suppose He chose this time frame? If something becomes a habit or “part of our nature” in three weeks, why continue working on it another seven?
If you read the parable in Matthew 18 that follows this command from Jesus in Verses 21-22, you will see that He is trying to get us to a point where we don’t even think about the offense… where forgiveness is second nature. He illustrates our forgiveness from God and makes the point that literally forgiving someone seventy-seven times is not the issue – it’s about treating others as God treats us.
Look… we cannot hope to be even the least bit like God and harbor feelings of un-forgiveness in our heart. We must practice forgiveness of all people and things until this becomes habitual… second nature. Notice Jesus didn’t say, “Don’t be cautious or smart. Don’t become a doormat for others.” This is not about allowing someone to mistreat you or take advantage of you in some way. But when someone or something is offensive to you, and you harbor a feeling of ill will toward that person or situation, YOU are the one who is most affected.
Forgiveness is liberating. Forgiveness says that we are better than the offense (which is a tool of the devil). Forgiveness indicates that we are striving to be like our Heavenly Father, Who forgives us over and again each and every day. Forgiveness is not a sign of weakness… but rather, a sign of strength in the LORD!
Who do you need to forgive today? Where do you need to implement a “three-week course” in forgiveness and make this a habit in your life? Do you truly desire to grow closer to Jesus and become more like Him? Start exercising forgiveness in your life today. Work hard at forgiving seventy-seven times… and more! Operate in the freedom of Christ’s love, grace and mercy… and extend it to those you meet. This is one habit we could all stand to cultivate!
©2012 Debbie Robus
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