Proverbs 2:1-8
Good friend, take to heart what I’m telling you;
collect my counsels and guard them with your life.
Tune your ears to the world of Wisdom;
set your heart on a life of Understanding.
That’s right—if you make Insight your priority,
and won’t take no for an answer,
Searching for it like a prospector panning for gold,
like an adventurer on a treasure hunt,
Believe me, before you know it Fear-of-God will be yours;
you’ll have come upon the Knowledge of God.
And here’s why: God gives out Wisdom free,
is plainspoken in Knowledge and Understanding.
He’s a rich mine of Common Sense for those who live well,
a personal bodyguard to the candid and sincere.
He keeps his eye on all who live honestly,
and pays special attention to his loyally committed ones.
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 asked my mother’s good
friend, Thérèse, to speak at her funeral service. She is not only an
excellent speaker…but as she told me, “I know your mother’s heart.” She
was able to share several stories that ran the gamut of descriptions,
from hilarious to heartfelt to insightful. And one of the latter was
about a time that Mother encouraged Thérèse to attend a writing workshop
with her in Memphis. The workshop was about how to write children’s
books.
Thérèse explained to Mother that she had never written a
book for children – and she really didn’t have any desire to do so.
Mother insisted, “You love books, and children…and you might just have a
children’s book in you…so come along anyway.” Thérèse went with
Mother, and she was the only unpublished author in the class. So far, no
children’s book has been produced! But Thérèse made the point that my
mother saw something in her…an untapped potential. She had wisdom and
insight...and even though Thérèse has not written a book for children,
she indicated that the trip was worthwhile on many levels.
Thérèse
noted in her talk that my mother was always interested in others. As
we talked with Mother’s pastor prior to her funeral service, Mother’s
husband talked of how she spent a large portion of each day writing
cards and notes of encouragement…sending e-mail messages and making
telephone calls to check on other people. She offered care and concern -
but also candid and sincere advice. And because of her Godly wisdom
and knowledge, many sought her counsel and company.
I am not
suggesting that we all start finding time to write notes, make phone
calls and counsel others. This was my mother’s “gift”…her “calling” from
God in this season of her life. But I am proposing that we seek God’s
wisdom and understanding…that we make insight – into what He is telling
us AND the hearts of others – a top priority.
If we pay attention
to what God is showing us…if we listen for His voice and follow His
directives…we will have His favor. If we live honestly and think of
others as much as – or more than - we think of ourselves, God will
reward us with insight, peace, comfort and confidence that we are on the
right track. We probably won’t take up writing…much less the
authorship of books for children…but we might just gain a whole lot more
in the bargain. Isn’t finding out worth the effort?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label operating in compassion love understanding. Show all posts
Showing posts with label operating in compassion love understanding. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for April 9, 2014
Job 30:24-31
“Surely no one would turn against the needy
when they cry for help in their trouble.
Did I not weep for those in trouble?
Was I not deeply grieved for the needy?
So I looked for good, but evil came instead.
I waited for the light, but darkness fell.
My heart is troubled and restless.
Days of suffering torment me.
I walk in gloom, without sunlight.
I stand in the public square and cry for help.
Instead, I am considered a brother to jackals
and a companion to owls.
My skin has turned dark,
and my bones burn with fever.
My harp plays sad music,
and my flute accompanies those who weep.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
I have to admit…I am mildly obsessed with TLC’s “The Little Couple”. I am so impressed with Jennifer Arnold and Bill Klein… two “little people” who live incredible lives, despite what many would consider an obvious “handicap”. Jen Arnold is a neonatologist at Texas Children’s Hospital. YES…she is a physician who cares for sick infants, despite being only 3’2” tall herself! Husband Bill (who measures a whopping 4 feet in height!) is a successful medical supplies and telemarketing businessman. They also own a doggy boutique in Houston, Texas…which is managed by Jen’s mother.
Jen and Bill endured countless surgeries during their childhood. And in fact, Bill underwent a hip surgery that was a documented story line in one of the early seasons of the television program. After their marriage, the couple decided they wanted to become parents. There were concerns with a conventional pregnancy and delivery because of Jen’s small size…but she underwent several attempts at in vitro fertilization – none of which were successful long-term.
The couple decided that adoption was a better option, so they sought children who had a similar form of dwarfism…feeling that this would be a good fit for them as parents – and that since there would be fewer parents seeking children of small stature, they could bless the lives of someone else with this condition. The couple traveled to China in March 2013, to adopt their son…3-year-old Will. Before they could actually make the trip, the couple was contacted about the availability of a daughter in India. On October 25, 2013, Arnold and Klein adopted beautiful, brown-eyed, 2-year-old Zoey from an Indian orphanage.
While completing Zoey’s adoption in India, Jen became seriously ill and had to return to Houston for medical attention. She was diagnosed with late stage choriocarcinoma… a rare form of cancer that resulted from a miscarriage in September 2013. Jen Arnold underwent four months of heavy-duty chemotherapy treatments…and today, she is totally cancer free! The first part of the current season’s episodes dealt in part with her illness…and chronicled her treatments and the jubilant “ringing of the bell” in her oncology ward after the successful outcome was announced.
There will be some who point to this couple’s notoriety…their “fame and fortune” on this popular television series…and say, “They’ve got it made. What do they have to complain about?” For the record, I don’t recall a time on the series (and I’ve watched every episode!) that either one of these people have complained about anything…much less asked, “Why me?”…or wrung their hands about all of the challenges that they have faced.
I am certain that you can name at least one person who would qualify as someone who is a “good person” that experiences “bad things”…or at best, cannot seem to “catch a break”. Maybe you are even one of them. Almost 16 years ago, my family experienced something of a “successive chain” of losses and serious illnesses. My brother and my dad were both terminally ill at the same time…a dear cousin died while telling a joke one morning at a local coffee shop… another cousin’s wife died of breast cancer…and my grandmother’s long-time companion (who was like a 2nd grandfather to us) died of bladder cancer. Then my brother’s dog contracted tick fever and died. She had become my mother’s constant companion…and it was like losing my brother all over again. Even today, close friends will say to me, “Your family has gone through SO much!” And yes…that was a rough, rough time…and there have been others before and since. But I hope these experiences do not define me...at least not in a "pitiful" way.
Here’s the thing. We’re not the only ones with challenges. God did not look at my family and say, “I think I’ll pick on them!” He didn’t look at Jen Arnold and Bill Klein and say, “These families need to suffer through years of heartaches and surgeries and challenges with a child who has dwarfism. THEN, I’ll put the two families together and give them even BIGGER hurdles and anguishes. And He has not singled you out for suffering, either! God does not operate like this!
Yes, God allows us to “go through stuff”…and a lot of it ain’t all that pretty! But here’s where “the wheat separates from the chaff”, so to speak…God equips us to handle these things – and more. Our “test” is not the “rough stuff” per se…it’s what we do with it. How we react…what we do with our troubles…the way that we use these experiences to strengthen our faith and be a more effective witness for Jesus is what truly matters. This is what God looks for…what He expects!
If we wallow in self-pity and allow our experiences to define us as a victim, our faith has no substance. Nobody enjoys heartache and suffering. No one wants to be sad…or to face one struggle after another. But we have a choice…we can wallow in misery and defeatism…or we can say, “God got me through this…and He will do the same for others.” It is up to us to use our own experiences to share God’s grace, mercy, compassion, love and kindness with others… to encourage them to stay strong, keep their chins up, and expect a better day.
I pray that Jen Arnold has “smooth sailing” from this point forward…that she can focus on saving the lives of countless infants who pass through the doors at Texas Children’s Hospital. I also pray that she can give priority to nurturing her two precious children, Will and Zoey…and giving them a bright and promising future. But I have a feeling that whatever comes her way, she will handle it with dignity, faith and courage…and she will continue to serve as a source of encouragement and hope for others.
What about you? Will you be a person who says, “Why me?”…or one who asks, “What do I do with this?” A life in Christ is not so much about how “good” you are as it is about how well you serve…in all circumstances. Bad things DO happen to “good” people. But God can use all of it for His glory. Are you allowing Him to do this in your life? Isn’t it time you did?
©2014 Debbie Robus
“Surely no one would turn against the needy
when they cry for help in their trouble.
Did I not weep for those in trouble?
Was I not deeply grieved for the needy?
So I looked for good, but evil came instead.
I waited for the light, but darkness fell.
My heart is troubled and restless.
Days of suffering torment me.
I walk in gloom, without sunlight.
I stand in the public square and cry for help.
Instead, I am considered a brother to jackals
and a companion to owls.
My skin has turned dark,
and my bones burn with fever.
My harp plays sad music,
and my flute accompanies those who weep.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
I have to admit…I am mildly obsessed with TLC’s “The Little Couple”. I am so impressed with Jennifer Arnold and Bill Klein… two “little people” who live incredible lives, despite what many would consider an obvious “handicap”. Jen Arnold is a neonatologist at Texas Children’s Hospital. YES…she is a physician who cares for sick infants, despite being only 3’2” tall herself! Husband Bill (who measures a whopping 4 feet in height!) is a successful medical supplies and telemarketing businessman. They also own a doggy boutique in Houston, Texas…which is managed by Jen’s mother.
Jen and Bill endured countless surgeries during their childhood. And in fact, Bill underwent a hip surgery that was a documented story line in one of the early seasons of the television program. After their marriage, the couple decided they wanted to become parents. There were concerns with a conventional pregnancy and delivery because of Jen’s small size…but she underwent several attempts at in vitro fertilization – none of which were successful long-term.
The couple decided that adoption was a better option, so they sought children who had a similar form of dwarfism…feeling that this would be a good fit for them as parents – and that since there would be fewer parents seeking children of small stature, they could bless the lives of someone else with this condition. The couple traveled to China in March 2013, to adopt their son…3-year-old Will. Before they could actually make the trip, the couple was contacted about the availability of a daughter in India. On October 25, 2013, Arnold and Klein adopted beautiful, brown-eyed, 2-year-old Zoey from an Indian orphanage.
While completing Zoey’s adoption in India, Jen became seriously ill and had to return to Houston for medical attention. She was diagnosed with late stage choriocarcinoma… a rare form of cancer that resulted from a miscarriage in September 2013. Jen Arnold underwent four months of heavy-duty chemotherapy treatments…and today, she is totally cancer free! The first part of the current season’s episodes dealt in part with her illness…and chronicled her treatments and the jubilant “ringing of the bell” in her oncology ward after the successful outcome was announced.
There will be some who point to this couple’s notoriety…their “fame and fortune” on this popular television series…and say, “They’ve got it made. What do they have to complain about?” For the record, I don’t recall a time on the series (and I’ve watched every episode!) that either one of these people have complained about anything…much less asked, “Why me?”…or wrung their hands about all of the challenges that they have faced.
I am certain that you can name at least one person who would qualify as someone who is a “good person” that experiences “bad things”…or at best, cannot seem to “catch a break”. Maybe you are even one of them. Almost 16 years ago, my family experienced something of a “successive chain” of losses and serious illnesses. My brother and my dad were both terminally ill at the same time…a dear cousin died while telling a joke one morning at a local coffee shop… another cousin’s wife died of breast cancer…and my grandmother’s long-time companion (who was like a 2nd grandfather to us) died of bladder cancer. Then my brother’s dog contracted tick fever and died. She had become my mother’s constant companion…and it was like losing my brother all over again. Even today, close friends will say to me, “Your family has gone through SO much!” And yes…that was a rough, rough time…and there have been others before and since. But I hope these experiences do not define me...at least not in a "pitiful" way.
Here’s the thing. We’re not the only ones with challenges. God did not look at my family and say, “I think I’ll pick on them!” He didn’t look at Jen Arnold and Bill Klein and say, “These families need to suffer through years of heartaches and surgeries and challenges with a child who has dwarfism. THEN, I’ll put the two families together and give them even BIGGER hurdles and anguishes. And He has not singled you out for suffering, either! God does not operate like this!
Yes, God allows us to “go through stuff”…and a lot of it ain’t all that pretty! But here’s where “the wheat separates from the chaff”, so to speak…God equips us to handle these things – and more. Our “test” is not the “rough stuff” per se…it’s what we do with it. How we react…what we do with our troubles…the way that we use these experiences to strengthen our faith and be a more effective witness for Jesus is what truly matters. This is what God looks for…what He expects!
If we wallow in self-pity and allow our experiences to define us as a victim, our faith has no substance. Nobody enjoys heartache and suffering. No one wants to be sad…or to face one struggle after another. But we have a choice…we can wallow in misery and defeatism…or we can say, “God got me through this…and He will do the same for others.” It is up to us to use our own experiences to share God’s grace, mercy, compassion, love and kindness with others… to encourage them to stay strong, keep their chins up, and expect a better day.
I pray that Jen Arnold has “smooth sailing” from this point forward…that she can focus on saving the lives of countless infants who pass through the doors at Texas Children’s Hospital. I also pray that she can give priority to nurturing her two precious children, Will and Zoey…and giving them a bright and promising future. But I have a feeling that whatever comes her way, she will handle it with dignity, faith and courage…and she will continue to serve as a source of encouragement and hope for others.
What about you? Will you be a person who says, “Why me?”…or one who asks, “What do I do with this?” A life in Christ is not so much about how “good” you are as it is about how well you serve…in all circumstances. Bad things DO happen to “good” people. But God can use all of it for His glory. Are you allowing Him to do this in your life? Isn’t it time you did?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 28, 2014
Romans 12:9-13
Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
On a recent airing of the talk show “Katie”, host Katie Couric interviewed Marie Monville, the former wife of Charles Carl Roberts IV, who shot ten girls between the ages of 6 and 13 in an Amish schoolhouse in Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania,* on October 2, 2006. Five of these girls died before Roberts turned a gun on himself. Monville, who has remarried, wrote a book about the events surrounding this horrific day, and she spoke with Katie Couric about the tragedy and how people in her community reacted.
Marie and Charles Roberts lost their first child shortly after her birth, and Marie believes that “Charlie” never overcame this loss. On the day of the massacre, Charles Roberts left his wife a note (which she found later) and told her that he was sorry for what he was doing to her and their children. She saw no signs that Charlie might do something so heinous. She says that she had no warnings or clues prior to this terrible day.
This is a story that belies rational thinking. It’s hard to think about how a father could walk into a classroom and line little girls up against a chalkboard, bind them, and then systematically shoot them. It is unfathomable to imagine the grief that these girls’ families have endured…or the grief and shame of Charles Roberts’ own wife and children. And yet, something remarkable happened. The very day that this tragedy occurred, parents of some of the victims went to the home of Marie Roberts Monville’s parents - where she had taken refuge – and reached out to her.
They visited with Marie’s father…hugged him…cried with him. And they told him, “We forgive you…we support you…and we are here for you.” Within hours of the massacre, Marie Monville says that she stood in her parents’ kitchen looking out the window …and watched as her dad went out to meet with the Amish men who approached the house. She watched as they extended their arms and placed their hands on his shoulders. She said, “Their gestures told me everything that my heart wanted to hear…but never dreamt that we would – especially not so quickly afterward.
Monville said that the Amish men told her father that they forgave Charlie…that they were extending grace to all of the family… and they asked about Marie and the children. Monville noted that, “It was just shocking that they would be thinking of us in this time of tragedy in their lives.” Additionally, Monville recounted how these Amish families – including parents and family members of some of the victims - attended Charles Roberts’ funeral and formed a human shield between her family and the news media. Marie Monville and her family were able to enter the church without being photographed or questioned. It is against the religious beliefs of the Amish to be photographed, so these families created a “wall” of solidarity - with their backs to the barrage of media representatives - and guarded Marie Monville and her family. Marie said for these families to attend the funeral and put themselves in a place of protecting her and her family was more than she could comprehend.
Why did these families do such a compassionate and merciful thing? They told Marie Monville that when they went home at night, they had each other for solace. They knew that Marie had no one. Monville said, “It was startling to me that they were able to see into a very private place of real pain in my life in the midst of all of the pain that they were going through in their lives. I had never experienced love like that before. To experience the love that they truly have…and the compassion they are so quick to share…and the richness of the grace they offered…really changed my world.”
Can you imagine yourself being able to offer this sort of love, grace, mercy, forgiveness and compassion to someone who directly – or by association – wounded you so deeply? What is our capacity for loving others…for offering them “the richness of grace” in Christ Jesus? Because you see, these people did not do this out of their own strength and resolve. They clearly operated out of the depths of their love for Jesus…out of His demonstrations of love for them and the forgiveness He offered each of us, even as He hung on a cross. This group of people exhibited Jesus Christ in action, as they set aside their own pain and suffering - or channeled these emotions into something positive and uplifting for someone else. And in doing so, they honored God…they gave witness to His tremendous capacity to love and forgive us…and they sent this message into the world at large.
Katie Couric told Marie Monville that she was truly moved by this story and the gestures of love and compassion that were exhibited in the face of such horrific tragedy. And it is a moving story. But the “take-away” for us should be that what these people did in Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania, is a powerful example of what we should do in our own little corner of the world – each and every day. I pray that you have not experienced a human tragedy of any kind…and certainly nothing that remotely compares to this horrific event! But each of us has “gone through stuff”…we have our own baggage – our own hurts, insults, challenges – and our own people to forgive and offer grace, mercy and compassion. If the folks of Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania, could do it…so can we.
Search your heart. See where you need to truly love others more deeply…to offer the richness of God’s grace and mercy…to show genuine compassion and sympathy to others’ plight. Learn to set aside your own feelings in order to meet the needs of God’s people…to help them to experience His healing and peace. Ask God to equip you with His strength, wisdom, generosity of spirit…and peace. I assure you, God will meet your own needs in the process.
In ways great and small, we are called on a daily basis to be God’s “human shield” of love, grace, and compassion for others. Are you listening…and will you answer?
©2014 Debbie Robus
* http://katiecouric.com/videos/the-amish-communitys-forgiveness-in-the-face-of-tragedy/
Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
On a recent airing of the talk show “Katie”, host Katie Couric interviewed Marie Monville, the former wife of Charles Carl Roberts IV, who shot ten girls between the ages of 6 and 13 in an Amish schoolhouse in Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania,* on October 2, 2006. Five of these girls died before Roberts turned a gun on himself. Monville, who has remarried, wrote a book about the events surrounding this horrific day, and she spoke with Katie Couric about the tragedy and how people in her community reacted.
Marie and Charles Roberts lost their first child shortly after her birth, and Marie believes that “Charlie” never overcame this loss. On the day of the massacre, Charles Roberts left his wife a note (which she found later) and told her that he was sorry for what he was doing to her and their children. She saw no signs that Charlie might do something so heinous. She says that she had no warnings or clues prior to this terrible day.
This is a story that belies rational thinking. It’s hard to think about how a father could walk into a classroom and line little girls up against a chalkboard, bind them, and then systematically shoot them. It is unfathomable to imagine the grief that these girls’ families have endured…or the grief and shame of Charles Roberts’ own wife and children. And yet, something remarkable happened. The very day that this tragedy occurred, parents of some of the victims went to the home of Marie Roberts Monville’s parents - where she had taken refuge – and reached out to her.
They visited with Marie’s father…hugged him…cried with him. And they told him, “We forgive you…we support you…and we are here for you.” Within hours of the massacre, Marie Monville says that she stood in her parents’ kitchen looking out the window …and watched as her dad went out to meet with the Amish men who approached the house. She watched as they extended their arms and placed their hands on his shoulders. She said, “Their gestures told me everything that my heart wanted to hear…but never dreamt that we would – especially not so quickly afterward.
Monville said that the Amish men told her father that they forgave Charlie…that they were extending grace to all of the family… and they asked about Marie and the children. Monville noted that, “It was just shocking that they would be thinking of us in this time of tragedy in their lives.” Additionally, Monville recounted how these Amish families – including parents and family members of some of the victims - attended Charles Roberts’ funeral and formed a human shield between her family and the news media. Marie Monville and her family were able to enter the church without being photographed or questioned. It is against the religious beliefs of the Amish to be photographed, so these families created a “wall” of solidarity - with their backs to the barrage of media representatives - and guarded Marie Monville and her family. Marie said for these families to attend the funeral and put themselves in a place of protecting her and her family was more than she could comprehend.
Why did these families do such a compassionate and merciful thing? They told Marie Monville that when they went home at night, they had each other for solace. They knew that Marie had no one. Monville said, “It was startling to me that they were able to see into a very private place of real pain in my life in the midst of all of the pain that they were going through in their lives. I had never experienced love like that before. To experience the love that they truly have…and the compassion they are so quick to share…and the richness of the grace they offered…really changed my world.”
Can you imagine yourself being able to offer this sort of love, grace, mercy, forgiveness and compassion to someone who directly – or by association – wounded you so deeply? What is our capacity for loving others…for offering them “the richness of grace” in Christ Jesus? Because you see, these people did not do this out of their own strength and resolve. They clearly operated out of the depths of their love for Jesus…out of His demonstrations of love for them and the forgiveness He offered each of us, even as He hung on a cross. This group of people exhibited Jesus Christ in action, as they set aside their own pain and suffering - or channeled these emotions into something positive and uplifting for someone else. And in doing so, they honored God…they gave witness to His tremendous capacity to love and forgive us…and they sent this message into the world at large.
Katie Couric told Marie Monville that she was truly moved by this story and the gestures of love and compassion that were exhibited in the face of such horrific tragedy. And it is a moving story. But the “take-away” for us should be that what these people did in Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania, is a powerful example of what we should do in our own little corner of the world – each and every day. I pray that you have not experienced a human tragedy of any kind…and certainly nothing that remotely compares to this horrific event! But each of us has “gone through stuff”…we have our own baggage – our own hurts, insults, challenges – and our own people to forgive and offer grace, mercy and compassion. If the folks of Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania, could do it…so can we.
Search your heart. See where you need to truly love others more deeply…to offer the richness of God’s grace and mercy…to show genuine compassion and sympathy to others’ plight. Learn to set aside your own feelings in order to meet the needs of God’s people…to help them to experience His healing and peace. Ask God to equip you with His strength, wisdom, generosity of spirit…and peace. I assure you, God will meet your own needs in the process.
In ways great and small, we are called on a daily basis to be God’s “human shield” of love, grace, and compassion for others. Are you listening…and will you answer?
©2014 Debbie Robus
* http://katiecouric.com/videos/the-amish-communitys-forgiveness-in-the-face-of-tragedy/
Daily Devotional for March 26, 2014
Philippians 4:10-14
How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn’t have the chance to help me. Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. Even so, you have done well to share with me in my present difficulty.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Do you know someone who seems to be totally self-sufficient? When you think of this person, you readily assume that he/she has everything under control, lacks for little to nothing, and seems to always manage quite nicely. We all know people who seem to need lots of help. But don’t we also know those who seem to always have all of their bases covered?
Here’s the thing…nobody’s life is THAT together all the time! And while you may feel like there is very little you can do for some people, you must never underestimate the power of letting them know how much you care. The person who seems so busy caring for others needs a little tender “caregiving” from time to time. The friend or co-worker who never appears to have a bad day is probably putting on a good front. Everyone gets sick once in a while. At some point, every person will have troubles, grieve, or feel discouraged. And even if we never see this side of a person, we must assume that these things happen in his/her life.
So what can you do? Reach out to others. The Apostle Paul says quite clearly that he is content…that all of his needs are met, and he has learned how to live with little – or a lot. But at the same time, he is clearly grateful for the love and support of others. In our own “ministry”, this support might come in the form of a phone call or note of encouragement. It might mean just being friendly to others and offering a smile…asking “How is your day going?”…or saying, “I really appreciate how hard you are working on XYZ.” It might mean asking, “Is there anything I could do for you?”… or just saying, “If you ever need anything – even just a friendly ear – I’m here for you.”
When given an opportunity to meet physical needs of someone else, we must be first in line to do so. We must be ready, willing, and able to share a meal, a ride, a hand with a task, or even a few dollars when possible. This goes beyond the obvious…the canned food drives…the mission projects at church and in our community...the public fundraisers for this cause or that. I’m talking about meeting people on a personal level…sharing and caring…showing compassion and concern – even for those who seem to have no needs and are in fact busy meeting the needs of others.
Everyone gets weary. Everyone has needs on any given day. A good example is our pastors. They are human beings with families and daily challenges just like the rest of us. Yet we expect them to be superheroes that come to our rescue and minister to us at the drop of a hat! So while this scripture passage is often referred to for other reasons…while the focus is usually on the verses about learning to be content in whatever situation we find ourselves…I want to emphasize other sentences today.
Let’s look at three phrases:
©2014 Debbie Robus
How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn’t have the chance to help me. Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. Even so, you have done well to share with me in my present difficulty.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Do you know someone who seems to be totally self-sufficient? When you think of this person, you readily assume that he/she has everything under control, lacks for little to nothing, and seems to always manage quite nicely. We all know people who seem to need lots of help. But don’t we also know those who seem to always have all of their bases covered?
Here’s the thing…nobody’s life is THAT together all the time! And while you may feel like there is very little you can do for some people, you must never underestimate the power of letting them know how much you care. The person who seems so busy caring for others needs a little tender “caregiving” from time to time. The friend or co-worker who never appears to have a bad day is probably putting on a good front. Everyone gets sick once in a while. At some point, every person will have troubles, grieve, or feel discouraged. And even if we never see this side of a person, we must assume that these things happen in his/her life.
So what can you do? Reach out to others. The Apostle Paul says quite clearly that he is content…that all of his needs are met, and he has learned how to live with little – or a lot. But at the same time, he is clearly grateful for the love and support of others. In our own “ministry”, this support might come in the form of a phone call or note of encouragement. It might mean just being friendly to others and offering a smile…asking “How is your day going?”…or saying, “I really appreciate how hard you are working on XYZ.” It might mean asking, “Is there anything I could do for you?”… or just saying, “If you ever need anything – even just a friendly ear – I’m here for you.”
When given an opportunity to meet physical needs of someone else, we must be first in line to do so. We must be ready, willing, and able to share a meal, a ride, a hand with a task, or even a few dollars when possible. This goes beyond the obvious…the canned food drives…the mission projects at church and in our community...the public fundraisers for this cause or that. I’m talking about meeting people on a personal level…sharing and caring…showing compassion and concern – even for those who seem to have no needs and are in fact busy meeting the needs of others.
Everyone gets weary. Everyone has needs on any given day. A good example is our pastors. They are human beings with families and daily challenges just like the rest of us. Yet we expect them to be superheroes that come to our rescue and minister to us at the drop of a hat! So while this scripture passage is often referred to for other reasons…while the focus is usually on the verses about learning to be content in whatever situation we find ourselves…I want to emphasize other sentences today.
Let’s look at three phrases:
- “I know that you have always been concerned for me.” Do people know this about you? Do they sense your concern and compassion for them? Do they believe that you truly care?
- “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” Do you trust God to give you the strength, courage, wisdom and compassion as you meet the needs of others each day?
- “... you have done well to share with me in my present difficulty.” Have you modeled true Christian discipleship by sharing with others in their present difficulties? Have you opened your eyes and ears to the needs of those in your midst…and done your best – with God’s help – to meet them?
©2014 Debbie Robus
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