Luke 12:57-59
“You don’t have to be a genius to
understand these things. Just use your common sense, the kind you’d use
if, while being taken to court, you decided to settle up with your
accuser on the way, knowing that if the case went to the judge you’d
probably go to jail and pay every last penny of the fine. That’s the
kind of decision I’m asking you to make.”
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.
The
late poet and civil rights activist, Maya Angelou, is credited with the
phrase…”When you know better, you do better.” If only that were true
for most of us! I hope you understand that today’s scripture passage is
not really about settling a dispute before you get to court…at least
not in the way that you think. If you go back and read the preceding
verses of Luke 12, you will see that Jesus is telling a crowd that had
gathered that there was a change on the horizon. He was warning the
disciples and others who were listening about the false teachings of
those who didn’t want to recognize Him as the Messiah – or change their
sinful ways.
So when Jesus talks of “settling up with your
accuser” on the way to court, He is really telling us to get our act
together now…or prepare for some serious judgment and punishment at some
point! In other words, our actions have consequences…and failure to
listen to Jesus and follow His teachings can get us in a heap of
trouble!
What does this mean in everyday language for you and
me? It means that before we say something unkind or questionable about
another person, we need to prayerfully consider whether Jesus approves.
Before we decide to lash out at someone – or discriminate against
anyone in any way…we should remind ourselves of Jesus’ words in Luke
10:27 to love others as God loves us – and we love ourselves.
Every
day when we awake, we should ask God to guide our steps. We should
invite the Holy Spirit to dwell in our hearts and guard our words and
actions. We should use the wisdom and “common sense” that Jesus
continually gives us to avoid pitfalls and recognize the persuasions of
imposters, con artists, frauds, and quacks who want to lead us down the
wrong path. We should practice “active discipleship,” meaning we should
steep ourselves in God’s Word and check at every turn to make sure that
what we say and do lines up with His directives. We should never waste
an opportunity to represent Jesus to another person – if only to offer
him/her our warmest smile.
It’s pretty simple, really. How we
live today matters. At some point, we will all have to answer to God
for the things we said and did…how we treated others…whether we
represented Jesus’ teachings and honored His sacrifice…and whether or
not we truly even knew Him as our Savior. I don’t know about you, but
when I stand before God and receive my “review,” I want to know that I
did everything possible to honor and glorify my LORD…that I did my
dead-level best to live every day according to His will.
When God
says to you, “Let’s talk about how it went…” will your reply be one
that reflects solid faithfulness – or more of a lousy excuse? This is
the kind of decision that Christ is calling us to make today. How will
you respond?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label operating in the teachings of Jesus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label operating in the teachings of Jesus. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for January 9, 2016
Proverbs 13:13
If you reject God’s teaching,
you will pay the price;
if you obey his commands,
you will be rewarded.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
People all over the country have “lottery fever” as the Powerball jackpot is approaching $900 million. Reporters from countless news outlets are interviewing ticket buyers who speculate on how they will “spend the reward!” The options run the gamut from “quit my job” to “buy my parents a new home” to “travel the world” and more!
It has now been a little better than a week since we took my mother to the hospital Emergency Department in what was a precarious condition, to put it mildly. And it’s pretty well gone downhill since. The days have been filled with all sorts of emotions and situations that we have had to “digest” and accept. In many ways, our worlds have each been turned upside down as we have adjusted to new schedules, reports from doctors and nurses, close quarters and new relationships with family members and friends, coping with a myriad of emotions that change each hour, and dealing with a bevy of unknowns.
It’s a lot…and we are all doing the best that we can. And when she has a lucid moment, my little mother will often say, “God will take care of this.” I know that she is right…because my mother never rejected God’s teaching. She has always obeyed His commands…and God is not about to desert her – especially now. A reward is coming…and probably fairly soon. It’s not of the $900 million variety – but quite frankly, it’s something even better!
We’ve all got “Lottery Fever” of the best kind around here…and soon, my mother will cash in her “ticket.” Obey God’s commands…surrender to His teaching, and know that when life on this earth is over, you really do have the winning ticket – to a “Heavenly Lottery” that provides Eternity in the presence of God Almighty! It truly doesn’t get any better than that!
Are you ready to be a “Heavenly winner?” Will this be the day that you begin to really follow God’s teaching and obey His commands? Aren’t you ready to get in the running for the best “Lottery” of all?
©2016 Debbie Robus
If you reject God’s teaching,
you will pay the price;
if you obey his commands,
you will be rewarded.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
People all over the country have “lottery fever” as the Powerball jackpot is approaching $900 million. Reporters from countless news outlets are interviewing ticket buyers who speculate on how they will “spend the reward!” The options run the gamut from “quit my job” to “buy my parents a new home” to “travel the world” and more!
It has now been a little better than a week since we took my mother to the hospital Emergency Department in what was a precarious condition, to put it mildly. And it’s pretty well gone downhill since. The days have been filled with all sorts of emotions and situations that we have had to “digest” and accept. In many ways, our worlds have each been turned upside down as we have adjusted to new schedules, reports from doctors and nurses, close quarters and new relationships with family members and friends, coping with a myriad of emotions that change each hour, and dealing with a bevy of unknowns.
It’s a lot…and we are all doing the best that we can. And when she has a lucid moment, my little mother will often say, “God will take care of this.” I know that she is right…because my mother never rejected God’s teaching. She has always obeyed His commands…and God is not about to desert her – especially now. A reward is coming…and probably fairly soon. It’s not of the $900 million variety – but quite frankly, it’s something even better!
We’ve all got “Lottery Fever” of the best kind around here…and soon, my mother will cash in her “ticket.” Obey God’s commands…surrender to His teaching, and know that when life on this earth is over, you really do have the winning ticket – to a “Heavenly Lottery” that provides Eternity in the presence of God Almighty! It truly doesn’t get any better than that!
Are you ready to be a “Heavenly winner?” Will this be the day that you begin to really follow God’s teaching and obey His commands? Aren’t you ready to get in the running for the best “Lottery” of all?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for July 28, 2015
Deuteronomy 16:18-20
Appoint judges and officers, organized by tribes, in all the towns that God, your God, is giving you. They are to judge the people fairly and honestly. Don’t twist the law. Don’t play favorites. Don’t take a bribe—a bribe blinds even a wise person; it undermines the intentions of the best of people.
The right! The right! Pursue only what’s right! It’s the only way you can really live and possess the land that God, your God, is giving you.
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 can’t make this stuff up! I found an article at prnewswire.com that says…” According to a recent online survey, released by Great American Cookies® and conducted online on the brand's behalf, 94 percent of parents say they have rewarded their children for good behavior.” In response to the survey results, this company is launching the first-ever National Bribe Your Child Week from Aug. 9th – 15th. Parents can visit a website and download a worksheet to complete with their child and turn it in at any Great American Cookies® store for a free cookie.
It would be great if this company had chosen to call the project “National Reward Your Child Week"…but at the end of the day, hundreds of parents have just been bribed to participate in this program with the offer of a “free” cookie. So maybe their choice of words was appropriate. See how easily we are drawn in?
I utilize a reward system with Timothy, Zola and Nathan, where I punch numbers on a little card as they demonstrate “good” behaviors. When all twenty of the numbers on the card have been punched, the child gets to choose a “prize” from my basket of goodies…cars, trucks, dinosaurs, small stuffed animals, crayons and chalk, and more. So far, this has worked well…and it is a fair way to address each child’s behavior individually. They often plan which prize they will “work for” next!
Some have said that this amounts to bribery. The children will tell you that they earn these rewards. I can see both sides…but they are learning valuable lessons about incentives to behave nicely – and penalties when this doesn’t happen (because they do NOT get a prize if their card isn’t punched). And I will admit that I sometimes offer a Life Saver® as a quick and simple “bribe” for positive actions.
Try as we might to ignore or deny this, bribes are a common “currency” among many adults in our culture. Some are slick about it and do their best to disguise these as “incentives” or fair exchanges. But when we drill it down, they are bribes, pure and simple…and scripture tells us not to operate in these inducements.
This is more easily said than done, as we are somewhat geared to help those who help us – and to show them favor. But we must learn to stop operating in the mode of “what’s in it for me?” and model the teachings of Jesus as we figure out how we are to show someone else love, grace, mercy, forgiveness and compassion. When we shift our attitude to reflect that of our Savior, we are more concerned with pleasing Him than earning a material prize or the attention and approval of another. We desire to treat others in such a way that they do what is right because they want to…not because we paid them to do so.
The challenge for each of us is to live each and every day with the intention to serve God with our whole heart and mind…to make sure that every action is positive and without reproach. Rewards will follow…but they will be the kind that God ordains – not man – and they will not be dangled before us as enticements to serve Him. In other words, don’t look for God to offer you a cookie anytime soon!
©2015 Debbie Robus
Appoint judges and officers, organized by tribes, in all the towns that God, your God, is giving you. They are to judge the people fairly and honestly. Don’t twist the law. Don’t play favorites. Don’t take a bribe—a bribe blinds even a wise person; it undermines the intentions of the best of people.
The right! The right! Pursue only what’s right! It’s the only way you can really live and possess the land that God, your God, is giving you.
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 can’t make this stuff up! I found an article at prnewswire.com that says…” According to a recent online survey, released by Great American Cookies® and conducted online on the brand's behalf, 94 percent of parents say they have rewarded their children for good behavior.” In response to the survey results, this company is launching the first-ever National Bribe Your Child Week from Aug. 9th – 15th. Parents can visit a website and download a worksheet to complete with their child and turn it in at any Great American Cookies® store for a free cookie.
It would be great if this company had chosen to call the project “National Reward Your Child Week"…but at the end of the day, hundreds of parents have just been bribed to participate in this program with the offer of a “free” cookie. So maybe their choice of words was appropriate. See how easily we are drawn in?
I utilize a reward system with Timothy, Zola and Nathan, where I punch numbers on a little card as they demonstrate “good” behaviors. When all twenty of the numbers on the card have been punched, the child gets to choose a “prize” from my basket of goodies…cars, trucks, dinosaurs, small stuffed animals, crayons and chalk, and more. So far, this has worked well…and it is a fair way to address each child’s behavior individually. They often plan which prize they will “work for” next!
Some have said that this amounts to bribery. The children will tell you that they earn these rewards. I can see both sides…but they are learning valuable lessons about incentives to behave nicely – and penalties when this doesn’t happen (because they do NOT get a prize if their card isn’t punched). And I will admit that I sometimes offer a Life Saver® as a quick and simple “bribe” for positive actions.
Try as we might to ignore or deny this, bribes are a common “currency” among many adults in our culture. Some are slick about it and do their best to disguise these as “incentives” or fair exchanges. But when we drill it down, they are bribes, pure and simple…and scripture tells us not to operate in these inducements.
This is more easily said than done, as we are somewhat geared to help those who help us – and to show them favor. But we must learn to stop operating in the mode of “what’s in it for me?” and model the teachings of Jesus as we figure out how we are to show someone else love, grace, mercy, forgiveness and compassion. When we shift our attitude to reflect that of our Savior, we are more concerned with pleasing Him than earning a material prize or the attention and approval of another. We desire to treat others in such a way that they do what is right because they want to…not because we paid them to do so.
The challenge for each of us is to live each and every day with the intention to serve God with our whole heart and mind…to make sure that every action is positive and without reproach. Rewards will follow…but they will be the kind that God ordains – not man – and they will not be dangled before us as enticements to serve Him. In other words, don’t look for God to offer you a cookie anytime soon!
©2015 Debbie Robus
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