Ephesians 4:25-27
What this adds up to, then, is
this: no more lies, no more pretense. Tell your neighbor the truth. In
Christ’s body we’re all connected to each other, after all. When you lie
to others, you end up lying to yourself.
Go ahead and be angry.
You do well to be angry—but don’t use your anger as fuel for revenge.
And don’t stay angry. Don’t go to bed angry. Don’t give the Devil that
kind of foothold in your life.
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.
My
mother always taught me that “if you can’t say something nice, don’t
say anything at all.” At the other end of the spectrum, my Mam-ma Polly
frequently seemed to operate more in the “speak your mind now and worry
about the consequences later” mode. And I think there is room for a
healthy balance between these two stances.
I try to be very fair
and balanced with others…particularly as I write these devotionals. I
understand that not all people believe as I do on a variety of
subjects…and that’s okay. But I have found that often, when we sit
quietly on the sidelines, others wrongly assume that we believe exactly
as they do…and that we fully support their expressed opinions. And this
can be hurtful to everyone.
A few weeks ago, I was attending a
meeting in which some comments were made that deeply wounded several
people…including me. The persons who made them initially assumed that
everyone in the room felt as they did…so they “went at it” with wild
abandon. I’ll admit…I initially willed myself to stay quiet. But then
another lady spoke up and explained why she disagreed with what was
said…and one by one, more of us spoke up and expressed our feelings. I
wish I could say this made a difference…that the ugly talk was stifled.
But it wasn’t…and some of us came away more offended than anything
else…but yes, we were angry, too.
The anger and
disappointment affected me in a profound way…but I did not seek revenge.
I prayed…a lot. I asked God to show me how to overcome my feelings of
resentment toward those who spoke their own truth…to keep me from
allowing the devil to have the last laugh in this. And He has done
this. I am at a calm and peaceful place where I can actually encounter
these people and not feel antagonistic – or even judgmental of them. I
didn’t come to this resolution overnight, but I am grateful that God has
begun to heal my heart.
I am also glad that I spoke out.
Otherwise, I think I would have always felt a little ashamed…like I was
living a lie by allowing others to assume that I agreed with them on
this issue. And I’ll admit…speaking honestly about my views on several
political and social issues has “cost” me some friendships...or at least
greatly changed how we interact and the frequency of our contacts. And
that is unfortunate…but also freeing. Let’s be honest…living a lie
takes its toll.
I hope and pray that I am never judgmental or
rude…that I don’t “speak my mind” to someone in such a way as to anger
or offend them. By remaining truthful, I trust that God will bless my
efforts and soften the ears of those who hear my words, so that they
accept them – and me – in the spirit of Christian brotherhood and
sisterhood. I’ve tried to “sugarcoat the truth” before in an effort to
spare another person’s feelings. And I can tell you, when this
backfires (and it often does), it’s a royal disaster!
At the end
of the day, our only responsibility is to please God…and remaining
truthful honors our commitment to Him. By seeking His wisdom and
guidance as we speak the truth, we demonstrate our faith in Him to
handle how our words are received…and put the devil in his place
simultaneously! Honesty IS the best policy! How truthful are you being
these days?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label operating in truth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label operating in truth. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for August 23, 2014
Matthew 5:11-12
“Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don’t like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.
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 was in junior high, one of our teachers took a few students to Little Rock for some sort of meeting one Saturday. After the meeting, we went to a movie (I think we saw “Love Story”) and then we did some shopping. On the way home, a couple of the girls and I were in the back seat of the car, and they were whispering and peeking into their shopping bag. I asked what they were whispering about, and they “played dumb”. Finally, one of them said, “You cannot say anything...but we stole these bathing suits.” Each one of them had “lifted” a swimsuit from a well-known department store.
Here’s the thing...those girls did not want to include me in their “secret”, because they knew that I would not approve of their theft. They made this abundantly clear with some of their comments and the tone with which they delivered them. In fact, the only reason that they were having anything to do with me at all was because we were crammed together in the backseat of our teacher’s car!
Quite frankly, there were quite a few kids who didn’t want anything to do with me and some of my friends during junior high and high school, because they knew that we attended church regularly. Whether we were full-out “Jesus freaks” or not, we were judge to be “uncool” and seen as “goody-two-shoes” types. The fact that our parents made us go to church all the time was irrelevant. Some of us who actually participated regularly in church activities were even ostracized by a few of the kids who attended our church with us, but were less involved. There was definitely a “hierarchy”, based on what others perceived to be our level of faith and involvement with Jesus and the church!
Even today, this is often a tough road for young people to hoe. And I think that is why some of them go in such a totally different direction once they get out of high school and/or go off to college. Maybe this describes you. I know I was like this, to some degree. When I no longer felt I had to attend church twice on Sundays and some Wednesday nights, I didn’t go...at all. I still read my Bible and prayed. But I didn’t do a whole lot to give others any opportunity to put me down or throw me out of their “circle” because of my faith!
I’ll be really honest here...I don’t regret that time in my life. Here’s why... I believe that God used this season where I shrunk into the woodwork and tried to blend in to grow my faith. When I “emerged” as an adult and developed a full-fledged, all-in relationship with Jesus, it was that much sweeter. I felt the applause of heaven...I no longer cared whether I was “in” or not...there was only ONE I longed to please...and His name was Jesus. In the years that I have been more fully engaged in a communion with Christ and His Holy Spirit, there have been as many – or maybe more – times that I have felt like an outsider...times when I have been put down or “thrown out”, both literally and figuratively.
But now, I look at these incidents in a completely different light. The “sting” of rejection and ridicule is not there – at least not so heavily. The sense that I am doing what God desires trumps any insults or indignations that might be hurled my way. I sometimes have to remind myself that...”It’s okay...I did what God asked of me, so all will be well.” And I am human...nobody likes to be insulted or excluded...so I do occasionally get my feelings hurt a little. But all I have to do is spend some time with God, and He steers me in the right direction and sets me back on my feet. He’s like that...wise, kind, merciful and gracious!
I don’t know where you are in your journey. I don’t know what rocks of insult and indignation have been hurled in your direction...or how you have handled them. But I do know this...God will not waste your obedience and faithfulness. He wants you to be kind, generous, loving, merciful and gracious toward others – even when they treat you poorly. But He wants you to always operate in the truth, and to faithfully do and say the things that you know He is sanctioning. It may hurt for a little while in the human sense, but I assure you, God is beyond pleased. He makes a mental note for all eternity that on this day and in this way, you honored Him in your words and actions...and He will bless you for this decision.
I did not “rat out” my friends. I was a teenager eager to please and unwilling to risk being ostracized any further. And while I certainly do not condone theft in any manner, these kids grew into responsible, honorable adults. It was a childhood prank...albeit a dishonest one. As adults, at least a few of them have developed a rapport with me and a respect for my faith that was not there when we were young... and maybe that is in part due to my mercy toward them in this situation.
In her book The Best Yes*, author/speaker Lysa TerKeurst says that there are no perfect decisions...there will be positives and negatives to every choice. She maintains that “when you desire to please God with a decision, and afterwards it proves to be a mistake, it’s an error...not an end.” She adds, “If I am trusting myself, I will stare at all the possible ways I could fail. If I’m trusting God, I will stare at all the possible ways He’ll use this whether I fail or succeed. As long as you desire to please God with your decisions, no decision you make will be completely awful...nor will any decision be completely awesome. There is no perfect decision – only the perfectly surrendered decision to press through our fears and know that God is working in us to bring about good through us.”
What are you afraid of today? Where have you stood paralyzed with fear and inaction because you didn’t want to be judged, put down or thrown out? Isn’t it time we started trusting God to get us past these things... to make a way where we see none...to shield us out of His abundant love, grace, mercy, compassion – and joy – for our obedience and faith? Whose company are you keeping these days...that of the “in crowd”...or the company of God’s prophets and witnesses?
©2014 Debbie Robus
*The Best Yes - ©2014 by TerKeurst Foundation – published by Nelson Books. Available at Walmart and other major retailers. www.thebestyes.com #TheBestYes
“Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don’t like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.
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 was in junior high, one of our teachers took a few students to Little Rock for some sort of meeting one Saturday. After the meeting, we went to a movie (I think we saw “Love Story”) and then we did some shopping. On the way home, a couple of the girls and I were in the back seat of the car, and they were whispering and peeking into their shopping bag. I asked what they were whispering about, and they “played dumb”. Finally, one of them said, “You cannot say anything...but we stole these bathing suits.” Each one of them had “lifted” a swimsuit from a well-known department store.
Here’s the thing...those girls did not want to include me in their “secret”, because they knew that I would not approve of their theft. They made this abundantly clear with some of their comments and the tone with which they delivered them. In fact, the only reason that they were having anything to do with me at all was because we were crammed together in the backseat of our teacher’s car!
Quite frankly, there were quite a few kids who didn’t want anything to do with me and some of my friends during junior high and high school, because they knew that we attended church regularly. Whether we were full-out “Jesus freaks” or not, we were judge to be “uncool” and seen as “goody-two-shoes” types. The fact that our parents made us go to church all the time was irrelevant. Some of us who actually participated regularly in church activities were even ostracized by a few of the kids who attended our church with us, but were less involved. There was definitely a “hierarchy”, based on what others perceived to be our level of faith and involvement with Jesus and the church!
Even today, this is often a tough road for young people to hoe. And I think that is why some of them go in such a totally different direction once they get out of high school and/or go off to college. Maybe this describes you. I know I was like this, to some degree. When I no longer felt I had to attend church twice on Sundays and some Wednesday nights, I didn’t go...at all. I still read my Bible and prayed. But I didn’t do a whole lot to give others any opportunity to put me down or throw me out of their “circle” because of my faith!
I’ll be really honest here...I don’t regret that time in my life. Here’s why... I believe that God used this season where I shrunk into the woodwork and tried to blend in to grow my faith. When I “emerged” as an adult and developed a full-fledged, all-in relationship with Jesus, it was that much sweeter. I felt the applause of heaven...I no longer cared whether I was “in” or not...there was only ONE I longed to please...and His name was Jesus. In the years that I have been more fully engaged in a communion with Christ and His Holy Spirit, there have been as many – or maybe more – times that I have felt like an outsider...times when I have been put down or “thrown out”, both literally and figuratively.
But now, I look at these incidents in a completely different light. The “sting” of rejection and ridicule is not there – at least not so heavily. The sense that I am doing what God desires trumps any insults or indignations that might be hurled my way. I sometimes have to remind myself that...”It’s okay...I did what God asked of me, so all will be well.” And I am human...nobody likes to be insulted or excluded...so I do occasionally get my feelings hurt a little. But all I have to do is spend some time with God, and He steers me in the right direction and sets me back on my feet. He’s like that...wise, kind, merciful and gracious!
I don’t know where you are in your journey. I don’t know what rocks of insult and indignation have been hurled in your direction...or how you have handled them. But I do know this...God will not waste your obedience and faithfulness. He wants you to be kind, generous, loving, merciful and gracious toward others – even when they treat you poorly. But He wants you to always operate in the truth, and to faithfully do and say the things that you know He is sanctioning. It may hurt for a little while in the human sense, but I assure you, God is beyond pleased. He makes a mental note for all eternity that on this day and in this way, you honored Him in your words and actions...and He will bless you for this decision.
I did not “rat out” my friends. I was a teenager eager to please and unwilling to risk being ostracized any further. And while I certainly do not condone theft in any manner, these kids grew into responsible, honorable adults. It was a childhood prank...albeit a dishonest one. As adults, at least a few of them have developed a rapport with me and a respect for my faith that was not there when we were young... and maybe that is in part due to my mercy toward them in this situation.
In her book The Best Yes*, author/speaker Lysa TerKeurst says that there are no perfect decisions...there will be positives and negatives to every choice. She maintains that “when you desire to please God with a decision, and afterwards it proves to be a mistake, it’s an error...not an end.” She adds, “If I am trusting myself, I will stare at all the possible ways I could fail. If I’m trusting God, I will stare at all the possible ways He’ll use this whether I fail or succeed. As long as you desire to please God with your decisions, no decision you make will be completely awful...nor will any decision be completely awesome. There is no perfect decision – only the perfectly surrendered decision to press through our fears and know that God is working in us to bring about good through us.”
What are you afraid of today? Where have you stood paralyzed with fear and inaction because you didn’t want to be judged, put down or thrown out? Isn’t it time we started trusting God to get us past these things... to make a way where we see none...to shield us out of His abundant love, grace, mercy, compassion – and joy – for our obedience and faith? Whose company are you keeping these days...that of the “in crowd”...or the company of God’s prophets and witnesses?
©2014 Debbie Robus
*The Best Yes - ©2014 by TerKeurst Foundation – published by Nelson Books. Available at Walmart and other major retailers. www.thebestyes.com #TheBestYes
Daily Devotional for July 11, 2014
1 John 1:8-10
If we claim that we’re free of sin, we’re only fooling ourselves. A claim like that is errant nonsense. On the other hand, if we admit our sins—make a clean breast of them—he won’t let us down; he’ll be true to himself. He’ll forgive our sins and purge us of all wrongdoing. If we claim that we’ve never sinned, we out-and-out contradict God—make a liar out of him. A claim like that only shows off our ignorance of God.
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.
Suppose you plan a little party at your house, and you invite several people. One of these people plans a party – for the same date. Rather than say, “I can’t come…it seems I have scheduled my own party for the same night,” you get a phone call from this person with a made-up excuse about why they cannot attend your soirée.
Now you know that this person is having his/her own party. Several people who are coming to your event have said, “I can’t stay long…I’ll have to make an appearance at the other event, as well.” That’s fine…you understood that completely. You’re not even insulted that you were not invited to the other person’s party! But this person has told you a bold-faced lie…and you can’t figure out why…and their dishonesty stings! This is the perfect example of a case where the truth would be so much better.
I get that we sometimes want to spare others’ feelings. We make up excuses, rather than say, “I don’t want to do that,” or “Yes, that skirt makes you look fat,” or “I’m just not interested in you (or your hobby, or what is happening in your life…and more). We “play nice” to people we really do not like – for lot of reasons. Some would even say that this is hypocritical behavior. I am not advocating that you start saying hurtful things…or that you become honest to the point of insulting others. If we will stay attuned to God’s teachings, He will show us how to offer compassion and grace in our treatment of those we encounter…and in what we say to them.
It hurts to think someone would deliberately deceive you…for whatever reason. And when we do this to God, it hurts Him, too. He is insulted…disappointed…and grieved when we lie to Him. Claiming that we have it all together…acting as if we are better than the next guy - and at least compared to him/her, pretty much sinless – breaks God’s heart. Let’s face it, God knows better!
God sent Jesus to die on the cross for our sins. He paid the ultimate price for them. To say that we are blameless – or superior in any way – is like saying, “Thanks for sending Jesus to take my sins…but I don’t need You anymore. I’ve got this now!” It even suggests that we feel like we really didn’t need God in the first place…or that we used our salvation as a “ticket to heaven”…and now we’ll handle things ourselves the rest of the way.
Salvation is not a one-shot deal! Don’t misunderstand me. I believe that once you accept Jesus as your Savior, He takes your sins and writes your name in the Lamb’s Book of Life…assuring you a seat at His table in Heaven for all Eternity. But I also believe that we have to keep returning to the cross (figuratively) each and every day. We have to stay close to God…and call on His Holy Spirit to keep us in check…to guard our thoughts, words, and deeds…and to restore us when we falter.
Think of our life in Christ like a delicate china teacup that falls off of the shelf and breaks. The teacup can be glued back together, but it will be forever fragile. Tender care will have to be exercised in its use…and there may be some repeat or additional breakage along the way that must be repaired. So it is with Jesus. We are broken…sinful. He restores us through His death on the cross. But we are fragile, vulnerable…and subject to more sin and breakage that only He can repair. To claim that we are “as good as new” and able to manage on our own - or that we are better than the next guy - amounts to lying…and God sees right through this!
The truth would be so much better. Admitting that we are fragile, vulnerable human beings who need Jesus each and every day is anything but shameful. Claiming the blood of Jesus…and acknowledging that we must be covered in it daily…attests to our faithfulness and dependency on Him for continual care and maintenance…for grace, mercy and forgiveness.
While we might not always recognize when someone lies to us…God always knows! This passage tells us that to lie to God is to not really know Him…to not fully understand who He is and how He operates. Where have you lied when the truth would be better…to others – and to God? Isn’t this the perfect day to “come clean”…to ask God to forgive you and restore you? Isn’t this the time to seek God’s guidance in living honestly with others…showing them compassion, grace, and mercy as you do your best to be truthful with them – but in a loving way?
Where do you need to admit your sins and shortcomings…and ask God to forgive you for them? Are you ready to operate in truth and receive the favor of God upon your life? Will this be the day that you begin?
©2014 Debbie Robus
If we claim that we’re free of sin, we’re only fooling ourselves. A claim like that is errant nonsense. On the other hand, if we admit our sins—make a clean breast of them—he won’t let us down; he’ll be true to himself. He’ll forgive our sins and purge us of all wrongdoing. If we claim that we’ve never sinned, we out-and-out contradict God—make a liar out of him. A claim like that only shows off our ignorance of God.
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.
Suppose you plan a little party at your house, and you invite several people. One of these people plans a party – for the same date. Rather than say, “I can’t come…it seems I have scheduled my own party for the same night,” you get a phone call from this person with a made-up excuse about why they cannot attend your soirée.
Now you know that this person is having his/her own party. Several people who are coming to your event have said, “I can’t stay long…I’ll have to make an appearance at the other event, as well.” That’s fine…you understood that completely. You’re not even insulted that you were not invited to the other person’s party! But this person has told you a bold-faced lie…and you can’t figure out why…and their dishonesty stings! This is the perfect example of a case where the truth would be so much better.
I get that we sometimes want to spare others’ feelings. We make up excuses, rather than say, “I don’t want to do that,” or “Yes, that skirt makes you look fat,” or “I’m just not interested in you (or your hobby, or what is happening in your life…and more). We “play nice” to people we really do not like – for lot of reasons. Some would even say that this is hypocritical behavior. I am not advocating that you start saying hurtful things…or that you become honest to the point of insulting others. If we will stay attuned to God’s teachings, He will show us how to offer compassion and grace in our treatment of those we encounter…and in what we say to them.
It hurts to think someone would deliberately deceive you…for whatever reason. And when we do this to God, it hurts Him, too. He is insulted…disappointed…and grieved when we lie to Him. Claiming that we have it all together…acting as if we are better than the next guy - and at least compared to him/her, pretty much sinless – breaks God’s heart. Let’s face it, God knows better!
God sent Jesus to die on the cross for our sins. He paid the ultimate price for them. To say that we are blameless – or superior in any way – is like saying, “Thanks for sending Jesus to take my sins…but I don’t need You anymore. I’ve got this now!” It even suggests that we feel like we really didn’t need God in the first place…or that we used our salvation as a “ticket to heaven”…and now we’ll handle things ourselves the rest of the way.
Salvation is not a one-shot deal! Don’t misunderstand me. I believe that once you accept Jesus as your Savior, He takes your sins and writes your name in the Lamb’s Book of Life…assuring you a seat at His table in Heaven for all Eternity. But I also believe that we have to keep returning to the cross (figuratively) each and every day. We have to stay close to God…and call on His Holy Spirit to keep us in check…to guard our thoughts, words, and deeds…and to restore us when we falter.
Think of our life in Christ like a delicate china teacup that falls off of the shelf and breaks. The teacup can be glued back together, but it will be forever fragile. Tender care will have to be exercised in its use…and there may be some repeat or additional breakage along the way that must be repaired. So it is with Jesus. We are broken…sinful. He restores us through His death on the cross. But we are fragile, vulnerable…and subject to more sin and breakage that only He can repair. To claim that we are “as good as new” and able to manage on our own - or that we are better than the next guy - amounts to lying…and God sees right through this!
The truth would be so much better. Admitting that we are fragile, vulnerable human beings who need Jesus each and every day is anything but shameful. Claiming the blood of Jesus…and acknowledging that we must be covered in it daily…attests to our faithfulness and dependency on Him for continual care and maintenance…for grace, mercy and forgiveness.
While we might not always recognize when someone lies to us…God always knows! This passage tells us that to lie to God is to not really know Him…to not fully understand who He is and how He operates. Where have you lied when the truth would be better…to others – and to God? Isn’t this the perfect day to “come clean”…to ask God to forgive you and restore you? Isn’t this the time to seek God’s guidance in living honestly with others…showing them compassion, grace, and mercy as you do your best to be truthful with them – but in a loving way?
Where do you need to admit your sins and shortcomings…and ask God to forgive you for them? Are you ready to operate in truth and receive the favor of God upon your life? Will this be the day that you begin?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for January 13, 2014
Hebrews 12:14-17
Work at getting along with each other and with God. Otherwise you’ll never get so much as a glimpse of God. Make sure no one gets left out of God’s generosity. Keep a sharp eye out for weeds of bitter discontent. A thistle or two gone to seed can ruin a whole garden in no time. Watch out for the Esau syndrome: trading away God’s lifelong gift in order to satisfy a short-term appetite. You well know how Esau later regretted that impulsive act and wanted God’s blessing—but by then it was too late, tears or no tears.
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.
In Genesis 25 the story of the “Esau syndrome” is explained. Esau was the firstborn son of Isaac. One day he came in from the fields, and found his younger twin brother, Jacob, cooking a big stew. Esau was starving, and he asked for a serving. I don’t know if Jacob was teasing him at first, or if he was truly serious…but he basically said to Esau, “I’ll give you a bowl of stew in exchange for your rights as the firstborn.” And Esau said, “Okay!” In other words, Esau traded his lifelong heritage and the blessings that God and Isaac intended to be his for a belly full of food that satisfied an immediate appetite.
When we picked Timothy and Zola up after Sunday school yesterday, Timothy’s teacher handed him an empty toilet paper roll covered in cotton balls and said, “Don’t forget your ‘Esau arm’!” All the way to the car, Timothy told his Uncle Greg, “Jacob LIED to his father! He LIED! We aren’t supposed to LIE!” The Sunday school lesson had come from Genesis 27… a further development in the “Jacob and Esau saga”. You should read the whole story for yourself, but here’s a quick synopsis. Esau was a very hairy redhead. Scripture doesn’t fully describe Jacob’s appearance, but it is assumed that he looked nothing like Esau.
Isaac was old, blind and dying, and he had told Esau that he would bless him and his future. Scripture indicates that Isaac was partial to Esau. Jacob and his mother Rebekah were jealous of this, and they concocted a scheme to cover Jacob’s arms in animal fur, so that he would feel and smell like Esau. He would then go to Isaac and ask for the blessing, and Isaac would give it – thinking he was giving this sacred sign to Esau. Pick up your Bible and read the rest of the story to get a full account…but let’s just say that Jacob got himself into a huge heap of trouble!
This story made a big impact on Timothy. He was very impressed with his “hairy arm”…and even more affected by the message that lying is NOT a good thing! I am not sure that this lesson for 4-year-olds fully explored trading God’s lifelong gift for a short-term appetite…but the seeds were planted for learning more about this at a future date. But it is most certainly time for us to understand this lesson and get the whole picture!
Here’s the thing…we cannot make ourselves look better in God’s eyes than the next guy. All we do is end up hurting ourselves and others in the process. Sibling rivalry is as old as Cain and Abel…and jealousy and the desire to satisfy human appetites is documented in the Garden of Eden! Because of the devil and his power, we are vulnerable to sin…we lie, cheat, gossip, get caught up in jealousies, bicker, and plot “evil” against others in the form of deceptions – and even retributions. These are often the “weeds” in the “garden” that is our life. But this is not God’s desire for us…and in Jesus, we find the perfect role model for how to treat others, regardless of our circumstances.
Every time I read the account of Jesus’ trial before the Romans and Pontius Pilate and the horrific beating He endured before a single nail was ever pounded into His flesh, I am reminded that the “indignities” and insults we experience are nothing by comparison. And yet, Jesus did not retaliate – although He surely could have! Instead, Jesus forgave…thieves on the cross, Roman soldiers who mocked Him…and ultimately, you and me!
I have to say, that little cardboard toilet paper roll with cotton balls made an impact on me, too. I will think of it when I think about how I treat others…how I react – and respond – to them. I will remind myself of the “Esau syndrome” and the “Esau arm”…and I will ask myself, “What would Jesus do?” I so want to get at least a glimpse of God face-to-face someday… and the Bible tells me this is an important part of how it’s done! Will you remember the “hairy arm” of Esau…and the compassion, grace and mercy of Jesus? Will you choose the latter as your model for daily living? Shouldn’t you?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Work at getting along with each other and with God. Otherwise you’ll never get so much as a glimpse of God. Make sure no one gets left out of God’s generosity. Keep a sharp eye out for weeds of bitter discontent. A thistle or two gone to seed can ruin a whole garden in no time. Watch out for the Esau syndrome: trading away God’s lifelong gift in order to satisfy a short-term appetite. You well know how Esau later regretted that impulsive act and wanted God’s blessing—but by then it was too late, tears or no tears.
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.
In Genesis 25 the story of the “Esau syndrome” is explained. Esau was the firstborn son of Isaac. One day he came in from the fields, and found his younger twin brother, Jacob, cooking a big stew. Esau was starving, and he asked for a serving. I don’t know if Jacob was teasing him at first, or if he was truly serious…but he basically said to Esau, “I’ll give you a bowl of stew in exchange for your rights as the firstborn.” And Esau said, “Okay!” In other words, Esau traded his lifelong heritage and the blessings that God and Isaac intended to be his for a belly full of food that satisfied an immediate appetite.
When we picked Timothy and Zola up after Sunday school yesterday, Timothy’s teacher handed him an empty toilet paper roll covered in cotton balls and said, “Don’t forget your ‘Esau arm’!” All the way to the car, Timothy told his Uncle Greg, “Jacob LIED to his father! He LIED! We aren’t supposed to LIE!” The Sunday school lesson had come from Genesis 27… a further development in the “Jacob and Esau saga”. You should read the whole story for yourself, but here’s a quick synopsis. Esau was a very hairy redhead. Scripture doesn’t fully describe Jacob’s appearance, but it is assumed that he looked nothing like Esau.
Isaac was old, blind and dying, and he had told Esau that he would bless him and his future. Scripture indicates that Isaac was partial to Esau. Jacob and his mother Rebekah were jealous of this, and they concocted a scheme to cover Jacob’s arms in animal fur, so that he would feel and smell like Esau. He would then go to Isaac and ask for the blessing, and Isaac would give it – thinking he was giving this sacred sign to Esau. Pick up your Bible and read the rest of the story to get a full account…but let’s just say that Jacob got himself into a huge heap of trouble!
This story made a big impact on Timothy. He was very impressed with his “hairy arm”…and even more affected by the message that lying is NOT a good thing! I am not sure that this lesson for 4-year-olds fully explored trading God’s lifelong gift for a short-term appetite…but the seeds were planted for learning more about this at a future date. But it is most certainly time for us to understand this lesson and get the whole picture!
Here’s the thing…we cannot make ourselves look better in God’s eyes than the next guy. All we do is end up hurting ourselves and others in the process. Sibling rivalry is as old as Cain and Abel…and jealousy and the desire to satisfy human appetites is documented in the Garden of Eden! Because of the devil and his power, we are vulnerable to sin…we lie, cheat, gossip, get caught up in jealousies, bicker, and plot “evil” against others in the form of deceptions – and even retributions. These are often the “weeds” in the “garden” that is our life. But this is not God’s desire for us…and in Jesus, we find the perfect role model for how to treat others, regardless of our circumstances.
Every time I read the account of Jesus’ trial before the Romans and Pontius Pilate and the horrific beating He endured before a single nail was ever pounded into His flesh, I am reminded that the “indignities” and insults we experience are nothing by comparison. And yet, Jesus did not retaliate – although He surely could have! Instead, Jesus forgave…thieves on the cross, Roman soldiers who mocked Him…and ultimately, you and me!
I have to say, that little cardboard toilet paper roll with cotton balls made an impact on me, too. I will think of it when I think about how I treat others…how I react – and respond – to them. I will remind myself of the “Esau syndrome” and the “Esau arm”…and I will ask myself, “What would Jesus do?” I so want to get at least a glimpse of God face-to-face someday… and the Bible tells me this is an important part of how it’s done! Will you remember the “hairy arm” of Esau…and the compassion, grace and mercy of Jesus? Will you choose the latter as your model for daily living? Shouldn’t you?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for April 14, 2013
Genesis 39
The Ishmaelites took Joseph to Egypt and sold him to Potiphar, the king’s official in charge of the palace guard. So Joseph lived in the home of Potiphar, his Egyptian owner.
Soon Potiphar realized that the Lord was helping Joseph to be successful in whatever he did. Potiphar liked Joseph and made him his personal assistant, putting him in charge of his house and all of his property. Because of Joseph, the Lord began to bless Potiphar’s family and fields. Potiphar left everything up to Joseph, and with Joseph there, the only decision he had to make was what he wanted to eat.
Joseph was well-built and handsome, and Potiphar’s wife soon noticed him. She asked him to make love to her, but he refused and said, “My master isn’t worried about anything in his house, because he has placed me in charge of everything he owns. No one in my master’s house is more important than I am. The only thing he hasn’t given me is you, and that’s because you are his wife. I won’t sin against God by doing such a terrible thing as this.” She kept begging Joseph day after day, but he refused to do what she wanted or even to go near her.
One day, Joseph went to Potiphar’s house to do his work, and none of the other servants were there. Potiphar’s wife grabbed hold of his coat and said, “Make love to me!” Joseph ran out of the house, leaving her hanging onto his coat.
When this happened, she called in her servants and said, “Look! This Hebrew has come just to make fools of us. He tried to rape me, but I screamed for help. And when he heard me scream, he ran out of the house, leaving his coat with me.”
Potiphar’s wife kept Joseph’s coat until her husband came home. Then she said, “That Hebrew slave of yours tried to rape me! But when I screamed for help, he left his coat and ran out of the house.”
Potiphar became very angry and threw Joseph in the same prison where the king’s prisoners were kept.
While Joseph was in prison, the Lord helped him and was good to him. He even made the jailer like Joseph so much that he put him in charge of the other prisoners and of everything that was done in the jail. The jailer did not worry about anything, because the Lord was with Joseph and made him successful in all that he did.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
A dear family friend is celebrating his 80th birthday today. My husband and I shared a lunch table at a local restaurant with him and his wife and another lifelong friend, and he told us that the way to keep from getting older is to lie about your age! Of course, he was joking… but how often do we make excuses – or lie – in order to avoid the truth? At our worship service today, the pastor said, “You can say ‘I don’t want to,’ but don’t tell me you don’t have time for ministries of the church and Bible study, because everybody is busy.” I cannot judge another person’s time constraints, but maybe it is time for us to merely say, “I do not feel that God is calling me to do this now,” or simply to answer with, “I don’t want to do this.” After all, nobody truly cares to hear our excuses – even if they are sound and fair.
As for lying and making up justifications to cover our tracks or relocate blame… this is never acceptable. And we do this all the time. Oh, maybe we don’t deliberately lie or blame someone else… but our “excuses” shift the responsibility all the same…
Who do you want to be like…Potiphar’s wife – or Joseph? Are your words and actions such that you want to blame them on someone else… or are you a trustworthy, upright servant? Spend some time today with God and talk to Him about this… and about your own situation. Discover where you need to operate with more honesty and genuineness… and leave excuse making to the devil, where it belongs.
©2013 Debbie Robus
The Ishmaelites took Joseph to Egypt and sold him to Potiphar, the king’s official in charge of the palace guard. So Joseph lived in the home of Potiphar, his Egyptian owner.
Soon Potiphar realized that the Lord was helping Joseph to be successful in whatever he did. Potiphar liked Joseph and made him his personal assistant, putting him in charge of his house and all of his property. Because of Joseph, the Lord began to bless Potiphar’s family and fields. Potiphar left everything up to Joseph, and with Joseph there, the only decision he had to make was what he wanted to eat.
Joseph was well-built and handsome, and Potiphar’s wife soon noticed him. She asked him to make love to her, but he refused and said, “My master isn’t worried about anything in his house, because he has placed me in charge of everything he owns. No one in my master’s house is more important than I am. The only thing he hasn’t given me is you, and that’s because you are his wife. I won’t sin against God by doing such a terrible thing as this.” She kept begging Joseph day after day, but he refused to do what she wanted or even to go near her.
One day, Joseph went to Potiphar’s house to do his work, and none of the other servants were there. Potiphar’s wife grabbed hold of his coat and said, “Make love to me!” Joseph ran out of the house, leaving her hanging onto his coat.
When this happened, she called in her servants and said, “Look! This Hebrew has come just to make fools of us. He tried to rape me, but I screamed for help. And when he heard me scream, he ran out of the house, leaving his coat with me.”
Potiphar’s wife kept Joseph’s coat until her husband came home. Then she said, “That Hebrew slave of yours tried to rape me! But when I screamed for help, he left his coat and ran out of the house.”
Potiphar became very angry and threw Joseph in the same prison where the king’s prisoners were kept.
While Joseph was in prison, the Lord helped him and was good to him. He even made the jailer like Joseph so much that he put him in charge of the other prisoners and of everything that was done in the jail. The jailer did not worry about anything, because the Lord was with Joseph and made him successful in all that he did.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
A dear family friend is celebrating his 80th birthday today. My husband and I shared a lunch table at a local restaurant with him and his wife and another lifelong friend, and he told us that the way to keep from getting older is to lie about your age! Of course, he was joking… but how often do we make excuses – or lie – in order to avoid the truth? At our worship service today, the pastor said, “You can say ‘I don’t want to,’ but don’t tell me you don’t have time for ministries of the church and Bible study, because everybody is busy.” I cannot judge another person’s time constraints, but maybe it is time for us to merely say, “I do not feel that God is calling me to do this now,” or simply to answer with, “I don’t want to do this.” After all, nobody truly cares to hear our excuses – even if they are sound and fair.
As for lying and making up justifications to cover our tracks or relocate blame… this is never acceptable. And we do this all the time. Oh, maybe we don’t deliberately lie or blame someone else… but our “excuses” shift the responsibility all the same…
- We claim we can’t participate in a certain group or event because of our past, when in truth the only judgments being made about us are our own. We all get about 15 minutes of “fame,” and chances are good that yours was over a long time ago!
- We use our family, friends, work, school, and extracurricular activities as an “alibi”… as in “I had to study,” or “I had a softball practice and couldn’t get there”… even when we know we could have made arrangements to juggle our schedule.
- We tell a friend that “I wasn’t going to share your secret, but So-and-so pried it out of me,” knowing all the time that we couldn’t wait to spread the gossip.
- We know that a friend or fellow Christian is lovingly making suggestions to help us, but since we don’t want to hear them, we become upset and defensive… and declare that “I can’t handle all of his/her pressure!”
- We don’t like an activity in which we agreed to participate… we don’t like our coursework at school… or we’re dissatisfied in our job. So rather than admit this and try to work on an alternative, we deliberately perform poorly and secretly hope that we will be asked to step aside... we’ll flunk out... or our employer will ask us to leave. This self-sabotage somehow seems better and easier to swallow than admitting the truth!
Who do you want to be like…Potiphar’s wife – or Joseph? Are your words and actions such that you want to blame them on someone else… or are you a trustworthy, upright servant? Spend some time today with God and talk to Him about this… and about your own situation. Discover where you need to operate with more honesty and genuineness… and leave excuse making to the devil, where it belongs.
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for February 27, 2013
1 Corinthians 14:20
To be perfectly frank, I’m getting exasperated with your infantile thinking. How long before you grow up and use your head—your adult head? It’s all right to have a childlike unfamiliarity with evil; a simple no is all that’s needed there. But there’s far more to saying yes to something. Only mature and well-exercised intelligence can save you from falling into gullibility.
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 will probably step on some toes today, but I feel like I have to share this. On my Facebook feed today, I found a post from an organization claiming that Beyoncé flashed a sign of the devil during her Super Bowl halftime performance this year. Additionally, these folks claim that Beyoncé’s husband, rapper Jay-Z, uses this sign on t-shirts and other products that promote his own celebrity as a public figure and entertainer. The claim is that Beyoncé and Jay-Z are part of a Satanic cult, and they are using their prominence to spread their message. Regardless of how you feel about Beyoncé (and I am neither endorsing nor condemning her and Jay-Z), I do not believe they have a hidden – and/or Satanic – agenda!
What does this have to do with 1 Corinthians 14:20? I’ll tell you! God wants us to be cognizant of evil. He want us to operate in wisdom… to be awake and alert to danger and attempts by the devil to creep into the tiniest corners of our lives. But God wants us to be smart, too. He doesn’t want us to fall for every claim we see and hear. Just because someone makes such statements on behalf of a “Christian” organization doesn’t mean they are speaking the truth – much less for God!
Just as we know that scammers contact us on e-mail and by telephone claiming to represent our bank or credit card company and needing vital information in order to “protect” us, we must be aware that the devil is plenty busy finding so-called “believers” to do his dirty work by keeping Christians riled up unnecessarily and “chasing rabbit trails.” To better understand this passage, I considered the verses before and after it. I also consulted several leading commentaries.
My conclusion is that Paul is reminding us to be innocent and child-like in our faith… to accept Jesus Christ and fully believe in Him even though we have not seen Him with our own eyes… to fully serve as His disciples and share His Good News with others. But at the same time, he is warning us not to get high and mighty in our actions and behaviors as Christians. We are not superior to others… we do not have a “secret code” or “inside scoop.” Moreover, we are not to run off on a tangent… to engage in hateful protests, or promote rumors and – at best – half-truths that look for the “boogey man” behind every rock. Instead of condemning others or acting as if we have it all figured out, we are to operate in child-like humility and faith… to earnestly and continually seek God and His wisdom and will for our lives.
Furthermore, I believe we are called to look out for one another… to share the knowledge and wisdom God provides us with fellow believers and those with whom we are sharing the Good News of Jesus. But we are called to refrain from perpetuating the falsehoods and negativity that some want to offer in the name of God…and in fact, to speak out against these things when we see and hear them being proffered. I know this is not always easy or popular, but serving God is not always a smooth ride. I know that by even sharing this with you today, some could decide not to read these daily devotionals any longer. It’s a chance I’m willing to take. I want to be child-like in my faith… and mature in God’s wisdom. Don’t you?
©2013 Debbie Robus
To be perfectly frank, I’m getting exasperated with your infantile thinking. How long before you grow up and use your head—your adult head? It’s all right to have a childlike unfamiliarity with evil; a simple no is all that’s needed there. But there’s far more to saying yes to something. Only mature and well-exercised intelligence can save you from falling into gullibility.
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 will probably step on some toes today, but I feel like I have to share this. On my Facebook feed today, I found a post from an organization claiming that Beyoncé flashed a sign of the devil during her Super Bowl halftime performance this year. Additionally, these folks claim that Beyoncé’s husband, rapper Jay-Z, uses this sign on t-shirts and other products that promote his own celebrity as a public figure and entertainer. The claim is that Beyoncé and Jay-Z are part of a Satanic cult, and they are using their prominence to spread their message. Regardless of how you feel about Beyoncé (and I am neither endorsing nor condemning her and Jay-Z), I do not believe they have a hidden – and/or Satanic – agenda!
What does this have to do with 1 Corinthians 14:20? I’ll tell you! God wants us to be cognizant of evil. He want us to operate in wisdom… to be awake and alert to danger and attempts by the devil to creep into the tiniest corners of our lives. But God wants us to be smart, too. He doesn’t want us to fall for every claim we see and hear. Just because someone makes such statements on behalf of a “Christian” organization doesn’t mean they are speaking the truth – much less for God!
Just as we know that scammers contact us on e-mail and by telephone claiming to represent our bank or credit card company and needing vital information in order to “protect” us, we must be aware that the devil is plenty busy finding so-called “believers” to do his dirty work by keeping Christians riled up unnecessarily and “chasing rabbit trails.” To better understand this passage, I considered the verses before and after it. I also consulted several leading commentaries.
My conclusion is that Paul is reminding us to be innocent and child-like in our faith… to accept Jesus Christ and fully believe in Him even though we have not seen Him with our own eyes… to fully serve as His disciples and share His Good News with others. But at the same time, he is warning us not to get high and mighty in our actions and behaviors as Christians. We are not superior to others… we do not have a “secret code” or “inside scoop.” Moreover, we are not to run off on a tangent… to engage in hateful protests, or promote rumors and – at best – half-truths that look for the “boogey man” behind every rock. Instead of condemning others or acting as if we have it all figured out, we are to operate in child-like humility and faith… to earnestly and continually seek God and His wisdom and will for our lives.
Furthermore, I believe we are called to look out for one another… to share the knowledge and wisdom God provides us with fellow believers and those with whom we are sharing the Good News of Jesus. But we are called to refrain from perpetuating the falsehoods and negativity that some want to offer in the name of God…and in fact, to speak out against these things when we see and hear them being proffered. I know this is not always easy or popular, but serving God is not always a smooth ride. I know that by even sharing this with you today, some could decide not to read these daily devotionals any longer. It’s a chance I’m willing to take. I want to be child-like in my faith… and mature in God’s wisdom. Don’t you?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for August 18, 2012
Psalm 34:13
Guard your tongue from profanity, and no more lying through your teeth.
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.
According to information gathered at www.rotary.org, Rotary International is a world-wide (and widely respected) service organization whose mission is…”to provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through its fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders.” I was a member of Rotary International for several years. Like most members, I carried a card in my wallet that outlined the Rotary “4-Way Test”…
We are on the threshold of a new school year… a new beginning for many – particularly those under the age of 25. When I was teaching, the end of August held more of a “New Year/Fresh Start” feeling for me than January 1st. So it is fitting that as we approach the “back-to-school” date on the calendar, we renew our determination to speak the truth… to avoid all unkind language (not just profanity)… to seek fairness, goodwill, better friendships…and to make sure that our words and actions are beneficial to all concerned.
Let’s make this our prayer for today and every day. Let’s incorporate the 4-Way Test into our daily Christian discipleship. Ask God to help you make this a great year… and to start it off on the right foot!
©2012 Debbie Robus
Guard your tongue from profanity, and no more lying through your teeth.
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.
According to information gathered at www.rotary.org, Rotary International is a world-wide (and widely respected) service organization whose mission is…”to provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through its fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders.” I was a member of Rotary International for several years. Like most members, I carried a card in my wallet that outlined the Rotary “4-Way Test”…
- Is it the TRUTH?
- Is it FAIR to all concerned?
- Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
- Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
We are on the threshold of a new school year… a new beginning for many – particularly those under the age of 25. When I was teaching, the end of August held more of a “New Year/Fresh Start” feeling for me than January 1st. So it is fitting that as we approach the “back-to-school” date on the calendar, we renew our determination to speak the truth… to avoid all unkind language (not just profanity)… to seek fairness, goodwill, better friendships…and to make sure that our words and actions are beneficial to all concerned.
Let’s make this our prayer for today and every day. Let’s incorporate the 4-Way Test into our daily Christian discipleship. Ask God to help you make this a great year… and to start it off on the right foot!
©2012 Debbie Robus
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