2 Timothy 1:5-7
I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you. This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
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.
One recent Sunday as we ate our Burger King lunch, Timothy launched into a presentation of several lines from the vintage film, “Frosty the Snowman”…as in, “When the thermometer turns red, I start to melt. I don’t like red thermometers.” He went on for several minutes. We don’t know what prompted this, but he often quotes movie lines. He is a walking encyclopedia of movie excerpts. Zola has begun to find her “voice,” and often, she mimics Timothy – or the adults around her. For instance, on a recent trip to the playground, she kept saying, “Be careful, Timmy! Be careful!” I know she had heard either Greg or me say that to her big brother. Let me tell you, Timothy and Zola miss virtually NOTHING!
I know I sound like a broken record, but someone is almost always watching. They see when you gripe and complain in the grocery store line. They notice when you smile and say “Hello.” They observe how you interact with your family members and friends…whether you are kind and considerate – or rude and obnoxious. People notice when you speak to them…and when you don’t! People also pay attention to whether your talk matches your actions – or doesn’t. So when you sing in the youth choir – or are front and center at every Bible study and worship service – then speak unkindly about someone or always seem to have an axe to grind…others take note!
When “Christians” talk about their faith and how much God means to them in one breath…and belittle the less fortunate or spew hateful remarks about those who differ in their politics, denomination or religious belief, race, creed, color and/or sexual orientation…all of that “witness” goes out the window. Who will believe you when you say you care, if you have behaved in a manner that indicates anything other than compassion and acceptance?
I realize that all of us say or do things at one time or another that are ungodly…or at best, not very nice. But in general, I was blessed that my upbringing apparently included more examples of tolerance and compassion than those that were undisciplined or exclusive. And I am trying very hard to be a good example to those whom I encounter – of all ages - but especially the younger ones. When I see Timothy and Zola greet others politely and with a smile…when I hear them speak to others and answer, “I’m just fine…how are you?” to those who inquire of them…I am blessed. I see God working in these little children to create a spirit of love and compassion for others…and I am more determined to foster a spirit of power and self-discipline in them, their little brother Nathan, and other youngsters whom we encounter. Perhaps someday they will look back and think of their Uncle Greg and Aunt Debbie as faith-filled Christians who demonstrated God’s love and care to others – and taught them to do the same.
What about you? Regardless of your upbringing, you have the ultimate “Fatherly” example of how to treat others in the life of Jesus Christ. You have God’s word…and if you are in close communication with Him, you have His guidance and understand His will. Essentially, you have no excuse for behaving with a “spirit of fear and timidity”. If you are truly listening to God and following His lead, you can’t help but operate in His power and unconditional love for others. Because of God’s influence, you should be able to exercise self-discipline and keep your words, thoughts and actions in line with His will and Jesus’ example.
It’s time for us to take a personal assessment…time to give our lives a good hard look…to examine what we are showing to others. People are watching and listening…they are looking at us and deciding whether or not we demonstrate Jesus’ love, grace, mercy, forgiveness and compassion.
When others look at you…what do they see? More importantly, what image of Jesus are you sharing with them? Will the faith of those who preceded you continue strongly through you and on to future generations? Will it even be visible at all?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label treating others with love and kindness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label treating others with love and kindness. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for January 24, 2014
John 6:35-37
Jesus said, “I am the Bread of Life. The person who aligns with me hungers no more and thirsts no more, ever. I have told you this explicitly because even though you have seen me in action, you don’t really believe me. Every person the Father gives me eventually comes running to me. And once that person is with me, I hold on and don’t let go.
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.
There is presently a Facebook challenge circulating where “friends” are posting: “To start this year off in a loving way I'm participating in the Pay-it-Forward initiative...The first FIVE people who comment on this status with ‘I'm in’ will receive a surprise from me at some point in this calendar year…anything from a book, something homemade, a postcard, absolutely any surprise! There will be no warning and it will happen when the mood comes over me and I find something that I believe would suit you and make you happy. These five people must make the same offer in their FB status and distribute their own joy.”
This idea sounds great…five people do something nice for five people who do something nice for five more people…you get the idea. But why stop there? Why only do something nice for the first five people who comment? Are they truly the ones who need a “nice surprise” in their life? Why not look around your everyday situations and find people who could use a lift…a note of encouragement…a phone call “buddy check”…a meal…help with an errand or chore…or another gesture that says, “I care about you!”…and put Christian love and compassion into action?
In this scripture passage, Jesus says, “I am the Bread of Life. The person who aligns with me hungers no more and thirsts no more, ever.” Jesus adds that once that person is with Him, He will hold on and never let go. I keep hearing Jesus say, “I am for EVERYONE! What I offer one, I offer ALL! I will never EVER let you go…you can always count on me to love you and care about your every need! I know you don’t seem to always believe this, but I am telling you…take this to the BANK!”
Are we like Jesus? Are we modeling His discipleship and compassion? Are we offering His “Bread of Life” to others in the form of conscious efforts to make their day better introduce them to His love and care in action? Or are we waiting for people to come to us and say, “I could use a hug…a handout…support in some manner…”? Have we made a convincing demonstration of love and compassion to others? Do they believe that we really care…or do we only meet the needs of those select few who raise their hands and voices and say, “I’m in!”?
Suppose Jesus said, “I will meet the needs of the first five people who come to Me and say, “I’m in”…and His efforts to “feed the sheep” stopped there? Suppose He never expended any energy to pursue those “on the fringes”…those with great needs who never asked for help – for whatever reasons. Suppose His salvation, love and care were not all-encompassing…or eternal! Because we have been so blessed…because of the heritage we are given in Christ Jesus…we should be eager to share our gifts with others. In doing so, we essentially say, “I love you and care for you with the love of Christ, which is fully and equally available to you!”
If you want to participate in this Facebook challenge, by all means… go for it! I do not mean to criticize this concept. But I dare you to go even further… to embrace the love of Christ that has been extended to you… and to “pay it forward” to those who may least suspect that someone else cares - but are the ones who need to know this the most! In doing so, you will truly extend Jesus’ offering of the “Bread of Life”. In return, you will “hunger and thirst no more” for His love and blessings. Whaddya say…are you “in”?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Jesus said, “I am the Bread of Life. The person who aligns with me hungers no more and thirsts no more, ever. I have told you this explicitly because even though you have seen me in action, you don’t really believe me. Every person the Father gives me eventually comes running to me. And once that person is with me, I hold on and don’t let go.
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.
There is presently a Facebook challenge circulating where “friends” are posting: “To start this year off in a loving way I'm participating in the Pay-it-Forward initiative...The first FIVE people who comment on this status with ‘I'm in’ will receive a surprise from me at some point in this calendar year…anything from a book, something homemade, a postcard, absolutely any surprise! There will be no warning and it will happen when the mood comes over me and I find something that I believe would suit you and make you happy. These five people must make the same offer in their FB status and distribute their own joy.”
This idea sounds great…five people do something nice for five people who do something nice for five more people…you get the idea. But why stop there? Why only do something nice for the first five people who comment? Are they truly the ones who need a “nice surprise” in their life? Why not look around your everyday situations and find people who could use a lift…a note of encouragement…a phone call “buddy check”…a meal…help with an errand or chore…or another gesture that says, “I care about you!”…and put Christian love and compassion into action?
In this scripture passage, Jesus says, “I am the Bread of Life. The person who aligns with me hungers no more and thirsts no more, ever.” Jesus adds that once that person is with Him, He will hold on and never let go. I keep hearing Jesus say, “I am for EVERYONE! What I offer one, I offer ALL! I will never EVER let you go…you can always count on me to love you and care about your every need! I know you don’t seem to always believe this, but I am telling you…take this to the BANK!”
Are we like Jesus? Are we modeling His discipleship and compassion? Are we offering His “Bread of Life” to others in the form of conscious efforts to make their day better introduce them to His love and care in action? Or are we waiting for people to come to us and say, “I could use a hug…a handout…support in some manner…”? Have we made a convincing demonstration of love and compassion to others? Do they believe that we really care…or do we only meet the needs of those select few who raise their hands and voices and say, “I’m in!”?
Suppose Jesus said, “I will meet the needs of the first five people who come to Me and say, “I’m in”…and His efforts to “feed the sheep” stopped there? Suppose He never expended any energy to pursue those “on the fringes”…those with great needs who never asked for help – for whatever reasons. Suppose His salvation, love and care were not all-encompassing…or eternal! Because we have been so blessed…because of the heritage we are given in Christ Jesus…we should be eager to share our gifts with others. In doing so, we essentially say, “I love you and care for you with the love of Christ, which is fully and equally available to you!”
If you want to participate in this Facebook challenge, by all means… go for it! I do not mean to criticize this concept. But I dare you to go even further… to embrace the love of Christ that has been extended to you… and to “pay it forward” to those who may least suspect that someone else cares - but are the ones who need to know this the most! In doing so, you will truly extend Jesus’ offering of the “Bread of Life”. In return, you will “hunger and thirst no more” for His love and blessings. Whaddya say…are you “in”?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for January 5, 2014
Matthew 18:28-35
“The servant was no sooner out of the room when he came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him ten dollars. He seized him by the throat and demanded, ‘Pay up. Now!’
“The poor wretch threw himself down and begged, ‘Give me a chance and I’ll pay it all back.’ But he wouldn’t do it. He had him arrested and put in jail until the debt was paid. When the other servants saw this going on, they were outraged and brought a detailed report to the king.
“The king summoned the man and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave your entire debt when you begged me for mercy. Shouldn’t you be compelled to be merciful to your fellow servant who asked for mercy?’ The king was furious and put the screws to the man until he paid back his entire debt. And that’s exactly what my Father in heaven is going to do to each one of you who doesn’t forgive unconditionally anyone who asks for mercy.”
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.
January 3, 2014, author/blogger Ben Irwin wrote a piece for http://HuffingtonPost.com titled “20 Things the Poor Really Do Every Day”*. Irwin cited several sources for creating his list, and the points were compelling…search for affordable housing…try to make $133 worth of food last a whole month…skip a meal…work longer and harder than most of us - just to name a few. Irwin’s point was that the poor may not share the habits of the rich… but it’s not necessarily because they don’t want to…or because they are lazy or ignorant. More importantly, Irwin notes that the poor are “those with whom Jesus identifies most closely”.
As I thought about this article and how we look at people who are “less fortunate” than we are, I considered this scripture passage and Jesus’ admonition to show mercy to those who ask for it. I believe that His message extends much further. How many people in need do you know who are unabashed about asking for help or mercy? I’m sure my church’s staff might argue this point with me, because they spend every Tuesday fielding request from folks who need money or assistance from our “Pastor’s Emergency Fund” - and I am quite sure some are not the least bit embarrassed to ask repeatedly. But at the same time, I know there are people who will do without a lot of things most would consider necessities – or simply avoid certain people and situations - rather than ask for help.
There are also those who are so embarrassed and ashamed of their situation… or their behavior… that they cannot bring themselves to ask for forgiveness and/or a second chance. If you don’t believe me, ask yourself if you have ever felt you had to improve in one area or another before you approached God. It’s the same thing. We all have times when we think that we cannot rectify our situation… rebuild a relationship… or ask for help… until we get things straightened out a little more on our own. And in doing this, we rob ourselves of blessings on so many levels.
I say all this to remind each of us – myself especially – to put ourselves in the shoes of the other guy. Consider how he feels… what struggles plague him…how hard it might be for this person to ask for help – much less seek mercy and forgiveness. I am in no way suggesting that you let people run over you and take full advantage of your kindness. I’m merely suggesting that we truly offer others compassion and understanding… that we try to see things from their vantage point. Rather than demand payment or to be treated in a certain way… perhaps we should shower this person with love and gentleness. You know…treat them just like Jesus treats us! We might just find that they come around sooner...or at the very least, that we are more tenderhearted and merciful in our own thoughts and actions!
God does not want us to be “doormats” for others. But many of us have plenty of situations and relationships that are far removed from this status…yet they could use a hefty dose of grace, mercy and compassion. Are you willing to take a step back and consider the other person’s perspective? Can you operate more from a position of kindheartedness, understanding and compassion… and less from one of judgment and ultimatum? Will you offer others the same level of mercy that you desire from God? Shouldn’t you?
©2014 Debbie Robus
* http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ben-irwin/20-things-poor-people-really-do_b_4533691.html
“The servant was no sooner out of the room when he came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him ten dollars. He seized him by the throat and demanded, ‘Pay up. Now!’
“The poor wretch threw himself down and begged, ‘Give me a chance and I’ll pay it all back.’ But he wouldn’t do it. He had him arrested and put in jail until the debt was paid. When the other servants saw this going on, they were outraged and brought a detailed report to the king.
“The king summoned the man and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave your entire debt when you begged me for mercy. Shouldn’t you be compelled to be merciful to your fellow servant who asked for mercy?’ The king was furious and put the screws to the man until he paid back his entire debt. And that’s exactly what my Father in heaven is going to do to each one of you who doesn’t forgive unconditionally anyone who asks for mercy.”
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.
January 3, 2014, author/blogger Ben Irwin wrote a piece for http://HuffingtonPost.com titled “20 Things the Poor Really Do Every Day”*. Irwin cited several sources for creating his list, and the points were compelling…search for affordable housing…try to make $133 worth of food last a whole month…skip a meal…work longer and harder than most of us - just to name a few. Irwin’s point was that the poor may not share the habits of the rich… but it’s not necessarily because they don’t want to…or because they are lazy or ignorant. More importantly, Irwin notes that the poor are “those with whom Jesus identifies most closely”.
As I thought about this article and how we look at people who are “less fortunate” than we are, I considered this scripture passage and Jesus’ admonition to show mercy to those who ask for it. I believe that His message extends much further. How many people in need do you know who are unabashed about asking for help or mercy? I’m sure my church’s staff might argue this point with me, because they spend every Tuesday fielding request from folks who need money or assistance from our “Pastor’s Emergency Fund” - and I am quite sure some are not the least bit embarrassed to ask repeatedly. But at the same time, I know there are people who will do without a lot of things most would consider necessities – or simply avoid certain people and situations - rather than ask for help.
There are also those who are so embarrassed and ashamed of their situation… or their behavior… that they cannot bring themselves to ask for forgiveness and/or a second chance. If you don’t believe me, ask yourself if you have ever felt you had to improve in one area or another before you approached God. It’s the same thing. We all have times when we think that we cannot rectify our situation… rebuild a relationship… or ask for help… until we get things straightened out a little more on our own. And in doing this, we rob ourselves of blessings on so many levels.
I say all this to remind each of us – myself especially – to put ourselves in the shoes of the other guy. Consider how he feels… what struggles plague him…how hard it might be for this person to ask for help – much less seek mercy and forgiveness. I am in no way suggesting that you let people run over you and take full advantage of your kindness. I’m merely suggesting that we truly offer others compassion and understanding… that we try to see things from their vantage point. Rather than demand payment or to be treated in a certain way… perhaps we should shower this person with love and gentleness. You know…treat them just like Jesus treats us! We might just find that they come around sooner...or at the very least, that we are more tenderhearted and merciful in our own thoughts and actions!
God does not want us to be “doormats” for others. But many of us have plenty of situations and relationships that are far removed from this status…yet they could use a hefty dose of grace, mercy and compassion. Are you willing to take a step back and consider the other person’s perspective? Can you operate more from a position of kindheartedness, understanding and compassion… and less from one of judgment and ultimatum? Will you offer others the same level of mercy that you desire from God? Shouldn’t you?
©2014 Debbie Robus
* http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ben-irwin/20-things-poor-people-really-do_b_4533691.html
Daily Devotional for January 1, 2014
Luke 23:34-35
Jesus said, “Father, forgive these people! They don’t know what they’re doing.”
While the crowd stood there watching Jesus, the soldiers gambled for his clothes. The leaders insulted him by saying, “He saved others. Now he should save himself, if he really is God’s chosen Messiah!”
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
When Greg and I were in college, we used to sit in our car nearly every day and share a sandwich/potato chip lunch while listening to radio broadcaster Paul Harvey. There was something charming and compelling about Harvey’s delivery. His “hook” was to tell part of an interesting story, then break for a commercial… and then he would return to finish his tale. At the end he would say, “And now you know the rest of the story.” Harvey became famous for “the rest of the story!” and even wrote a book by this title.
So often in life, there is a “rest of the story”… and many times, we react without getting it! Our thoughts, comments and judgments are erroneous, harsh – even cruel at times – because we have failed to consider that there may be more going on with the other guy. We might not have the full picture. Even more importantly, we neglect to recognize that GOD is the only true judge…that this is not our place to draw conclusions. We are to act – and react – with compassion…to offer the same grace, mercy, forgiveness and understanding to others that Jesus offered his abusers - even on the cross and as they gambled for his clothing.
Tall order? Maybe! But when you consider what Jesus did for us… how HE responded to his assailants…any leniency and benefit of the doubt that we offer to others pales by comparison.
I know that people say and do ugly and hurtful things. I know that we are all judged unfairly and treated unkindly at one time or another. I know that it sometimes seems like “life” knocks us down and drags us through the mud. But if Jesus can hang naked and disfigured on a cross and ask God to forgive those who have desolated Him, can’t we surely offer compassion and charity to those who mistreat us?
Today we begin a new year… we turn the page on the calendar and start with a “clean slate”. Isn’t this the perfect day to resolve to be more empathetic… to show more compassion, grace, mercy and forgiveness to others? I’m ready to stop giving the devil a victory by holding grudges, harboring insults and judging others…I’m ready to be more like Jesus and operate in a spirit of kindheartedness and tolerance of others. I’m ready to recognize that there might very well be a “rest of the story” and offer others a hefty dose of the same mercy Jesus offers to each of us. What about you?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Jesus said, “Father, forgive these people! They don’t know what they’re doing.”
While the crowd stood there watching Jesus, the soldiers gambled for his clothes. The leaders insulted him by saying, “He saved others. Now he should save himself, if he really is God’s chosen Messiah!”
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
When Greg and I were in college, we used to sit in our car nearly every day and share a sandwich/potato chip lunch while listening to radio broadcaster Paul Harvey. There was something charming and compelling about Harvey’s delivery. His “hook” was to tell part of an interesting story, then break for a commercial… and then he would return to finish his tale. At the end he would say, “And now you know the rest of the story.” Harvey became famous for “the rest of the story!” and even wrote a book by this title.
So often in life, there is a “rest of the story”… and many times, we react without getting it! Our thoughts, comments and judgments are erroneous, harsh – even cruel at times – because we have failed to consider that there may be more going on with the other guy. We might not have the full picture. Even more importantly, we neglect to recognize that GOD is the only true judge…that this is not our place to draw conclusions. We are to act – and react – with compassion…to offer the same grace, mercy, forgiveness and understanding to others that Jesus offered his abusers - even on the cross and as they gambled for his clothing.
Tall order? Maybe! But when you consider what Jesus did for us… how HE responded to his assailants…any leniency and benefit of the doubt that we offer to others pales by comparison.
I know that people say and do ugly and hurtful things. I know that we are all judged unfairly and treated unkindly at one time or another. I know that it sometimes seems like “life” knocks us down and drags us through the mud. But if Jesus can hang naked and disfigured on a cross and ask God to forgive those who have desolated Him, can’t we surely offer compassion and charity to those who mistreat us?
Today we begin a new year… we turn the page on the calendar and start with a “clean slate”. Isn’t this the perfect day to resolve to be more empathetic… to show more compassion, grace, mercy and forgiveness to others? I’m ready to stop giving the devil a victory by holding grudges, harboring insults and judging others…I’m ready to be more like Jesus and operate in a spirit of kindheartedness and tolerance of others. I’m ready to recognize that there might very well be a “rest of the story” and offer others a hefty dose of the same mercy Jesus offers to each of us. What about you?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for December 17, 2013
Psalm 25:3
No one who trusts in you will ever be disgraced,
but disgrace comes to those who try to deceive others.
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 wasn’t going to tell you this… but…I guess this is as good a time as any for the “Christmas Bicycle” story. I’m guessing my brother was about 8 years old the Christmas he asked for a “real bicycle”. You see, the only bicycle he had ever owned was a second-hand, cobbled-up affair that someone had fixed for him, and he wanted a “Stingray” bicycle with the banana seat and all the trimmings. He was positive that Santa Claus… a.k.a. Mom and Dad… would bring him this bicycle. That was all he talked about… for weeks. “When I get my bicycle”… or “Santa is bringing me a bicycle”… or “I will do this or that on my new bicycle.” My sister and I… older than he by 3 and 4 years… were ready to gag. When Tim got on a run about something like that, he would NOT let it go!
We always spent Christmas Eve at the farm with my grandparents… my Mam-ma Polly and Pap-pa Truman. That year, Tim got a cassette tape recorder from them. But all the way home, he talked about the bicycle he would get the next morning. So my sister and I asked to “borrow” the tape recorder, and we made little bedtime recording for Tim. We told him that there was not enough money to get him the bicycle he wanted. We explained that Mom and Dad had bought a wig for my sister Suzanne, and I don’t remember what they got me, but when they finished paying for those items, there just was not enough money for the bike. We asked him to “buck up”… to try not to be upset… to essentially be a sore loser and give the bicycle nonsense a rest!
We delivered the tape recording to Tim and said, “Listen to this!”… and then we returned to our room. Soon, we heard crying. Our little brother was Devastated (and yes, I meant to use a capital “D”!). He was so heartbroken, and we were immediately sorry that we had done this. We tried and tried to convince him that it was a joke… that we made it all up… that he WAS getting a bicycle for Christmas. But the damage was done.
The next morning, Tim was one sad little boy as he dragged himself into the living room. Mom and Dad tried to coax him to look out the dining room window onto the patio. They told him that “Santa” had left something there for him. He did not seem the least bit enthused… and of course, my parents were totally baffled by his behavior. So my sister and I had to confess. Then we threw open the curtain and revealed the shiny new bike, and Tim was beyond excited again. But Suzanne and I were not nearly as jubilant… and our parents were even less thrilled with us!
To this day, the “Christmas Bicycle Story” is a situation that makes us groan. How could we have been so deceptive and so cruel? Even given how annoying our little brother could be, that was an awful thing to do to him. But Tim, being “Tim” forgave us over and again through the years and offered both of us more grace for that incident - and other times we blamed Little Brother for our own misdeeds - than either of us deserved. To say that we are ashamed and disgraced by our behavior would be a major understatement… but we take comfort in knowing that we truly were forgiven.
I have said many times that even when nobody discovers your wrongdoings… God knows about them. Even if you seem to “skate by” with transgressions, deceptions and lies…God knows the truth. I don’t know about you, but the one thing I cannot bear to face is the thought that I might stand before God in disgrace. Thankfully, I don’t have to. I have given Him my heart and soul… I have invited Jesus to be the LORD of my life and to fill my heart with His Holy Spirit. I have been forgiven and offered unending love, grace and mercy. And while this is not a license to lie, cheat and steal, I know that if/when I do falter (because we are human and will have our moments), God will pick me up, dust me off, and set me upright again.
Because of all of this, I have hope. I will do my very best never to operate in deceit… and certainly I will make every effort not to disgrace myself… much less God. I will thank Him every day for His forgiveness and unconditional love and care. And I will live expectantly…anticipating the day when I will not only be able to share a laugh again about the “Christmas Bicycle” with my brother… but also to receive another hug of forgiveness from him.
Best of all, I will enjoy the glory and wonderment of God’s presence face-to-face… and that will be the best “Christmas” present ever! Are you hoping for… and expecting the same?
©2013 Debbie Robus
No one who trusts in you will ever be disgraced,
but disgrace comes to those who try to deceive others.
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 wasn’t going to tell you this… but…I guess this is as good a time as any for the “Christmas Bicycle” story. I’m guessing my brother was about 8 years old the Christmas he asked for a “real bicycle”. You see, the only bicycle he had ever owned was a second-hand, cobbled-up affair that someone had fixed for him, and he wanted a “Stingray” bicycle with the banana seat and all the trimmings. He was positive that Santa Claus… a.k.a. Mom and Dad… would bring him this bicycle. That was all he talked about… for weeks. “When I get my bicycle”… or “Santa is bringing me a bicycle”… or “I will do this or that on my new bicycle.” My sister and I… older than he by 3 and 4 years… were ready to gag. When Tim got on a run about something like that, he would NOT let it go!
We always spent Christmas Eve at the farm with my grandparents… my Mam-ma Polly and Pap-pa Truman. That year, Tim got a cassette tape recorder from them. But all the way home, he talked about the bicycle he would get the next morning. So my sister and I asked to “borrow” the tape recorder, and we made little bedtime recording for Tim. We told him that there was not enough money to get him the bicycle he wanted. We explained that Mom and Dad had bought a wig for my sister Suzanne, and I don’t remember what they got me, but when they finished paying for those items, there just was not enough money for the bike. We asked him to “buck up”… to try not to be upset… to essentially be a sore loser and give the bicycle nonsense a rest!
We delivered the tape recording to Tim and said, “Listen to this!”… and then we returned to our room. Soon, we heard crying. Our little brother was Devastated (and yes, I meant to use a capital “D”!). He was so heartbroken, and we were immediately sorry that we had done this. We tried and tried to convince him that it was a joke… that we made it all up… that he WAS getting a bicycle for Christmas. But the damage was done.
The next morning, Tim was one sad little boy as he dragged himself into the living room. Mom and Dad tried to coax him to look out the dining room window onto the patio. They told him that “Santa” had left something there for him. He did not seem the least bit enthused… and of course, my parents were totally baffled by his behavior. So my sister and I had to confess. Then we threw open the curtain and revealed the shiny new bike, and Tim was beyond excited again. But Suzanne and I were not nearly as jubilant… and our parents were even less thrilled with us!
To this day, the “Christmas Bicycle Story” is a situation that makes us groan. How could we have been so deceptive and so cruel? Even given how annoying our little brother could be, that was an awful thing to do to him. But Tim, being “Tim” forgave us over and again through the years and offered both of us more grace for that incident - and other times we blamed Little Brother for our own misdeeds - than either of us deserved. To say that we are ashamed and disgraced by our behavior would be a major understatement… but we take comfort in knowing that we truly were forgiven.
I have said many times that even when nobody discovers your wrongdoings… God knows about them. Even if you seem to “skate by” with transgressions, deceptions and lies…God knows the truth. I don’t know about you, but the one thing I cannot bear to face is the thought that I might stand before God in disgrace. Thankfully, I don’t have to. I have given Him my heart and soul… I have invited Jesus to be the LORD of my life and to fill my heart with His Holy Spirit. I have been forgiven and offered unending love, grace and mercy. And while this is not a license to lie, cheat and steal, I know that if/when I do falter (because we are human and will have our moments), God will pick me up, dust me off, and set me upright again.
Because of all of this, I have hope. I will do my very best never to operate in deceit… and certainly I will make every effort not to disgrace myself… much less God. I will thank Him every day for His forgiveness and unconditional love and care. And I will live expectantly…anticipating the day when I will not only be able to share a laugh again about the “Christmas Bicycle” with my brother… but also to receive another hug of forgiveness from him.
Best of all, I will enjoy the glory and wonderment of God’s presence face-to-face… and that will be the best “Christmas” present ever! Are you hoping for… and expecting the same?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for October 27, 2013
Romans 12:9-11
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.
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.
In case you didn’t know this already, I really, really, REALLY love my little great-niece and nephews, Zola, Timothy and Nathan. I would do just about anything for them. Yes, I shower them with “things” – clothes, toys, and treats, to name a few. But I also try to show genuine affection as often as I can… hugs, kisses, snuggles, applause for accomplishments, praise for good behavior… and lots and lots of time spent together doing all sorts of things. I’ve cooked their meals, changed their diapers, bathed them, rocked them to sleep… and most importantly, I have prayed for them. Even though they are toddlers and small children, I respect them, so I try to listen to their opinions about which foods they like, their protests at naptime or bedtime, and even their choice of the toys with which they would like to play.
But because I love these children so much, I have rules they must follow. I want them to learn to be strong, morally upright, independent people who respect others… and themselves. So I insist that they at least help clean up the messes they make… that they don’t splash water out of the tub and all over me… that they don’t spit or throw food…that they use an “inside voice” and don’t yell and scream when we are inside… that they mind me and their Uncle Greg when we ask them to do something…and that they treat others with kindness and respect. They know that when they disobey these rules, there are consequences… and they are discovering that the consequences are no fun!
If I didn’t love and care for Timothy, Zola and Nathan so much, I might ditch the rules and let them have a free-for-all. Or I might just say, “Call me when you are a grown-up” and go my merry way for the next 18 years or so. I could telephone and send cards occasionally… see them on holidays for an hour or two… and tell everyone how much I love them. But this would be neither good, nor right. Real love involves action as much as words… maybe more! Real love involves respect and reverence for the other guy… and a demonstration of this through genuine affection and honor. And real love requires effort!
Our love and respect for God is no different. We can say we love Him… we can go through the motions and give Him lip service. But if we don’t show Him genuine affection… if we disrespect and dishonor Him… if we disobey His laws and try to have it our way… we have not really loved Him. Furthermore, when we treat others in this manner, we have not loved God… because to dishonor, disrespect, and mistreat one of God’s creatures is to do the same to Him. And the consequences of mistreating God are no fun, either. When we fail to show God real love, we form a separation between us and Him… we block His blessings and short-change everyone involved.
I encourage you to take a long hard look at your life. Who do you really love…and who do you pretend to love? Who do you shower with genuine affection and honor… and who do you disrespect and disobey? Where are you lazy in your efforts to love others? Where do you need to work harder to demonstrate real love? Isn’t it time you figured all of this out and started making better choices? Are you holding tightly to what is good and hating what is wrong...in your relationships with God - and with others? Do you really love God… and others? Isn’t it time you did?
©2013 Debbie Robus
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.
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.
In case you didn’t know this already, I really, really, REALLY love my little great-niece and nephews, Zola, Timothy and Nathan. I would do just about anything for them. Yes, I shower them with “things” – clothes, toys, and treats, to name a few. But I also try to show genuine affection as often as I can… hugs, kisses, snuggles, applause for accomplishments, praise for good behavior… and lots and lots of time spent together doing all sorts of things. I’ve cooked their meals, changed their diapers, bathed them, rocked them to sleep… and most importantly, I have prayed for them. Even though they are toddlers and small children, I respect them, so I try to listen to their opinions about which foods they like, their protests at naptime or bedtime, and even their choice of the toys with which they would like to play.
But because I love these children so much, I have rules they must follow. I want them to learn to be strong, morally upright, independent people who respect others… and themselves. So I insist that they at least help clean up the messes they make… that they don’t splash water out of the tub and all over me… that they don’t spit or throw food…that they use an “inside voice” and don’t yell and scream when we are inside… that they mind me and their Uncle Greg when we ask them to do something…and that they treat others with kindness and respect. They know that when they disobey these rules, there are consequences… and they are discovering that the consequences are no fun!
If I didn’t love and care for Timothy, Zola and Nathan so much, I might ditch the rules and let them have a free-for-all. Or I might just say, “Call me when you are a grown-up” and go my merry way for the next 18 years or so. I could telephone and send cards occasionally… see them on holidays for an hour or two… and tell everyone how much I love them. But this would be neither good, nor right. Real love involves action as much as words… maybe more! Real love involves respect and reverence for the other guy… and a demonstration of this through genuine affection and honor. And real love requires effort!
Our love and respect for God is no different. We can say we love Him… we can go through the motions and give Him lip service. But if we don’t show Him genuine affection… if we disrespect and dishonor Him… if we disobey His laws and try to have it our way… we have not really loved Him. Furthermore, when we treat others in this manner, we have not loved God… because to dishonor, disrespect, and mistreat one of God’s creatures is to do the same to Him. And the consequences of mistreating God are no fun, either. When we fail to show God real love, we form a separation between us and Him… we block His blessings and short-change everyone involved.
I encourage you to take a long hard look at your life. Who do you really love…and who do you pretend to love? Who do you shower with genuine affection and honor… and who do you disrespect and disobey? Where are you lazy in your efforts to love others? Where do you need to work harder to demonstrate real love? Isn’t it time you figured all of this out and started making better choices? Are you holding tightly to what is good and hating what is wrong...in your relationships with God - and with others? Do you really love God… and others? Isn’t it time you did?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for August 2, 2013
Matthew 5:9
“You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Recently, a friend of mine “liked” an editorial comment on Facebook that was written by a young woman who clearly has absolutely zero regard for anyone who accepts government assistance… particularly Food Stamps. In my opinion, this young woman painted every person who accepts this type of help with a very broad brush, and I felt her comments and “solutions” to what she viewed as “our country’s problem” were harsh and unkind in most cases. However, I did not comment to this post. To do so would have only opened up the door for a huge argument… and honestly, it just was not worth the trouble. I would not change the minds of those who “liked” this post… and I would only have created animosity between myself and my friend, who is not a bad person. We just happen to share different views on this subject.
Thankfully, we live in a country where free speech is our right and privilege. But the temptation is often there to jump in and comment… to write a letter to the editor and publicly berate someone for their ideas and opinions… or to lambast them on social media or in person. The worst of it is when “Christians” sink to the level of name calling. I see this often on Facebook and other social media outlets, and it disheartens me. Again, these are not bad people. But I will never understand why they think that mockery and deriding others is acceptable to anyone… much less to God.
I know that it’s a slippery slope to ignore such comments and actions. Will others assume we agree with these people and their rants? Will our silence be an endorsement of sorts? We have to carefully weigh our options. Would it be better to keep silent and risk the assumption that we feel the same way… or to comment and open “Pandora’s box” – and perhaps subject ourselves to ridicule and derision? Is it worth hurting another person’s feelings or damaging a friendship? I think we have to prayerfully consider all avenues… react and respond in the manner that we feel God is leading us…and then stand by our decision.
When I feel strongly about something I see posted on Facebook, I will sometimes privately message the person who made the post and outline my feelings or opinions. On at least one occasion, I quietly “unfriended” a few people, rather than continue the association and have to be confronted with their insulting posts each day. This, too, can have mixed results. In one case, a former student realized we were no longer “friends”, and when I tried to gently diffuse the situation, she accused me of lying to her. I apologized for anything I might have said or done to make her feel I was being deceitful in any way, but she would have none of it. Now she no longer speaks to me or acknowledges me at all. That is okay …I still love her. I think at the core, she knows that some of the things she was saying were wrong and inappropriate. Rather than deal with that, she chose to turn the tide and be mad at me. Truthfully, we are so far apart politically that she was probably looking for a reason to disassociate. Nobody ever said being a Christian – or trying to keep the peace – was easy!
So what do we do? How do we become “peacemakers in God’s army”?
©2013 Debbie Robus
“You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Recently, a friend of mine “liked” an editorial comment on Facebook that was written by a young woman who clearly has absolutely zero regard for anyone who accepts government assistance… particularly Food Stamps. In my opinion, this young woman painted every person who accepts this type of help with a very broad brush, and I felt her comments and “solutions” to what she viewed as “our country’s problem” were harsh and unkind in most cases. However, I did not comment to this post. To do so would have only opened up the door for a huge argument… and honestly, it just was not worth the trouble. I would not change the minds of those who “liked” this post… and I would only have created animosity between myself and my friend, who is not a bad person. We just happen to share different views on this subject.
Thankfully, we live in a country where free speech is our right and privilege. But the temptation is often there to jump in and comment… to write a letter to the editor and publicly berate someone for their ideas and opinions… or to lambast them on social media or in person. The worst of it is when “Christians” sink to the level of name calling. I see this often on Facebook and other social media outlets, and it disheartens me. Again, these are not bad people. But I will never understand why they think that mockery and deriding others is acceptable to anyone… much less to God.
I know that it’s a slippery slope to ignore such comments and actions. Will others assume we agree with these people and their rants? Will our silence be an endorsement of sorts? We have to carefully weigh our options. Would it be better to keep silent and risk the assumption that we feel the same way… or to comment and open “Pandora’s box” – and perhaps subject ourselves to ridicule and derision? Is it worth hurting another person’s feelings or damaging a friendship? I think we have to prayerfully consider all avenues… react and respond in the manner that we feel God is leading us…and then stand by our decision.
When I feel strongly about something I see posted on Facebook, I will sometimes privately message the person who made the post and outline my feelings or opinions. On at least one occasion, I quietly “unfriended” a few people, rather than continue the association and have to be confronted with their insulting posts each day. This, too, can have mixed results. In one case, a former student realized we were no longer “friends”, and when I tried to gently diffuse the situation, she accused me of lying to her. I apologized for anything I might have said or done to make her feel I was being deceitful in any way, but she would have none of it. Now she no longer speaks to me or acknowledges me at all. That is okay …I still love her. I think at the core, she knows that some of the things she was saying were wrong and inappropriate. Rather than deal with that, she chose to turn the tide and be mad at me. Truthfully, we are so far apart politically that she was probably looking for a reason to disassociate. Nobody ever said being a Christian – or trying to keep the peace – was easy!
So what do we do? How do we become “peacemakers in God’s army”?
- I believe we start with prayer. We ask God to “slow us and show us”… to give us the patience to stop and prayerfully consider our response… and then to act on the wisdom that God grants us.
- If you simply must write a letter to the editor, park it on your desktop and let it simmer for a few days before you send it. See if you still feel the same way in retrospect. Write out your thoughts and feelings before sharing them with someone else… let some time pass. You don’t have to respond immediately. Ask God to help you choose your words thoughtfully and carefully.
- Avoid knee-jerk reactions of any kind… even “unfriending” people on social media. Think before you hit that “like” button… or before you share any comments, photos or cartoons.
- Stand up for what is right when God leads you to do so… but be prepared to deal with the fallout. Trust God to give you strength and courage to do the right thing…whichever direction He sends you!
- Remember that God loves the other guy just as much as He loves you and me. Think about how precious that person is to Him before you start slinging mud and placing labels. At every turn, lead with love, grace, mercy, compassion and forgiveness… you know, all those things Jesus gives to you on a daily basis!
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for July 18, 2013
James 3:18
Real wisdom, God’s wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.
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.
We had record attendance at our Vacation Bible School, and it seemed that each night the number who showed up grew! So by Night #3, we were running low on supplies for the crafts. For the fourth and final night, we actually did run short! Anticipating this, our children’s director had left a bin of supplies in our classroom for an alternate rendition of our craft for the night. We were supposed to make a papier maché memory box that featured a decal of a world globe glued on the lid… and a card printed with the Bible verse from John 3:16 glued inside. During the opening service, my cousin Olivia and some of her friends had asked me what the craft was, and I told them, “We’re going to make a memory box!”… not thinking that we might run out of supplies.
Sure enough, by the time the third graders made it to our last crafting session, we had ten boxes… and about 19 children. So I eagerly displayed a little plaque made of craft foam, popsicle sticks, a glittery pipe cleaner, and a decal of the world and John 3:16 and said, “Tonight, we will make this plaque that you can hang on your doorknob or your wall and remember what you learned at VBS!” Olivia said, “But Aunt Debbie… you said we were going to make a memory box.” I apologized and said, “We ran out of boxes… our ‘marketplace’ is sold out!” “But you promised!” several little girls said in unison.
I asked how many children wanted to make the box. About 14 hands went up. I apologized again and said, “We only have ten boxes… that just will not work… and I want to be fair to everyone. So we will all have to do the same thing.” And then, one little boy said, “I’ll make the plaque… if that will help.” His friend sitting next to him said, “I will, too.” One by one, the little boys began to offer to make the alternate version of the craft project. In short order, all of the boys had decided that the girls could have the boxes… they would make the plaques. Here’s the kicker… we had ten girls!
Isn’t it amazing how God works out the details when we work together in peace and harmony? Don’t you find it incredibly wonderful that He orchestrates a healthy, robust community overflowing with mercy and blessings when we “do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor”? Do you see that a group of 9-year-old-almost-fourth-graders schooled us in how to get this done?!
I stood back and realized that this was the lesson of our Vacation Bible School. These children truly heard the message of the Apostle Paul as he shared the GOOD NEWS of Jesus Christ. They were busy putting into action the meaning of his words in Philippians 3:12-14… “I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.”
Where do you need to compromise and reach for Christ? Where have you been two-faced or behaved unreasonably? Have you treated others with dignity and honor…even when it took every fiber of your being to do so? Do you have your eye on the goal of finding peace by living for Jesus and making every effort to get along? Isn’t it time you humbled yourself like Paul… and these precious children… and made this the focus of your life? Will today be the day you begin?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Real wisdom, God’s wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.
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.
We had record attendance at our Vacation Bible School, and it seemed that each night the number who showed up grew! So by Night #3, we were running low on supplies for the crafts. For the fourth and final night, we actually did run short! Anticipating this, our children’s director had left a bin of supplies in our classroom for an alternate rendition of our craft for the night. We were supposed to make a papier maché memory box that featured a decal of a world globe glued on the lid… and a card printed with the Bible verse from John 3:16 glued inside. During the opening service, my cousin Olivia and some of her friends had asked me what the craft was, and I told them, “We’re going to make a memory box!”… not thinking that we might run out of supplies.
Sure enough, by the time the third graders made it to our last crafting session, we had ten boxes… and about 19 children. So I eagerly displayed a little plaque made of craft foam, popsicle sticks, a glittery pipe cleaner, and a decal of the world and John 3:16 and said, “Tonight, we will make this plaque that you can hang on your doorknob or your wall and remember what you learned at VBS!” Olivia said, “But Aunt Debbie… you said we were going to make a memory box.” I apologized and said, “We ran out of boxes… our ‘marketplace’ is sold out!” “But you promised!” several little girls said in unison.
I asked how many children wanted to make the box. About 14 hands went up. I apologized again and said, “We only have ten boxes… that just will not work… and I want to be fair to everyone. So we will all have to do the same thing.” And then, one little boy said, “I’ll make the plaque… if that will help.” His friend sitting next to him said, “I will, too.” One by one, the little boys began to offer to make the alternate version of the craft project. In short order, all of the boys had decided that the girls could have the boxes… they would make the plaques. Here’s the kicker… we had ten girls!
Isn’t it amazing how God works out the details when we work together in peace and harmony? Don’t you find it incredibly wonderful that He orchestrates a healthy, robust community overflowing with mercy and blessings when we “do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor”? Do you see that a group of 9-year-old-almost-fourth-graders schooled us in how to get this done?!
I stood back and realized that this was the lesson of our Vacation Bible School. These children truly heard the message of the Apostle Paul as he shared the GOOD NEWS of Jesus Christ. They were busy putting into action the meaning of his words in Philippians 3:12-14… “I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.”
Where do you need to compromise and reach for Christ? Where have you been two-faced or behaved unreasonably? Have you treated others with dignity and honor…even when it took every fiber of your being to do so? Do you have your eye on the goal of finding peace by living for Jesus and making every effort to get along? Isn’t it time you humbled yourself like Paul… and these precious children… and made this the focus of your life? Will today be the day you begin?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for June 29, 2013
Hebrews 2:11
So now Jesus and the ones he makes holy have the same Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters.
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.
Today would be my brother Tim’s 52nd birthday. It would also be the 50th birthday of a childhood friend who has passed…Dr. J. Aaron Little – the older son of my piano teacher. And today is the 49th birthday of my cousin, Darin, who grew up in Texas. We didn’t know each other well growing up… but our families have somewhat reconnected in the past year. While the bond with my brother was unimaginably strong, these other two men were/are “brothers” of sorts, as well. I spent countless hours in the Little home as a teenager, where I grew to love Aaron, his sister Lee Ann and brother Adam like family. We attended the same church growing up… the roots of our relationship run deep.
When my cousin Darin lost his dad last fall, the family gathered for his burial in a local family cemetery, where our shared ancestors are laid to rest. When my grandmother died in March, and many of these same cousins returned for her funeral and burial. In June, another cousin organized a family reunion. We got together to share photographs and memories of good times from the past, family history, and to “pick the brains” of the older relatives who can still remember Grandma and Grandpa and what things were like in this area decades ago.
There are several people in my life with whom I share no blood relation… but they could not be any more like a sister or brother to me if that were the case. I bet you can say the same. We share a bond… a mutual love and respect… and in most cases, a deep and abiding love for God. Ultimately, we are “blood related”… by the blood of Christ! This is why I think many of my most profound friendships and relationships can be traced back to childhood…and the church in which I was reared. We learned to love God together at an early age. I just made a mental list of more than half a dozen families from that era with whom I feel this “brotherly” and “sisterly” connection to this day.
In the world at large, we must acknowledge that millions are our brothers and sisters in Christ… and we must warmly embrace them – in our hearts, if not literally. We cannot judge… we must not exclude… we have to look for their good qualities and operate in peace and calm rather than discord and chaos. Just as in any “sibling relationship,” there are times when we will argue… when someone will cause us embarrassment or disappointment… when the other guy will say or do something that irritates (if not disgusts) us…when we will all experience a “less-than-proud” moment. But as “brothers and sisters in Christ,” we all share the same Heavenly Father. At the end of the day, we must not be ashamed of any of our family members.
There is great peace and comfort in “family” relationships. When someone is claiming to be a Christian and acting in an ungodly manner…saying things that are rude or crude…treating others unkindly or in a discriminatory fashion…operating with arrogance and an air of superiority and judgment… it’s hard to say, “That person is my brother/sister in Christ.” There is a temptation to act out toward this person… to feel hurt and disappointment…or to impose distance and/or a separation. But God is calling us to extend brotherly/sisterly love in Christ to these persons… to make every effort to live in harmony… to do whatever is necessary to get along. The old adage that “you can pick your friends… but not your family” is true - even in the body of Christ!
So today, I celebrate three men… all of whom probably got on my last nerve more than once as we grew up… and I celebrate the larger family of believers in Jesus Christ. I take great joy in knowing that I belong to such a big… and growing… family. The bond I feel with others who love Jesus so deeply gives me a tremendous peace and satisfaction… and in Jesus’ name, I long to encourage others to join the circle. Just imagine how glorious our “family reunion” will be when we get to Heaven!
What about you? Are you at peace with your Christian brothers and sisters? Do you feel the bond that comes from a shared love and acceptance in Jesus? Are there “siblings” who rub you the wrong way… both those you know personally and others you “know of”? Isn’t it time to start loving all of them with the love of Jesus… to drop the judgments and the feelings of irritation and/or ego – and to allow them the same latitude and grace you would hope they afford you?
Will this be the day you reconnect with some of your “family” members and embrace them… warts and all? Don’t you think it should be?
©2013 Debbie Robus
So now Jesus and the ones he makes holy have the same Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters.
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.
Today would be my brother Tim’s 52nd birthday. It would also be the 50th birthday of a childhood friend who has passed…Dr. J. Aaron Little – the older son of my piano teacher. And today is the 49th birthday of my cousin, Darin, who grew up in Texas. We didn’t know each other well growing up… but our families have somewhat reconnected in the past year. While the bond with my brother was unimaginably strong, these other two men were/are “brothers” of sorts, as well. I spent countless hours in the Little home as a teenager, where I grew to love Aaron, his sister Lee Ann and brother Adam like family. We attended the same church growing up… the roots of our relationship run deep.
When my cousin Darin lost his dad last fall, the family gathered for his burial in a local family cemetery, where our shared ancestors are laid to rest. When my grandmother died in March, and many of these same cousins returned for her funeral and burial. In June, another cousin organized a family reunion. We got together to share photographs and memories of good times from the past, family history, and to “pick the brains” of the older relatives who can still remember Grandma and Grandpa and what things were like in this area decades ago.
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| My sister Suzanne, me, my brother Tim, and my grandmother Polly, less than three weeks before Tim went to be with Jesus... September 1998. |
In the world at large, we must acknowledge that millions are our brothers and sisters in Christ… and we must warmly embrace them – in our hearts, if not literally. We cannot judge… we must not exclude… we have to look for their good qualities and operate in peace and calm rather than discord and chaos. Just as in any “sibling relationship,” there are times when we will argue… when someone will cause us embarrassment or disappointment… when the other guy will say or do something that irritates (if not disgusts) us…when we will all experience a “less-than-proud” moment. But as “brothers and sisters in Christ,” we all share the same Heavenly Father. At the end of the day, we must not be ashamed of any of our family members.
There is great peace and comfort in “family” relationships. When someone is claiming to be a Christian and acting in an ungodly manner…saying things that are rude or crude…treating others unkindly or in a discriminatory fashion…operating with arrogance and an air of superiority and judgment… it’s hard to say, “That person is my brother/sister in Christ.” There is a temptation to act out toward this person… to feel hurt and disappointment…or to impose distance and/or a separation. But God is calling us to extend brotherly/sisterly love in Christ to these persons… to make every effort to live in harmony… to do whatever is necessary to get along. The old adage that “you can pick your friends… but not your family” is true - even in the body of Christ!
So today, I celebrate three men… all of whom probably got on my last nerve more than once as we grew up… and I celebrate the larger family of believers in Jesus Christ. I take great joy in knowing that I belong to such a big… and growing… family. The bond I feel with others who love Jesus so deeply gives me a tremendous peace and satisfaction… and in Jesus’ name, I long to encourage others to join the circle. Just imagine how glorious our “family reunion” will be when we get to Heaven!
What about you? Are you at peace with your Christian brothers and sisters? Do you feel the bond that comes from a shared love and acceptance in Jesus? Are there “siblings” who rub you the wrong way… both those you know personally and others you “know of”? Isn’t it time to start loving all of them with the love of Jesus… to drop the judgments and the feelings of irritation and/or ego – and to allow them the same latitude and grace you would hope they afford you?
Will this be the day you reconnect with some of your “family” members and embrace them… warts and all? Don’t you think it should be?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for June 24, 2013
Galatians 3:28-29
In Christ’s family there can be no division into Jew and non-Jew, slave and free, male and female. Among us you are all equal. That is, we are all in a common relationship with Jesus Christ. Also, since you are Christ’s family, then you are Abraham’s famous “descendant,” heirs according to the covenant promises.
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.
This morning I worked on some baby bibs for my little nephew, Nathan. I thought about all of the cute clothes I make for my nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. While clothes shouldn’t matter all that much… they do. In our culture, children are judged by other children – and adults – even at an early age. The child who is dirty and always dressed in stained, tattered or worn-out clothing is not valued (or treated as nicely) by some as much as children who look like they just stepped out of Baby Gap or even Old Navy! This morning I also thought of another child of “ours” – Timothy Kodjo Owusu Frim, who lives in Ghana. My husband and I have sponsored “Kodjo” through Compassion International since May 2006.
Kodjo will be 13 in October. We exchange letters somewhere around once a month, and each year, we receive an updated picture of our guy. I wish I could share the pictures with you. Each time, Kodjo is dressed in clothing that is either undersized, oversized… or simply what many would consider a fashion faux pas. I am pretty sure the jeans he was wearing in the last photo we received were designed for girls. Yet he appears grateful to have this clothing… and I figure in his poor fishing village in Ghana, this is the norm rather than the exception. Still, it breaks my heart… and I sometimes wish I could hop a plane to Africa and scoop this little man up and bring him home to live with us!
I know that this would not solve the world’s problems – or even be the right thing for Kodjo, who has a family (albeit a somewhat disjointed one) in Ghana. But here’s what I know…at the end of the day, this tall, very-dark skinned brown-eyed child is just as precious as our little fair-skinned, blue-eyed Timothy and his brother Nathan. This little boy holds the same importance in God’s eyes as our brown-eyed, curly-headed Zola. The drawings from Kodjo that started out as stick figures and progressed over the years to detailed renderings of race cars and people demonstrate a mind that is growing and developing just like the creative brain of my red-headed, freckled-faced cousin Olivia.
When thinking of all of these children, the most important thing to remember is that they are all members of Christ’s family. God doesn’t see them as black, white, male, female, poor, rich, intelligent or intellectually challenged, creative or “less-than-average.” God loves each and every one of them equally. I try to remind each of these children as often as possible how much I love them… and that God loves them even more! I know that most of them are still too young to fully comprehend this… but someday, I pray that this concept will give each of them a tremendous sense of peace.
Take a minute to consider just how important you are to God. Reflect upon the incredible sacrifices He made for you through the blood of His only Son – Jesus Christ. Remind yourself that God planned for you from before the time of Abraham and Moses… He thought about you centuries before you were ever a living, breathing soul. Let it soak in just how much God loves you…how deeply He cares about you and your every need. If this doesn’t give you a sense of peace and calm even in the midst of whatever may be happening in your life today… I can’t imagine what will.
At the end of the day, I cannot truly change how I - or anyone I know and love - will be treated by others, based on appearance, race, gender, ethnicity, social or economic status, and more. But I can take comfort in knowing that God sees none of this. All He sees are His precious creations. All He wants is to be loved by each one of us… and to grant us blessings, salvation and peace in return. He wants us to “put on blinders” when we look at others … to only see members of His family and not the “labels” placed on them by man.
Whenever you feel you are being judged unfairly, remind yourself Whose you are. Thank God for such amazing, unconditional love. Find peace and comfort in knowing that you belong to Him. Look past the “outer coverings” of others and uncover the intrinsic value that God sees within them, as well. Offer His grace and peace to each person you encounter…and allow harmony a chance to prosper in all of us.
©2013 Debbie Robus
In Christ’s family there can be no division into Jew and non-Jew, slave and free, male and female. Among us you are all equal. That is, we are all in a common relationship with Jesus Christ. Also, since you are Christ’s family, then you are Abraham’s famous “descendant,” heirs according to the covenant promises.
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.
This morning I worked on some baby bibs for my little nephew, Nathan. I thought about all of the cute clothes I make for my nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. While clothes shouldn’t matter all that much… they do. In our culture, children are judged by other children – and adults – even at an early age. The child who is dirty and always dressed in stained, tattered or worn-out clothing is not valued (or treated as nicely) by some as much as children who look like they just stepped out of Baby Gap or even Old Navy! This morning I also thought of another child of “ours” – Timothy Kodjo Owusu Frim, who lives in Ghana. My husband and I have sponsored “Kodjo” through Compassion International since May 2006.
Kodjo will be 13 in October. We exchange letters somewhere around once a month, and each year, we receive an updated picture of our guy. I wish I could share the pictures with you. Each time, Kodjo is dressed in clothing that is either undersized, oversized… or simply what many would consider a fashion faux pas. I am pretty sure the jeans he was wearing in the last photo we received were designed for girls. Yet he appears grateful to have this clothing… and I figure in his poor fishing village in Ghana, this is the norm rather than the exception. Still, it breaks my heart… and I sometimes wish I could hop a plane to Africa and scoop this little man up and bring him home to live with us!
I know that this would not solve the world’s problems – or even be the right thing for Kodjo, who has a family (albeit a somewhat disjointed one) in Ghana. But here’s what I know…at the end of the day, this tall, very-dark skinned brown-eyed child is just as precious as our little fair-skinned, blue-eyed Timothy and his brother Nathan. This little boy holds the same importance in God’s eyes as our brown-eyed, curly-headed Zola. The drawings from Kodjo that started out as stick figures and progressed over the years to detailed renderings of race cars and people demonstrate a mind that is growing and developing just like the creative brain of my red-headed, freckled-faced cousin Olivia.
When thinking of all of these children, the most important thing to remember is that they are all members of Christ’s family. God doesn’t see them as black, white, male, female, poor, rich, intelligent or intellectually challenged, creative or “less-than-average.” God loves each and every one of them equally. I try to remind each of these children as often as possible how much I love them… and that God loves them even more! I know that most of them are still too young to fully comprehend this… but someday, I pray that this concept will give each of them a tremendous sense of peace.
Take a minute to consider just how important you are to God. Reflect upon the incredible sacrifices He made for you through the blood of His only Son – Jesus Christ. Remind yourself that God planned for you from before the time of Abraham and Moses… He thought about you centuries before you were ever a living, breathing soul. Let it soak in just how much God loves you…how deeply He cares about you and your every need. If this doesn’t give you a sense of peace and calm even in the midst of whatever may be happening in your life today… I can’t imagine what will.
At the end of the day, I cannot truly change how I - or anyone I know and love - will be treated by others, based on appearance, race, gender, ethnicity, social or economic status, and more. But I can take comfort in knowing that God sees none of this. All He sees are His precious creations. All He wants is to be loved by each one of us… and to grant us blessings, salvation and peace in return. He wants us to “put on blinders” when we look at others … to only see members of His family and not the “labels” placed on them by man.
Whenever you feel you are being judged unfairly, remind yourself Whose you are. Thank God for such amazing, unconditional love. Find peace and comfort in knowing that you belong to Him. Look past the “outer coverings” of others and uncover the intrinsic value that God sees within them, as well. Offer His grace and peace to each person you encounter…and allow harmony a chance to prosper in all of us.
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for June 15, 2013
1 Timothy 2:1-2
First of all, I ask you to pray for everyone. Ask God to help and bless them all, and tell God how thankful you are for each of them. Pray for kings and others in power, so that we may live quiet and peaceful lives as we worship and honor God.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
In geometry, “proofs” support the mathematician’s path to an outcome. By “showing your work,” you explain how you got from “Point A” to “Point B.” Today’s devo will be a “proof” of sorts. Please stick with me!
For far too long, there has been discord (especially on social media) over politics – even among people who are supposed to be good friends. I have seen some really ugly things posted by a few people who I consider to be not only my close friend… but also a Godly Christian. I have to tell you, these comments, cartoons, and responses to other’s posts have brought both into question on more than one occasion! In this scripture passage, as well as others throughout God’s Holy Word, we are called to show respect to - and pray for - our leaders… all of them. It doesn’t say to pray for those in one party or another – or those who support this bill or that amendment. The Apostle Paul doesn’t call on us to pray for God to act in one way or another toward those in office. All he tells us to do is to “pray for kings and others in power.”
Paul tells us to pray for our leaders and those in power, so that we may live quiet and peaceful lives as we worship and honor God. Let’s think about this. How will your life be quiet and peaceful if you pray for a leader you do not support? Here’s one explanation. In her book Unglued, Christian author Lysa TerKeurst tells of a confrontation with the parent of a student in her daughter’s middle school grade. The parent left TerKeurst a harsh, critical telephone message, and her first inclination was to retaliate. But she prayerfully considered that truly, our life is not “us against them,” as much as it is “all of us on one side against Satan,” who delights in us getting into disagreements and doing his dirty work for him. In that light, she offered grace and compassion to the parent, rather than her own hateful jabs and a counterattack.
Are you still with me? If you pray for a leader you don’t like… someone in power with whom you disagree… you are not condoning his/her actions or platforms. You are saying, “LORD, this person deserves Your love and grace just as much as I do. Please provide a hefty dose of both.” In doing this, you honor your commitment to God to serve as a disciple of Christ… to “love one another,” and to treat others as you would have Him treat you! Your prayer demonstrates to God that you trust Him to handle the outcome with perfection. And God grants you peace of mind… an assurance that you operated in love, grace and mercy toward another of His creatures.
In turn, this can lead to a peaceful co-existence between you and the leader or person in power whom you dislike – or worse! TerKeurst says that her extension of grace and compassion led to a reconciliation of sorts between the other parent and herself… they amicably agreed to disagree. While these mothers will never be “besties,” they can now at least be civil to one another when circumstances throw them together. And this has made both women feel more peaceful.
Let’s face it… disliking someone else leaves us feeling unsettled, at the very least. In some cases it can lead to a general sense of turmoil, hard feelings, and lost friendships. This is not my idea of peaceful living… is it yours? I encourage you to think about those whom you dislike or of whom you disapprove… whether in political circles – or life in general. Take some time to pray for them. I know it may be difficult at first… but do it anyway. See if praying for the people who irritate you in some manner leads to a stronger sense of grace and compassion on their behalf. Discover how you can find peace in this… how starting with a simple prayer can lead from “Point A” to “Point B” and prove that Paul was totally on target!
Learn to focus on operating in prayer that leads to grace, mercy and compassion…and results in peaceful living that worships and honors God.
©2013 Debbie Robus
First of all, I ask you to pray for everyone. Ask God to help and bless them all, and tell God how thankful you are for each of them. Pray for kings and others in power, so that we may live quiet and peaceful lives as we worship and honor God.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
In geometry, “proofs” support the mathematician’s path to an outcome. By “showing your work,” you explain how you got from “Point A” to “Point B.” Today’s devo will be a “proof” of sorts. Please stick with me!
For far too long, there has been discord (especially on social media) over politics – even among people who are supposed to be good friends. I have seen some really ugly things posted by a few people who I consider to be not only my close friend… but also a Godly Christian. I have to tell you, these comments, cartoons, and responses to other’s posts have brought both into question on more than one occasion! In this scripture passage, as well as others throughout God’s Holy Word, we are called to show respect to - and pray for - our leaders… all of them. It doesn’t say to pray for those in one party or another – or those who support this bill or that amendment. The Apostle Paul doesn’t call on us to pray for God to act in one way or another toward those in office. All he tells us to do is to “pray for kings and others in power.”
Paul tells us to pray for our leaders and those in power, so that we may live quiet and peaceful lives as we worship and honor God. Let’s think about this. How will your life be quiet and peaceful if you pray for a leader you do not support? Here’s one explanation. In her book Unglued, Christian author Lysa TerKeurst tells of a confrontation with the parent of a student in her daughter’s middle school grade. The parent left TerKeurst a harsh, critical telephone message, and her first inclination was to retaliate. But she prayerfully considered that truly, our life is not “us against them,” as much as it is “all of us on one side against Satan,” who delights in us getting into disagreements and doing his dirty work for him. In that light, she offered grace and compassion to the parent, rather than her own hateful jabs and a counterattack.
Are you still with me? If you pray for a leader you don’t like… someone in power with whom you disagree… you are not condoning his/her actions or platforms. You are saying, “LORD, this person deserves Your love and grace just as much as I do. Please provide a hefty dose of both.” In doing this, you honor your commitment to God to serve as a disciple of Christ… to “love one another,” and to treat others as you would have Him treat you! Your prayer demonstrates to God that you trust Him to handle the outcome with perfection. And God grants you peace of mind… an assurance that you operated in love, grace and mercy toward another of His creatures.
In turn, this can lead to a peaceful co-existence between you and the leader or person in power whom you dislike – or worse! TerKeurst says that her extension of grace and compassion led to a reconciliation of sorts between the other parent and herself… they amicably agreed to disagree. While these mothers will never be “besties,” they can now at least be civil to one another when circumstances throw them together. And this has made both women feel more peaceful.
Let’s face it… disliking someone else leaves us feeling unsettled, at the very least. In some cases it can lead to a general sense of turmoil, hard feelings, and lost friendships. This is not my idea of peaceful living… is it yours? I encourage you to think about those whom you dislike or of whom you disapprove… whether in political circles – or life in general. Take some time to pray for them. I know it may be difficult at first… but do it anyway. See if praying for the people who irritate you in some manner leads to a stronger sense of grace and compassion on their behalf. Discover how you can find peace in this… how starting with a simple prayer can lead from “Point A” to “Point B” and prove that Paul was totally on target!
Learn to focus on operating in prayer that leads to grace, mercy and compassion…and results in peaceful living that worships and honors God.
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for June 14, 2013
1 Timothy 1:12-14
I’m so grateful to Christ Jesus for making me adequate to do this work. He went out on a limb, you know, in trusting me with this ministry. The only credentials I brought to it were invective and witch hunts and arrogance. But I was treated mercifully because I didn’t know what I was doing—didn’t know Who I was doing it against! Grace mixed with faith and love poured over me and into me. And all because of Jesus.
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.
This morning, I went to a garage sale… hoping to find some bargains for my little niece and nephews. Sure enough, I spotted a big box of VHS tapes for children, alongside an equally large box of DVD children’s movies. The box of VHS tapes said 50¢ each… DVDs were $2.00 per movie. I checked with my niece to see which ones her children did/did not have, and I selected 10 VHS tapes and 5 DVDs. I bought one other item for $1 and continued shopping.
When I paid for my items, the clerk said, “That will be $21.” I mentally “did the math” again and looked in my sack, and then I said to the lady conducting the sale… “I think there has been a mistake. I bought 10 of the VHS tapes and 5 DVDs, so how does that come to $21?” The lady explained that VHS tapes were $1 each, and DVDs were $2. I said, “Oh… the sign on the box said that VHS tapes were only 50¢ each.” Her response was, “Well, that’s not what it’s supposed to say… VHS tapes are $1 each.” I was in a hurry and didn’t want to cause a further scene… after all, my children are worth an extra $5 and will enjoy the movies immensely. But I felt a little disappointed that this was her response.
I barely got to my car and turned the key when I saw the woman energetically waving for me to come back. I turned off the motor, got out of my car, and she said, “Come back! We’re going to refund you $5. That’s only fair.” And she handed me a $5 bill. I was relieved that she did the right thing… not so much for myself as for her. And later as I read this scripture passage, I thought… this is how things go with God much of the time.
We are the “seller” who overcharged and did not apologize for it… at least initially. And God is not pleased with us for these actions… but He continues to love us and offer us grace. I was not prepared to say, “I’ll never shop at this woman’s garage sale again because she overcharged me.” For one thing, it WAS a GARAGE SALE, after all! But more than this, I was ready to give her the benefit of the doubt. Maybe those were not her tapes… it looked like a multi-family event. Maybe she really needed that extra $5. This overcharge wasn’t going to signal the end of the world. And a lot of the things we do that are invective (abusive), arrogant, or less than upright won’t be of major significance in the scheme of things. Still, they are not the behaviors of true disciples. They displease God greatly… yet He loves us and meets our needs anyway.
I don’t know about you, but I am a work in progress… and this is the key! I make mistakes… I falter… but I keep working on moving forward. And God notices. He doesn’t give me a free pass… He doesn’t excuse me when I disappoint Him… but He loves me in spite of my shortcomings and failures. I don’t have to beat myself up… I don’t have to wallow in self-loathing or live in turmoil. I can have peace and contentment because each and every day, I am striving to do better… to be more like Jesus Christ…to mess up less and make more forward progress!
I may be the person who overcharges someone at a garage sale tomorrow. Sadly, I may snap at someone and/or say something I regret. My decisions may not be 100% accurate… and neither may those of my friends and acquaintances. But with God’s help, I will keep trying to do better… and God will extend His grace to me as a result. In return, He expects me to offer this grace and peace to others along the way. And He will do the same for you! Do you know Who has your back these days? Do you know Who you are dealing with? Is your goal to be adequate to do Jesus’ work… and to operate in His peace and grace each and every day? Isn’t it time you made this a priority?
©2013 Debbie Robus
I’m so grateful to Christ Jesus for making me adequate to do this work. He went out on a limb, you know, in trusting me with this ministry. The only credentials I brought to it were invective and witch hunts and arrogance. But I was treated mercifully because I didn’t know what I was doing—didn’t know Who I was doing it against! Grace mixed with faith and love poured over me and into me. And all because of Jesus.
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.
This morning, I went to a garage sale… hoping to find some bargains for my little niece and nephews. Sure enough, I spotted a big box of VHS tapes for children, alongside an equally large box of DVD children’s movies. The box of VHS tapes said 50¢ each… DVDs were $2.00 per movie. I checked with my niece to see which ones her children did/did not have, and I selected 10 VHS tapes and 5 DVDs. I bought one other item for $1 and continued shopping.
When I paid for my items, the clerk said, “That will be $21.” I mentally “did the math” again and looked in my sack, and then I said to the lady conducting the sale… “I think there has been a mistake. I bought 10 of the VHS tapes and 5 DVDs, so how does that come to $21?” The lady explained that VHS tapes were $1 each, and DVDs were $2. I said, “Oh… the sign on the box said that VHS tapes were only 50¢ each.” Her response was, “Well, that’s not what it’s supposed to say… VHS tapes are $1 each.” I was in a hurry and didn’t want to cause a further scene… after all, my children are worth an extra $5 and will enjoy the movies immensely. But I felt a little disappointed that this was her response.
I barely got to my car and turned the key when I saw the woman energetically waving for me to come back. I turned off the motor, got out of my car, and she said, “Come back! We’re going to refund you $5. That’s only fair.” And she handed me a $5 bill. I was relieved that she did the right thing… not so much for myself as for her. And later as I read this scripture passage, I thought… this is how things go with God much of the time.
We are the “seller” who overcharged and did not apologize for it… at least initially. And God is not pleased with us for these actions… but He continues to love us and offer us grace. I was not prepared to say, “I’ll never shop at this woman’s garage sale again because she overcharged me.” For one thing, it WAS a GARAGE SALE, after all! But more than this, I was ready to give her the benefit of the doubt. Maybe those were not her tapes… it looked like a multi-family event. Maybe she really needed that extra $5. This overcharge wasn’t going to signal the end of the world. And a lot of the things we do that are invective (abusive), arrogant, or less than upright won’t be of major significance in the scheme of things. Still, they are not the behaviors of true disciples. They displease God greatly… yet He loves us and meets our needs anyway.
I don’t know about you, but I am a work in progress… and this is the key! I make mistakes… I falter… but I keep working on moving forward. And God notices. He doesn’t give me a free pass… He doesn’t excuse me when I disappoint Him… but He loves me in spite of my shortcomings and failures. I don’t have to beat myself up… I don’t have to wallow in self-loathing or live in turmoil. I can have peace and contentment because each and every day, I am striving to do better… to be more like Jesus Christ…to mess up less and make more forward progress!
I may be the person who overcharges someone at a garage sale tomorrow. Sadly, I may snap at someone and/or say something I regret. My decisions may not be 100% accurate… and neither may those of my friends and acquaintances. But with God’s help, I will keep trying to do better… and God will extend His grace to me as a result. In return, He expects me to offer this grace and peace to others along the way. And He will do the same for you! Do you know Who has your back these days? Do you know Who you are dealing with? Is your goal to be adequate to do Jesus’ work… and to operate in His peace and grace each and every day? Isn’t it time you made this a priority?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for June 2, 2013
Romans 15:3-6
That’s exactly what Jesus did. He didn’t make it easy for himself by avoiding people’s troubles, but waded right in and helped out. “I took on the troubles of the troubled,” is the way Scripture puts it. Even if it was written in Scripture long ago, you can be sure it’s written for us. God wants the combination of his steady, constant calling and warm, personal counsel in Scripture to come to characterize us, keeping us alert for whatever he will do next. May our dependably steady and warmly personal God develop maturity in you so that you get along with each other as well as Jesus gets along with us all. Then we’ll be a choir—not our voices only, but our very lives singing in harmony in a stunning anthem to the God and Father of our Master Jesus!
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 her book, Just Give Me Jesus, Anne Graham Lotz recalls the story in John 4 of the Samaritan woman who met Jesus at the well in Sychar. Lotz explains that this woman practiced a different religion… she was someone with whom a Jew like Jesus would not normally interact. Think of the animosity – and distance – that often exists between Christians and Muslims, and you get the picture. Beyond that, this woman had lived a hard life… she was probably not all that popular, which might explain why she came to the well in the middle of the day instead of early morning with all of the other women. She had been married to five husbands and was currently living with a man to whom she was not married… and of course, Jesus knew this. Still, He spoke to her… asked her for water…and sat around waiting for her answer - and offering a few of His own.
Lotz concludes that this woman was searching for something. She had a “thirst” that she was unable to quench. Like many of us, she had tried to fill her emptiness with the things of the world… possessions, relationships, money, a job, “busyness,” and more. Still, she was troubled. She needed Jesus and the “Living Water” that only He could give. Jesus went out of his way to pass through a city where He was not all that welcome in order to sit by a well and visit with a woman with whom He should not have been visiting (according to most)… and He took on the troubles of this troubled Samaritan woman. He was patient with her… He offered kindness. He was steady and constant. And He invited her to drink from His Living Water and never be thirsty… or empty… again.
God is calling us 1) to drink the Living Water of Jesus Christ… to fill that emptiness we may have with Him, rather than the things of this world; and 2) to take on the troubles of the troubled - and offer them Jesus, as well. He is summoning us to offer steady, constant, warm kindness and patience to others… to lead by example and live by the Scriptures… to gently invite them to drink from the well that is like no other… a life in Christ that satisfies completely.
So many of us do not fully understand that to giving our heart to Jesus is only the first step in beginning a New Life in Christ. We must continually drink from His well… study the scriptures, truly converse and communicate with God, and fellowship with others. We must live by Jesus’ example and take on the troubles of the troubled. We must let them know that there is someone Who can quench their thirst and fill their emptiness. We can’t reach out to only one race… one denomination or religious faction… one socio-economic class…those with high moral standards or people with whom we seem to “click.” We must “sit at the well” and exercise patience and tolerance with all who approach. We must make sure that they see in us the very thing they are seeking… and that we show them how to acquire it for themselves.
So where does this leave us today? Are we ready and willing to wade into the deep, muddy waters of life? Are we equipped with our own solid relationship with Jesus…is He our constant and steady companion? Will we linger at the well and wait on those who need us, or are we too busy with our own agenda… and too good to be bothered by such “sinners?” Take a look in the mirror… you and I are the “Samaritan woman” just as much as the person depicted in John 4. Jesus waited for us and took on our troubles… and now it is our turn to share this GOOD NEWS with others. Will you “sit”… and “wait”… and offer others a drink of the life-changing “Living Water” of Jesus Christ? Are you a “member of the choir” or a sideline spectator in your faith? Isn’t it time you decided where you stand?
©2013 Debbie Robus
That’s exactly what Jesus did. He didn’t make it easy for himself by avoiding people’s troubles, but waded right in and helped out. “I took on the troubles of the troubled,” is the way Scripture puts it. Even if it was written in Scripture long ago, you can be sure it’s written for us. God wants the combination of his steady, constant calling and warm, personal counsel in Scripture to come to characterize us, keeping us alert for whatever he will do next. May our dependably steady and warmly personal God develop maturity in you so that you get along with each other as well as Jesus gets along with us all. Then we’ll be a choir—not our voices only, but our very lives singing in harmony in a stunning anthem to the God and Father of our Master Jesus!
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 her book, Just Give Me Jesus, Anne Graham Lotz recalls the story in John 4 of the Samaritan woman who met Jesus at the well in Sychar. Lotz explains that this woman practiced a different religion… she was someone with whom a Jew like Jesus would not normally interact. Think of the animosity – and distance – that often exists between Christians and Muslims, and you get the picture. Beyond that, this woman had lived a hard life… she was probably not all that popular, which might explain why she came to the well in the middle of the day instead of early morning with all of the other women. She had been married to five husbands and was currently living with a man to whom she was not married… and of course, Jesus knew this. Still, He spoke to her… asked her for water…and sat around waiting for her answer - and offering a few of His own.
Lotz concludes that this woman was searching for something. She had a “thirst” that she was unable to quench. Like many of us, she had tried to fill her emptiness with the things of the world… possessions, relationships, money, a job, “busyness,” and more. Still, she was troubled. She needed Jesus and the “Living Water” that only He could give. Jesus went out of his way to pass through a city where He was not all that welcome in order to sit by a well and visit with a woman with whom He should not have been visiting (according to most)… and He took on the troubles of this troubled Samaritan woman. He was patient with her… He offered kindness. He was steady and constant. And He invited her to drink from His Living Water and never be thirsty… or empty… again.
God is calling us 1) to drink the Living Water of Jesus Christ… to fill that emptiness we may have with Him, rather than the things of this world; and 2) to take on the troubles of the troubled - and offer them Jesus, as well. He is summoning us to offer steady, constant, warm kindness and patience to others… to lead by example and live by the Scriptures… to gently invite them to drink from the well that is like no other… a life in Christ that satisfies completely.
So many of us do not fully understand that to giving our heart to Jesus is only the first step in beginning a New Life in Christ. We must continually drink from His well… study the scriptures, truly converse and communicate with God, and fellowship with others. We must live by Jesus’ example and take on the troubles of the troubled. We must let them know that there is someone Who can quench their thirst and fill their emptiness. We can’t reach out to only one race… one denomination or religious faction… one socio-economic class…those with high moral standards or people with whom we seem to “click.” We must “sit at the well” and exercise patience and tolerance with all who approach. We must make sure that they see in us the very thing they are seeking… and that we show them how to acquire it for themselves.
So where does this leave us today? Are we ready and willing to wade into the deep, muddy waters of life? Are we equipped with our own solid relationship with Jesus…is He our constant and steady companion? Will we linger at the well and wait on those who need us, or are we too busy with our own agenda… and too good to be bothered by such “sinners?” Take a look in the mirror… you and I are the “Samaritan woman” just as much as the person depicted in John 4. Jesus waited for us and took on our troubles… and now it is our turn to share this GOOD NEWS with others. Will you “sit”… and “wait”… and offer others a drink of the life-changing “Living Water” of Jesus Christ? Are you a “member of the choir” or a sideline spectator in your faith? Isn’t it time you decided where you stand?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for May 31, 2103
Psalm 86:15
But you, O God, are both tender and kind,
not easily angered, immense in love,
and you never, never quit.
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.
Today, our little great-niece Zola celebrated her second birthday. My husband and I took gifts to her this morning and spent some time playing with all three children… Timothy, Zola and Nathan… and visiting with their mom. One of Zola’s gifts was a new shirt that says “Little Sister” and a ruffled skirt to match. Zola promptly had her mom help her change shirts so that she could wear the new one… but she didn’t really think about the skirt for another twenty minutes or so. When she rediscovered it, she decided to put it on… over the shorts she was already wearing!
We all watched as she struggled… first taking off her shoes… then trying to put the skirt on upside down… then turning it over in the right direction and pushing her feet through the bloomers that were attached. Then she tried to stand up! Finally, Zola was able to stand to her feet, but she could not get the skirt pulled up completely over the other pair of shorts she was wearing. But she never quit. She kept trying until they were fairly well in place… and her mother helped her get them fixed the rest of the way.
I have mixed emotions as I watch these little ones do things for themselves. I love them so much I can’t explain it. I want so badly to jump in and help…to do things for them…to give them that little boost they need to get over the hump. And sometimes, when I am frustrated with their frustration… or they won’t stop crying and take their nap… or it’s “one of those days” and they have multiple meltdowns… I want to throw up my hands and walk away. It would be so easy to call their mom and say, “Here… you can have them back! I’ll let you deal with this! Call me when they are 25!” But I keep trying to soothe ruffled feelings… I keep rocking a crying baby and hoping he/she will settle down and drift off to a peaceful slumber. I wait and watch and marvel at how they figure out things and grow and learn – even from their mistakes.
God does the same thing with us… on a far grander scale. He must be so tempted to walk away and give up on us… probably many times each day! He must be terribly frustrated as He watches us fumble and bumble our way through life. It must be all He can do not to simply do things for us and make everything right when we are confused or struggling. I can’t imagine how hard it must be for Him to watch us falter and fail… knowing we need to learn from our mistakes – but hurting for us all the same. But God never quits. He never stops loving us… never turns His back and walks away. We test His patience and try his resolve… we insult Him, disrespect Him, and cause His heart to break… and still He offers us love, kindness, and tender mercy.
I wonder… do we really stop to consider how patient God is with us? Do we use His example as a model for how we treat our own children, friends, family members, and acquaintances? Do we offer the same tender kindness and love to others that God extends to us? Do we see that we are often God’s two-year-old trying to put on a skirt over our shorts?
Every single one of us has moments of frustration and impatience. And each of us has the perfect example of what to do in these situations… and what not to do! Stop and consider God’s longsuffering patience, love, kindness and mercy toward you. Thank Him for being so enduring and tolerant… for His tenderness and understanding. Learn from His rhythms and offer hefty doses of these traits to everyone you encounter. God will never, ever quit caring about you… pursuing you… nurturing you. What will you learn from Him? Will others see these qualities in you? Shouldn’t they?
©2013 Debbie Robus
But you, O God, are both tender and kind,
not easily angered, immense in love,
and you never, never quit.
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.
Today, our little great-niece Zola celebrated her second birthday. My husband and I took gifts to her this morning and spent some time playing with all three children… Timothy, Zola and Nathan… and visiting with their mom. One of Zola’s gifts was a new shirt that says “Little Sister” and a ruffled skirt to match. Zola promptly had her mom help her change shirts so that she could wear the new one… but she didn’t really think about the skirt for another twenty minutes or so. When she rediscovered it, she decided to put it on… over the shorts she was already wearing!
We all watched as she struggled… first taking off her shoes… then trying to put the skirt on upside down… then turning it over in the right direction and pushing her feet through the bloomers that were attached. Then she tried to stand up! Finally, Zola was able to stand to her feet, but she could not get the skirt pulled up completely over the other pair of shorts she was wearing. But she never quit. She kept trying until they were fairly well in place… and her mother helped her get them fixed the rest of the way.
I have mixed emotions as I watch these little ones do things for themselves. I love them so much I can’t explain it. I want so badly to jump in and help…to do things for them…to give them that little boost they need to get over the hump. And sometimes, when I am frustrated with their frustration… or they won’t stop crying and take their nap… or it’s “one of those days” and they have multiple meltdowns… I want to throw up my hands and walk away. It would be so easy to call their mom and say, “Here… you can have them back! I’ll let you deal with this! Call me when they are 25!” But I keep trying to soothe ruffled feelings… I keep rocking a crying baby and hoping he/she will settle down and drift off to a peaceful slumber. I wait and watch and marvel at how they figure out things and grow and learn – even from their mistakes.
God does the same thing with us… on a far grander scale. He must be so tempted to walk away and give up on us… probably many times each day! He must be terribly frustrated as He watches us fumble and bumble our way through life. It must be all He can do not to simply do things for us and make everything right when we are confused or struggling. I can’t imagine how hard it must be for Him to watch us falter and fail… knowing we need to learn from our mistakes – but hurting for us all the same. But God never quits. He never stops loving us… never turns His back and walks away. We test His patience and try his resolve… we insult Him, disrespect Him, and cause His heart to break… and still He offers us love, kindness, and tender mercy.
I wonder… do we really stop to consider how patient God is with us? Do we use His example as a model for how we treat our own children, friends, family members, and acquaintances? Do we offer the same tender kindness and love to others that God extends to us? Do we see that we are often God’s two-year-old trying to put on a skirt over our shorts?
Every single one of us has moments of frustration and impatience. And each of us has the perfect example of what to do in these situations… and what not to do! Stop and consider God’s longsuffering patience, love, kindness and mercy toward you. Thank Him for being so enduring and tolerant… for His tenderness and understanding. Learn from His rhythms and offer hefty doses of these traits to everyone you encounter. God will never, ever quit caring about you… pursuing you… nurturing you. What will you learn from Him? Will others see these qualities in you? Shouldn’t they?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for May 16, 2013
May 16 ~ Ephesians 4:1-3
Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.
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.
A wonderful Christian friend of mine shared a video on Facebook from Upworthy.com* about how we look at adulthood… and the choices we make. A lot of what seems boring or mundane to us has to do with how we choose to see things. We can look at a long grocery check-out line as an aggravation and inconvenience… or a chance to pray. We can be irritated by the lady ahead of us with two kids tugging on her who is in a discussion with the cashier over a grocery coupon… or see her as a busy working mother who is struggling to make ends meet and really needs that extra $1 off her bill. We can see the oversized cars in the traffic lanes as road hogs… or we can recognize that this may be a vehicle that young parents chose because of its sturdiness and safety factors for hauling their little ones back and forth to daycare and other destinations.
And so it is with those who try our patience. We can choose to see their faults and flaws and the things about them that drive us nuts… or we can try to see what God sees… another of His creations…someone who is just as precious and has just as much potential – and is just as flawed - in His eyes as you and I. We can be humble and gentle and recognize that every person has a story… there is a heartache on every pew (as my pastor often says) – and in every grocery line and traffic lane. We can recognize that we do not corner the market on God’s love… or on His patience. We can do better at making an effort to stay united in the Spirit and operating from a place of peace.
If we are truly born-again, Spirit-filled Christians, we must choose to operate more from the place in our hearts where the Holy Spirit resides and less from our human desires. We must call on the Holy Spirit to guide our thoughts, actions… and choices… and to grant us an extra-hefty dose of patience in many instances. And He will do this… and the shift in our attitude will be palpable and fully obvious… in our own daily living – and in the lives of those around us.
What do you say? Are you leading a life worthy of your calling by God? Are you seeing even the most trivial and seemingly insignificant moments as opportunities to exercise humility, gentleness, and patience… a chance to choose peace over stress, strife, or even momentary irritation? Isn’t it time we shifted our attitude in this area and began to choose according to the Holy Spirit? Are you ready to answer the call?
©2013 Debbie Robus
*http://www.upworthy.com/the-earth-shatteringly-amazing-speech-that-ll-change-the-way-you-think-about-adulthood-4?g=4
Daily Devotional for May 6, 2013
Romans 2:5-11
You’re not getting by with anything. Every refusal and avoidance of God adds fuel to the fire. The day is coming when it’s going to blaze hot and high, God’s fiery and righteous judgment. Make no mistake: In the end you get what’s coming to you—Real Life for those who work on God’s side, but to those who insist on getting their own way and take the path of least resistance, Fire!
If you go against the grain, you get splinters, regardless of which neighborhood you’re from, what your parents taught you, what schools you attended. But if you embrace the way God does things, there are wonderful payoffs, again without regard to where you are from or how you were brought up. Being a Jew won’t give you an automatic stamp of approval. God pays no attention to what others say (or what you think) about you. He makes up his own mind.
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 news media is reporting that Peter Stefan, a funeral director for Graham Putnam & Mahoney Funeral Parlors in Worcester, Massachusetts, cannot find a cemetery that will permit the burial of Boston bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev. Stefan’s funeral home has prepared Tsarnaev’s body for a Muslim burial (the tenets of Islam forbid cremation), but no one will help them find a plot for interment. According to Josh Slocum, executive director of the Funeral Consumers Alliance, Stefan is known for giving a proper sendoff to those who are downtrodden or scourged by society. Slocum said, “"He was the only one who would bury gay men dead of AIDS back in the 80s. He did funerals for slain prostitutes that everyone else treated like some sort of subhuman trash.” And now, Stefan wants someone to come forward and help him bury an alleged terrorist.
We have to ask ourselves, “What would Jesus do?” And if we are Disciples of Christ, what should we do? “But this man was involved in the killing of three people and the wounding of more than 200,” you are probably saying. “He doesn’t deserve a ‘decent burial’.” I heard someone say that they lost any sense of compassion for this man when they saw the photos of him apparently placing a deadly bomb next to 8-year-old Martin Richard, knowing that little Martin’s life would be taken. “Who does that?!” this person asked me. And I agree… this is incomprehensible. But how many of us have looked the other way as young children went hungry or were mistreated… perhaps even abused? How many of us have looked at a court system overflowing with foster children in need of services and walked away, saying, “That’s not my problem!”?
Do you see that this is not about whether someone is Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, Atheist, Hindu or any other non-Christian religion? Do you see that it’s not even about the horrific crime of setting off a bomb in a crowd of onlookers at a major event? Jesus didn’t say, “Only love other Christians and treat them as you would wish to be treated.” He told us to love.one.another and do.unto.others.as.you.would.have.them.do.unto.you! Most of us would bury a stray animal we found in our yard… so why would we not bury a known terrorist? I totally understand that the burial of this young man will likely spark at least the potential for a media circus... as well as protests and vandalism at the cemetery where his body is laid to rest. And I would not wish that on the cemeteries where my loved ones are buried. So I do understand that there is a "public dilemma" here. But there has to be a way to handle this with human dignity and Christian compassion. How do you look the other way when you see someone who is hungry, cold, frightened, sick, hurting, or otherwise in need? How do you square that with God on Judgment Day?
This is really not about the Boston bombing and its principals… nor do I mean to spark an argument about who and what are right in this particular situation. My bigger argument is that we cannot pick and choose. We can’t make excuses based on our parentage, where and how we grew up, or what our socio-economic status was – or is today. We can’t claim, “Do you know who I am?” or even “Do you know what I’ve been through and where I came from?” and then live as we please. We can’t pick and choose who to help in the name of Jesus. It is not up to us to decide who is important or deserving… or when it is comfortable and convenient for us to serve. What we are called to decide is to get up off our duffs and minister wherever and however God calls us!
I believe God can take even the most heinous situation and use it for His glory. So let’s take this tragic bombing and the subsequent fallout and examine our own lives and Discipleship. Let’s ask ourselves, am I a “selective Christian” who only serves those who appeal to me – and only when it’s convenient? Or am I so focused on serving God that no opportunity to do so seems too great or small… too ugly or distasteful… too annoying or bothersome? Clearly, Peter Stefan understands that God has called him to serve others at the end of their lives. He can do nothing for the young bomber who has died… but his acts of love, grace and mercy might be the very example that brings others to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. And we cannot discount the potential for victory in this!
When I was teaching Jr. High Sunday school, my students used to get upset with me because I said that all who invite Jesus into their hearts will be with Him for Eternity. “Oh, surely you don’t mean tyrants like Hitler and Saddam Hussein!” they would say. My response was… “Remember the thief on the cross. If those men gave their hearts to Jesus before they died, I believe that you will see them someday in heaven!” The students were mortified! And I think we will be surprised at a few of the people we see (and don’t see) in heaven!
We will also be surprised at some of the questions God asks us about how we served in this earthly life! Excuses will not be tolerated. We will have none that are acceptable. It is up to us to make the choice now to listen closely to what God is telling us…and to serve Him exactly as He directs. And that includes showing love, grace and mercy to all whom He has created, regardless of their faith and/or “station” in life. When you stand before God and answer for your Discipleship, what will you have to say for yourself? What will God have to say to you?
©2013 Debbie Robus
You’re not getting by with anything. Every refusal and avoidance of God adds fuel to the fire. The day is coming when it’s going to blaze hot and high, God’s fiery and righteous judgment. Make no mistake: In the end you get what’s coming to you—Real Life for those who work on God’s side, but to those who insist on getting their own way and take the path of least resistance, Fire!
If you go against the grain, you get splinters, regardless of which neighborhood you’re from, what your parents taught you, what schools you attended. But if you embrace the way God does things, there are wonderful payoffs, again without regard to where you are from or how you were brought up. Being a Jew won’t give you an automatic stamp of approval. God pays no attention to what others say (or what you think) about you. He makes up his own mind.
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 news media is reporting that Peter Stefan, a funeral director for Graham Putnam & Mahoney Funeral Parlors in Worcester, Massachusetts, cannot find a cemetery that will permit the burial of Boston bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev. Stefan’s funeral home has prepared Tsarnaev’s body for a Muslim burial (the tenets of Islam forbid cremation), but no one will help them find a plot for interment. According to Josh Slocum, executive director of the Funeral Consumers Alliance, Stefan is known for giving a proper sendoff to those who are downtrodden or scourged by society. Slocum said, “"He was the only one who would bury gay men dead of AIDS back in the 80s. He did funerals for slain prostitutes that everyone else treated like some sort of subhuman trash.” And now, Stefan wants someone to come forward and help him bury an alleged terrorist.
We have to ask ourselves, “What would Jesus do?” And if we are Disciples of Christ, what should we do? “But this man was involved in the killing of three people and the wounding of more than 200,” you are probably saying. “He doesn’t deserve a ‘decent burial’.” I heard someone say that they lost any sense of compassion for this man when they saw the photos of him apparently placing a deadly bomb next to 8-year-old Martin Richard, knowing that little Martin’s life would be taken. “Who does that?!” this person asked me. And I agree… this is incomprehensible. But how many of us have looked the other way as young children went hungry or were mistreated… perhaps even abused? How many of us have looked at a court system overflowing with foster children in need of services and walked away, saying, “That’s not my problem!”?
Do you see that this is not about whether someone is Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, Atheist, Hindu or any other non-Christian religion? Do you see that it’s not even about the horrific crime of setting off a bomb in a crowd of onlookers at a major event? Jesus didn’t say, “Only love other Christians and treat them as you would wish to be treated.” He told us to love.one.another and do.unto.others.as.you.would.have.them.do.unto.you! Most of us would bury a stray animal we found in our yard… so why would we not bury a known terrorist? I totally understand that the burial of this young man will likely spark at least the potential for a media circus... as well as protests and vandalism at the cemetery where his body is laid to rest. And I would not wish that on the cemeteries where my loved ones are buried. So I do understand that there is a "public dilemma" here. But there has to be a way to handle this with human dignity and Christian compassion. How do you look the other way when you see someone who is hungry, cold, frightened, sick, hurting, or otherwise in need? How do you square that with God on Judgment Day?
This is really not about the Boston bombing and its principals… nor do I mean to spark an argument about who and what are right in this particular situation. My bigger argument is that we cannot pick and choose. We can’t make excuses based on our parentage, where and how we grew up, or what our socio-economic status was – or is today. We can’t claim, “Do you know who I am?” or even “Do you know what I’ve been through and where I came from?” and then live as we please. We can’t pick and choose who to help in the name of Jesus. It is not up to us to decide who is important or deserving… or when it is comfortable and convenient for us to serve. What we are called to decide is to get up off our duffs and minister wherever and however God calls us!
I believe God can take even the most heinous situation and use it for His glory. So let’s take this tragic bombing and the subsequent fallout and examine our own lives and Discipleship. Let’s ask ourselves, am I a “selective Christian” who only serves those who appeal to me – and only when it’s convenient? Or am I so focused on serving God that no opportunity to do so seems too great or small… too ugly or distasteful… too annoying or bothersome? Clearly, Peter Stefan understands that God has called him to serve others at the end of their lives. He can do nothing for the young bomber who has died… but his acts of love, grace and mercy might be the very example that brings others to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. And we cannot discount the potential for victory in this!
When I was teaching Jr. High Sunday school, my students used to get upset with me because I said that all who invite Jesus into their hearts will be with Him for Eternity. “Oh, surely you don’t mean tyrants like Hitler and Saddam Hussein!” they would say. My response was… “Remember the thief on the cross. If those men gave their hearts to Jesus before they died, I believe that you will see them someday in heaven!” The students were mortified! And I think we will be surprised at a few of the people we see (and don’t see) in heaven!
We will also be surprised at some of the questions God asks us about how we served in this earthly life! Excuses will not be tolerated. We will have none that are acceptable. It is up to us to make the choice now to listen closely to what God is telling us…and to serve Him exactly as He directs. And that includes showing love, grace and mercy to all whom He has created, regardless of their faith and/or “station” in life. When you stand before God and answer for your Discipleship, what will you have to say for yourself? What will God have to say to you?
©2013 Debbie Robus
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