Galatians 5:13-15
My friends, you were chosen to
be free. So don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do anything you want.
Use it as an opportunity to serve each other with love. All that the
Law says can be summed up in the command to love others as much as you
love yourself. But if you keep attacking each other like wild animals,
you had better watch out or you will destroy yourselves.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
There
is a sweet elderly man named Rayburn who works at our local Walmart.
The other day I heard him tell a young family, “I’m 92 years old!” I
strongly suspect that Rayburn doesn’t have to work any longer.
Judging from his friendly demeanor toward shoppers, I’d say that Rayburn
loves his job – and works because it makes him happy!
A lot of
retirees continue to work at something. Don’t misunderstand…these folks
have plenty of options. They could literally do anything they want with
their time, but many choose to give at least some of it back to
others. They volunteer at thrift stores, animal shelters, schools,
libraries, historical museums, and more. They deliver Meals on Wheels,
work with youth groups, and care for grandchildren and other loved
ones. They serve in every capacity under the sun for their church and
its missions and ministries. And they do it all because they love
others and want to pay forward the blessings they receive in life.
Each
of us has a choice about how we spend our time. Some of it is
mandated…work, school, family obligations. But we have plenty of minutes
in the day that are left to our own discretion. Some of us choose to
spend them acting in love and kindness…demonstrating the teachings of
Jesus to others. Some of us spend them attacking others, criticizing,
finding ways to tear down rather than build up, complaining, sharing
unkind or untrue information with others…and in general, stirring up a
mess of trouble!
Author and activist Eldridge Cleaver is
attributed with the quote, “You either have to be part of the solution,
or you're going to be part of the problem.” This is a fairly good
interpretation of what is stated in Galatians 5:15. We have a choice.
We can spend our time loving others and building them up, or we can act
selfishly and unlovingly toward each other…foster attacks on one another
with our critical and judgmental words and actions…and ultimately
cultivate an environment where hatred – and at least the potential for
eventual destruction – are the end results.
Sadly, some of us are
headed toward the latter scenario with lightning speed! But we can
turn it around. I’m not saying that at 92, we still have to be pushing a
janitorial cart at Walmart and greeting the public – or volunteering
for anything else! But we can look for opportunities every day to share
the love and Good News of Jesus Christ with others. I know some
wonderful seniors who are unable to get out of a chair, but they are
some of the best and most fervent prayer warriors you will ever meet!
We
can strive to be positive…to see the good in others and to promote it -
even at the expense of our own recognition and/or appreciation. It is
past time for us to recognize that life as a Christian is bigger than
any single one of us! We are called to put Jesus – and others – ahead of
ourselves…to love big…and to serve even bigger! It may not always be
fun – or easy – but there truly IS a great freedom in serving in this
manner.
This is not something we can afford to ignore. Are you
ready to “hitch up your britches” and serve Jesus by serving others with
love? Will this be the day that you get started?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label unselfishness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label unselfishness. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for July 7, 2012
Philippians 2:1-4
If you've gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care— then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don't push your way to the front; don't sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don't be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.
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.
July 3, 2012, was not a good day in Pope County, Arkansas. Wildfires raged through the Ozark National Forest near Appleton, north of Atkins, and surrounding areas. Several area fire departments were called upon to help fight the fires, which raged for most of the day and into the night. In fact, there have been fires in this area of Arkansas virtually every day this week. My friend Missy Ellis and her husband, Randy, own a well-known family restaurant in nearby Russellville, Arkansas, called Whatta-Burger… located across the highway from the campus of Arkansas Tech University. Missy and Randy are still involved in the daily operation of this establishment… known for its made-to-order hamburgers and more-than-ample servings of everything!
Missy kept people updated on the fire locations, area evacuations and the firefighter’s progress via Facebook. At one point she noted that she had driven to one fire site to deliver 14 cases of water and 16 bundles of Gatorade to the firefighters… and she was waiting on 150 Whatta-Burgers to be prepared for delivery to the crew. Randy is a volunteer firefighter, and Missy posted photos of him manning a pumper truck. This is not an isolated incident. Missy and Randy do things like this all the time. I’ve known them over 30 years, and they’ve always stepped up and out whenever and wherever needed to help others.
You can’t mention the names of Missy and Randy - or their children - in the Pope County area without eliciting a smile – and probably a story or two. They are known far and wide for their generosity, moral character, and loving spirit. Because of part-time jobs at Whatta-Burger, thousands of kids have been able to attend college. Missy has taught a children’s Sunday School at her church for nearly 40 years. If I told you how much she prepares at Christmas time – cookies and candy – and delivers to area policemen, fire departments, doctor’s offices and more, you would probably faint just reading the list! I honestly believe they get up every morning and ask, “Okay, LORD… what’s on tap for today?”
I honestly have never known of these two friends to think of themselves first… in any situation. They truly are amazing. Most of us could not hold up to their level of commitment… nor do we have the energy to accomplish what they do in any given day. But we can all do our share. We can make an attempt to think less of ourselves and more of the other guy. We can make a concerted effort to get along… and we can look around for ways to make life a little easier or better for someone else rather than always asking, “When is it MY turn?” or “What’s in this for me?”
There is no greater joy or blessing than to be able to lighten another person’s load. To know that you operated in the love of Christ and did something for another person - with no thought of what you might gain in the process - is to truly be the hands and feet of Jesus. I didn’t mention that Missy had a total knee replacement a few months ago… and Randy had a surgery, as well. Yet they were both up and out this week, making life better for others and doing what they could… with no regard for the heat or the toll this would take on their own lives. I’m sure they are both exhausted. I’ve seen the comments on Facebook…the recipients of this kindness are regarding my friends as heroes of a sort… though they refuse to take any credit.
God is not calling us to be heroes… He is just asking us to do all we can without putting ourselves first – from being kind and agreeable to offering a hand up or a handout when needed. My question to you is… “Which end of this deal are you on most days?” Are you getting more than you are giving? Has the love of Christ made a difference in your life… and is this evident to others by how you are living? Shouldn’t it be?
©2012 Debbie Robus
If you've gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care— then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don't push your way to the front; don't sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don't be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.
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.
July 3, 2012, was not a good day in Pope County, Arkansas. Wildfires raged through the Ozark National Forest near Appleton, north of Atkins, and surrounding areas. Several area fire departments were called upon to help fight the fires, which raged for most of the day and into the night. In fact, there have been fires in this area of Arkansas virtually every day this week. My friend Missy Ellis and her husband, Randy, own a well-known family restaurant in nearby Russellville, Arkansas, called Whatta-Burger… located across the highway from the campus of Arkansas Tech University. Missy and Randy are still involved in the daily operation of this establishment… known for its made-to-order hamburgers and more-than-ample servings of everything!
Missy kept people updated on the fire locations, area evacuations and the firefighter’s progress via Facebook. At one point she noted that she had driven to one fire site to deliver 14 cases of water and 16 bundles of Gatorade to the firefighters… and she was waiting on 150 Whatta-Burgers to be prepared for delivery to the crew. Randy is a volunteer firefighter, and Missy posted photos of him manning a pumper truck. This is not an isolated incident. Missy and Randy do things like this all the time. I’ve known them over 30 years, and they’ve always stepped up and out whenever and wherever needed to help others.
You can’t mention the names of Missy and Randy - or their children - in the Pope County area without eliciting a smile – and probably a story or two. They are known far and wide for their generosity, moral character, and loving spirit. Because of part-time jobs at Whatta-Burger, thousands of kids have been able to attend college. Missy has taught a children’s Sunday School at her church for nearly 40 years. If I told you how much she prepares at Christmas time – cookies and candy – and delivers to area policemen, fire departments, doctor’s offices and more, you would probably faint just reading the list! I honestly believe they get up every morning and ask, “Okay, LORD… what’s on tap for today?”
I honestly have never known of these two friends to think of themselves first… in any situation. They truly are amazing. Most of us could not hold up to their level of commitment… nor do we have the energy to accomplish what they do in any given day. But we can all do our share. We can make an attempt to think less of ourselves and more of the other guy. We can make a concerted effort to get along… and we can look around for ways to make life a little easier or better for someone else rather than always asking, “When is it MY turn?” or “What’s in this for me?”
There is no greater joy or blessing than to be able to lighten another person’s load. To know that you operated in the love of Christ and did something for another person - with no thought of what you might gain in the process - is to truly be the hands and feet of Jesus. I didn’t mention that Missy had a total knee replacement a few months ago… and Randy had a surgery, as well. Yet they were both up and out this week, making life better for others and doing what they could… with no regard for the heat or the toll this would take on their own lives. I’m sure they are both exhausted. I’ve seen the comments on Facebook…the recipients of this kindness are regarding my friends as heroes of a sort… though they refuse to take any credit.
God is not calling us to be heroes… He is just asking us to do all we can without putting ourselves first – from being kind and agreeable to offering a hand up or a handout when needed. My question to you is… “Which end of this deal are you on most days?” Are you getting more than you are giving? Has the love of Christ made a difference in your life… and is this evident to others by how you are living? Shouldn’t it be?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for May 13, 2012
Moses 2:1-10
A man from the Levi tribe married a woman from the same tribe, and she later had a baby boy. He was a beautiful child, and she kept him inside for three months. But when she could no longer keep him hidden, she made a basket out of reeds and covered it with tar. She put him in the basket and placed it in the tall grass along the edge of the Nile River. The baby’s older sister stood off at a distance to see what would happen to him.
About that time one of the king’s daughters came down to take a bath in the river, while her servant women walked along the river bank. She saw the basket in the tall grass and sent one of the young women to pull it out of the water. When the king’s daughter opened the basket, she saw the baby and felt sorry for him because he was crying. She said, “This must be one of the Hebrew babies.”
At once the baby’s older sister came up and asked, “Do you want me to get a Hebrew woman to take care of the baby for you?” “Yes,” the king’s daughter answered.
So the girl brought the baby’s mother, and the king’s daughter told her, “Take care of this child, and I will pay you.” The baby’s mother carried him home and took care of him. And when he was old enough, she took him to the king’s daughter, who adopted him. She named him Moses because she said, “I pulled him out of the water.”
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
This is one of the most amazing stories of motherhood I know. To think that Moses’ mother loved him so much that she risked everything for him speaks to the incredible love of a mother for her children. Moses’ mother had the courage to place him where she knew the king’s daughters bathed. She trusted that one of the daughters would discover this beautiful baby and be smitten with him. She risked this to save his life. And she did so at the expense of her own feelings. She sacrificed her own heart to save Moses’ life and ensure his future.
This mother couldn’t possibly know that the king’s daughter would return Moses to her for child-rearing. She also probably didn’t anticipate how heart-wrenching it would be to return him to the king’s daughter someday for adoption. Still, she did all of this to ensure the safety and wellbeing of her child. And God blessed her – and Moses – because of her courage and her unselfishness.
Even though God is our heavenly Father, He loves us with the love of a mother, as well. He wants the best for us, and He considers our well-being at every turn. God loves us unselfishly. He also loves us unconditionally. And He provides us with earthly mothers of biology… and heart.
Today, as we pause to honor the mothers in our lives… those who gave us birth and those who give us unconditional motherly love and support… let’s also thank God for His incredible gifts. God could just as easily have spoken each one of us into existence and provided other ways for us to be nurtured and reared, but He chose mothers as the vehicle for this. The “motherly instinct” is so incredibly important that we see it even in nature… from the bird who sits on a nest to a cat guarding her kittens to the goose who guides her goslings across a busy highway and more. Surely God meant for mothers to be respected and revered – He gave them such important work. Have you thanked Him for your mom lately? Shouldn’t you?
©2012 Debbie Robus
A man from the Levi tribe married a woman from the same tribe, and she later had a baby boy. He was a beautiful child, and she kept him inside for three months. But when she could no longer keep him hidden, she made a basket out of reeds and covered it with tar. She put him in the basket and placed it in the tall grass along the edge of the Nile River. The baby’s older sister stood off at a distance to see what would happen to him.
About that time one of the king’s daughters came down to take a bath in the river, while her servant women walked along the river bank. She saw the basket in the tall grass and sent one of the young women to pull it out of the water. When the king’s daughter opened the basket, she saw the baby and felt sorry for him because he was crying. She said, “This must be one of the Hebrew babies.”
At once the baby’s older sister came up and asked, “Do you want me to get a Hebrew woman to take care of the baby for you?” “Yes,” the king’s daughter answered.
So the girl brought the baby’s mother, and the king’s daughter told her, “Take care of this child, and I will pay you.” The baby’s mother carried him home and took care of him. And when he was old enough, she took him to the king’s daughter, who adopted him. She named him Moses because she said, “I pulled him out of the water.”
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
This is one of the most amazing stories of motherhood I know. To think that Moses’ mother loved him so much that she risked everything for him speaks to the incredible love of a mother for her children. Moses’ mother had the courage to place him where she knew the king’s daughters bathed. She trusted that one of the daughters would discover this beautiful baby and be smitten with him. She risked this to save his life. And she did so at the expense of her own feelings. She sacrificed her own heart to save Moses’ life and ensure his future.
This mother couldn’t possibly know that the king’s daughter would return Moses to her for child-rearing. She also probably didn’t anticipate how heart-wrenching it would be to return him to the king’s daughter someday for adoption. Still, she did all of this to ensure the safety and wellbeing of her child. And God blessed her – and Moses – because of her courage and her unselfishness.
Even though God is our heavenly Father, He loves us with the love of a mother, as well. He wants the best for us, and He considers our well-being at every turn. God loves us unselfishly. He also loves us unconditionally. And He provides us with earthly mothers of biology… and heart.
Today, as we pause to honor the mothers in our lives… those who gave us birth and those who give us unconditional motherly love and support… let’s also thank God for His incredible gifts. God could just as easily have spoken each one of us into existence and provided other ways for us to be nurtured and reared, but He chose mothers as the vehicle for this. The “motherly instinct” is so incredibly important that we see it even in nature… from the bird who sits on a nest to a cat guarding her kittens to the goose who guides her goslings across a busy highway and more. Surely God meant for mothers to be respected and revered – He gave them such important work. Have you thanked Him for your mom lately? Shouldn’t you?
©2012 Debbie Robus
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