bigotry hatred bullying – Daily Devo Time

Daily Devotional for April 22, 2024 – Living a “careful life” that glorifies God – and demonstrates His teachings of love and kindness

Proverbs 13:1-3
Intelligent children listen to their parents;
foolish children do their own thing.
The good acquire a taste for helpful conversation;
bullies push and shove their way through life.
Careful words make for a careful life;
careless talk may ruin everything.

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.

A few weeks ago, our nephew got a haircut. The new “do” looked great – and he was proud of his appearance…until classmates made fun of him using a derogatory phrase. Our boy’s feelings were really hurt, but his mother wisely talked with him about taking the high road…noting that some of these friends have difficult times of it at home – and perhaps they thought the way to elevate themselves was to deride others.

God gave Solomon words to share with us about such situations…“The good acquire a taste for helpful conversation; bullies push and shove their way through life.” While this is true, when you are almost 12 and your friends make fun of your haircut, it stings. The name I was given for my new 5th-grade haircut was not nearly as caustic…but it “stuck” – and I didn’t enjoy it. I recall my own mother telling me on several occasions that “bullies make fun of you because they like you and/or are jealous.” She later realized that this was not necessarily the case, and she admitted that she wished she had offered more sympathetic advice.

Mother said she wished she had told us that bullies and people who are foolish and careless with their words and actions are not to be excused…that we are to rise above these situations and do our best to refuse to give such behaviors any “legs.” It’s sound advice for all of us. Don’t give an ear to those who speak and act foolishly or carelessly. Avoid situations where you are placed in the company of such folks. When this is unavoidable, don’t play into their malevolence. Change the subject. Speak of things that are positive and truthful. Don’t give gossip and untruths any encouragement.

When others push and shove…make snide or snarky remarks…or behave in a manner that is dishonest, inappropriate, distasteful, or disconcerting in some way, double down on efforts to present the opposite characteristics. I know it is cliché, but “kill ‘em with kindness!” Offer words of encouragement, speak gently and positively, change the subject when possible…and walk away when necessary.

We don’t have to go along to get along…and we don’t have to make ourselves “whipping boys” for bullies, liars, and frauds. God has called us to live a “careful life” that demonstrates faithfulness to the commands and teachings of Jesus – and to always speak and act in a way that expresses love and kindness for everyone. Ask God to guide and guard your words and actions – and always to help you to be careful – in every sense of the word. Alleluia!

Daily Devotional for April 13, 2024 – Learning to put God first…lessons from Solomon and Jimmy Carter

Proverbs 3:1-6
My son, never forget the things I’ve taught you. If you want a long and satisfying life, closely follow my instructions. Never tire of loyalty and kindness. Hold these virtues tightly. Write them deep within your heart. If you want favor with both God and man, and a reputation for good judgment and common sense, then trust the Lord completely; don’t ever trust yourself. In everything you do, put God first, and he will direct you and crown your efforts with success.

“I have one life and one chance to make it count for something… My faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can with whatever I have to try to make a difference.” – Former President Jimmy Carter

A February 20, 2023, article was posted in The New York Times by Kai Bird, director of the Leon Levy Center for Biography and the author of The Outlier: The Unfinished Presidency of Jimmy Carter. Titled “Jimmy Carter’s Presidency Was Not What You Think”, Bird related an encounter with the former President at the Carter Center, where Carter lectured attendees on the eradication of Guinea worm disease.

Bird’s article is enlightening as he outlines many of President Carter’s perceived successes and failures while in office. But he notes that Carter’s entire life has been an extension of the work he did as our 39th President…and many of his greatest accomplishments have occurred out of office. Carter is quoted as saying, “I believe that anyone can be successful in life, regardless of natural talent or the environment within which we live. This is not based on measuring success by human competitiveness for wealth, possessions, influence, and fame, but adhering to God’s standards of truth, justice, humility, service, compassion, forgiveness, and love.”

Greg and I were just finishing college when Jimmy Carter was elected President of the United States. Counting President Joe Biden, there have been thirteen sitting Presidents in our lifetime. Like many of you, we have seen a lot of leadership “styles” and attitudes. And while some have worked diligently to operate in the tenets that President Carter describes in this quote about “success” and service to God, others have done everything humanly possible to deride and divide us with their lies, deceit, and downright arrogance and hatred.

The more-than-a-half-century of my life serves as a microcosm of study in many instances of “What Not to Do!” I don’t mean to be negative, but truthfully, I don’t believe we are presently handing my great-nieces-and-nephews and cousins a better world than the one in which we grew up in many respects. And I think God must hang His head in shame and despair much of the time over how low some of us have sunk. But I firmly believe we can still “turn this ship around!” I believe we can take a good hard look at what Solomon proclaimed in the Proverbs…and what President Jimmy Carter and other genuinely faithful servants have modeled.

I believe we can shift from hatred to hope…from killing to kindness…from arrogance to humility…and from evil and sin to surrender and service of the Most High God. President Carter is quoted as saying, “We should live our lives as though Christ were coming this afternoon.” It seems to me that we all have work to do to make this the rule in our lives. It is time for us to truly put God first – and let Him guide and guard our every word and action. Alleluia, and Amen!

Daily Devotional for March 30, 2024 – Aligning our heart with our words and actions to truly reflect the love of Jesus…it may be time for an “adjustment!”

Luke 6:45
Good people do good things because of the good in their hearts, but bad people do bad things because of the evil in their hearts. Your words show what is in your heart.

Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.

Greg and I had a conversation recently in which we agreed that someone we know “has no filter” and often says things that are offensive. But we also agreed that this person has a huge heart and is truly a good person who truly loves Jesus. The mouth just doesn’t consistently match the heart! And let’s be honest…this could often be said of all of us! On the other hand, I can think of several people who are similar to this person, with one exception. Their mouth and heart are both saying and demonstrating the same thing – and it is truly evil and unGodly!

You know who I mean…those who demonstrate at every turn that everything is about them…the ones who have zero tolerance for someone who is “different” in any way…those who surround themselves with like-minded folk that speak and act in a manner that clearly indicates their arrogance, selfishness, bias, and downright hatred for anyone who isn’t in their camp! I am talking about those who hide behind the Bible and boldly declare that God is on their side – and the rest are headed straight for Hell.

I know I talk a lot in this space about how we must not judge others. You may think what I am about to say is hypocritical, but here goes. There are people in my community that I have respected – even revered – for years as faithful servants of God…dedicated believers in Jesus Christ who steadfastly followed His every command. And in recent years, I have seen and heard some of them align with people who represent evil of every kind…and defend this stance with scripture. I have witnessed language and actions that indicate these sentiments are heartfelt. And considering Luke’s words from Jesus, I believe that I am shown what is truly in their hearts…and it crushes me.

A dear elderly friend reminded me yesterday that “You can’t fix some things” – and this is one of them. Thankfully, God doesn’t call you and me to fix others – He just commands us to let Him fix us! And this is my prayer today. As we sit in the silence between “Good Friday” and Easter Sunday, let’s focus on Jesus – His sacrifices, His commands and teachings, and His heartfelt love and desire that you and I would model His behavior to others. Let’s guard our words and actions…but more importantly, let’s guard our hearts! The more we align our heart with God’s, the more our words and actions will reflect that He is there.

Pray for those with hard, evil hearts. Pray that God would cleanse our hearts and root out any evil tendencies that reside there. We don’t have time or energy to waste on the devil…and this is a great day to get rid of him and his influences for good. Alleluia!

Daily Devotional for February 1, 2024 – When good servants are “treated badly for good behavior” – a lesson from “George Bailey”

1 Peter 2:18-25
You who are servants, be good servants to your masters—not just to good masters, but also to bad ones. What counts is that you put up with it for God’s sake when you’re treated badly for no good reason. There’s no particular virtue in accepting punishment that you well deserve. But if you’re treated badly for good behavior and continue in spite of it to be a good servant, that is what counts with God.

This is the kind of life you’ve been invited into, the kind of life Christ lived. He suffered everything that came his way so you would know that it could be done, and also know how to do it, step-by-step.

He never did one thing wrong,

Not once said anything amiss.

They called him every name in the book and he said nothing back. He suffered in silence, content to let God set things right. He used his servant body to carry our sins to the Cross so we could be rid of sin, free to live the right way. His wounds became your healing. You were lost sheep with no idea who you were or where you were going. Now you’re named and kept for good by the Shepherd of your souls.

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 the movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” the young character, “George Bailey,” is treated badly by his employer, druggist “Mr. Gower.” Bailey realizes that Mr. Gower has filled a prescription with a poison, and George doesn’t deliver this medicine to the patient. When Mr. Gower discovers this, he physically attacks George, who gently tells the druggist that he has inadvertently put poison in the capsules. George acknowledges that he knows Mr. Gower is distraught over news that his son has died…and that he didn’t mean to do this. He also promises not to tell anyone about the mistake. And Mr. Gower is filled with remorse and relief that these deadly pills were not delivered.

If you find this scene on YouTube, you will see that George Bailey went to the bank to consult his father about what to do, only to find a “bad master” – “Mr. Potter” – admonishing the senior Mr. Bailey to collect on loans even if it meant putting families that couldn’t pay on the streets. In the delivery of both father and son in these scenes, diligence for the work at hand – and complete respect and decorum toward their bosses – is demonstrated. They exemplify what it means to be a good servant despite being “treated badly for good behavior.”

I would love to tell you that this sort of thing is unusual…that life and work are relatively easy for most…and “bad masters” are few and far between. But we all know this isn’t true. If you have never had to hold your tongue and take the high road when you were treated badly for no good reason, congratulations! You are a rare bird! The sad truth is that there are a lot of people who are selfish, hateful, angry, incompetent, and sometimes downright ignorant in positions of power and influence over another person or group. Let’s just call them what they are…bullies! And being faithful to our commitment to Christ can be difficult when we are in the presence of such people…but this is what we are called to do.

People are always watching…they will see how you react and respond in such situations…and they will judge your faithfulness to Jesus accordingly. I know it is hard to hold our tongues sometimes. I know we don’t always get this right. But when we consider what was said and done to Jesus – and He never retaliated – we have our Example of how to proceed. Does this make things right? Not always. There may be times when the situation becomes so unbearable that you must make a difficult choice. And sometimes, in a setting where a member of the group is encouraging others to be hateful, bigoted, discriminatory, or unloving…you may have to simply step away.

You don’t have to make a big deal of this – or try to persuade others to join you. People will take note of your absence and/or lack of participation, and your actions will often speak volumes. Notice that “George Bailey” didn’t run through the streets and tell anyone who would listen that Mr. Gower had almost made a deadly mistake. He simply did what he knew was the right thing to do. Later in the story, when George and his family are in financial distress, Mr. Gower steps up and offers the money to pay off debts and save the day.

Understand that not all “wrongs” will be corrected in such a fairy-tale manner. In fact, many will never express remorse for mistreatment of others – or seemingly suffer any visible consequences for their words and actions – much less try to make things right. But this is not about revenge…or pleasing human beings. This is about serving Christ as He commands…and pleasing Him with our words, actions, and reactions! If you find yourself in a situation where someone is intimidating or mistreating you, ask God to give you strength and resolve to demonstrate the teachings of Jesus. Carefully and prayerfully consider every word and action…and when you feel God calling you to step away from a person, group, or situation in order to remain faithful and obedient, put one foot in front of the other and move!

In “It’s a Wonderful Life,” the angel, “Clarence,” tells George Bailey…“Strange, isn’t it? Each man’s life touches so many other lives. When he isn’t around, he leaves an awful hole, doesn’t he?” God has called on us to touch the lives of others in the name of Jesus…to demonstrate His grace, mercy, love, kindness, and dignity even in the face of mistreatment and hatred. People are always watching, and it is time we become real-life “George Baileys” – and show them the love of Jesus in our every word and action. Alleluia!

Daily Devotional for March 10, 2021 – It’s time to figure out how to get along!

Psalm 133:1-3
How wonderful, how beautiful,
when brothers and sisters get along!
It’s like costly anointing oil
flowing down head and beard,
Flowing down Aaron’s beard,
flowing down the collar of his priestly robes.
It’s like the dew on Mount Hermon
flowing down the slopes of Zion.
Yes, that’s where God commands the blessing,
ordains eternal life.

Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.

The “one-year” mark for dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic is upon us. As restrictions loosen and people return to “normal” life, a lot of folks are asking, “How do we get along?” How do we get along with those who denied this pandemic while our loved ones were suffering and dying? How do we get along with the people who refused to wear a mask and likely served as vehicles for the spread of this deadly disease? How do we acclimate back into a world where we are surely going to continue to be cautious and a little leery of the next viral outbreak?

How do you get along with the acquaintance or family member who has said unkind things about you or someone you know and love? How do you get along with people you fear or dislike? If you are someone who harbors feelings you cannot seem to get past about people of color, the poor, members of the LGBTQ community, those of a different gender, political party or religious belief and more…how do you learn to get along with them? Scripture tells us that this is what we are called to do, so we have got to figure out a way forward!

The hard truth is that there will always be people with whom we disagree…and those who “rub us the wrong way”. And obviously, it is critically important to God that His children get along. The Psalmist tells us that getting along is as valuable to God as the costly olive oil poured over Aaron to designate his position as the “high priest”…or dew flowing abundantly down the slopes of mountains. These analogies also indicate to me that the Psalmist recognizes how rare this trait can be. (Have you ever seen dew so abundant that it ran down a mountainside?) Still…we must strive to make getting along with others more commonplace.

I have as much work to do in this area as the next person. I am already thinking about how I am going to react and respond to a lot of folks as we emerge from this pandemic. I have had to do some pretty deep soul searching toward those who disparage folks in the LGBTQ community and people of color – and thereby members of my own family. I have had to figure out how to get along with people who have said and done ugly or unkind things – or hurt someone I love in some manner with their unkindness, judgment, or downright hatred. None of us is immune to this…and God understands that the work to get along is often more than a little difficult. Still, this is what He expects of us.

If Jesus Christ can forgive those who disparaged Him…the liars, cheaters, haters, bigots and racists…you and I have no excuse. If Jesus Christ can tell us to “love one another” – and demonstrate this perfectly and without exception, what excuse do you and I have? We may be works in progress…but the work must begin – here, now, today. It’s time for Christ’s disciples to come together and get along…so let’s get busy!

Daily Devotional for March 8, 2021 – Treating others with love, kindness, and dignity…a lesson for God’s “Royal Family”

Proverbs 13:2
You will be well rewarded
for saying something kind,
but all some people think about
is how to be cruel and mean.

Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.

Like a lot of Americans, I watched the CBS interview of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, conducted by Oprah Winfrey. Suffice it to say that the couple’s claims indicate that the British monarchy is not only racist, but there is an inner “drama” at play where the “Royals” are often trapped and suppressed within the archaic system that has been created around this “fairy-tale” family. In truth, it more resembles something of a circus…and quite the overblown soap opera.

There were two claims the “Royal couple” made, however, that were particularly disturbing. The first was that “The Institution” [of Buckingham Palace] was concerned with the color of their baby’s skin…and disturbing questions were posed to Harry about this before baby Archie’s birth. The other disclosure was that the pressure and suppression of this family machine brought Meghan Markle to the point where she was suicidal…and pleas to seek help were met with refusal and an admonition that “You just have to deal with it.” Markle claims that she was so despondent that she told Harry she did not feel safe to be left alone.

You may be wondering why I am even discussing this situation in this space. But here’s the thing…a lot of people are being “bullied” and pressured – and treated cruelly in some fashion…and we are not even aware this is happening. This couple noted that when the cameras were rolling, they were all smiles and the picture of happiness. But in private, they were suffering from the heartbreak and frustration of their situation. And many people in our midst are in distress, and we don’t even seem to know – or care.

It became profoundly apparent to me in this last year just how self-absorbed many of us are. I realized in a poignant way how cruelly some think, speak and act toward people of color…how indignant many are about those who express a tolerance for the LGBTQ community, people who do not agree with their politics, and those whose religious practices are not like their own (not to mention people in a different economic class). I observed how many have gone about their business as if the COVID-19 pandemic never happened, with a “devil-may-care” attitude toward the safety and well-being of others. As long as they got to move about and “do” as always…as long as their children got to go back to school, continue to engage in sports and play with friends…as long as their families got to gather for birthdays, holidays and more…nothing and no one else mattered. In fact, those who did not do these things have often been ridiculed and berated…or shunned and ostracized.

I have little interest in the British Royal Family. But if their interview allows one person who is considering suicide to seek help, I’m all in. If one person watches this interview and thinks twice about how he/she feels toward people of color, this is worthwhile viewing. If people stop and think about how they are treating others…and the subtle ways that many bully people and are cruel and mean…then this 2-hour “melodrama” will have served a purpose. And if you and I search our hearts and ask God to show us where we are harboring unloving thoughts or treating people poorly, talking about this again today will have made a difference as well.

Daily Devotional for September 12, 2019 – Love lessons from toddlers…learning how to treat ALL of God’s children

James 4:1-3
Where do you think all these appalling wars and quarrels come from? Do you think they just happen? Think again. They come about because you want your own way, and fight for it deep inside yourselves. You lust for what you don’t have and are willing to kill to get it. You want what isn’t yours and will risk violence to get your hands on it.

You wouldn’t think of just asking God for it, would you? And why not? Because you know you’d be asking for what you have no right to. You’re spoiled children, each wanting your own way.

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 a heartwarming video* circulating in social media of two toddlers who are running down a city sidewalk toward each other – arms outstretched. You can hear them calling, “My friend! My friend!” Two-year-olds Maxwell and Finnegan met a year ago in a restaurant near their homes. They live on the same street in New York City – one block apart…and they have become inseparable. The families now spend birthdays and vacations together, go swimming, and have play dates. The boys’ favorite activity is watching “The Lion King” together. Did I mention that one of the children is white…and the other is black?

This is truly one of the best videos on the Internet right now. The father of one of these little boys says that they frequently hold hands as they play together. Only six weeks apart in age, it is clear that their bond is strong – and one that will last a lifetime. In them, we find an example for the rest of us.

I say this as a sixty-something woman who grew up in an all-white community. Many residents came to our area as a result of “white flight” from places where people of other races resided. I still remember the “fit” that some of our residents threw in the 1970s when an African-American cameraman from a Little Rock television station came to film a parade that was part of a local festival. Sadly, I know many folks who have nothing kind to say about people of color and view them as “less than” – or only as servants or “hired help”. It truly disturbs me to think that for all of the strides that have been made in our country, we really haven’t come that far in many regards.

But what saddens me more is how many of the people who are the most selfish and bigoted are the ones who pray the loudest. They speak up in places of worship about “those people” – meaning anyone who doesn’t look or believe exactly as they do – while asking God to grant them His very best love and care. I know this to be true, because I have experienced it firsthand. And this is exactly what James 4:1-3 is speaking against

As I have said before, Christian faith is not “Burger King®”…you don’t get to “have it your way.” God is not amused when we treat a single one of His children as inferior in any way – and then ask Him for the desires of our heart. He must surely be brokenhearted to see and hear those who profess to love Him and want to serve Him – those who have supposedly surrendered their hearts to Jesus – behave in a way that suggests that their commitment is conditional. In other words, it must grieve God to see people who claim to love Him and promise to serve as Christ’s disciples…but only if everything is to their liking – AND all others who live and serve alongside them must look, think and act in exact same way.

Our pastor stated last Sunday that attitudes like bigotry, racism, a lack of hospitality toward the stranger in our midst (and refugees), hatred, discrimination, and exclusion are nothing new. But he quickly added that God does not despise these behaviors any less today. If you think for one minute that you can pick and choose who you love and treat well – or who God loves – you are mistaken. We cannot consider a single other person as “less than”, call people names, make derogatory remarks or slurs toward certain races, ethnic groups, religious faiths, and sexual orientations – or exclude others from our neighborhoods, communities, churches, and circles of influence. We most certainly cannot do any of these things and expect God to take our prayers seriously.

It is time for us to become like 2-year-old boys who see only friendship and shared interests. We must stop calling other people names and embrace them as “My friend! My friend!” If we want to live fully in the presence of Jesus and the blessings of answered prayers, we must start to recognize that every single person is equally important to God…and we must stop our quarreling and selfish words and actions. We all have some work to do…are you ready to get started?

*https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2019/09/10/toddler-best-friends-hugging-on-street-dad/

Daily Devotional for August 12, 2019 – It’s time to act like Christ’s “beloved”!

Romans 12:14-16
Bless your enemies; no cursing under your breath. Laugh with your happy friends when they’re happy; share tears when they’re down. Get along with each other; don’t be stuck-up. Make friends with nobodies; don’t be the great somebody.

To pray…to listen to the Voice of the One who calls us the “beloved”, is to learn that that Voice excludes no one.” – Henri Nouwen

A friend of mine posted a meme on Facebook with this quote. And I had to stop and think about how we speak and act toward a lot of people these days. We may not know some of these individuals or groups personally (and this may give us more “license” to berate and belittle them). Or…we may know someone very well and find ourselves cursing him/her under our breath – and griping and complaining at every turn. Because we are human, other people are going to “get under our skin”.

I am as disgusted as the next person by those child molestation…by racism, bigotry, and bullying. I am just as frustrated as anyone over the separation of families at our nation’s southern border…and people housed in cages – and the words and actions of “leaders” who are keeping them there. I do not condone lying, cheating, and stealing. It breaks my heart to hear someone say that Jesus is “just a man” – or that “there is no God” (or that there are many gods). I understand that we have laws – and that justice must be served…and sometimes, punishments such as incarceration are necessary.

But I also am cognizant of the fact that every single person in these situations is precious to Jesus. Just as I am His “beloved”…so are they. A person may do vile, ugly things. He/she may spew vitriol and venom and disparage others with every breath. But I must not become like them. I cannot curse them or delight in their consequences – even their “just desserts”. I cannot wish for calamity or catastrophe to befall another person or group. I cannot elevate myself and declare that I am better than any other individual – even someone who behaves contemptibly.

Let’s think about this…to say that someone is “despicable”, “disgusting” – or even “horrible” is to say that God created “junk”…and this is just not the case. God does not make mistakes. He created us as human beings with freedom of choice…and some people choose to do despicable, disgusting, horrible things. We must recognize the difference. We must remember that Jesus hung out with people like this. He loved them and offered them a chance at redemption…and so must we.

I’m not saying that you have to go to a jail and visit with criminals (although some have found this to be their mission). I am not saying that you have to excuse those who speak and act unkindly…or that you should start associating out with junkies, child molesters, cheaters and frauds. But every single one of us has disparaged someone else and/or behaved unkindly toward him/her – if only to yell at our television and declare a person on the screen to be vile (or to curse them). And in doing so, we did this to another of the “beloved” of Jesus.

We can’t have it both ways. We cannot claim to be one of Christ’s “beloved” and disparage others. We cannot choose who we will get along with – and mistreat the rest. We cannot curse our “enemies”…not even in private! We have to rise up and be better, because we are children of the Most High God.

We have to say to Jesus, “Yes, I am Your ‘beloved’…and I will do all I can to speak and act with love and kindness toward ALL of Your children – at all times.” The more we practice doing this, the easier it will become…and we might just be surprised by the results. I’m willing to try…what about you?

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