Christian witness and discipleship

Daily Devotional for January 8, 2024 – Pick your battles and always let the love of Christ lead you

Romans 15:1-2
Those of us who are strong and able in the faith need to step in and lend a hand to those who falter, and not just do what is most convenient for us. Strength is for service, not status. Each one of us needs to look after the good of the people around us, asking ourselves, “How can I help?”

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 span of nine days, we hosted three sleepovers for our nephews and niece. We have watched enough “Peppa Pig” and “Spongebob Squarepants” to last us the rest of the year or longer! Of course, these kiddos were our guests, and we wanted to entertain them and give them a fun twenty-four-plus hours. And we were able to persuade them to watch some other programs and do a few other things.

We know the kids will outgrow this interest in binge watching children’s TV shows. And truthfully, it’s not hurting anything (other than making us weary after a few hours of snorting pigs and silly sea creatures). We find other things to do nearby, so the kids feel loved and supported. And we do sometimes sit down with them to watch a movie (how many times can one kid watch “Hotel Transylvania?!”), but we also make sure they see us involved in other things…reading, physical activities indoors and outside…spending time in simple conversation…playing games, chores, and more.

In time, the goal is that our kids will abandon their episodic infatuation for something more constructive. This is the same thing countless adults do with their children as they go through phases and figure out that childhood attitudes and obsessions are simply that – childish. So, we keep putting fruit on their plates and tolerating (to a point) their silly antics while demonstrating more mature approaches. The message is not that they are wrong and we are right. We are signaling that we love them, no matter what they like…and if/when they need help or guidance, we will be at the ready!

Let’s think about this in terms of our adult lives. Just as I keep serving (and eating) fruits and vegetables when the kids visit, you and I can speak and act in ways that please God and demonstrate the love, grace, mercy, and inclusion of Christ Jesus. And just as the day comes when the children say, “I actually like broccoli now,” or “I really don’t like ‘Paw Patrol’ any longer,” those around you may decide that some of their words and actions no longer suit them – or their demonstration of faith in Jesus. The goal is not to alienate others – or to belittle them in any way. Our aim is to make them feel loved, valued, and accepted…even when they speak and act with immaturity or insensitivity. And above all, it is not our place to judge. We are commanded to simply love one another.

I am not suggesting that we “go along to get along” as Christians. Most certainly, we must never compromise our own faith and discipleship to fit in with others, gain popularity, or simply “keep the peace.” But we must prayerfully consider what really matters and ask ourselves…“Will this reaction/response help or hurt my Christian witness?”

I have no doubt that someday, our kids will look back and remember that Aunt Debbie and Uncle Greg patiently sat through endless TV shows – and played countless games of “Go Fish” and “UNO”…and they will see that we loved them unconditionally. They will look at photos of themselves in wacky costumes with crazy hairstyles and say, “What was I thinking?” and realize they were loved and accepted even when they looked ridiculous or tried to hide their peas under a piece of bread or the edge of their plate! And you will find that there will be adults who will say to you, “I acted so foolishly, and you loved me anyway.” They will note that you never judged or criticized…you showed grace and mercy – and stuck with them in some of their worst times.

THIS is how we love and serve Jesus! Pick and choose your “battles” – and always let the love of Christ lead you. Alleluia!

Daily Devotional for July 3, 2017 – Sharing Christ’s love with “rotten tomatoes”…

James 5:19-20
My dear friends, if you know people who have wandered off from God’s truth, don’t write them off. Go after them. Get them back and you will have rescued precious lives from destruction and prevented an epidemic of wandering away from God.

Zola LOVES cherry tomatoes. I buy a variety pack (when they are available) that has red, yellow, orange, and very large almost-purple tomatoes. I wash these tomatoes and leave them in a bowl on the counter, and this 6-year-old cutie eats them like candy. We see her often with cheeks that look like a gerbil, as she stuffs several in her mouth and enjoys the sensation of “popping” them and tasting their juicy flavors.

The children did not come home with us after church yesterday. This morning, I noticed that those beautiful cherry tomatoes were starting to look a little rough. They were all wrinkled, and had begun to shrivel a little. I also had a couple of “store-bought” tomatoes that I purchased before the local farm-grown variety ripened. I purchased quite a few of the “fresh” ones at the farmer’s market this weekend.

So I looked at my “not-yet-rotten” tomatoes and the two less tasty big ones…and I considered what to do with them all. I could not “write them off”, so I put them in the blender and added spices…and I made a pasta sauce. The tomatoes were “redeemed” and turned into something new…and delicious!

As I read today’s verses from James 5, I thought about how we are all on the verge of becoming “rotten tomatoes” at times…and some of us are already there! But there is still hope! We can be redeemed and restored to goodness through the grace, mercy and love of Jesus Christ. You and I must not look at others and see everything that is wrong in their lives. We have to view everyone through the lens of Jesus’ perspective. We must see how precious these people are to Him. We must learn to see the potential that lies in each one…and prayerfully do what we can to nurture this.

How is this done? Only God knows for sure…and when we trust Him, He will guide our efforts. But I would start by suggesting that “when they go low…you must go high”, to borrow a popular phrase. Demonstrate grace, mercy, forgiveness, acceptance, faithfulness, hope, joy, and love in your own daily living. Show others how God has smoothed out your rough edges…and made something wonderful out of your own life.

I repeat…we all have been “rotten tomatoes” at one time or another. Some may have lingered a little longer in that stage than others. Some may appear to be “ready for the trash heap”. But remember, with God, all things are possible…and He doesn’t make mistakes. Each and every one of us is precious and full of purpose. Our job as Christ’s disciples is to do all we can to cultivate God’s very best in others…through words, actions and even quiet demonstrations of how He is at work in our own lives.

When you look at others, don’t see “rotten tomatoes”…see a beautiful sauce in the making! And when others look at you, make sure they always see one of God’s very best creations!

Daily Devotional for June 19, 2017 – Truth…or “telephone”?

Acts 17:10-12
That night, under cover of darkness, their friends got Paul and Silas out of town as fast as they could. They sent them to Berea, where they again met with the Jewish community. They were treated a lot better there than in Thessalonica. The Jews received Paul’s message with enthusiasm and met with him daily, examining the Scriptures to see if they supported what he said. A lot of them became believers, including many Greeks who were prominent in the community, women and men of influence.

It will probably come as no shock to you that most of us get our news and information these days via social media, cable news outlets…and maybe a local television news channel or two. Too many of us readily share what is posted on social media…and I have had to backpedal more than once when I realized that what I shared or “liked” was not factual. This past year as I volunteered in Timothy’s 2nd grade class, I introduced the children to the game of “telephone”. You know the game. You whisper a phrase into the ear of one person, who tells another, who tells another, and so on. When you get to the last person, the phrase has inevitably changed dramatically from what was first uttered.

The children LOVED this game. They would laugh at what was passed on…and beg to do it again! I always reminded them that this game illustrates how dangerous and detrimental gossip can be…and how easily the truth can be distorted. In our rush to share or receive information, we sometimes fail to thoroughly investigate what we are reading/hearing to ensure that we have all the facts. We have become accustomed to dealing in sound bites and memes…quick visuals and audio clips that give us a snippet of information that may/may not be true.

As Paul and his friends traveled through Greece sharing the GOOD NEWS, some people were more receptive than others. Many relied on word-of-mouth…and formed their opinions accordingly. Others were more open-minded and receptive – and checked the scriptures to see if what they were being told was true. So in some places, Paul and his entourage were well-received…while in others, they were literally run out of town.

Why is this important for us to know as Christians? I believe there are two lessons for us in this passage. First, we must do our homework. We must operate in facts and truths about all things. “I heard…” is generally not a good way to start a conversation – about anything from the weather to politics to interpretation of the Scriptures. Do your own research, and operate in facts. When it comes to the Scriptures, crack open your Bible and read the verses for yourself. Ask God to show you His intentions. Use Internet searches, Bible commentaries, and multiple translations of specific passages to help you get to the heart of the matter – and come to an understanding that you can be confident is accurate.

Additionally, understand that not everyone is going to be receptive…or informed. As you interact with others, remind yourself that they may rely on the opinions and “information” of others to form their own views. Their “facts” may come from cable TV, tabloid headlines, talk radio and television evangelists! They may not want to hear what you have to say – about anything! Do not get discouraged. Keep sharing God’s message with others…keep being who He has designed you to be. Let God handle whether or not these people accept what you are offering in His name.

It may sound like I am saying, “You win some and lose some.” But what I am really saying is that God is calling on us to do our best for Him…to make every effort to be informed and operate in facts. We are to be a living testament to the love, grace, mercy, kindness, forgiveness, compassion, fairness and moral decency of Jesus Christ…and let God deal with who “signs on” and who doesn’t. This is important, because on any given day, we can become pretty discouraged.

Take heart…do what God is calling you to do…just as Paul and his friends did. There will be times when the results of your efforts resemble the last phrase in the “telephone” game…but there will also be times when God uses you to bless and inspire others as you serve Him faithfully. Never give up…or underestimate God’s power to utilize your efforts to further His Kingdom. Trust God to handle the outcomes…be happy when others are receptive…and shake the dust off when they are not.

Daily Devotional for March 1, 2017 – Are You Airing Your “Dirty Laundry”?

Matthew 18:15-17
“If a fellow believer hurts you, go and tell him—work it out between the two of you. If he listens, you’ve made a friend. If he won’t listen, take one or two others along so that the presence of witnesses will keep things honest, and try again. If he still won’t listen, tell the church. If he won’t listen to the church, you’ll have to start over from scratch, confront him with the need for repentance, and offer again God’s forgiving love.

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.

One of the worst things about social media is that many people use it to publicly air grievances against one another. Just this week, a handful of my high school friends got into something of a “shouting match” at one another over a political post made by one of them. In my opinion, rather poor judgment was exercised on all sides. But what was most unfortunate is that hateful things were said…publicly…and this was done in the name of “Christian” behavior.

I did not comment. This was “not my circus – not my monkeys.” But I was so saddened by the angry words and name calling that took place in the comments section of this post. God was definitely NOT glorified in this exchange…and those who read the comments were surely left to question what genuine Christian behavior looks like! Frankly, I have to believe that Jesus was truly disappointed in all who participated.

Had any of the discussion involved me or been directed toward me, I would have privately contacted the parties involved. The “rules” of this scripture passage have served me well over the years…long before we had Facebook or Twitter. I learned a long time ago that it is best to go directly to the person who has hurt or offended and try to work out the differences personally – and confidentially!

There have been a few times when this was less than successful. At this point, you have to decide whether the situation is serious enough to merit the help of a couple of trusted friends…and/or bring the issue out in the open, if necessary. There are times when this is appropriate…but they are rare…and social media is never the right venue!

The bottom line is that discretion is a valuable characteristic in a Christian disciple. How we treat others matters tremendously…and what we say to them in public is of great consequence…to all involved – and to our Christian witness. Before you comment to someone publicly, stop and ask yourself how this will look to others. How will your words be perceived…and will they glorify your relationship with Jesus?

There is a time and place to have frank discussions with friends…but generally, this should always be done in private between the two parties. Follow the guidelines Jesus has put forth, and prayerfully consider every word and step…and Jesus will handle the rest.

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