Daily Devotional for August 13, 2023 – Loving others as God commands – how easy to live with are you?

1 Corinthians 13:3-8
If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.

Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
Love doesn’t strut,
Doesn’t have a swelled head,
Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always “me first,”
Doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.

Love never dies.

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

My “quote of the day” calendar entry for this date says, “Lord, when I am wrong, help me to be willing to change. And when I am right…help me to be easy to live with.” This passage of what I call the “love verses” in 1 Corinthians 13 seems to sum up this quote in four words… “I’m bankrupt without love.”
 
If we operate solely in love, we will never give up. We will care more for others than ourselves and never wish to be like the other guy – or have what he/she has. We will never strut our stuff or puff our chests. We will never demand our own way.
 
This morning, Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church Pastor of Community Ministries, Abby Maynard, shared a story about a mission camp she attended with a group of teens. Near the end of the camp, a participant came to Abby and complained that she still had not taken them to Sonic® for treats, as promised. The teen was quite demanding and insulting. Abby Maynard said she retreated to her cabin and shed some tears of frustration.
 
Haven’t we all “been there, done that” – and on both sides of this spectrum? Haven’t we demanded our own way and complained without giving any thought to what the other person was experiencing? And by contrast, haven’t we given until we had nothing left to give, only to have someone tell us, “It’s not enough,” or to demand more from us or be insensitive to what we were experiencing in the moment? Both represent instances where someone operated in “me first mode” – and often, these same people claim to be loving servants of the Most High God.
 
By the same token, this passage notes that those who truly operate in love do not delight when others grovel. We are not supposed to make others pay – and enjoy it! Rather, we are to offer grace, mercy, forgiveness…and second chances. And yes, I get it…this is often very hard to accomplish! We are human beings, after all – and thereby fickle, fallible, and selfish sinners by nature.
 
Still, Paul reminds us that those who love God trust Him, never look back, and keep going…even when belittled, denigrated, disparaged, and even greatly abused. Pastor Maynard noted that the teen did come to her the following day to humbly, sincerely apologize. And of course, she accepted the expression of contrition with love and grace, as God wants all of us to do.
 
I know there are times when it is hard to demonstrate love. There are times when we behave badly “on accident” as our kids would say. We don’t mean to come off arrogant or hateful…but often, our mouth engages without really thinking through what we are about to say. We fly off the handle…or we let selfish desires – or the ideas and opinions of others – control us. And it is often hard to act with love toward those who have “wounded” us in some way.
 
Today, let’s ask God to help us operate in love – and nothing less. Let’s ask Him to help us see areas where we speak and act with our own interests in mind, regardless of what God wants – or how this affects those around us. Let’s make it our daily prayer to always be guided and guarded by love – and to demonstrate this to others with every word and action. In doing so, may we be easier to live with, as we seek God’s will over our own. Alleluia!

©2023 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for December 15, 2019 – Are you ready to become a kid again?

Matthew 11:25
And Jesus prayed this prayer: “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding the truth from those who think themselves so wise, and for revealing it to little children.

The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

This was the day for our annual children’s Christmas program at church. Despite several technical glitches, the children performed like champs…the story of Christ’s birth was told in song and costume…and God was glorified.

I know that working with children is not everyone’s cup of tea. And yes, sometimes, some of those little darlings can exasperate me when we are on a tight deadline and they are not listening. But their faces…their innocence…the way they accept things at face value and are “all in” touches my heart every time.

THEY saw the story today, whether anyone else did or not (although how could adults NOT see it Christ’s message in these children?!). These children understood that every single person and animal represented at that stable and manger were vitally important – which might explain why several clamored to be sheep and livestock, even before they saw the costumes.

If you go back and read the verses in Matthew 11 leading up to this one, you will see that Jesus was not happy with the people in several cities who had heard the Word of God – and failed to pay attention. They thought they knew everything already. They had seen Jesus, heard His message…and as it says in The Message, many shrugged their shoulders and walked away.

But kids take it all in – even when you think they are not paying attention. That is why Jesus said His message and time were better spent with children – because they are not so arrogant and judgmental. My point for you today is this…”It’s time for us to become like a kid again. We must resurrect our childlike faith and seek the truth of Jesus with the innocence of youngsters learning songs and lines for a Christmas program. We must latch onto the fact that even the lowliest donkey or sheep was critical to the story of Christ’s birth…and you and I are precious to Jesus in our own way, according to God’s plan.

The time has come to humbly approach the stable and kneel before the King…to throw aside any pretense or arrogance and genuinely seek Jesus Christ. The truth awaits the children who will listen…are you one of them?

©2019 Debbie Robus