2020-08-26
1 Korintiërs 13:8 NLV
Die woorde van ‘n populêre liedjie lui: ‘I love you for a hundred thousand reasons, but most of all I love you ’cause you’re you.’ Daar is ‘n groot waarheid in daardie liedjie, veral as dit by kinders kom. ‘n Christelike sielkundige skryf: ‘Wanneer die geboorte van die eerste kind op hande is, bid die ouers dat hy normaal sal wees – met ander woorde, gemiddeld. Van daardie oomblik af, sal gemiddeld egter nooit goed genoeg vir hulle wees nie. Hulle kind moet uitblink. Hy moet sukses behaal. Hy moet triomfeer. Hy moet die eerste een van sy ouderdom wees om te loop of te praat of fiets te ry. Hy moet ‘n wonderlike rapport kry en sy onderwysers met sy kwinkslae en wysheid verstom. Hy moet ‘n ster in bulletjie rugby wees en later vir die eerste span speel en hoofseun wees. Sy suster moet soos ‘n engel kan sing, goed ballet doen en hoofmeisie wees. Sommige ouers gee hulle kinders dieselfde boodskap dag na dag gedurende hulle formatiewe jare: ‘Ons maak op jou staat om iets fantasties te doen. Moenie ons teleurstel nie.’ Ongelukkig is uitsonderlike kinders presies dit – ‘n uitsondering. Dit gebeur selde dat ‘n vyfjarige die Bybel memoriseer, skaak geblinddoek kan speel of simfonieë komponeer. Die oorgrootte meerderheid van ons kinders is nie skitterend briljant nie. Hulle is net kinders, met ‘n oorgrootte behoefte om geliefd te wees en aanvaar te word net soos hulle is. Die meeste ouers het gemiddelde kinders. Om meer te verwag lei tot aansienlike teleurstelling vir ouers en plaas onrealistiese druk op die jonger generasie.’ As jy lief is vir jou kinders vir wie hulle is, sal hulle eendag trots wees op jou en jou seën (sien Spreuke 31:28).
Sielskos: Gal 1-3; Luk 17:20-37; Ps 119:145-160; Spr 19:1-2
1 Corinthians 13:8 NKJV
The words of a popular song go, “I love you for a hundred thousand reasons, but most of all I love you ’cause you’re you.” There’s great truth in that song, particularly when it comes to children. A Christian psychologist writes: “When the birth of a first child is imminent, the parents pray that he will be normal – that is, average. But from that moment on, average will not be good enough for them. Their child must excel. He must succeed. He must triumph. He must be the first of his age to walk or talk or ride a tricycle. He must earn a stunning report card and amaze his teachers with his wit and wisdom. He must star in little league, and later be quarterback or senior class president. His sister must be the cheerleader or soloist or the homecoming queen. Throughout the formative years, some parents give their children the same message day after day: ‘We’re counting on you to do something fantastic. Don’t disappoint us.’ Unfortunately, exceptional children are just that – exceptions. Seldom does a five-year-old memorize the King James Bible, or play chess blindfolded, or compose symphonies. The vast majority of our children are not dazzlingly brilliant. They’re just plain kids, with an oversized need to be loved and accepted as they are. Most parents have average kids. To expect more sets the stage for considerable disappointment for parents, and puts unrealistic pressure on the younger generation.” Now let’s recall the song: “Most of all I love you ’cause you’re you.” If you take that message to heart, one day your children will rise up and call you “blessed” (See Proverbs 31:28).
Soul food: Gal 1-3; Luke 17:20-37; Ps 119:145-160; Prov 19:1-2
1 Corinthians 13:8 NKJV
People can disappoint us, especially if it’s those we count on most. The truth is, no one’s perfect, apart from God. Jesus said that ‘no one is good except God alone’ (Mark 10:18 ESV). Because we turned God’s world into something imperfect, we’re holding a broken mirror up to His true love. For us as humans, it’s impossible to live up to the ‘love never fails’ part of 1 Corinthians. In all of that, we’re met with a huge challenge. How do we continue to love others when they disappoint us? We have to remember that in the middle of uncertainty and imperfection, everyone is living with an oversized need to be loved and accepted as they are. Even when someone does something less-than-perfect, they’re still calling out to be cared for and forgiven. Loving someone like that can be a big concept and we can be unsure where to start. The answer lies in that same passage in 1 Corinthians. We can learn to love the flawed people around us by living out the rest of those verses in. ‘Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres’ (vv. 13:4-7 NIVUK). If we can be patient and kind, our interactions will bring light. If we resist anger, letting go of wrongs, then we’ll find it easier to move on. Let’s protect and trust others, having hope and perseverance in our relationships. If we can take those steps with God’s help, we can bring more of His perfect love into this imperfect world.
Gal 1-3; Luke 17:20-37; Ps 119:145-160; Prov 19:1-2
2020-08-25
1 Tessalonisense 5:18 NLV
God is duidelik oor hierdie kwessie: Ons is geroep om dank te betuig. Wie? Jy! Wanneer? In alle omstandighede. Hoekom? Omdat dit God se wil is vir jou! Hierdie deel van God se wil is duidelik. Dis nie ‘n voorstel nie, dis ‘n bevel. Aangesien daar meer bevele oor danksegging as enigiets anders in die Skrif is, geniet God dit duidelik om dank te ontvang. Die Psalmdigter het gesê: ‘Ek sal God se Naam loof met sang, Hom met danksegging verheerlik. Die Here verkies dit bo bulle en bo ‘n volmaakte offerdier’ (Psalm 69:31-32 NLV). Hoekom moet God ons daaraan herinner om dankbaarheid te betuig? Om dieselfde rede hoekom jy jou kind daaraan herinner om dankie te sê – dis bedagsaam en totdat dit nie ‘n gewoonte word nie, vergeet ons om dit te doen! Dawid, ‘n man na God se eie hart, het dikwels sy vergeetagtige siel daaraan herinner om dankie te sê: ‘Ek wil die Here prys en nie sy goeie dade vergeet nie’ (Psalm 103:2 NLV). Wanneer jy ondankbaar voel, stop en lees Dawid se ‘lys van voordele’ in jou Bybel – dit sal jou houding van dankbaarheid aanvuur. Selfs wanneer omstandighede nie goed lyk nie, kan God dit tot jou voordeel omdraai. Hy verdien in alle dinge jou dank. Selfs op sy laagste punt – in die vis se maag – het Jona die behoefte om God te dank herken. ‘…Ek het uit die doderyk geroep en U het my gehoor!… Ek sal met lofliedere vir U ‘n offer bring…’ (Jona 2:2,9 NLV). Maak dit dus ‘n gewoonte om ‘…altyd in die Naam van ons Here Jesus Christus vir God die Vader dankie vir alle dinge [te sê]’ (Efesiërs 5:20 NLV). Met ander woorde, ontwikkel ‘n houding van dankbaarheid.
Sielskos: Rig 19:16-21:25; Luk 17:11-19; Ps 119:137-144; Spr 18:22-24
1 Thessalonians 5:18 NLT
God’s Word makes it absolutely clear that we’re called to be thanks-givers. In fact, there are more commands in the Bible to praise, rejoice, and give thanks than there are about anything else. This tells us two things: 1) God enjoys receiving thanks and praise for His goodness. The psalmist wrote: ‘I will praise God in a song and will honour him by giving thanks. That will please the LORD more than offering him cattle’ (Psalm 69:30-31 NCV). 2) He wants us to be happy. He repeats His commands to be joyful, and to thank and praise Him more often than any of the ‘thou shalt nots’. This doesn’t mean His commands to not do something are less important, but shows that He wants joy to be prominent in our minds. Even David, a man after God’s own heart, needed to remind himself to give thanks. He wrote: ‘Let all that I am praise the LORD; may I never forget the good things he does for me’ (Psalm 103:2 NLT). It’s not always easy to remember to give thanks, especially when we’re going through difficult times. But even when circumstances don’t look good to us, God can completely turn them around. When Jonah was in the belly of a whale, he remembered the importance of giving thanks: ‘I cried out to the LORD in my great trouble, and he answered me…I will offer sacrifices to you with songs of praise, and I will fulfil all my vows. For my salvation comes from the LORD alone’ (Jonah 2:2, 9 NLT). So let’s make a habit of ‘always giving thanks to God the Father for everything’ (Ephesians 5:20 NIV), and develop an attitude of gratitude.
Judg 19:16-21:25; Luke 17:11-19; Ps 119:137-144; Prov 18:22-24
