2021-04-15
Matthew 3:8 NLT
When Israel’s leaders turned to Jephthah for help, they were in distress and wanted to ‘use’ him. So Jephthah said, in essence, ‘Let’s get an understanding of the type of relationship we’re going to have.’ At that point, he negotiated with them and ended up in a top leadership spot.
When our trust has been broken, we need to forgive. By doing that, we set ourselves free. But we need to use wisdom in how to move forward. Many of us will have experienced a similar situation to Jephthah’s at school, in the workplace, or even at church; perhaps someone has rejected, ignored, or laughed at us, but if they find they need our help, they want to build a relationship based only on the benefits they can get from it.
While it’s important for us to be forgiving, compassionate, and help people who are facing difficulties, God doesn’t expect us to put ourselves in a position to be hurt again. Forgiveness should be immediate, but trust must be earned. The person who has hurt us must show the fruit of repentance – consistent behaviour that shows he or she has had a change of heart.
Jesus said, ‘Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God.’ We need two things: grace and wisdom. Grace means extending to others the same forgiveness that God has extended to us. Wisdom means understanding what kind of relationship we can have with that person in the future.
Phil 1-4; Mark 2:1-12; Ps 43; Prov 10:10
Matthew 3:8 NLT
When Israel’s leaders turned to Jephthah for help, they were in distress and wanted to “use” him. So Jephthah said, in essence, “Let’s get an understanding of the type of relationship we’re going to have.” At that point, he negotiated with them and ended up in a top leadership spot.
When your trust has been violated, you need to forgive. By doing so, you set yourself free. But you must exercise wisdom in how to move forward. God doesn’t expect you to put yourself in a position to be hurt again. Perhaps you’ve heard the story of the guy who went to the doctor with a severe burn on his right ear. He explained, “I was ironing and watching television when the phone rang, and I picked up the iron instead of the phone.” Puzzled, the doctor said, “But how did you get the burn on your left ear?” The man exclaimed, “Because he called back!”
Bottom line: when you’ve been “burned” by someone, be careful about putting yourself in a position to be burned over and over again. Forgiveness must be immediate, but trust must be earned. Your offender must show the fruit of repentance – consistent behavior that gives evidence that he or she has had a change of heart. Jesus said, “Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God.”
You need two things: grace and wisdom. Grace means extending to others the same forgiveness that God has extended to you. Wisdom means knowing what kind of relationship you can have with that person in the future.
Soul food: Phil 1-4; Mark 2:1-12; Ps 43; Prov 10:10
Matteus 3:8 NLV
Toe Israel se leiers na Jefta vir hulp gedraai het, was hulle in nood en wou hulle hom ‘gebruik.’. Dus het Jefta in wese gesê: ‘Kom ons verstaan mekaar mooi oor die tipe verhouding wat ons gaan hê.’ Op daardie punt het hy met hulle onderhandel en het in die hoogste leierskapsposisie geëindig.
Wanneer jou vertroue geskend word, moet jy vergewe. Deur dit te doen, maak jy jouself vry. Jy moet egter wysheid aan die dag lê om vorentoe te beweeg. God verwag nie van jou om jouself in ‘n posisie te sit waar jy weer seergemaak kan word nie.
Miskien het jy al die storie gehoor van die man wat met ‘n ernstige brandwond op sy regteroor dokter toe is. Hy het verduidelik: ‘Ek was besig om te stryk en televisie te kyk toe die foon lui en toe tel ek die strykyster in plaas van die foon op.’ Die dokter het verbaas gevra: ‘Maar hoe het jy die brandwond op jou linkeroor opgedoen?’ Die man het uitgeroep: ‘Want hy het weer gebel!’
Wanneer jy deur iemand seergemaak word, moet jy versigtig wees om jouself nie weer in ‘n situasie te plaas waar hulle jou oor en oor kan seermaak nie. Vergifnis moet onmiddellik wees, maar vertroue moet verdien word. Jou oortreder moet die vrugte van sy bekering wys – konsekwente gedrag wat bewys dat hy of sy verander het. Jesus het gesê: ‘Bewys eerder deur julle voorbeeldige lewe dat julle werklik tot inkeer gekom het.’
Jy benodig twee dinge: genade en wysheid. Genade beteken dat jy aan ander dieselfde vergifnis bewys wat God aan jou bewys het. Wysheid beteken dat jy weet watter tipe verhouding jy in die toekoms met daardie persoon kan hê.
Sielskos: Fil 1-4; Mark 2:1-12; Ps 43; Spr 10:10
2021-04-14
Judges 11:1 NKJV
Jephthah was the illegitimate son of a man called Gilead. His mother was a prostitute. He grew up in the household of Gilead’s other legitimate sons who later chased him away. “‘You will not get any of our father’s inheritance,’ they said” (v. 2 NLT). So he ended up living in a cave.
While there, he took a band of misfits and rebels and developed them into a great army. When the Ammonites threatened Israel, the elders turned to him for help. “But Jephthah said to them: ‘Aren’t you the ones who hated me and drove me from my father’s house? Why do you come to me now when you’re in trouble?’ ‘Because we need you,’ the elders replied. ‘If you lead us in battle against the Ammonites, we will make you ruler over all the people of Gilead'” (vv.7-8 NLT).
Not only did Jephthah lead them to victory, he’s named with honour in the Bible along with people like Abraham, Moses, and David. His life is rich with lessons. Here’s an important one: Rejection can be part of God’s plan for your life. Jephthah was rejected for reasons beyond his control – he was illegitimate. But instead of growing bitter, he moved on and did something good with his life.
Perhaps you’ve been rejected because you were old, young, intelligent, dumb, pretty, ugly, privileged, poor, attractive, unattractive, male, female, white, black, etc. By God’s grace Jephthah took an ugly situation and turned it into a beautiful one. And if you’ll turn your situation over to God today, the same grace is available to you.
Soul food: Lev 26-27; Mark 1:40-45; Ps 56; Prov 10:8-9
Judges 11:1 NCV
Jephthah was the illegitimate son of a man called Gilead. His mother was a prostitute. He grew up in the household of Gilead’s other legitimate sons who later chased him away. ‘”You will not get any of our father’s inheritance,” they said’ (Judges 11:2 NLT). So he ended up living in a cave.
While he was there, he took a band of misfits and rebels and developed them into a great army. When the Ammonites threatened Israel, the elders turned to him for help. ‘But Jephthah said to them: “Aren’t you the ones who hated me and drove me from my father’s house? Why do you come to me now when you’re in trouble?” “Because we need you,” the elders replied. “If you lead us in battle against the Ammonites, we will make you ruler over all the people of Gilead”‘ (vv.7-8 NLT).
Not only did Jephthah lead them to victory, he’s named with honour in the Bible along with people like Abraham, Moses, and David. His life is full of lessons. Here’s an important one: God can use rejection and turn it into something good. Jephthah was rejected for reasons beyond his control – he was illegitimate. But instead of growing bitter, he moved on and did something good with his life.
When we’ve been rejected for any reason, it’s natural to feel upset. But we also need to invite God into our situation and tell Him how we’re feeling, so the pain doesn’t turn to bitterness. By God’s grace Jephthah took an ugly situation and turned it into a beautiful one. And when we turn our situations over to God, the same grace is available to us, and He’ll bring beauty out of our brokenness.
Lev 26-27; Mark 1:40-45; Ps 56; Prov 10:8-9
