2021-05-06
Matthew 25:21 NIV
When you stand at the judgment seat of Christ, you’ll have one final opportunity to hear the word “good”: “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Note, He doesn’t say well thought, or well intentioned, but well done! You’ll be rewarded for what you do. On that day, God will zero in on your actions, not your opinions or intentions.
Goodness should be the last thing you think about when you go to bed and the first thing you think about when you wake. The Bible says, “Even small children are known by their actions, so is their conduct really pure and upright?” (Proverbs 20:11 NIV). You know what you’re really like on the inside, but the only you others see is from the outside.
One Christian leader writes: “Talk is cheap. No matter how much you claim to be a good person, the only public measuring stick is your actions. You may think that by being good you’re not doing a lot of good. But never underestimate the power of even one person to exert tremendous influence by simply doing the right thing, at the right place, and at the right time.”
Mother Teresa always shied away from the limelight. She saw herself as a servant, not a star. Her greatest desire wasn’t to be famous, but to be faithful. As a result, she ended up touching the lives of multitudes even though her only thought was to help the next hurting person. Among her Favourite Scriptures were these words given to us by Christ: “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these…of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40 NIV). So today, seek to do good.
Soul food: Num 25-26; Mark 7:1-13; Ps 37:32-40; Prov 11:7-8
Matthew 25:21 NIV
When we stand at the judgment seat of Christ, we’ll have an opportunity to hear the word ‘good’: ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’ Note, He doesn’t say well thought, or well intentioned, but well done! We’ll be rewarded for what we do. On that day, God will take a look at your actions, not your opinions or intentions.
Goodness should be on our minds the whole time. The Bible says, ‘Even small children are known by their actions, so is their conduct really pure and upright?’ (Proverbs 20:11 NIV). We know what we’re really like on the inside, but the only version of us that others see is from the outside.
One Christian leader wrote: ‘Talk is cheap. No matter how much you claim to be a good person, the only public measuring stick is your actions. You may think that by being good you’re not doing a lot of good. But never underestimate the power of even one person to exert tremendous influence by simply doing the right thing, at the right place, and at the right time.’
Mother Teresa avoided the limelight. She saw herself as a servant, not a star. Her greatest desire wasn’t to be famous, but to be faithful. And as a result, she ended up touching the lives of so many people, even though her only thought was to help the next hurting person. Among her favourite Scriptures were these words given to us by Christ: ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these…of mine, you did for me’ (Matthew 25:40 NIV). So today, seek to do good.
Num 25-26; Mark 7:1-13; Ps 37:32-40; Prov 11:7-8
Matteus 25:21 DB
Wanneer jy voor die regbank van Christus staan, sal jy een finale geleentheid hê om die woord ‘goed’ te hoor: ‘Uitstekend! Jy is regtig ‘n goeie werker op wie ‘n mens kan staatmaak…’ Jy sal beloon word vir wat jy doen. Op daardie dag, sal God op jou aksies, nie op jou opinies of bedoelings nie, fokus.
Goedhartigheid moet die laaste ding wees waaraan jy dink wanneer jy in die bed klim en die eerste ding waaraan jy dink wanneer jy in die oggend wakker word. Die Bybel sê: ‘Selfs ‘n jongmens word beoordeel volgens wat hy doen; aan sy optrede word bepaal of dit suiwer en opreg is’ (Spreuke 20:11 NLV). Jy weet hoe jy regtig aan die binnekant is, maar die enigste jy wat ander mense sien, is van buite af.
Een Christelike leier skryf: ‘Praat is goedkoop. Maak nie saak hoe baie jy beweer dat jy ‘n goeie mens is nie, die enigste publieke maatstaf is jou aksies. Moet nooit die krag en invloed van net een persoon wat eenvoudig die regte ding, op die regte plek, op die regte tyd doen, onderskat nie.’
Moeder Teresa het altyd die kollig probeer vermy. Haar grootste begeerte was nie om beroemd te wees nie, maar om getrou te wees. Gevolglik het sy die lewe van baie mense aangeraak, selfs al was haar enigste doelwit om die volgende persoon wat seer gehad het, te help. Een van haar gunsteling Skrifgedeeltes was die volgende woorde wat Jesus aan ons gegee het: ‘…Ek verseker julle: As julle iets hiervan vir een van my broers of susters gedoen het, selfs al was dit vir die heel eenvoudigste onder hulle, het julle dit vir Mý gedoen’ (Matteus 25:40 NLV). Probeer dus vandag om goed te doen.
Sielskos: Num 25-26; Mark 7:1-13; Ps 37:32-40; Spr 11:7-8
2021-05-05
Romans 12:21 NCV
In the busyness of life, it can be easy for us to forget why God saved us, what He’s called each of us to do, and how we’re supposed to live. So today, let’s take a few minutes to read some gentle reminders from His Word: ‘Your love must be real. Hate what is evil, and hold on to what is good. Love each other like brothers and sisters. Give each other more honour than you want for yourselves. Do not be lazy but work hard, serving the Lord with all your heart. Be joyful because you have hope. Be patient when trouble comes, and pray at all times. Share with God’s people who need help…Wish good for those who harm you; wish them well and do not curse them. Be happy with those who are happy, and be sad with those who are sad. Live in peace with each other. Do not be proud, but make friends with those who seem unimportant. Do not think how smart you are. If someone does wrong to you, do not pay him back by doing wrong to him. Try to do what everyone thinks is right. Do your best to live in peace with everyone…do not try to punish others when they wrong you, but wait for God to punish them with his anger…But you should do this: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink. Doing this will be like pouring burning coals on his head.” Do not let evil defeat you, but defeat evil by doing good’ (v. 9-21 NCV).
Num 22-24; Mark 6:45-56; Ps 37:25-31; Prov 11:5-6
Spreuke 11:3 NLV
Het jy geweet dat daar ‘n verband tussen goedhartigheid en die nasionale ekonomie is? ‘n Christelike outeur skryf dat wanneer leuens, luiheid, onverantwoordelikheid, oneerlikheid en korrupsie in ons publieke en private lewens ‘n algemene verskynsel word, die nasionale ekonomie afneem. ‘n Samelewing wat witboordjie kriminele en blouboordjie plunderaars produseer, spandeer duisende rande elke dag om die oortreders opgesluit te hou. ‘n Samelewing met wydverspreide dwelmmisbruik moet vir rehabilitasiesentrums betaal. Gebroke families beteken meer pleegsorghuise en meer studente wat die skool verlaat en nie ‘n werk kan kry nie en in ‘n siklus van staatswelsyn vasgevang word.
Hoe minder goedhartigheid daar is, hoe meer moet die regering ingryp – en hoe hoër is die samelewing se koste. Net soos morele goedhartigheid tot geweldige ekonomiese en finansiële voordele lei, so kom die ineenstoring van morele waardes met ‘n enorme finansiële en ekonomiese prys.
Jy sê: ‘Maar ek is net een mens. Wat kan ek daaraan doen?’ Jesus antwoord: ‘Julle moet so voorbeeldig lewe dat julle ‘n helder lig sal uitstraal. Dan sal die mense dit sien, en julle hemelse Vader daarvoor prys!’ (Matteus 5:16 NLV).
St Francis van Assisi het gesê: ‘Al die donker van die wêreld kan nie die lig van een enkele kers uitdoof nie.’ In plaas daarvan om oor die donker te kla, laat jou lig skyn waar jy ook al gaan. John Wesley, die stigter van die Metodiste Kerk, het gesê: ‘Doen so goed as wat jy kan, op al die maniere wat jy kan, in al die plekke wat jy kan, op al die tye wat jy kan, aan al die mense wat jy kan, solank as wat jy kan.’
As elke verloste kind van God volgens hierdie formule lewe, sal ons die samelewing op sy kop kan keer – of eerder weer regop kan sit.
Sielskos: Num 22-24; Mark 6:45-56; Ps 37:25-31; Spr 11:5-6
