2022-01-08
Matthew 22:37 NLT
When a lawyer asked Jesus what the greatest commandment was, He replied that he must love God, others, and himself (See vv. 37-39 NLT). Observe that He said, “You must love” (emphasis added). This tells you a lot about the true nature and behavior of love. If love can be commanded, then it can’t be only emotional, or a matter of feelings. Genuine love is much more than feelings; it’s a matter of the will. That’s why Jesus could command us to express it. It’s a commandment followed by a commitment. Although feelings are important, true love functions regardless of how you feel.
In his book The Fred Factor Mark Sanborn writes: “I learned a long time ago that liking people and loving them are different. Liking someone is an emotional response. Unlike love, ‘like’ is a feeling. The tough part is that we can’t control our emotions. We can control how we choose to express those emotions but not the feelings themselves. A healthy person can choose to be angry and still choose to act lovingly…A feeling is a reaction. Maybe that’s one reason Jesus didn’t say, ‘Like your enemies.’ He knew that liking or not liking someone was not always in our immediate control…I have learned that love is, among other things, an action. I can love someone I don’t necessarily like. I can do something or act toward that person in a certain way because I know it is the right thing to do even if I don’t feel warm and fuzzy doing it.”
And here’s the thing: When you act lovingly toward another person, your emotions begin to line up with your actions. Go ahead, try it and see!
Soul food: Gen 17-19; Luke 1:67-80; Ps 42:6-11; Pro 1:28-31
Matthew 22:37 NLT
When a lawyer asked Jesus what the greatest commandment was, He replied that the lawyer must love God, others, and himself (see v.37-39 NLT). Notice that He said, ‘You must love’ (emphasis added). This tells us a lot about the true nature and behaviour of love. If love can be commanded, then it can’t be only emotional, or a matter of feelings. Genuine love is much more than feelings; it’s a matter of will. That’s why Jesus could command us to express it. It’s a commandment followed by a commitment. Although feelings are important, real love functions regardless of how we feel.
In his book The Fred Factor, Mark Sanborn wrote: ‘I learned a long time ago that liking people and loving them are different. Liking someone is an emotional response. Unlike love, “like” is a feeling. The tough part is that we can’t control our emotions. We can control how we choose to express those emotions but not the feelings themselves. A healthy person can choose to be angry and still choose to act lovingly…A feeling is a reaction. Maybe that’s one reason Jesus didn’t say, “Like your enemies.” He knew that liking or not liking someone was not always in our immediate control…I have learned that love is, among other things, an action. I can love someone I don’t necessarily like. I can do something or act towards that person in a certain way because I know it is the right thing to do even if I don’t feel warm and fuzzy doing it.’
And here’s the interesting thing: when we act with love towards another person, our emotions begin to line up with our actions. Why not try it!
Gen 17-19; Luke 1:67-80; Ps 42:6-11; Pro 1:28-31
2022-01-07
Jakobus 3:2 NLV
Wanneer dit by jou tong kom, is daar drie reëls: 1) Moenie te gou praat nie. ‘Ons maak almal baie foute. Maar ‘n mens wat sy tong in toom kan hou, kan dit ook met sy hele liggaam regkry’ (vers 2 NLV). Omdat jy nooit heeltemal bewus kan wees van alles waaroor ‘n persoon sensitief is nie, moet jy op die Heilige Gees staatmaak om jou woorde op so ‘n manier te rig dat dit nie pyn veroorsaak of hulle aan negatiewe ervarings herinner nie. Die teenoorgestelde is ook waar. Oefen om nie maklik aanstoot te neem nie en gee aan ander die voordeel bo die twyfel wanneer hulle iets sê wat verkeerdelik kan aanstoot gee.
2) Moenie te vinnig reageer nie. ‘Iemand wat ‘n antwoord gee voor hy die vraag gehoor het, is dwaas…’ (Spreuke 18:13 NLV). Voor jy praat, luister eers versigtig en maak seker dat jy verstaan wat gesê word. As jy nie verstaan nie – sê so. Jou behoefte om ‘goed te lyk’ kan veroorsaak dat jy die respek van die persoon wat jy probeer beïndruk, verloor.
3) Moenie jouself te vinnig verbind nie. Salomo skryf: ‘Moenie te gou praat nie. Moenie oorhaastig iets aan God belowe nie…’ (Prediker 5:1 NLV). Hy gaan voort deur te verduidelik dat ons nie moet probeer om ‘n belofte te verbreek deur te sê dat ons ‘n fout gemaak het nie. Jou woord is jou eer en wanneer jy ‘n belofte verbreek, maak jy mense seer en gee jy hulle vertroue prys.
Neem dus ‘n oomblik voor jy praat en indien nodig, neem tyd om daaroor te bid. Jou tyd en jou woorde is twee dinge wat nooit teruggeneem kan word nie, weeg dus jou woorde versigtig op.
Sielskos: Gen 13-16; Luk 1:57-66; Ps 42:1-5; Spr 1:20-27
James 3:2 NCV
When it comes to our words, here are three rules:
1) Don’t speak too quickly. ‘We all make many mistakes. If people never said anything wrong, they would be perfect and able to control their entire selves, too’ (v.2 NCV). We can never know all the sensitivities a person has, so we need to rely on the Holy Spirit to direct our speech in a way that doesn’t tap into their pain or other negative experiences. Everyone has a different sensitivity level, depending on their past experiences, so we should try to give others the benefit of the doubt when they say something that could be misinterpreted. It may be that they had no intention to hurt, and didn’t realise the effect of their words. (But if they’re being deliberately offensive or hurtful, this needs to be dealt with.)
2) Don’t respond too quickly. ‘To answer before listening – that is folly and shame’ (Proverbs 18:13 NIV). Before we speak, we should listen carefully and make sure we understand what’s really being said. And if we don’t, we should say so. A need to ‘look good’ can cause us to lose respect if we’re afraid of admitting we don’t know or don’t understand something.
3) Don’t commit too quickly. Solomon wrote, ‘Do not be rash with your mouth, and let not your heart utter anything hastily before God’ (Ecclesiastes 5:2 NKJV). Then he went on to explain how we shouldn’t try to drop out of a commitment by saying we made a mistake. When we break a promise, we hurt people and forfeit their trust. So let’s pause before we speak, and if necessary, take time to pray. We can’t take back our words, so let’s take care in what we say.
Gen 13-16; Luke 1:57-66; Ps 42:1-5; Pro 1:20-27
James 3:2 NLT
When it comes to your tongue, here are three rules: (1) Don’t speak too quickly. “We all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we…could…control ourselves in every other way” (v. 2 NLT). Because you can never be totally aware of all the sensitivities of a person, you must rely on the Holy Spirit to direct your speech in a way that doesn’t tap into their pain or other negative experiences. Everybody has a different sensitivity level, depending on their past experiences. That includes you too. So practice not being easily offended, and giving others the benefit of the doubt when they say something that could be misconstrued as offensive.
(2) Don’t respond too quickly. “To answer before listening – that is folly and shame” (Proverbs 18:13 NIV). Before you speak, listen carefully and make sure you understand what is really being said. And if you don’t – say so. Your need to “look good” can cause you to lose respect in the eyes of the person you’re seeking to impress.
(3) Don’t commit too quickly. Solomon writes, “Do not be rash with your mouth, and let not your heart utter anything hastily before God” (Ecclesiastes 5:2 NKJV). Then he goes on to explain how we shouldn’t try to drop out of a commitment by saying we made a mistake. Your word is your bond, and when you break a promise, you hurt people and forfeit their trust.
So pause before you speak, and if need be, take time to pray. Your time and your words are two things that can never be taken back, so carefully weigh what you say.
Soul food: Gen 13-16; Luke 1:57-66; Ps 42:1-5; Pro 1:20-27
