2022-12-14
Daniel 1:4 NLT
When Daniel arrived in Babylon, he was a slave. But he rose to the top because of these qualifications: “Make sure they are well versed in every branch of learning, are gifted with knowledge and good judgment, and are suited to serve.” To be promoted in any job, you must first prove yourself. The Bible says, “Do you see someone skilled in their work? They will serve before kings” (Proverbs 22:29 NIV). Unless you believe in what you’re doing, you won’t give yourself fully to it; therefore, you have no right to expect to succeed.
Have you ever walked into a room and felt love, energy, and excitement? Your thoughts have a presence; they’re like currents moving through the air, capable of drawing people to you or driving them away. Your attitude is always sensed. That’s why in order to succeed, you must believe in what you do. If you don’t – pray and ask God to relocate you someplace where you can put your whole heart into it.
Jesus totally believed in His product. He told the woman at the well, “Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst” (John 4:13-14 KJV). You must take the time and make the effort to know your business. You may be anxious to sell, pocket the profit, and get on with your life. But success doesn’t happen that way. Jesus spent time praying in order to renew His understanding of His purpose.
So the word for you today is – pray and believe in what you do!
Soul food: Josh 22-24; John 16:12-18; Ps 105:1-7; Prov 30:1-4
2022-12-13
Spreuke 10:32 NLV
Hoe voel jy wanneer iemand anders jou probeer afkraak? Moet dit dan nie aan ander mense doen nie! ‘Vriendelike woorde bring lewe, bedrieglike woorde ontstel mense’ (Spreuke 15:4 NLV). Jy kan iemand met wat jy sê verpletter, wees dus versigtig. Sommige van die mense wat jy elke dag ontmoet, het ‘n emosionele opheffing nodig, moedig hulle dus aan. ‘Die regverdige weet wat die gepaste dinge is om te sê. Wat die goddelose sê, bring moeilikheid’ (Spreuke 10:32 NLV).
Moenie die tipe persoon wees wat toeslaan op iemand anders se swakpunt nie. Dalk doen jy dit grappenderwys, maar jy doen dit en jy geniet dit om dit te doen. In ‘n strokiesprent, praat Charlie Brown oor die foon met ‘n meisie wat sê: ‘Raai waarvoor het ek in aanmerking gekom? Om as die Mei-koningin by my skool gekroon te word.’ Charlie Brown sê: ‘Dis interessant. Lucy word altyd by ons skool daarvoor gekies.’ Die meisie op die foon antwoord: ‘Jou skool se standaarde is nogal laag Chuck, nie waar nie?’ Nadat Charlie Brown die foon neergesit het, kyk hy vir Lucy en sê: ‘Sy sê geluk!’ Dis nou diplomaties! Dis ook ondersteunend.
Hoe ondersteunend is jy? As God jou ‘n rand gegee het vir elke vriendelike woord wat jy gesê het en ‘n rand weggeneem het vir elke nare woord uit jou mond, sou jy ryk of arm gewees het? Toe die broers wat Josef verraai het voor hom in die farao se paleis gekniel het, het hy die mag oor lewe of dood oor hulle gehad. Hy het hulle egter vergewe, was genadig teenoor hulle en het belowe om vir hulle te sorg. Ondersteunende woorde kan ‘n brug in ‘n gespanne verhouding bou. Die woord vir jou vandag is dus – bou ander mense op.
Sielskos: Jos 19:24-21:45; Joh 16:1-11; Ps 150; Spr 29:22-27
Proverbs 10:32 NLT
How do you feel when someone tries to put you down? Then don’t do it to others! “Kind words bring life, but cruel words crush your spirit” (Proverbs 15:4 GNT). You can crush someone with what you say, so be careful. Some of the people you meet each day need an emotional lift, so encourage them. “Righteous people know the kind thing to say, but the wicked are always saying things that hurt” (Proverbs 10:32 GNT).
Don’t be the kind of person who pounces on a weakness in someone. Maybe you do it in a joking way, but you do it, and you enjoy doing it. In a cartoon, Charlie Brown is talking on the phone to a girl who says, “Guess what I’m running for? The Queen of the May at our school.” Charlie Brown says, “That’s very interesting. Lucy has always been chosen at our school.” The girl on the phone responds, “Your school has pretty low standards, huh, Chuck?” After Charlie Brown hangs up, he looks at Lucy and says, “She says, ‘Congratulations!'”
Now, that’s diplomacy! It’s also supportiveness. How supportive are you? If God gave you a dollar for each kind word you said and took away a dollar for each unkind word you said, would you be wealthy or poor? When the brothers who betrayed Joseph knelt before him in Pharaoh’s palace, he held the power of life and death over them. But he forgave them, was gracious toward them, and promised to take care of them. Supportive words can build a bridge in a strained relationship.
So the word for you today is – build people up.
Soul food: Josh 19:24-21:45; John 16:1-11; Ps 150; Prov 29:22-27
2022-12-12
Filippense 2:4 NLV
Dikwels in die huwelik is ons onbewus van ons maat se behoeftes. Ons word gevoelloos. Ons hou op luister. Ons is onbewus van die druk waaronder hulle verkeer. Eenvoudig gestel, is die wortel van baie huweliksprobleme ‘n gebrek aan sensitiwiteit.
Elke mens wat jy teëkom het goedhartigheid nodig. Ons vind ‘n wonderlike voorbeeld van sensitiwiteit in koning Dawid se lewe. Dawid se vriend, Jonatan – Saul se seun – is vermoor. Veilig op die troon al vir etlike jare, het Dawid ‘n seldsame versoek gerig. Hy het gevra of daar enigiemand van Saul se familie oor was wat hy kon help. Hy het Saul se kleinseun – Jonatan se seun – Mefiboset, wat kreupel aan beide voete was, gevind. Toe Dawid hom ontbied het, het Mefiboset seker gedink: ‘Ek gaan vermoor word, omdat ek ‘n lid van die vyand se familie, die voormalige vorstehuis, is.’
Let egter Dawid se woorde op: ‘…Moenie bang wees nie! Ek sal aan jou goeddoen ter wille van jou pa, Jonatan. Ek gee al die grond wat voorheen aan jou oupa Saul behoort het aan jou terug. Maar jy sal van nou af hier in my paleis eet’ (2 Samuel 9:7 NLV). Mefiboset se reaksie is interessant: ‘…Wat is u dienaar dat u so goed is vir ‘n dooie hond soos ek?..’ (vers 8 NLV). Hy het soos ‘n hond gevoel en het verwag om soos een behandel te word. Die punt wat jy egter moet insien is die volgende: Dawid het die tyd geneem, moeite gedoen en was sensitief teenoor Mefiboset se behoeftes.
Een van die gevare van sukses is dat die druk wat daarmee saamgaan, jou onsensitief teenoor ander kan maak. Die vraag is: Teenoor wie moet jy vandag meer sensitief wees?
Sielskos: Jos 16:1-19:23; Joh 15:18-27; Ps 148:7-14; Spr 29:16-21
Philippians 2:4 NIV
Often in marriage we are unaware of our partner’s needs. We become calloused. We stop listening. We’re oblivious to the pressure they’re under. Simply stated, the root of many marital problems is insensitivity. Everyone you meet needs kindness. The people who sit around you in church have major hurts; you’re just unaware of them.
We find a great example of sensitivity in the life of King David. David’s friend, Jonathan – Saul’s son – had been killed. Now, safely enthroned for several years, David made a rare request. He asked if anyone was left in Saul’s family that he could help. He discovered Saul’s grandson – Jonathan’s son – Mephibosheth, who was crippled in both feet. When David sent for him, Mephibosheth almost certainly thought, “I’m going to be killed because I am a member of the enemy’s family, the old dynasty.” But notice David’s words: “Don’t be afraid… for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table” (2 Samuel 9:7 NIV).
Mephibosheth’s reaction is interesting: “What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?” (v. 8 NIV). He felt like a dog and expected to be treated like one. But the point you need to notice is this: David took time, made the effort, and was sensitive to his needs. One of the dangers of success is that the pressures that accompany it can make you insensitive toward others.
Question: To whom do you need to become more sensitive today?
Soul food: Josh 16:1-19:23; John 15:18-27; Ps 148:7-14; Prov 29:16-21
