2025-08-14
1 Peter 3:7 AMP
To have a successful marriage, you must understand that your mate is not only physically different from you but mentally and emotionally different too. Let’s say a problem arises at breakfast. After work, he has forgotten it; he compartmentalized it to focus on work. For him, it’s over, but not necessarily for her. She may have rehearsed and processed it while multitasking during day. It hasn’t disappeared; it’s unfinished business. After work, he comes home, and there is tension. He thinks, “What’s the problem?” She thinks, “How could he possibly forget?” He is thinking, “Surely she’s not still thinking about that incident from this morning?”
This is a good moment to introduce the Bible verse, “Live… in an understanding way.” Understanding brings happiness. A man’s brain functions in a compartmentalized way. He moves from family, to work, to recreation, with each compartment separate from the other. But in a woman’s brain the compartments are connected. While he is working, she is thinking about the kids, the argument at breakfast, and planning dinner simultaneously. So this morning’s incident is still in her mind.
By understanding these differences, she can give him time to get back into the “family compartment” before raising the issue. And he can realize she is not being unreasonable, she just needs closure so she can feel good about the relationship again. In marriage, some things must be resolved while other things must be processed, forgiven, and forgotten. And if your goal is to live in harmony, you must understand this principle.
Soul food: Judg 16:1-19:15; Matt 18:1-9; Ps 119:89-96; Pro 18:1-5
2025-08-13
Markus 4:33 NLV
As jy ernstig daaroor is om mense te bereik en hulle te onderrig, is daar twee dinge wat jy moet probeer doen:
1) Praat met hulle, nie bo-oor hulle koppe nie. ‘n Kleuter was besig om ‘n appel agter in sy pa se kar te eet. ‘Pappa,’ het hy gesê, ‘hoekom word my appel bruin?’ Sy pa het verduidelik: ‘Nadat jy die vel aan die buitekant geassimileer het, het die kernstruktuur van die appel met die atmosfeer in aanraking gekom, wat dit laat oksideer het. Sodoende is sy molekulêre struktuur aangepas en het dit in ‘n ander kleur verander.’ Na ‘n lang stilte het die seuntjie gevra: ‘Pappa, praat jy met my?’ Kan die luisteraar dit wat jy sê verstaan en gebruik?
Paulus het vir die kerk in Korinte gesê: ‘Ek moes julle met melk voed, nie met vaste kos nie, want julle sou nie iets sterkers kon verteer nie. Trouens, julle is ook nou nog nie gereed daarvoor nie’ (1 Korintiërs 3:2 NLV). Jesus het ‘n punt daarvan gemaak om sy stellings so te struktureer dat die mense sy boodskap kon verstaan. Dink daaroor: Jesus was God en Hy kon ons maklik met sy kennis verstom het. Omdat sy begeerte egter was om lewens ten goede te verander, het Hy op ons vlak gebly en ‘n taal wat ons verstaan, gebruik. Jy moet leer om dieselfde te doen.
2) Sê dit oor en oor. Die grondbeginsel van onderrig is herhaling. Daar word genoem dat mense iets sestien keer moet aanhoor voordat hulle dit glo en werklik verstaan. Die vraag wat jou moet kwel is nie: ‘Wat gaan ek sê nie?’ maar: ‘Wat gaan mense van my boodskap verstaan?’
Sielskos: Rig 12-15; Matt 17:14-27; Ps 119:81-88; Spr 17:27-28
Mark 4:33 NIV
If you’re serious about reaching and teaching people, there are two things you must try to do:
(1) Talk to them, not above them. A preschooler was eating an apple in the back of the car. “Daddy,” he said, “why is my apple turning brown?” His father explained: “Because after you assimilated the skin on the exterior, the core structure of the apple came into contact with the atmosphere, which caused it to oxidize, thus changing its molecular structure and transforming it into a different color.” After a long silence, the little boy replied, “Daddy, are you talking to me?” Can the listener understand and apply what you’re saying?
Paul told the church at Corinth, “I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready… Indeed, you are still not ready” (1 Corinthians 3:2 NIV). Jesus made a point of tailoring His remarks so the people listening could grasp the message. The Bible says, “With… parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand.” Think about it: Jesus was God, and He could easily have awed us with His knowledge. But because His desire was to change our lives for the better, He stayed on our level and spoke in a language we understand. And you must learn to do the same.
(2) Say it over and over again. The fundamental law of learning is repetition. It’s been said that people have to hear something sixteen times before they believe it and really “get it.” The question that should concern you isn’t, “What will I say?” but, “What will people take away from it?”
Soul food: Judg 12-15; Matt 17:14-27; Ps 119:81-88; Pro 17:27-28
2025-08-12
1 Petrus 5:4 AFR83
Die vyfde kroon is die kroon van heerlikheid. Petrus het geskryf: ‘As mede-ouderling en getuie van die lyding van Christus en ook deelgenoot aan die heerlikheid wat geopenbaar sal word, dring ek by die ouderlinge onder julle daarop aan: Pas die kudde van God wat aan julle toevertrou is, goed op. Hou toesig oor hulle, nie uit dwang nie, maar gewillig soos God dit verwag; nie om eie gewin nie, maar uit toegewydheid; ook nie deur baas te speel oor dié wat God aan julle sorg toevertrou het nie, maar deur ‘n voorbeeld vir die kudde te wees. En dan, wanneer die Opperherder kom, sal julle die heerlikheid as onverganklike kroon ontvang’ (verse 1-4 NLV).
Hierdie kroon blyk van toepassing op pastore en Christelike leiers te wees. Dit beteken egter nie dat jy ‘n pastoor of amptelike leier moet wees nie. Soos een pastoor dit verduidelik: ‘Jy mag dalk die herder van ‘n klein groepie wees. Jou kudde is dalk jou familie of jou Sondagskoolklas. Die Here gee ons dikwels die verantwoordelikheid om na die geestelike welsyn van ander mense om te sien. Dis ‘n wonderlike geleentheid om Hom te dien!’
Dit bring ons by ‘n goeie vraag: Wat gaan ons met al hierdie krone doen? Openbaring 4:10-11 beskryf ‘n groot lofprysingsdiens wat gaan plaasvind wanneer ons in die hemel aankom: ‘…die 24 ouderlinge [val] in aanbidding voor Hom wat op die troon sit, neer. Hulle aanbid Hom wat vir altyd lewe en sit hulle krone voor die troon neer en sê: ‘U is waardig, Here ons God, om die hemelse heerlikheid en die eer en die mag te ontvang…’ (NLV). Stel jou voor dat jy voor die Here kniel en jou kroon aan sy voete neerlê, oorweldig deur dankbaarheid vir alles wat Hy vir jou gedoen het.
Sielskos: Rig 9:34-11:40; Matt 17:1-13; Ps 119:73-80; Spr 20:25
1 Peter 5:4 NKJV
The fifth crown is the crown of glory. Peter wrote: “The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away” (vv. 1-4 NKJV).
This crown seems especially designed for pastors and Christian leaders. That doesn’t mean you have to be an official pastor or a member of a church staff. As one pastor explains: “You might be the shepherd of a small group. Your flock might be your family… It might be your Sunday school class… The Lord often gives us responsibility for the spiritual well-being and maturing of others, and what an opportunity to serve Him!”
This raises an interesting question: What are we going to do with these crowns? Revelation 4:10-11 describes a great worship service that will occur when we arrive in heaven. “The twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: ‘You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power'” (NKJV). Imagine kneeling before the Lord and laying your crown at His feet, overwhelmed with gratitude for all that He has done for you.
Soul food: Judg 9:34-11:40; Matt 17:1-13; Ps 119:73-80; Pro 20:25
