2025-09-30
2 Korintiërs 4:9 NLV
Navorsers aan die Universiteit van Pennsylvania sê vir ons dat ‘n sleutelteken van sukses nie talent, ‘n titel, rykdom of ‘n goeie voorkoms is nie. Dit is die vermoë om oor ‘n lang tydperk hard na ‘n gefokusde doelwit te werk; om ten spyte van uitdagings, struikelblokke en mislukkings aan te hou vorentoe beweeg. Paulus skryf: ‘Op elke manier word ons onder druk geplaas, maar ons is nie verpletter nie; ons is verward, maar nie wanhopig nie; ons word vervolg, maar nie in die steek gelaat nie; platgeslaan, maar nie vernietig nie’ (verse 8-9 NLV).
Hier is ‘n paar bekende mense wat eers platgeslaan is, maar opgestaan en aangehou het. ‘n Memorandum wat ná Fred Astaire se eerste oudisie uitgereik is, het gesê: ‘Kan nie toneelspel nie. Effens bles. Kan ‘n bietjie dans.’ Walt Disney is deur ‘n koerantredakteur weens ‘n gebrek aan idees afgedank. Hy het ook verskeie kere bankrot gespeel voordat hy Disneyland gebou het. Albert Einstein het eers op vier jaar oud begin praat en eers op sewe begin skryf. Sy onderwyser het hom as volg beskryf: ‘Verstandelik stadig, ongesellig en al ewig besig om dwase drome te droom.’ F. W. Woolworth se werkgewers het gesê dat hy nie genoeg verstand het om klante te bedien nie. Winston Churchill het op laerskool gedruip. Hy het eers op ses-en-sestig-jarige ouderdom, na ‘n leeftyd van nederlae en terugslae, Eerste Minister van Brittanje geword. Hy het sy grootste bydrae as ‘n senior burger gelewer. Abraham Lincoln het een keer gesê: ‘Hou in gedagte dat jou eie besluit om sukses te behaal, belangriker as enige ander besluit is.’
Wanneer die lewe dus jou planne in die wiele ry, staan weer op en hou aan!
Sielskos: Ef 1:1-4:16; Joh 1:1-13; Ps 92; Spr 22:24-25
2 Corinthians 4:9 TLB
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania tell us that a key predictor of success isn’t talent, title, wealth, or good looks. It’s the ability to work hard for a prolonged period of time toward a focused goal; to keep moving forward despite challenges, obstacles, and failures. Paul writes: “We are pressed on every side by troubles, but not crushed and broken. We are perplexed because we don’t know why things happen as they do, but we don’t give up and quit. We are hunted down, but God never abandons us. We get knocked down, but we get up again and keep going” (vv. 8-9 TLB).
Here are some famous people who got knocked down but kept on going. A memo issued after Fred Astaire’s first screen test said, “Can’t act… slightly bald… can dance a little.” Walt Disney was fired by a newspaper editor for lack of ideas. He also went bankrupt several times before he built Disneyland. Albert Einstein didn’t speak until he was four and didn’t write until he was seven. His teacher described him as “mentally slow, unsociable and adrift forever in foolish dreams.” F. W. Woolworth’s employers at the dry goods store said he hadn’t enough sense to wait on customers. Winston Churchill failed at junior school. He didn’t become Prime Minister of Great Britain until he was sixty-six, after a lifetime of defeats and setbacks. He made his greatest contribution as a senior citizen. Abraham Lincoln once said, “Bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other.”
So when life knocks you down, get back up and keep going.
Soul food: Eph 1:1-4:16; John 1:1-13; Ps 92; Pro 22:24-25
2025-09-29
1 Johannes 3:17 NLV
Tim Hansel vertel van ‘n kweekskoolprofessor wat sy homiletiekklas (preekkunsklas) op ‘n ongewone manier aangebied het. Elke student moes ‘n preek oor die verhaal van die barmhartige Samaritaan (Lukas 10:30-37), lewer. Hulle moes van klaskamer tot klaskamer gaan en liefde en deernis aan ander verkondig. Sommige studente het tien minute tussen klasse gehad, terwyl ander minder tyd gehad het, wat hulle genoop het om vinnig te maak om op skedule te bly. Elke student moes ook in ‘n aangewese gang verby ‘n ‘bedelaar’ stap wat doelbewus deur die professor daar geplant is.
Wat daardie dag gebeur het, was ‘n kragtige les. Die aantal voornemende predikers wat stilgestaan het om die bedelaar te help, was uiters laag, veral onder diegene wat onder druk vir tyd was. Hulle was so besig om hulle te haas om oor die barmhartige Samaritaan te preek, dat hulle reguit verby die bedelaar, wat die kern van die gelykenis was, geloop het.
Christus se woorde in Matteus 25, wat geskryf is om jou te laat dink, bid en uitreik na mense wat seer het, kan as volg geparafraseer word: ‘Ek was honger, en julle het ‘n komitee gestig om dit te bespreek. Ek was in die tronk, en jy het by die huis vir my vrylating gebid. Ek was naak, en jy het teen die moraliteit van my voorkoms geprotesteer. Ek was siek, en jy het God vir jou gesondheid gedank. Ek was haweloos, en jy het vir my van die skuiling van God se liefde gepreek. Jy lyk so heilig en so naby aan God, maar ek is steeds honger, eensaam, koud en in pyn. Maak dit vir jou saak?’ Moenie net oor God se liefde praat nie; bewys dit!
Sielskos: 1 Sam 27-31; Matt 28:11-20; Ps 63; Spr 22:17-23
1 John 3:17 NIV
Author Tim Hansel tells about a seminary professor who set up his homiletics class in an unusual way. Each student was required to deliver a sermon on the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37). They were to go from classroom to classroom preaching love and compassion for others. Some students had ten minutes between classes, while others had less time, which forced them to hurry in order to stay on schedule. Each student was also required to walk down a designated corridor past a “beggar” who had been deliberately planted there by the professor.
What happened that day was a powerful lesson. The number of would-be preachers who stopped to help the beggar was extremely low, especially among those who were pressured for time. They were so busy rushing to preach about the Good Samaritan that they walked right past the beggar at the heart of the parable.
Here is a paraphrase of Christ’s words in Matthew 25 that’s designed to make you think, pray, and reach out to hurting people: “I was hungry, and you formed a humanities club to discuss it. I was imprisoned, and you stayed home to pray for my release. I was naked, and you debated the morality of my appearance. I was sick, and you thanked God for your health. I was homeless, and you preached to me about the shelter of God’s love. You seem so holy and so close to God, but I’m still hungry, lonely, cold, and in pain. Does it matter to you?” Don’t just talk about God’s love; show it!
Soul food: 1 Sam 27-31; Matt 28:11-20; Ps 63; Pro 22:17-23
2025-09-28
Galatians 6:2 NKJV
Generally speaking, when we’re young, healthy, capable, and socially involved, we can go where we want and do as we please. As the saying goes, “The world is our oyster!” It seldom occurs to us that we’re surrounded by those who, because of age, disability, illness, or social and physical isolation, can no longer enjoy the same benefits we do. They depend on the compassion and care of others to meet their most basic daily needs. Sadly, our self-focused youth-oriented culture often ignores and marginalizes such people: in essence, relegating them to the scrap heap of life. Their intrinsic worth is discounted, and their contribution to society largely forgotten.
This is certainly not God’s way of doing things. Paul tells us to “bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Note: It’s not a suggestion. It’s a law; a divine directive in which we’re all expected to participate.
Against the backdrop of final judgment, His law of love is illustrated in Matthew 25:31-46. To the sheep he said, “I was hungry… thirsty… a stranger… naked… sick… in prison, and you met my need. Every act of compassion you do for anyone is recorded to your credit as having done it to me.” To the goats he said, “I was hungry… thirsty… a stranger… naked… sick… in prison, and you ignored my needs. Every time you failed to show anyone compassion is recorded as your failure to care for my needs.”
The message is loud and clear: If you truly want to love and follow Jesus, you must intentionally show your love for others in practical ways. In other words – be there when you’re needed.
Soul food: Eze 37:1-14; Matt 27:50-53; 1 Thes 4:13-18
