2026-09-22
Genesis 2:15 NLV
Toe God Adam gemaak het, het Hy hom eerstens aan die werk gesit. Dit is omdat werk ons ‘n gevoel van doel, betekenis en waardigheid gee. ‘Die Here God het die mens in die Tuin van Eden aangestel om dit te bewerk en te versorg.’ Adam was dus ‘n tuinier. Of jy nou kontant in ‘n bank tel, op Wall Street verhandel, burgers in ‘n strandstalletjie braai, spesialiteit-disse in ‘n vyfster-restaurant maak, hout in die bos kap of brandhout kloof en aflewer, ‘n span afrig, by ‘n gemeente as pastoor optree, topverkoperboeke publiseer, koerante in die vroeë oggendure aflewer, in ‘n televisieprogram speel, ‘n groot stuk grond bewerk, grasperke sny en afrond, rekenaars verkoop, ‘n vragmotor vol masjinerie bestuur, huise bou, swembaddens skoonmaak, sake voor ‘n regter argumenteer, of familiegeskille as ‘n berader besleg, doen altyd ‘n goeie werk.
‘n Wyse man het eenkeer gesê: ‘Elke werk is ‘n selfportret van die persoon wat dit doen. Onderteken jou werk met uitnemendheid.’ Daniël het dit gedoen en die boonste sport in Babilon bereik. ‘Hierdie Daniël het deur sy buitengewone bekwaamheid so uitgeblink bo die ander ministers en die goewerneurs-generaal dat die koning van plan was om hom oor die hele koninkryk aan te stel’ (Daniël 6:4 AFR83).
Daar is geen geringe werkies nie, net mense wat dit as gering beskou en in die uitvoering daarvan gering word. Die Bybel sê: ‘Luiaards begeer baie dinge, maar hulle kry dit nie. Mense wat hard werk, het meer as wat hulle kan begeer’ (Spreuke 13:4 NLV). Doen dus altyd jou werk goed.
Sielskos: 1 Kor 1-3; Mark 14:53-65; Ps 34:1-10; Spr 24:28-29
Genesis 2:15 NCV
The first thing God did when He made Adam was put him to work. That’s because work gives us a sense of purpose, meaning, and dignity. “God put the man in the garden… to… work it.” So Adam was a gardener. But whether you count cash in a bank, trade futures on Wall Street, flip burgers in a beach-side stand, whip up pasta specials at a five-star restaurant, fell giant timber in the forest or split and deliver firewood, coach a team, pastor a congregation, publish best-selling books, deliver newspapers in the early morning hours, star in your own television show, farm a large acreage, mow and edge neighbourhood lawns, go out on the road as a salesman for computers, drive a truck loaded with machinery, build homes, clean swimming pools, argue cases before a judge, or settle family disputes as a counselor, always do a good job.
A wise man once said: “Every job is a self-portrait of the person who does it. Autograph your work with excellence.” The biblical character Daniel did that. And like cream, he rose to the top in Babylon. “Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him” (Daniel 6:3 KJV).
There are no small jobs, only people who perceive them as small and become small in doing them. The Bible says: “Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper” (Proverbs 13:4 NLT). So always do a good job.
Soul food: 1 Cor 1-3; Mark 14:53-65; Ps 34:1-10; Pro 24:28-29
2026-09-21
1 Samuel 17:45 NLV
Goliat het bo Dawid uitgetroon. Dawid het egter na Goliat deur die oë van sy almagtige God wat hoog sit, laag sien en alles oorwin, gekyk. ‘…Jy kom na my toe met ‘n swaard en ‘n spies en ‘n kromswaard, maar ek kom na jou toe in die Naam van die Almagtige, die God van die magte van Israel wat jy beledig het.’ Intimidasie is een van Satan se gunstelingwapens. Hy sal jou gedagtes gee wat jou in ‘n toestand van vrees laat.
Eendag het die spotprentkarakter Charlie Brown by die skool middagete geëet toe hy aan sy vriend Linus bieg dat hy nie goed genoeg voel om ‘n sekere jong dame te nader nie: ‘Ek kan nie met daardie klein rooikopmeisie praat nie, want sy is iets en ek is niks. As ek iets was en sy niks was nie, kon ek met haar praat, of as sy iets was en ek iets was, dan kon ek met haar praat. Of as sy niks was en ek niks was nie, dan kon ek ook met haar praat. Maar sy is iets en ek is niks, so ek kan nie met haar praat nie.’ Linus het geantwoord: ‘Vir niks, Charlie Brown, is jy werklik nogal iets besonders!’ Charlie Brown het toegelaat dat die rooikop se skoonheid hom intimideer en na die kantlyn toe dwing.
As sy verloste kind, dink God dat jy werklik iets besonders is. Dawid het gesê: ‘Het die Here jou gered? Sê dit dan, jy wat Hy verlos het van die vyand’ (Psalm 107:2 NLV). Omdat Dawid se woorde met God se Woord en sy plan ooreengestem het, is Goliat in sy spore gestuit. Staan dus vandag voor jou ‘reus’ en kondig aan: ‘Ek sal jou verslaan in die Naam van die Here die Almagtige!’
Sielskos: Sag 12-14; Mark 14:43-52; Ps 39; Spr 24:26-27
1 Samuel 17:45 NIV
Goliath towered over David. But David looked at Goliath through the eyes of his omnipotent God who sits high, looks low, and conquers all. “You come against me with sword and spear… but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.” Intimidation is one of Satan’s favourite weapons. He will get you to think yourself into a state of fearfulness.
One day, cartoon character Charlie Brown was having lunch at school when he confided to his friend Linus that he didn’t feel good enough to approach a certain young lady: “I can’t talk to that little red-haired girl because she’s something and I’m nothing. If I were something and she were nothing, I could talk to her, or if she were something and I were something, then I could talk to her. Or if she were nothing and I were nothing, then I also could talk to her. But she’s something and I’m nothing so I can’t talk to her.” Linus responded: “For a nothing, Charlie Brown, you’re really something!” Charlie Brown had allowed the redhead’s beauty to intimidate him and force him to the sidelines.
As His redeemed child, God thinks you’re really something. David said, “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy” (Psalm 107:2 NKJV). And because David’s words lined up with God’s Word and His plan, Goliath was stopped. So whatever “giant” you’re facing today, stand up to him and announce, “You are coming down in the name of the Lord!”
Soul food: Zech 12-14; Mark 14:43-52; Ps 39; Pro 24:26-27
2026-09-20
2 Corinthians 9:8 NIV
Paul wrote: “God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work… Now he who supplies seed to the sower… will… increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion” (vv. 8, 10-11 NIV). Paul couldn’t be more explicit. If we are faithful to give generously, when God wants to meet needs again in the future, He will remember us as capable partners and come back to us.
If a restaurant gives good service, it results in repeat business. The same applies to good stewards. And if you sow generously, then God is able to give you more and more. God takes special care of faithful stewards. As long as you are in a giving partnership with Him, He makes sure you get everything you need, exactly when you need it. That’s His offer. True wealth is having everything you need when you need it. That should dispel all your fears about giving.
Is fear holding back your generosity? Do you give leftovers because you’re concerned about making ends meet? Have you ever asked God to give you a plan for the stewardship of the money He has entrusted to you? At some point, as a Christian, you’ve just got to go for it and say, “God, because I worry so much about money, I’m inviting You into my finances. I want to know that whether things are good or bad, You’re involved.”
Soul food: Lev 23:26-32; Heb 9:1-14; Heb 13:11-16
