2025-02-02
2 Korintiërs 3:5 NLV
Voor sy 1971 geveg teen Joe Frazier, het Muhammad Ali gesê: ‘There’s not a man alive who can whup me. [He jabbed at the air with his blinding left.] I’m too smart. [He tapped his head with his glove.] I’m too pretty. [He showed the cameras his profile, like a bust on a pedestal.] I am the greatest! I am the king! I should be a postage stamp – that’s the only way I’ll ever get licked!’ Raai wat het in daardie geveg gebeur? Tot die verbasing van almal, veral homself, het Ali die geveg teen Frazier verloor.
Wanneer selfvertroue in jou eie vermoë en hulpbronne in trots ontaard, wat dan arrogansie word, stuur jy op moeilikheid af. Die Bybel sê: ‘Hoogmoed lei tot ondergang. Hooghartigheid kom net voor die val’ (Spreuke 16:18 NLV). Hoe behou mens dus balans? Deur te onthou dat elke gawe, vermoë, talent en hulpbron wat jy het, van God af kom. Selfvertroue is noodsaaklik vir sukses. Daar is niks daarmee verkeerd om die gawes wat God vir jou gegee het te erken nie.
Die verskil tussen selfvertroue en vertroue in Christus word egter aan wie die krediet daarvoor ontvang, gesien. Dis moeilik om vol te veel selfvertroue te wees wanneer jy erken dat jy niks sonder God se genade en sy onverdiende guns teenoor jou is nie. Die Bybel sê: ‘…Trouens, almal moet nederig in mekaar se diens staan, want: ‘God is téén dié wat te veel van hulleself dink, maar dié wat besef hoe afhanklik hulle van Hom is, aan hulle gee Hy sy onverdiende goedheid.’ Word daarom klein onder die kragtige hand van God; op sý tyd sal Hy julle groot maak’ (1 Petrus 5:5-6 NLV).
Sielskos: Eks 16:1-35; Joh 6:30-40
2025-02-01
Prediker 1:14 NLV
Dink jy dat as jy meer geld of groter sukses gehad het, sou jy gelukkig wees? Die tennisster Boris Becker, het gesê: ‘Ek het twee keer Wimbledon gewen, een keer as die jongste speler. Ek was ryk. Ek het al die materiële besittings gehad wat ek begeer het. Dis die ou storie van filmsterre en popsterre wat selfdood pleeg. Hulle het alles, maar tog is hulle so ongelukkig. Ek het geen innerlike vrede gehad nie.’
Salomo het dieselfde ontdekking gemaak: ‘Ek het al die dade gesien wat onder die son gedoen word en kyk, alles was sinloos, ‘n gejaag na wind!’ Salomo het godsdiens, onderwys, geld, publieke werke, roem, kreatiewe skryfwerk en sensuele plesier probeer: ‘Alles begeerlik in my oë het ek myself nie ontsê nie. Ek het my geen plesier ontsê nie. Ek het genot gevind in my harde werk… Ek het daarna nagedink oor alles wat ek bereik het, oor al die moeite wat ek gedoen het. En ek het besef hoe sinloos dit alles is…’ (Prediker 2:10-11 NLV).
Uiteindelik, in die laaste hoofstuk van die boek Prediker, vind Salomo dit waarna hy soek: ‘…Wees eerbiedig teenoor God en gehoorsaam sy gebooie. Dit word van alle mense gevra’ (Prediker 12:13 NLV). Salomo het besef dat die lewe nie op besittings gebou word nie, maar op verhoudings. Die eerste en belangrikste verhouding wat jy moet hê, is ‘n verhouding met God.
Jy vra: ‘Hoe vind ek God?’ Deur Christus! Jesus het gesê: ‘…Ek is die pad en die waarheid en die lewe. Niemand kom by die Vader uit behalwe deur My nie’ (Johannes 14:6 NLV). Jy kan vandag ‘n lewensveranderende verhouding met God hê, deur jou vertroue in Jesus Christus te plaas.
Sielskos: Gen 7-9; Luk 7:36-50; Ps 111; Spr 3:29-30
Ecclesiastes 1:14 NIV
Are you thinking that if you had more money or greater success, you would be happy? Tennis star Boris Becker said: “I had won Wimbledon twice before, once as the youngest player. I was rich. I had all the material possessions I needed… It’s the old song of movie stars and pop stars who commit suicide. They have everything, and yet they are so unhappy. I had no inner peace.”
Solomon made the same discovery. “I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.” Solomon tried religion, education, money, public works projects, fame, creative writing, and sensual pleasure: “I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my labour… Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless” (Ecclesiastes 2:10-11 NIV).
Finally, in the last chapter of the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon finds what he is looking for: “Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind” (Ecclesiastes 12:13 NIV). Solomon discovered that life is not built on things but on relationships. And the first and foremost relationship you must have is a relationship with God.
You say, “How do I find God?” Through Christ! Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6 NKJV). Today, you can have a life-changing relationship with God by putting your trust in Jesus Christ.
Soul food: Gen 7-9; Luke 7:36-50; Ps 111; Prov 3:29-30
2025-01-31
Proverbs 17:17 NLT
Jonathan was the rightful heir to the throne of his father, Saul, but David had been called by God to succeed Saul as Israel’s next king. From day one, they were on a collision course. They had everything to lose by becoming friends, because ultimately only one of them could reign. So how did they handle it? Were they competitive, or suspicious, or jealous of one another? No, because neither was interested in promoting himself. The Bible says, “Jonathan made a solemn pact with David… by taking off his robe and giving it to David, together with his tunic, sword, bow, and belt” (1 Samuel 18:3-4 NLT).
These were his most treasured personal possessions. He was willing to risk his life for David despite his father Saul’s warnings that Jonathan’s throne would never be established as long as David was alive (See 1 Samuel 20:31). Likewise, David jeopardized his life fighting the Philistines to help Saul and Jonathan establish their kingdom. The point of the story is this: A true friend is “there for you,” even when they would rather be somewhere else.
As one celebrity said, “Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down.” Solomon said, “A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need.” When was the last time you thanked God for the true friends in your life? What is it that makes them so special? Don’t assume they know how much you appreciate them. Tell them! And one more thought: If you want to have true friends – become one!
Soul food: Gen 4-6; Luke 7:24-35; Ps 107:33-43; Prov 3:27-28
Spreuke 17:17 NLV
Jonatan was die regmatige erfgenaam van die troon van sy vader, Saul, maar Dawid is deur God geroep om Saul as Israel se volgende koning op te volg. Op die ou einde kon net een van hulle koning word. Hoe het hulle dit hanteer? Was hulle kompeterend, of agterdogtig, of jaloers op mekaar? Nee. Die Bybel sê: ‘Jonatan en Dawid het toe ‘n plegtige ooreenkoms aangegaan… Jonatan het sy mantel uitgetrek en dit vir Dawid gegee. Hy het ook sy wapenrusting, sy swaard, sy boog en sy gordel vir hom gegee’ (1 Samuel 18:3-4 NLV).
Dit was Jonatan se kosbaarste besittings. Hy was gewillig om sy lewe vir Dawid te waag, ten spyte van sy pa Saul se waarskuwings dat Jonatan se troon nooit, solank as wat Dawid lewendig was, gevestig sou word nie (sien 1 Samuel 20:31). Net so het Dawid sy lewe in gevaar gestel deur teen die Filistyne te veg om Saul en Jonatan te help om hulle koninkryk te vestig. Die punt van die storie is: ‘n Ware vriend is daar vir jou, selfs wanneer hulle eerder êrens anders sou wou wees.
Soos een bekende gesê het: ‘Baie mense wil saam met jou in die limousine rondry, maar wat jy nodig het is iemand wat saam met jou die bus sal neem wanneer die limousine breek.’ Salomo het gesê: ‘Op ‘n vriend se lojaliteit kan jy altyd reken. Jou broer is gebore om jou te help wanneer daar probleme is.’ Wanneer laas het jy God vir die ware vriende in jou lewe gedank? Wat is dit wat hulle so spesiaal maak? Moenie aanneem dat hulle weet hoe baie jy hulle waardeer nie. Sê dit vir hulle! Onthou ook: As jy ware vriende wil hê – moet jy self een word!
Sielskos: Gen 4-6; Luk 7:24-35; Ps 107:33-43; Spr 3:27-28
