2022-10-03
Romans 12:4 MSG
Paul writes: “We are like the various parts of a human body. Each part gets its meaning from the body as a whole, not the other way around. The body we’re talking about is Christ’s body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body. But as a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we wouldn’t amount to much, would we? So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ’s body, let’s just go ahead and be what we were made to be… If you preach, just preach God’s Message, nothing else; if you help, just help, don’t take over; if you teach, stick to your teaching; if you give encouraging guidance, be careful that you don’t get bossy; if you’re put in charge, don’t manipulate; if you’re called to give aid to people in distress, keep your eyes open and be quick to respond; if you work with the disadvantaged, don’t let yourself get irritated with them or depressed by them” (vv. 4-8 MSG).
Often unhappiness isn’t the absence of affection; it’s the absence of connection. It’s not in having a cell phone with a lot of numbers in it; it’s in sharing your life with those who live for causes greater than themselves. Where should you start? By visiting a lonely, forgotten person in the nearest nursing home. By volunteering to work in a soup kitchen once a week. By saying to your pastor, “Please give me a job that involves helping others.” These are small steps, but you will be amazed how they enrich your life.
Soul food: 1 Sam 8-10; Mark 16:9-20; Ps 60; Prov 22:7-11
Romeine 12:4 DB
Paulus skryf: ‘…’n Liggaam bestaan uit baie ledemate. Ons as kerk is ook soos ‘n liggaam. Ons is Christus se liggaam hier op aarde. Net soos die verskillende liggaamsdele elkeen sy eie funksie het, het ons as gelowiges ook verskillende funksies… As jou hemelse geskenk is om God se boodskap bekend te maak, doen net dit. Maak sy wil bekend in die geloof wat jy daarmee saam uit God se hand ontvang het. As jy oor die gawe beskik om ander mense te dien, dien hulle dan met oorgawe. As jou hemelse geskenk is om ander te leer waaroor ons verhouding met God gaan, doen net dit. As jy die gawe het om ander mense te vermaan en te vertroos, doen dit. As jou hemelse gawe is om jou besittings met ander te deel, moet dan nie suinig wees nie. As dit God se geskenk aan jou is dat jy een van die leiers in die kerk moet wees, doen dit met toewyding. En as jy oor die gawe beskik om mense te help wat in nood verkeer, doen dit met blydskap’ (verse 4-8 DB).
Dikwels is ongelukkigheid nie die afwesigheid van liefde nie; dis die afwesigheid van verbintenis. Dit lê nie daarin om ‘n selfoon met baie nommers daarop te hê nie, maar om jou lewe met diegene wat vir sake groter as hulself lewe, te deel.
Waar moet jy begin? Deur ‘n eensame, vergete persoon in die naaste ouetehuis te besoek. Deur een keer ‘n week vrywillig by die sopkombuis te werk. Deur vir jou pastoor te sê: ‘Gee my asseblief ‘n taak waarin ek ander mense kan help.’ Hierdie is klein treetjies, maar jy sal verstom wees oor hoe hulle jou lewe verryk.
Sielskos: 1 Sam 8-10; Mark 16:9-20; Ps 60; Spr 22:7-11
2022-10-02
1 John 3:14 NIV
There is a direct link between your health and your relationships. When you’re disconnected and isolated from others, you’re two to five times more likely to die than people with close ties! Even people with bad habits like smoking, overeating, and physical inactivity – but who remain socially connected – live longer than people with great health habits but who are isolated.
We see the physical, life-giving power of connection in the life of Winston Churchill. He had a wonderful marriage, was deeply connected to his family, his friends, his nation, and his work. But his health habits were terrible. His diet was awful, and he constantly smoked cigars. He drank too much, had weird sleep habits, and was completely sedentary – yet he lived to ninety years old.
That reminds me of the newspaper reporter questioning an old man about his longevity: “I suppose it’s because you take systematic exercise.” The man quipped, “The only exercise I take is acting as a pallbearer to my friends who have indulged in strenuous exercise!”
(Note: We’re not condoning bad habits!) God said, “It is not good… to be alone” (Genesis 2:18 NIV), because when you’re alone, you’re more likely to succumb to temptation and discouragement, become self-absorbed, and spend money in selfish ways. Not only do you suffer, the people God put in your life get cheated out of the love He intended you to share with them. You say, “But I’ve been hurt by people.” We all have. But just as the answer to a snakebite is snake venom, the answer to bad relationships is good relationships. And God has some in store for you – so talk to Him about it today.
Soul food: Exo 17:8-16; 2 Cor 1:3-7
1 Johannes 3:14 NLV
Daar is ‘n direkte skakel tussen jou gesondheid en jou verhoudings. Wanneer jy afgesonder van ander mense is, is die moontlikheid om te sterf twee tot vyf keer groter as mense met noue bande! Selfs mense met slegte gewoontes soos rook, oormatige kosinname en fisiese onaktiwiteit – maar wat steeds sosiaal ingeskakel bly – leef langer as mense met goeie gesonde gewoontes wat geïsoleerd is.
Ons sien die fisiese, lewensgewende krag van verbintenis in die lewe van Winston Churchill. Hy het ‘n wonderlike huwelik en ‘n diepe verbintenis met sy familie, sy vriende, sy land en sy werk gehad. Sy gewoontes in terme van sy gesondheid was egter iets verskrikliks. Sy dieet was aaklig en hy het konstant sigare gerook. Hy het te veel gedrink, op vreemde tye geslaap en het hoofsaaklik gesit – en tog het hy negentig jaar oud geword.
Dit herinner mens aan die joernalis wat ‘n ou man oor sy lang lewe uitgevra het: ‘Ek veronderstel jou lang lewe is te danke aan gereelde oefening?’ Die ou man het geskerts: ‘Die enigste oefening wat ek kry is as kisdraer by my vriende wat hulle oefeninge oordoen het, se begrafnisse!’
(Let wel: ons keur nie slegte gewoontes goed nie!). God het gesê: ‘…Dis nie goed dat die mens alleen is nie…’ (Genesis 2:18 NLV), want wanneer jy alleen is, is jy meer geneig om aan versoeking en mismoedigheid toe te gee, selfgeabsorbeerd te raak en geld op selfsugtige wyses te spandeer. Nie net ly jy daaronder nie, maar ook die mense wat God in jou lewe geplaas het om sy liefde teenoor hulle te bewys. Jy sê: ‘Mense het my al seergemaak.’ God het egter goeie verhoudings vir jou in gedagte – praat dus vandag met Hom daaroor.
Sielskos: Eks 17:8-16; 2 Kor 1:3-7
2022-10-01
Genesis 2:18 NIV
At creation, God looked at everything He had made and said, “That’s good.” Then there came a time when He realized man was lonely, unfulfilled, and incomplete. That’s when He said, “It is not good… to be alone,” and He made Eve, the first woman.
The fact is, none of us can develop to our highest potential unless we’re plugged in to nurturing, life-giving relationships. Here is an example: In twelve-step recovery programs, the counselor only does 10 percent of the work by offering guidance. Ninety percent of the recovery process takes place because the people in the group challenge, comfort, and strengthen one another. The truth is – we’re shaped by people!
The right people help you to become the best version of yourself, and you get to do the same for them. They see a “you” you can’t see at times, they cheer you on as you move toward it, and they “get in your face” when you move away from it. The highest and best form of this relationship is referred to in Scripture as the “fellowship of the Spirit” (Philippians 2:1; See 2 Corinthians 13:14 NIV and 1 John 1:6 NIV). It’s not just a social, relational, or intellectual connection, but a deep spiritual link that causes us to thrive.
It’s like the difference between bees and butterflies. Butterflies cover more territory, but bees gather more honey. Why? Because they don’t just land on a flower briefly, they stay there and extract the life-giving nectar. God gave David the gift of a Jonathan, and Naomi the gift of a Ruth. And He has people He would like you to meet. So talk to Him today about it.
Soul food: 1 Sam 4-7; Mark 16:1-8; Ps 68:19-35; Prov 22:6
