2020-06-15
Genesis 25:28 NLV
Wedywering tussen broers en susters is normaal en dit verg sensitiwiteit en wysheid om dit te hanteer. Ongelukkig het Isak en Rebekka nie hierdie twee kwaliteite gehad nie. ‘Isak het ‘n voorkeur vir Esau gehad oor die wildsvleis wat hy vir hom gebring het. Rebekka weer, was liewer vir Jakob.’ Josef se moeilikheid het met hierdie woorde begin: ‘Jakob het vir Josef liewer gehad as al sy ander kinders omdat hy gebore is toe Jakob reeds bejaard was. Eendag gee hy vir Josef ‘n besondere geskenk, ‘n pragtige kleed’ (Genesis 37:3 NLV). Dit hoef egter nie so in jou familie te wees nie. Dis nie nodig of gesond om toe te laat dat jou kinders mekaar aanval en mekaar se lewens moeilik maak nie. Jy mag dalk nie in staat wees om hulle verhouding heeltemal te harmoniseer nie, maar wanneer jy onpartydig is, kan jy ten minste verhoed dat dit erger raak deur nie die natuurlike jaloesie tussen jou kinders aan te blaas nie. Sedert die begin van dae, het sibbe mekaar se suksesse verkwalik en om hulle ouers se aandag meegeding. Jy moet dus daarteen waak om opmerkings te maak wat een kind bo ‘n ander stel, veral in die volgende drie areas: 1) Fisiese aantreklikheid. 2) Intelligensie. 3) Vaardighede en atletiese talente. Dit is die drie rou senuwees waaraan selfwaarde hang. Wanneer jy na jou dogter as: ‘My mooi dogter,’ of na jou seun as: ‘Die slim ene,’ verwys, kan dit tierende emosies in die ander kinders veroorsaak wat hulself dan as lelik of dom sien. Paulus het vir Timoteus gesê: ‘…[voer] hierdie opdragte uit… sonder om kant te kies of besondere guns aan enigeen te bewys’ (1 Timoteus 5:21 NLV). Dit was ‘n ‘kerkreël,’ maar dit is ook ‘n ‘huisreël!’
Sielskos: 2 Kon 7-9; Luk 1:1-10; Ps 73:1-16; Spr 13:17-19
Genesis 27:19 NIV
Ever found yourself in competition with a friend or family member? In the Bible, we read about the brothers Esau and Jacob. Their parents had favourites. Isaac preferred the eldest son, Esau, while Rebekah preferred her second child Jacob. This favouritism may have been what started the competition between the brothers. Or maybe Jacob simply didn’t like being the youngest. In those days, the eldest received a special blessing and had rights that the younger son didn’t get. Jacob, along with his mother Rebekah, decided to plot against Esau and tricked Isaac into blessing him instead. The Bible tells us that ‘Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn”‘ (you can read the full story in Genesis 27). The competition in this family didn’t stop there. Jacob later married two sisters: Leah and Rachel. He loved Rachel more and Leah resented her for that. Leah could have children while Rachel couldn’t, which caused Rachel to resent Leah. Both competed against each other. Leah tried to win Jacob’s love while Rachel tried to have children to keep up with Leah. When competition and comparison takes root, we lose focus of who God has created us to be and things He’s planned for us to do. It can lead to messy situations and a breakdown in relationships. Maybe there isn’t someone who we’re directly competing with, but there are posts on social media which make us feel inadequate and we try and change our behaviour to keep up with others. Maybe we only feel good about ourselves when we’re achieving more than other people. Instead of competing and comparing, we need to be confident in our identity as children of God, and focus on doing the things He’s called us to do.
2 Kings 7-9; Luke 1:1-10; Ps 73:1-16; Prov 13:17-19
Genesis 25:28 KJV
Sibling rivalry in a family is normal, and handling it calls for sensitivity and wisdom. Unfortunately Isaac and Rebekah lacked those two qualities. “Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob” (NKJV). Joseph’s troubles began with these words: “Now Israel (Jacob) loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a coat of many colours” (Genesis 37:3 KJV). But it doesn’t have to be that way in your family. It’s neither necessary nor healthy to allow your children to attack each other and make life miserable for those around them. You may not be able to harmonize their relationship entirely, but by practicing impartiality, at least you can avoid making it worse by inflaming the natural jealousies between your children. Ever since time began, siblings have resented each other’s successes and competed for their parents’ attention. So you must be careful to avoid casual comments that favour one child over another, especially in these three areas: (1) Physical attractiveness. (2) Intelligence. (3) Skills and athletic abilities. Those are the three raw nerves on which self-esteem hangs. Referring to a girl as “my pretty daughter” or to a son as “the smart one” can set off raging emotions in other children, who perceive themselves to be ugly or dumb. Sensitivity in those areas will reduce the antagonism between your children and create a more harmonious tone for every member of the family. Paul told Timothy, “Obey these instructions without taking sides or showing favouritism to anyone” (1 Timothy 5:21 NLT). That was a “church rule,” but it’s also a “house rule!”
Soul food: 2 Kings 7-9; Luke 1:1-10; Ps 73:1-16; Prov 13:17-19
2020-06-14
1 Timoteus 4:8 NLV
Soos jy in jou veertigs, vyftigs en sestigs inbeweeg, is jy geneig om meer te sit. Een vrou het ‘n lewenslange verbintenis gemaak om nooit te sweet nie. ‘n Ander een het gegrap dat die enigste rede hoekom mense draf is om beter by hulle begrafnis te lyk. ‘n Bestuurder het ‘n plakker op sy motor geplak: ‘Die vyftigs kruip nader en dis genoeg oefening vir my.’ Die Bybel sê: ‘Liggaamlike oefening het wel waarde, maar geestelike oefening is baie belangriker, want dit hou die belofte in van beloning, sowel in hierdie lewe as in die volgende.’ Beteken dit dat dit nie belangrik is om na jou liggaam om te sien nie? Nee, dit beteken dat jy in balans moet bly! Wat is die punt daarvan om die deugde van ‘n heilige te hê as jy voor jou tyd met geblokte are sterf? Jy sê: ‘Maar ek hou nie daarvan om te draf of gewigte op te tel nie.’ Dan is daar goeie nuus vir jou. ‘n Onlangse mediese studie het bevind as jy vyf-en-veertig minute ‘n dag aan huishoudelike take soos grassny spandeer, sal jy groter langslewendheid geniet as diegene wat onaktief is. Dis wel nog beter as jy ‘n paar opsitte en opstote by jou roetine kan inwerk, maar dis nie nodig nie. As jy nie jou kar onderhou nie, het jy geen reg om die vervaardiger te blameer nie. As jy nie jou liggaam, wat die tempel van die Heilige Gees is, onderhou nie, het jy geen reg om God te blameer nie. Jy sê: ‘Maar ek glo in goddelike genesing.’ God beloof dit wel in sy Woord aan jou (sien Jakobus 5:14-15). Hy verwag egter van jou om geloof – en wysheid – te gebruik. Jou huis sal dus nie net beter lyk nie, jy sal waarskynlik ook langer lewe.
Sielskos: Op 19:11-16; Hand 3:1-16; Fil 2:5-11
1 Timothy 4:8 NIV
The Bible says, ‘physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.’ But that doesn’t mean that taking care of our bodies isn’t important. It means we must stay in balance. We need to take the time to make sure we’re both spiritually and physically healthy. If we neglect our physical health, we can find ourselves in a position where we struggle to do the things God’s called us to do. God can heal us, but He also wants us to take responsibility for looking after our health. God created each of us, and we need to look after the things He’s created. But we also need to make sure that looking after our physical health doesn’t become an obsession. The verse in 1 Timothy says that ‘physical training is of some value’, but it’s not the most important thing. We need to be focused on our spiritual health. That means building a relationship with God, fulfilling our purposes, and becoming more like Jesus. In the same way that we can train and strengthen our physical bodies, we can train to become godly. We can work to produce the fruits of the Spirit (you can find a list of these in Galatians 5:22-23). The Bible tells us that our bodies are ‘temples of the Holy Spirit’ (1 Corinthians 6:19 NIV). We need to make sure that our bodies are physically a good home for the Spirit, but also that our hearts are a good home too. If our hearts are full of ungodly things, we’re not providing a good home for the Spirit. So let’s regularly assess whether we’re healthy and then make any necessary lifestyle changes.
Rev 19:11-16; Acts 3:1-16; Phil 2:5-11
