2021-02-08
2 Timothy 4:7 NIV
We collect so many things during our time here on earth: relationships, knowledge, experiences, belongings. Whatever stage of life we’re at, it’s important to think about what we’ll leave behind one day. As 1 Timothy 6:7 reminds us, ‘we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out’ (NIV).
It becomes our responsibility to figure out how our earthly things can be passed on. Although it’s not always easy to follow through with it, leaving a legacy through our money and belongings is a fairly clear thing to do. Proverbs 13:22 reminds us that ‘good people leave an inheritance to their grandchildren’ (NLT).
Good stewardship means that we should share whatever we have generously with those that we love, and those who need it, rather than pouring it into useless or vain things. But what about the wisdom, knowledge, and experiences grown throughout our lives? There’s a great, godly tradition of making sure that those important truths get passed on from generation to generation. We can see it in 2 Timothy 2:2: ‘You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others’ (NLT).
A part of progressing through life is beginning to share the things that we learn along the way. Let’s find a way to pass on the valuable things in our head, so that when the time comes we can confidently echo 2 Timothy 4:7: ‘I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith’ (NIV).
Rom 3:21-6:23; Matt 13:10-23; Ps 125; Prov 4:3-4
2 Timothy 4:7 NIV
In Mount Hope Cemetery, Hiawatha, Kansas, you’ll find several large gravestones erected by John Milburn Davis. Davis began his working life as a lowly hired hand and managed to amass a considerable fortune. In the process, he didn’t make many friends. Nor was he close to his wife’s family, since they thought she had married beneath herself. Embittered, he vowed not to leave them a penny.
When his wife died, Davis erected an elaborate statue depicting himself and her sitting at opposite ends of a love seat. He was so pleased with it that he planned a second monument, showing his wife kneeling to place a wreath at his future graveside. Then he had a sculptor place a set of wings on her back. One idea led to another, until he had spent a quarter-of-a-million dollars on tributes to his wife and himself.
When people asked him to contribute to the local hospital, or a swimming pool for children, etc., the old miser would say, “What’s this town ever done for me?” Davis spent his life’s fortune on statues and died at ninety-two as a lonely, grim-faced resident of the poorhouse. And what happened to his monuments? Each and every one of them is slowly sinking into the Kansas soil – victims of time, vandalism, and neglect; memorials to spite and self-centered living.
There’s a certain poetic justice in the fact that within a few years they’ll all be gone. Oh, by the way, only one person attended farmer Davis’s funeral – Horace England, the tombstone salesman! Don’t let that happen to you; make your life count for God!
Soul food: Rom 3:21-6:23; Matt 13:10-23; Ps 125; Prov 4:3-4
2 Timoteus 4:7 NLV
In die Mount Hope begrafplaas in Hiawatha, Kansas, sal jy verskeie groot grafstene kry wat deur John Milburn Davis opgerig is. Davis het sy beroep begin as ‘n loonwerker en het dit later reggekry om ‘n groot fortuin op te bou. Hy het nie baie vriende in die proses gemaak nie. Hy was ook nie na aan sy vrou se familie nie, omdat hulle gedink het dat Davis benede haar is. Hy was bitter en het gesweer om hulle nie ‘n sent na te laat nie. Toe sy vrou oorlede is, het Davis ‘n groot grafsteen van hom en haar wat op ‘n bankie sit, opgerig. Hy was so in sy skik daarmee dat hy ‘n tweede monument beplan het, wat sy vrou sou uitbeeld waar sy met blomme voor sy toekomstige graf kniel. Een idee het tot ‘n volgende gelei en voor hy sy oë kon uitvee, het hy ‘n kwartmiljoen dollars op huldeblyke aan sy vrou en homself spandeer. Wanneer mense hom gevra het om by te dra tot ‘n nuwe hospitaal of park, sou die ou gierigaard sê: ‘Wat het hierdie dorp al ooit vir my gedoen?’ Davis het sy lewensfortuin op standbeelde spandeer en is as eensame, norse ou man op twee-en-negentig jaar in die armhuis oorlede.
Wat het van sy monumente geword? Elke liewe een van hulle is stadig besig om in die Kansas grond in te sink – slagoffers van tyd, vandalisme, verwaarlosing – monumente van ‘n nydige en selfgesentreerde lewe. Daar is ‘n sekere poëtiese geregtigheid daaraan dat hulle almal oor ‘n paar jaar in rommel sal verdwyn. Net een persoon het Davis se begrafnis bygewoon – Horace England, die grafsteenverkoper! Moenie dat dit met jou gebeur nie; laat jou lewe voor God tel!
Sielskos: Rom 3:21-6:23; Matt 13:10-23; Ps 125; Spr 4:3-4
2021-02-07
2 Corinthians 11:3 NIV
Paul wrote, ‘I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray.’ Temptation always begins in the mind, and in order to protect it, we need to dwell on God’s Word. It was Satan who planted the idea in Eve’s mind to eat the forbidden fruit. Eve wasn’t standing around trying to think of ways to disobey God.
So whenever we’re tempted, we need to remember that it’s not God speaking to us. The new natures we have from God don’t think that way. The devil studies and analyses us, in the same way an experienced coach studies the game videos of the opposing team, until he knows our weak spots and which temptations have the best chance of success. When we give in to a temptation, we can often say to ourselves, ‘I promise I won’t do that again.’ But we do. That’s because Satan knows what works on each of us.
But we don’t have to feel defenceless and discouraged. The Bible says: ‘No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it’ (1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV).
Satan waits until our defences are down before he strikes, but God always provides ‘a way out’. For every temptation we’ll ever face, God has an escape route. So although we’ll never be free from temptation, we can have victory over it. And once Satan discovers his tactics no longer work, he’ll go looking elsewhere.
1 Kings 3:4-28; James 1:2-8
2 Corinthians 11:3 NIV
Paul writes, “I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray.”
Temptation always begins in your mind, and in order to protect it, you need to dwell on God’s Word. It was Satan who planted the idea in Eve’s mind to eat the forbidden fruit. Eve wasn’t standing around trying to figure out how to disobey God. So remember when you’re tempted, it’s not God speaking to you. The new nature you have from God doesn’t think that way. The Devil studies you in the same way an experienced coach studies the game videos of the opposing team. And because he does, he knows your weak spots and which temptations have the best chance of success. How many times have you said, “I promised myself I would never do that again?” Yet you did it. That’s because Satan knows what works on you.
But you don’t have to go around feeling defenseless and discouraged. The Bible says: “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV).
Satan waits until your defenses are down before he strikes, but God always provides “a way out.” For every temptation you’ll ever face, God has an escape hatch. That means while you’ll never be exempt from temptation, you can be victorious over it. And once Satan discovers his tactics no longer work, he goes looking elsewhere.
Soul food: 1 Kings 3:4-28; James 1:2-8
