2022-01-28
Job 16:5 NKJV
Even when a surgery is successful, the patient can carry within them scar tissue that causes lingering pain and discomfort. And it’s the same in life. Some people around you wear a mask of success, but within, they carry wounds they’re unable to talk about.
Comedian Jonathan Winters said in an interview that his life was scarred by cruel things his parents said to him as a child. “I’m no crybaby, but I remember things with almost total recall – there’s a lot of pain there.” His father said to him, “You’re the dumbest kid I know.” And when he joined the marines and traveled to the South Pacific during World War II, he received no support from his mother. When he returned home, he discovered she had given away his special, personal things he had stored in the attic. He was distressed, but her reaction was, “How did we know you were going to live?” Winters went on to become one of the world’s most popular entertainers and comedians, but the emotional scar tissue remained.
Understand this – your words can wound or heal. They can inspire someone or reinforce their sense of failure and worthlessness. Job, who suffered greater loss than most of us will ever know, said, “But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the comfort of my lips would relieve your grief” (v. 5 NKJV). How can you help someone who is hurting? By giving them your opinion? No, by giving them the only opinion that matters – God’s! And here is what God says, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you” (Jeremiah 31:3 NKJV).
Soul food: Rom 1:32-3:20; Luke 6:27-36; Ps 107:1-9; Pro 3:13-18
Job 16:5 NCV
Even when an injury has healed, it can leave a scar that causes lingering pain and discomfort. And it’s the same in life. Some of the people around us are wearing masks of success and happiness, but inside, they’re carrying wounds that they don’t feel able to talk about. And often the most painful and lasting wounds can be from the words someone has spoken. That’s why we always need to take care in how we’re speaking and what we’re saying. Our words have the power to wound or heal. They can inspire and encourage someone, or they can reinforce their feelings of failure and worthlessness and hurt them even more. The Bible says, ‘Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body’ (Proverbs 16:24 ESV).
We should regularly ask God to guide our words, to help us speak with gentleness, to prompt us when it’s the right time to talk to someone, and to check us when we need to stay quiet. Job, who suffered more loss than most of us will ever experience, said, ‘I would encourage you, and my words would bring you relief. (Job 16:5 NCV).
If we want to help someone who’s hurting, giving them our opinion on their circumstances won’t do much for them. What we should do is give them the only opinion that matters – God’s opinion! This is what He says: ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you and continued My faithfulness to you’ (Jeremiah 31:3 AMP). When we know someone is feeling the pain of old wounds and old words, let’s encourage them with God’s love, and be guided by Him to speak only words of healing over them.
Rom 1:32-3:20; Luke 6:27-36; Ps 107:1-9; Pro 3:13-18
2022-01-27
1 Corinthians 9:22 MSG
It’s easy for us to develop ‘spiritual forgetfulness’. We can forget what we used to be like before we let Jesus into our lives. And that attitude can affect the people we interact with each day. We might fall into the trap of being judgmental of others who don’t live by the same standards that we now have. We might begin to point out their sins and mistakes in a way that hurts them rather than treating them with kindness. We might try to force our faith on them, forgetting the journey that we took to believing and trusting God. So how can we share our faith with others, while keeping a high level of integrity and sensitivity? Here are some ideas:
1) Ask sincere questions and listen with a caring spirit.
2) When its’s appropriate, offer to pray for people – and then do it.
3) Pray at the start of each day and ask God to help you see all the opportunities for sharing His love.
4) Don’t play down how important your faith is to you. When it fits naturally into a conversation, talk about church, prayer, and the Bible. Let others see for themselves the joy you have in Christ.
5) Demonstrate God’s love for all people by organising a collection for a foodbank or a fundraiser for a local charity.
6) Strive for excellence. Be someone who can always be relied on to do a solid job.
7) Invite your non-Christian friends to events with your Christian friends.
8) When you’re not sure about when to speak, check in with God and ‘when the time comes…the Holy Spirit will make his witness in and through you’ (Mark 13:11 MSG).
9) Above all, remember how far you’ve come and maintain a humble attitude!
Ecc 9-12; Luke 6:17-26; Ps 104:24-35; Pro 3:11-12
1 Korintiërs 9:22 DB
Dis maklik om ‘geestelike amnesia’ te ontwikkel. Jy vergeet hoe jy was. Hierdie houding affekteer ook die mense waarmee jy elke dag te doen kry. Een skrywer merk op: ‘Ek het ‘n kennis by die werkplek wat al die negatiewe karaktereienskappe van evangeliese Christene uitbeeld. Sy is veroordelend, haar optrede grens aan die bisarre, sy is heeltemal (en aspris) uit voeling met die omstandighede van die dag. Sy sien elke poging om haar evangelisasie te demp as vervolging. Niemand van ons wil soos sy wees nie, dus beweeg ons in die teenoorgestelde rigting en word ons pogings so subtiel, dat dit onopmerkbaar word.’ Hoe kan ons ons geloof deel, terwyl ons ‘n hoë vlak van integriteit handhaaf?
1) Vra opregte vrae en luister met ‘n gees van omgee.
2) Indien gepas, sê vir ander dat jy vir hulle bid – en doen dit dan!
3) Bid terwyl jy werk toe ry en vra God om jou te help om jou werkplek as ‘n sendingsveld te sien.
4) Moenie die belangrikheid van geloof in jou lewe afmaak nie. Waar dit natuurlik in ‘n gesprek na vore kom, praat oor die kerk, gebed, die Skrif en Christelike gemeenskap.
5) Demonstreer God se liefde teenoor alle mense deur ‘n kosinsameling of ‘n ander liefdadigheidsprojek by jou maatskappy te inisieer.
6) Strewe na uitnemendheid. Wees die persoon op wie jou bestuurder en kollegas staatmaak.
7) Nooi kollegas na geleenthede saam met Christen-vriende. Nie-kerkgangers is dikwels ontvanklik daarvoor om spesiale geleenthede soos Kersfees en Paasfees by te woon.
8) Wanneer jy nie seker is wanneer om te praat nie, vra vir God en ‘…Die Heilige Gees sal julle op daardie oomblik help om die regte dinge te sê. Dit sal nie julle wees wat praat nie, maar die Heilige Gees’ (Markus 13:11 DB).
9) Bo alles – behou ‘n nederige gesindheid!
Sielskos: Pred 9-12; Luk 6:17-26; Ps 104:24-35; Spr 3:11-12
1 Corinthians 9:22 MSG
It’s easy to develop “spiritual amnesia.” You forget what you used to be like. And that attitude affects the people you deal with each day. One author writes: “I’ve a workplace acquaintance who embodies all the negative stereotypes of evangelical Christians. She’s judgmental…her behavior borders on bizarre…she’s completely (and purposefully) out of touch with culture. She considers any attempt to tone down her evangelism as persecution…None of us wants to be like that so we hop on the pendulum as it swings in the other direction and our efforts become so subtle, they’re imperceptible.” How can we share our faith, while maintaining a high level of integrity?
(1) Ask sincere questions and listen with a caring spirit.
(2) When appropriate, tell others you’re praying for them – then do it!
(3) Pray driving to work and ask God to help you see your workplace as a mission field.
(4) Don’t downplay the importance of your faith. When it naturally fits a conversation, talk about church, prayer, Scripture, and Christian community. Let others see joy and purpose in your life.
(5) Demonstrate God’s love for all people by initiating a company food drive…or organizing a blood drive.
(6) Strive for excellence. Be the person that your manager and co-workers rely on to do a solid job.
(7) Invite coworkers to events with your Christian friends. Nonchurchgoers are often open to going on holidays like Christmas or Easter.
(8) When you’re not sure about when to speak, check in with God and “when the time comes…the Holy Spirit will make his witness in and through you” (Mark 13:11 MSG).
(9) Above all – maintain a humble attitude!
Soul food: Ecc 9-12; Luke 6:17-26; Ps 104:24-35; Pro 3:11-12
