2023-01-14
Romans 12:3 NLT
Paul writes: “Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well” (vv. 3-6 NLT).
Paul is teaching us this important principle: “Don’t have an elitist attitude!” If you are an elitist, you must deal with the truth that every advantage or favour you enjoy is a gift from God (See 1 Corinthians 4:7). Whatever God has given you or allowed you to accomplish must never be used for personal exultation.
Even if you think you achieved each of them on your own, read these words and take them to heart: “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being… he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honour and gave him the name above all other names” (Philippians 2:3-9 NLT).
Soul food: Isa 42-44; Luke 2:41-52; Ps 74:12-23; Prov 2:7-8
2023-01-13
Romeine 12:3 NLV
‘Twee mense het na die tempel toe gegaan om te bid. Die een was ‘n Fariseër en die ander ‘n tollenaar. Die Fariseër het stelling ingeneem en by homself gebid: ‘O God, ek is dankbaar teenoor U dat ek nie soos die ander mense is nie – diewe, onregverdiges, ontugtiges of ook soos hierdie tollenaar. Ek vas twee keer gedurende die week, en ek gee ‘n tiende van alles wat ek verdien!’ Die tollenaar het op ‘n afstand stelling ingeneem en wou selfs nie na die hemel opkyk nie. Hy het vol skuldbesef op sy bors geslaan en gesê: ‘O God, wees my as sondaar genadig!’ Ek sê vir julle: Hierdie man, eerder as die eerste een, gaan huis toe as iemand wie se saak met God reg is. Elkeen wat homself verhef bo ander, sal verneder word, maar hy wat homself nederig ag, sal verhoog word’ (Lukas 18:10-14 NLV).
God het meer geduld met ‘n eerlike sondaar as met ‘n selfvoldane Christen. Toe die Fariseër homself gelukgewens het met die sondes wat hy nie gepleeg het nie – kullery, owerspel ens – was hy skuldig aan die sonde van geestelike trots. Watter goeie gedrag is vir jou ‘n bron van trots? Oordeel jy ander volgens jou optrede?
Die enigste optrede wat enigeen van ons voor God aanvaarbaar maak, is op Christus se optrede aan die kruis gebaseer. ‘God het Hom wat nie sonde geken het nie, sonde gemaak ter wille van ons sodat ons, op grond van ons eenheid met Christus, deur God vrygespreek kan word’ (2 Korintiërs 5:21 NLV). Die geregtigheid wat ons red, word toegereken – nie verdien nie. Moet dus nie eiegeregtig wees nie!
Sielskos: Jes 38-41; Luk 2:34-40; Ps 74:1-11; Spr 2:6
Romans 12:3 GNT
“‘Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: “I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else… I don’t cheat… sin… commit adultery. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.” But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted'” (Luke 18:10-14 NLT).
The lesson in this story is, God has more tolerance for an honest sinner than a self-righteous Christian. When the Pharisee was congratulating himself for the sins he didn’t commit – cheating, adultery, etc. – he was guilty of the sin of spiritual pride.
Question: What good behavior is a source of pride to you? Do you measure others by your performance and mark their scorecard accordingly? The only performance that makes any of us acceptable to God is based on Christ’s performance on the cross. “God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:21 NLT).
The righteousness that saves us is imputed – not earned. So don’t be self-righteous!
Soul food: Isa 38-41; Luke 2:34-40; Ps 74:1-11; Prov 2:6
2023-01-12
Numbers 12:11 NKJV
If you think criticizing others is just exercising your right to free speech and it’s no big deal, stop and consider these three things: (1) God saw it as a sin when Aaron and Miriam criticized Moses for marrying an Ethiopian woman. He smote Miriam with leprosy, and Aaron was quick to repent: “We have done foolishly… we have sinned.” Yes, God healed Miriam, but not before she had been publicly embarrassed.
(2) A critical attitude will hurt you relationally. “Then the Lord said to Moses… ‘Let her be shut out of the camp seven days, and afterward she may be received again'” (v.14 NKJV). Leprosy was contagious, and those who had it were isolated from others. There is an important lesson here. When you become known for a critical attitude, people will distance themselves from you and avoid you. It’s a trust issue; they know if you will talk to them about others, you will talk to others about them.
(3) A critical attitude hinders everybody’s progress. “So Miriam was shut out of the camp seven days, and the people did not journey till Miriam was brought in again” (v.15 NKJV). Have you ever been part of an organization where one fault-finding person destroyed the effectiveness and hindered the progress of the entire group?
(4) A critical attitude hurts your relationship with God. “Who may worship in your sanctuary, Lord? Who may enter your presence on your holy hill? Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right, speaking the truth from sincere hearts. Those who refuse to gossip or harm their neighbours or speak evil of their friends… Such people will stand firm forever” (Psalm 15:1-3, 5 NLT).
Soul food: Isa 34-37; Luke 2:21-33; Ps 71:17-24; Prov 2:3-5
Numeri 12:11 NLV
As jy dink dat jy ander kan kritiseer omdat jy net jou reg op vryheid van spraak uitoefen, stop en oorweeg hierdie vier dinge: 1) God het dit as sonde gesien toe Aäron en Mirjam vir Moses gekritiseer het omdat hy met ‘n Kussitiese vrou getrou het. Die Here het Mirjam met melaatsheid getref en Aäron was gou om berou te kry: ‘…moet ons asseblief nie straf vir die dom ding wat ons gedoen het nie.’
2) ‘n Kritiese houding sal jou verhoudings skade aandoen. ‘Die Here sê toe vir Moses: ‘…Verban haar nou vir sewe dae lank uit die kamp uit. Eers daarna mag sy terugkom’ (vers 14 NLV). Melaatsheid was aansteeklik en diegene wat dit onder lede gehad het, moes hulself afsonder. Wanneer jy daarvoor bekend word dat jy krities is, sal mense hulle van jou distansieer en jou vermy. Dis ‘n kwessie van vertroue; hulle weet dat as jy ander mense met hulle bespreek, sal jy hulle ook met ander mense bespreek.
3) ‘n Kritiese houding hinder almal se vooruitgang. ‘Mirjam moes toe sewe dae lank buite die kamp bly. Die volk het nie verder getrek voordat Mirjam weer terug was by hulle nie’ (vers 15 NLV). Was jy al ooit deel van ‘n groep waar een mens so baie fout gevind het dat dit die effektiwiteit en vooruitgang van die hele groep verhinder het?
4) ‘n Kritiese houding maak jou verhouding met God seer. ‘Here, wie mag dit waag in u teenwoordigheid? Wie mag woon op u heilige berg? Hy wat onberispelik lewe en doen wat reg is, met ‘n opregte hart die waarheid praat; wat nie sy medemens belaster, hom benadeel, of van hom kwaadpraat nie… Só ‘n mens sal vir altyd stewig staan’ (Psalm 15:1-3, 5 NLV).
Sielskos: Jes 34-37; Luk 2:21-33; Ps 71:17-24; Spr 2:3-5
