2023-09-15
Hosea 8:7 NLV
Volgens een Christelike leier, as volg:
‘1) Wanneer jou kind nog ‘n kleuter is, gee hom alles wat hy wil hê. Sodoende sal hy dink dat die wêreld hom ‘n bestaan skuld.
2) Wanneer hy vloek of vuil grappies vertel, lag en moedig hom aan. Soos hy groter word sal hy nog ouliker frases leer wat jou sal dronkslaan.
3) Moenie hom enige geestelike onderrig gee nie. Wag tot hy mondig is en laat hom dan toe om vir homself te besluit.
4) Vermy dit om die woord ‘verkeerd’ te gebruik. Dit sal jou kind ‘n kompleks gee.
5) Tel agter hom op – sy boeke, skoene en klere. Doen alles vir hom sodat hy ervare daarin sal wees om alle verantwoordelikhede op ander mense af te skuif.
6) Laat hom enigiets lees wat hy in die hande kan kry en moenie sy televisie- en internetgebruik monitor nie. Laat sy gedagtes toe om op gemors fees te vier.
7) Stry dikwels in sy teenwoordigheid, sodat hy nie later verras is wanneer sy huis gebroke word nie.
8) Bevredig sy elke drang na kos, drank en gemak. Elke sensuele begeerte moet bevredig word; ontkenning kan tot skadelike frustrasies lei.
9) Gee jou kind al die sakgeld wat hy wil hê. Moenie hom dit laat verdien nie. Hoekom moet dinge vir hom so moeilik wees soos dit vir jou was?
10) Kies sy kant teen bure, onderwysers en die polisie; hulle is almal teen hom.
11) Wanneer hy in regte moeilikheid beland, maak verskonings vir jouself deur te sê: ‘Ek kon nooit enigiets met hom regkry nie, hy was van die begin af ‘n probleemkind.’
12) Berei jouself vir ‘n lewe van hartseer voor.’
Sielskos: Eseg 34-36; Mark 13:12-23; Ps 78:56-64; Spr 20:25
Hosea 8:7 NKJV
According to one Christian leader, here is how:
“(1) When your child is still an infant, give him everything he wants. This way he will think the world owes him a living.
(2) When he picks up swearing and off-colored jokes, laugh at him, encourage him. As he grows up, he will pick up cuter phrases that will floor you.
(3) Never give him any spiritual training. Wait until he is twenty-one and let him decide for himself.
(4) Avoid using the word ‘wrong.’ It will give your child a guilt complex. Later, when he is arrested for stealing a car, [he will think] that society is against him and he is being persecuted.
(5) Pick up after him – his books, shoes, and clothes. Do everything for him so he will be experienced in throwing all responsibility onto others.
(6) Let him read all the printed material he can get his hands on – [don’t monitor his internet use or TV programs]. Sterilize the silverware, but let him feast his mind on garbage.
(7) Quarrel frequently in his presence, and then he won’t be too surprised when his home is broken up later.
(8) Satisfy his every craving for food, drink, and comfort. Every sensual desire must be gratified; denial may lead to harmful frustrations.
(9) Give your child all the spending money he wants. Don’t make him earn his own. Why should he have things as tough as you did?
(10) Take his side against neighbours, teachers, and policemen; they’re all against him.
(11) When he gets into real trouble, make up excuses for yourself by saying, ‘I could never do anything with him; he’s just a bad seed.’
(12) Prepare for a life of grief.”
Soul food: Eze 34-36; Mark 13:12-23; Ps 78:56-64; Prov 20:25
2023-09-14
Proverbs 13:3 CEV
Here is a Bible verse we should all commit to memory: “Keep what you know to yourself, and you will be safe; talk too much, and you are done for” (v. 3 CEV). Simply put, your tendency to speak without thinking will keep getting you into trouble.
The story is told of a vacuum cleaner salesman who had been given a remote rural area as his territory. He was going from farmhouse to farmhouse on his first day on the job, attempting to sell vacuum cleaners. As he arrived at one farmhouse, he knocked on the door and was met by a farmer’s wife who asked him what he wanted. Without asking permission, he shoved right past her into the kitchen and said, “I’m selling vacuum cleaners.” Shocked, she replied, “Wait a minute!” But he demanded, “Ma’am, before you say anything, I want to show you something.” Then he reached into his bag, pulled out a pail of dirt, and threw it across her kitchen floor. “If my vacuum cleaner won’t pick up all that dirt,” he bragged, “then I’ll eat it!” She looked at him and said, “Then you better get busy, ’cause we ain’t got no electricity!”
How often we have to eat the words we so recklessly toss on the floor of everyday living! Be careful. Jesus said one day we will give an account for every idle word we speak (See Matthew 12:36). An unknown poet wrote, “Be careful of the words you say and keep them soft and sweet. You never know from day to day which ones you’ll have to eat.” So unless you want to eat your words, think carefully before speaking.
Soul food: Eze 31-33; Mark 13:1-11; Ps 78:40-55; Prov 20:22-24
Spreuke 13:3 DB
Hier is ‘n Bybelvers wat ons almal in gedagte moet hou: ‘Hy wat sy mond kan hou, bly uit die moeilikheid uit. ‘n Kletskous praat maklik sy mond verby en beland in groot moeilikheid’ (vers 3 DB). Jou gewoonte om te praat voordat jy dink sal aanhou om jou in die moeilikheid te laat beland.
Daar is ‘n verhaal van ‘n stofsuierverkoper wat by ‘n afgeleë landelike gebied aangekom het. Hy het op sy eerste dag by die werk van plaashuis tot plaashuis gegaan en probeer om stofsuiers te verkoop. Toe hy by een plaashuis aankom, het hy aan die deur geklop. Die boervrou het die deur oopgemaak en hom gevra wat hy wil hê. Sonder om toestemming te vra, het hy reg verby haar deur die deur gedruk en gesê: ‘Ek verkoop stofsuiers.’ Geskok het sy geantwoord: ‘Wag ‘n bietjie!’ Maar hy het gesê: ‘Mevrou, voor jy iets sê, wil ek jou iets wys.’ Hy het ‘n houer grond uit sy sak uitgehaal en dit op die kombuisvloer uitgegooi. ‘As hierdie stofsuier nie al daardie grond kan opsuig nie,’ het hy gespog, ‘dan eet ek dit!’ Sy het na hom gekyk en gesê: ‘Dan moet jy maar begin, want ons het nie elektrisiteit nie!’
Hoe dikwels moet ons nie ons woorde wat ons so onverskillig op die vloer van die alledaagse lewe gooi, eet nie! Wees versigtig. Jesus het gesê dat ons eendag rekenskap vir elke onverskillige woord wat ons spreek, sal moet gee (sien Matteus 12:36). ‘n Onbekende digter het geskryf: ‘Be careful of the words you say and keep them soft and sweet. You never know from day to day which ones you’ll have to eat.’ As jy dus nie jou woorde wil eet nie, moet jy versigtig dink voor jy praat.
Sielskos: Eseg 31-33; Mark 13:1-11; Ps 78:40-55; Spr 20:22-24
2023-09-13
Deuteronomy 31:7-8 NKJV
When God tells you to “go,” remind yourself that every detail of your future is already known to Him. Centuries ago when a mapmaker ran out of the known world before he ran out of parchment, he would frequently draw a dragon at the edge of the scroll. This was intended as a sign to explorers that they were entering unknown territory at their own risk. Many, however, didn’t regard the dragon as a mapmaker’s warning sign but instead as a prophecy. They foresaw disaster beyond the known worlds they traversed, and their fear kept them from pushing on to discover new lands and peoples. Other more adventuresome travelers, however, saw the dragon as a sign of opportunity and a doorway to new worlds worth exploring.
Each of us has a mental map that contains the information we use for guidance as we begin each day. And like the maps of long ago, our mental maps have edges to them, and sometimes those edges seem to be marked by dragons or fears. We fear failing, or being rejected, or ridiculed, or that we won’t have enough, or that we will lose what we have.
If that’s how you feel today, read these words spoken by God to His people when they stood on the threshold of the promised land without knowing what awaited them when they went into it. “The Lord, He is the One who goes before you.” So, write down your goal, map out a strategy, and set a deadline. Then commit it to God, believing that He has gone before you to prepare the way.
Soul food: Eze 27:25-30:26; Mark 12:28-44; Ps 78:32-39; Prov 20:20-21
