2024-03-21
Psalm 84:8 NLV
Die frase ‘ontdek jou sterkpunte’ is deur die navorser Marcus Buckingham in wat na verwys word as die ‘Strengths Movement,’ beroemd gemaak. Dit verg van ons om op te hou om op ons swakpunte te fokus en ons sterkpunte te ontwikkel – wat God se ontwerp reflekteer. God het nie gesê: ‘Moses, jou vakmanskapvaardighede is swak. Jy moet vir ‘n ruk ophou om die mense te lei en probeer om meer soos Besaleël te word’ nie (sien Eksodus 31:1-5). ‘n Sterkpunt is ‘n aktiwiteit wat jou sterk laat voel wanneer jy dit doen.
Sekere aktiwiteite sal jou opgewonde maak en jou uitdaag; ander sal jou verveel en jou dreineer. Sodra jy hierdie aktiwiteite ontdek, is jy nie bloot besig met ‘loopbaanbeplanning’ nie, jy erken God se handewerk en jou eie kernsterkpunte. Dis belangrik dat jy dit doen, want jou lewe is die klein deel van die skepping waaroor God jou aangestel het.
Dorothy Sayers het gesê: “‘n Mens werk nie om te lewe nie, maar lewe om te werk. Dit is, of dit behoort te wees, die volle uitdrukking van die werker se vermoëns, die aktiwiteit waarin hy geestelike en liggaamlike bevrediging vind en die medium waarin hy homself aan God bied.”
Wat as jou werk nie jou behoeftes vervul of jou Godgegewe gawes gebruik nie? Soms vereis noodsaaklikheid dit. Dis hoekom die Bybel sê: ‘Doen met toewyding alles wat jou hand vind om te doen…’ (Prediker 9:10 NLV). Bid intussen vir nuwe geleenthede, berei jouself voor en doen vrywillige werk in ‘n gebied wat jou sterkpunte benut. Soms is mense wat nie hul werk geniet nie, ellendig en maak hulle almal rondom hulle ook ellendig. God verwag egter beter van jou!
Sielskos: 2 Kon 24-25; Matt 26:1-25; Ps 19; Spr 8:6-7
Psalm 84:7 NIV
The phrase “discover your strengths” was made famous by researcher Marcus Buckingham in what’s referred to as the “Strengths Movement.” It calls us to stop focusing on our weaknesses and name and develop our strengths – which reflects God’s design. God didn’t say, “Moses, your craftsmanship skills are weak. Let’s have you stop leading this people for a while and try to become more like Bezalel.” (See Exodus 31:1-5). The Bible speaks of going “from strength to strength.” And a strength is an activity which when you engage in it, makes you feel strong.
Certain activities will thrill and challenge you; others will bore and drain you. Once you discover this, you’re not simply engaged in “career planning,” you’re acknowledging God’s handiwork and your own core strengths. It matters that you do this, because the single little patch of creation you’re responsible for stewarding is your own life.
Dorothy Sayers said: “Work is not, primarily, a thing one does to live, but the thing one lives to do. It is, or it should be, the full expression of the worker’s faculties, the thing in which he finds spiritual, mental and bodily satisfaction, and the medium in which he offers himself to God.”
What if your job doesn’t fulfill your need for purpose or utilize your God-given gifts? Sometimes necessity requires that. That’s why the Bible says, “Whatever you do, do well” (Ecclesiastes 9:10 NLT). In the meantime, pray for opportunity, prepare yourself, and volunteer in an area that utilizes your strengths. Sometimes people who don’t enjoy the work they do are miserable, and they make everybody around them miserable too. But God expects better from you!
Soul food: 2 Kings 24-25; Matt 26:1-25; Ps 19; Prov 8:6-7
2024-03-20
Johannes 13:3-4 NLV
Wanneer dit daarby gekom het om ander te dien, het Jesus eerste gegaan. “Hy het toe van die tafel af opgestaan, sy boklere uitgetrek, ‘n doek gevat en dit om Hom vasgebind. Daarna het Hy water in ‘n wasskottel gegooi en begin om die dissipels se voete te was en af te droog… Hy kom toe by Simon Petrus, wat vir Hom sê: ‘Here, gaan U mý voete was?'” (verse 4-6 NLV). As jy ander mense wil dien, moet jy jou beeld, jou gemak en jou agenda eenkant toe skuif. Deur sy boklere uit te trek en eenkant te sit, het Jesus gedemonstreer dat God nie tyd vir mode of giere het nie.
Ware bediening is nie beeldbewus nie; dit word met die volledige verontagsaming om onderskeid tussen mense te tref, gepaard. Petrus het dit egter nie besef nie! Hy was verleë om te dink dat Jesus Homself in so ‘n vernederende lig sou stel. Dus het Jesus gesê: ‘Julle noem My Leermeester en Here… As Ek dan, wat julle Here en Leermeester is, julle voete gewas het, moet julle ook mekaar se voete was. Ek het vir julle ‘n voorbeeld gestel, en soos Ek vir julle gedoen het, moet julle ook doen… As julle hierdie dinge insien en julle eie maak, sal julle gelukkig wees as julle dit ook doen’ (verse 13-15, 17 NLV).
Daar is sekere dinge in jou lewe wat jy eenkant moet sit om sodoende ander mense te dien en God se wil te doen. As jy geseënd wil wees, moenie aansluit by diegene wat in hul eie toesprake verheug is en wat hul eie prestasies uitbasuin nie. Sit alles waarin jy privaat roem opsy en tel die handdoek van diensbaarheid op. Moenie vir iemand anders wag om dit te doen nie. Gaan jy eerste!
Sielskos: 2 Kon 21-23; Matt 25:24-46; Ps 11; Spr 8:4-5
John 13:3-4 NKJV
When it came to serving others, Jesus went first. He “rose from supper… laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself… poured water into a basin… began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded… Peter said to Him, ‘Lord, are You washing my feet?'” (vv. 4-6 NKJV). Try to imagine God incarnate with an apron on, kneeling to wash the feet of those who were unworthy. The Bible says, “Jesus… laid aside His garments.”
If you want to serve others, you must be willing to lay aside your image, your comfort, and your agenda. By laying aside His garments, Jesus demonstrated that God has no time for form or fashion. Real ministry isn’t image conscious; it’s done with complete disregard for distinction.
But Peter didn’t get it! He was embarrassed to think Jesus would let Himself be seen in such a demeaning light. So, Jesus said: “You call Me Teacher and Lord… If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you…. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them” (vv. 13-15, 17 NKJV).
There are certain things in your life that must be set aside in order to serve others and do the will of God. If you want to be blessed, don’t join those who delight in their own speeches and who trumpet their own accomplishments. Set aside everything you privately glory in and pick up the towel of servanthood. Don’t wait for someone else to do it. You go first!
Soul food: 2 Kings 21-23; Matt 25:24-46; Ps 11; Prov 8:4-5
2024-03-19
Galatians 1:20 MSG
God’s direction will often be followed by a season of preparation. And the length of that season is determined by the size of your assignment. So when God speaks to you, it’s not always wise to rush out and tell people. Who wouldn’t want to talk about the amazing experience Paul had with Christ on the Damascus road? And there would be a right time for Paul to do that – but not yet. So don’t move until God gives you the green light. Why?
Two reasons: (1) You need time, maturing, and equipping so that the word you have received can take root within you, grow, and be fulfilled in the way God wants. (2) Sometimes God takes time to prepare the hearts of those He is sending you to. Paul writes: “Immediately after my calling – without consulting anyone around me and without going up to Jerusalem to confer with those who were apostles long before I was – I got away to Arabia…. It was three years before I went up to Jerusalem to compare stories with Peter… Then I began my ministry” (vv. 16-21 MSG).
Paul knew people would find his calling unbelievable, and he had the wisdom to wait. He allowed God to go ahead of him and orchestrate the circumstances. And while he was waiting, he allowed the word he had received to grow and make changes in his life. Then, and only then, did he start doing what he was called to do. Paul didn’t try to convince anybody; he let God do that. And the end result? “Their response was to recognize and worship God because of me!” (v. 24 MSG).
Soul food: 2 Kings 18:17-20:21; Matt 25:1-23; Ps 115; Prov 8:1-3
