2025-03-11
1 Corinthians 3:5 NLT
One day when Charles Colson was scheduled to preach to three hundred inmates at San Quentin prison, a lockdown was called and most of the prisoners were confined to their cells. To the few who were allowed to attend, Colson decided to go ahead and give the complete message he had prepared. Later when he expressed disappointment that the three hundred were unable to attend, he was told, “We videotaped your message and will be showing it numerous times to all twenty-two hundred prisoners.” What if Colson had given way to disappointment and just delivered a short devotional instead of the full evangelistic message he had prepared? More than two thousand prisoners would not have heard the gospel.
An occasion may arise when you are the only person available to speak for God. Will you be faithful in such a moment? You are the most important person in the world to God when you are the one He has called to do something for Him. And the message is more important than the messenger.
Paul writes: “We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work” (vv. 5-8 NLT).
Soul food: Job 5-7; Luke 16:19-31; Ps 26; Prov 7:26-27
1 Korintiërs 3:5 NLV
Een dag toe Charles Colson geskeduleer was om vir driehonderd gevangenes by die San Quentin tronk te preek, is daar ‘n inspeksie uitgeroep en die meeste van die gevangenes is tot hulle tronkselle beperk. Colson het besluit om voort te gaan en vir die paar gevangenes wat toegelaat was om sy preek by te woon, die boodskap wat hy voorberei het te gee. Later, toe hy sy teleurstelling uitspreek dat die driehonderd gevangenes nie sy preek kon bywoon nie, is daar vir hom gesê: ‘Ons het jou boodskap opgeneem en gaan dit verskeie kere vir die meer as tweeduisend gevangenes in die tronk wys.’ Wat as Colson tot sy teleurstelling ingegee het en net ‘n kort toespraak, in plaas van die volle evangelistiese boodskap wat hy voorberei het, gegee het? Meer as tweeduisend gevangenes sou dan nie die evangelie gehoor het nie.
‘n Geleentheid mag dalk opduik waar jy die enigste persoon beskikbaar is om namens God te praat. Sal jy betroubaar in so ‘n oomblik wees? Jy is die belangrikste persoon in die wêreld vir God wanneer jy die een is wat Hy geroep het om iets vir Hom te doen. Die boodskap is egter belangriker as die boodskapper.
Paulus skryf: ‘…Ons is tog net diensknegte deur wie julle tot die geloof gekom het. Elkeen van ons het maar net die werk gedoen wat die Here aan ons toevertrou het. My werk was om die saad te plant. Apollos moes dit natgooi. Maar God het laat groei. Wie plant en wie natgooi, is nie belangrik nie. Die belangrike Een is God, want dit is Hý wat laat groei. Die een wat plant en die een wat natgooi, werk saam en het een gesamentlike doel, alhoewel elkeen sy eie beloning sal ontvang in ooreenstemming met sy eie harde werk’ (verse 5-8 NLV).
Sielskos: Job 5-7; Luk 16:19-31; Ps 26; Spr 7:26-27
2025-03-10
Johannes 13:34 NLV
Liefde is nie ‘n emosie nie, omdat jy nie iemand kan beveel om ‘n sekere manier te voel nie. Om iemand lief te hê is ‘n keuse wat in jou houding en aksies teenoor daardie persoon, gemanifesteer word. Jesus het gesê: ‘Ek gee julle ‘n nuwe opdrag: Julle moet mekaar liefhê; soos Ek julle liefhet, net só moet julle mekaar ook liefhê. As julle liefde teenoor mekaar beoefen, sal almal daaraan sien dat julle my dissipels is’ (verse 34-35 NLV).
Jesus het hierdie “‘n nuwe opdrag,” genoem. Wat is nuut daaraan? Hierdie woorde: ‘soos Ek julle liefhet.’ Omdat Christus in jou leef, kan jy ander mense met sy liefde liefhê. Jesus het altyd sy dissipels eerste gestel – Hy het hulle voete gewas, hulle uit storms gered en hulle geduldig geleer. Jy sê: ‘Maar hoe kan ek iemand liefhê waarvan ek nie eers hou nie?’ Jesus antwoord: ‘Soos Ek julle liefhet.’
C.S. Lewis vertel hoe hy ander mense se foute op ‘n ander wyse begin sien het: ‘Daar is iemand vir wie ek lief is, al keur ek nie goed wat hy doen nie. Daar is iemand wat ek aanvaar, hoewel sommige van sy gedagtes en optrede my in opstand laat kom. Daar is iemand wat ek vergewe, al maak hy die mense vir wie ek die liefste is, seer. Daardie persoon is ek… As ek myself kan liefhê sonder om alles wat ek doen goed te keur, kan ek ander ook liefhê sonder om alles wat hulle doen goed te keur.’ Dit wat Jesus jou beveel om te doen, bemagtig Hy jou ook om te doen: ‘…Hy het sy liefde mos in ons harte uitgestort deur sy Heilige Gees wat Hy aan ons gegee het’ (Romeine 5:5 NLV).
Sielskos: Job 1-4; Luk 16:1-18; Ps 24; Spr 7:24-25
John 13:34 NKJV
Love is not an emotion, because you cannot command someone to feel a certain way. Loving someone is a choice that manifests itself in your attitudes and actions toward that person. Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (vv. 34-35 NKJV).
Jesus called this “a new commandment.” What’s new about it? These words: “as I have loved you.” Since Christ lives in you, you can love others with His love. Jesus always put His disciples first – washing their feet, saving them from storms, patiently teaching them. He didn’t look out for number one; He looked out for the twelve. You say, “But how can I love someone I don’t even like?” Jesus answers, “As I have loved you.”
C. S. Lewis tells of how he came to view others’ faults differently: “There is someone I love, even though I don’t approve of what he does. There is someone I accept, though some of his thoughts and actions revolt me. There is someone I forgive, though he hurts the people I love the most. That person is me…If I can love myself without approving of all I do, I can also love others without approving of all they do.” And what Jesus commands you to do, He empowers you to do: “The love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Romans 5:5 NKJV).
Soul food: Job 1-4; Luke 16:1-18; Ps 24; Prov 7:24-25
2025-03-09
John 17:18 NIV
Jesus prayed in John 17:15-18: “I have given them your word… My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world” (NIV).
Where did Jesus dispatch His disciples? Into the world. He didn’t say, “Try to avoid the world. Just hang out with Christian people in the church, and keep your distance from people who use bad language and are bad people.” He says being sent as a representative of God into your job, your neighbourhood, your circumstances, and your situations is why you’re on this planet. He says, “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you” (John 20:21 NIV). We’re not called to avoid the world, but to engage it.
You say, “But I don’t feel comfortable around such people.” Then ask God to make you more like Jesus, who was known as “a friend of sinners” (See Luke 7:34). Jesus told His disciples, “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves” (Matthew 10:16 NIV). It takes two things for a sheep to operate among wolves: courage and wisdom. It also takes total commitment.
Albert Schweitzer gave up his standing as a superb theologian and world-class musician to serve the poorest people on another continent. Whatever God has called you to do, it will involve loving people and giving yourself to them.
Soul food: Ps 51; Mark 8:34-38
