“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” – Philippians 2:3-4
How do you respond to someone when they need something?
What if it inconveniences you?
I saw a video the other day on Facebook. A mother of a 4-month-old was taking a class at Baylor University. At the last minute, her babysitter canceled on her. In desperation, Katy Humphrey did the only thing she could think of…she took her baby, Millie, to class with her.
What would the professor do?
He had several options…
I’m sure children aren’t supposed to be brought to class, so he could have told her, “rules are rules,” and asked her to leave.
He could have even gotten upset with her and berated her for interrupting his class like that.
He also could have just ignored it and went on with his class hoping the baby wouldn’t be too disruptive.
He did none of those things.
Instead, when the baby started fussing (as babies do), he walked over and pick up Millie gently in his arms and soothed her, and then continued to hold Millie while going on with his lecture for the class. He did this for the rest of the class.
“I didn’t want her to feel uncomfortable about the whole situation.”
Dr. Darryn Willoughby said.
“Taking care of others in a time of need…even in not a time a need…just loving and caring about others, that’s God’s purpose.”
Dr. Darryn Willoughby showed Katy and Millie love.
He didn’t see himself as the most significant person in that classroom that day, but rather, in humility, he counted Katy and Millie as more significant and set aside his own interests for theirs.
Jesus did this for us.
He had every right to cast us out, to condemn us for our sins. Instead, He humbled Himself and gave Himself as a sacrifice for us. He loved us. No greater love has anyone shown than what Jesus showed us on the cross.
That’s how much Jesus loves you.
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for not treating us as we deserve. Thank you for humbling Yourself and dying for us to save us. Help me humbly treat others as more significant and look out for their interests over my own.
Amen
PS – You can watch the video about Katy, Millie, and Dr. Willoughby here. (Man, that guys arms are huge! …almost as big as his heart.)
“Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters.” – Romans 14:1
Do you ever feel like your faith is weak?
Perhaps you have had thoughts like this…
Why didn’t I say something?
Why do I hesitate to step out in faith when I feel God is telling me to do something?
Why don’t I trust God’s ways are better than mine?
Why do I have such a hard time accepting that my works don’t matter towards my salvation?
Why was I afraid?
Any of these can make us feel like our faith is weak and make us wonder what that means.
What does God think of my weak faith?
Will He say, “Enough is enough! I’m done with you.”
Our passage, today, from Romans 14 is a command to Christians on how we are to treat those with weak faith. If you are a person of great faith, you are not only to accept those with weak faith but not pass judgment.
God’s commands, however, don’t just tell us what to do, they also reveal something about God. In this case, it reveals God’s heart towards Christians with weak faith. He loves them. He does not reject them nor get tired of them. He treats them with care and compassion.
Isaiah 42:3 is a prophetic passage about Jesus. In it we are told this:
“A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;“
The Gospel is not about the strength of our faith, it is about God’s faithfulness. Remember, He is the one who created faith in you in the first place. After all, He is “the author and perfecter of faith” (Hebrews 12:2). He not only doesn’t snuff out our faith, but He builds it and strengthens it.
Live In Faith But Trust God’s Faithfulness Of course, I encourage you to step out in faith and trust God in every aspect of your life. I encourage you to pray for God to strengthen your faith. However, do not look to the strength of your faith as a gauge of your salvation or God’s love for you.
God’s love for you is from His own desire to love, your salvation is by Christ’s work not your own, and God is faithful, even when we stumble.
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for giving me faith. Strengthen my faith in You. When I stumble, help me to remember Your promises and Your great love for me.
“Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed.” – Isaiah 1:17
What do you do when you see injustice?
Are you familiar with the parable of the Good Samaritan? If not, you can read it really quickly in Luke 10:25-37. The point of the Good Samaritan is that we are to love our neighbor and we should be a neighbor to the people we encounter who are in need.
In other words, we’re not given the option to sit on the sidelines.
We see the same thing in our passage from Isaiah 1:17, though, it takes more of a political perspective. God loves justice and He hates injustice and oppression. We are to be the same. We should love justice and hate injustice and oppression.
We shouldn’t just hate injustice and oppression when we face injustice or are oppressed, but at all times and for all people. When we see injustice or oppression around us, we are not to just sit on the sidelines.
How do we get off the sidelines?
That’s not usually a simple question to answer. However, I think there are some guidelines we can follow to move in the right direction. (Note: These are my thoughts. I think they fit what we find in the Bible, but just to be clear, these guidelines aren’t straight out of the Scriptures.)
Pray – Seek God’s wisdom and courage. (Prayer can be the first step to just about everything we do.)
Investigate – Things are rarely as they seem on the surface and there are always 3 sides to every story (person A’s side, person B’s side, and the truth). You need the truth. Sometimes you may find that there really isn’t injustice or that the person you thought was being mistreated is actually doing the mistreatment.
Figure out if this battle is for you – In a sense, yes, everyone is your neighbor, but you can’t be a neighbor to everyone. There is so much injustice in the world, you simply can’t fight all the battles. You can, however, fight a few.
Help in a way that’s helpful – One of the complaints some people have about how Christians serve is that we often serve in a way that feels good to us, but doesn’t actually help. Sometimes it even hurts the very people we are trying to help. Pray, research, and pray some more and find a way to help that is truly helpful.
Act – Once you know the truth, decide you need to help, and figure out a way to be truly helpful, get to it. It may be scary, but just take a few steps at a time and do it.
Keep praying – God never sends us onto the field alone. He goes with us. Keep praying. Keep seeking wisdom, discernment, strength, and courage. Keep asking God to bring justice.
Is it time to get off the sideline?
Take a few minutes to pray. Ask God if there is someone or some people you need to be helping. Then wait. Be still and wait. If God lays something on your heart, start praying about it and praying about how you can help. If God doesn’t lay anything on your heart, then ask Him to let you know when He does have something for you. Keep your eyes and ears open and keep praying.
“The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.‘ – Proverbs 15:4
Have you ever said something and instantly wished you could grab the words in the air and throw them away?
Words matter. They can heal and they can destroy. It’s one of the reasons the Bible in the book of James is so adamant about the importance of controlling the tongue.
“the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.” – James 3:5-6 (It’s worth reading the whole section, James 3:1-12)
God knows the power of words. His Word has more power than ours, but our words still have plenty of power. So, it’s worth taking some time before we speak, to consider what we are about to say.
“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,” – James 1:19
“When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.” – Proverbs 10:19
Words Can Heal Words are not only destructive, they can be healing as well. They can build up and even give life. What if our mouths were more eager to…
Forgive rather than accuse
Defend rather than gossip
Build up rather than tear down
Speak words of peace rather than stir up violence
Say something loving rather than words that are hateful
Consider what a kind word can do for a person who is hurting or how a word of forgiveness can mend a broken relationship.
In the Gospel, you even have the words that literally bring life to the dead!
Let’s begin to tame our tongues.
It may start with starting the habit of waiting a few seconds before speaking. Then, perhaps it’s learning to listen for the sake of understanding rather than just waiting your turn to speak. Soon, you may start praying for wisdom, understanding. and compassion while you listen and wait to speak. Before you know it, you may start speaking with more gentleness, love, kindness, humility, and grace.
I think you’ll find that when your words heal and encourage, people will want to talk with you and you will walk away from more and more conversations with joy in your heart…and in theirs.
“Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.” – Colossians 4:6
Heavenly Father,
I confess that my words have, at times, been hurtful and destructive. Please forgive me. Tame my tongue. Give me wisdom and patience, kindness and compassion. May my words build up and heal. When they tear down, send someone to speak Your Word to me, that I might repent and be forgiven.
“When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.” – Mark 6:34
How should we respond when people reject God or reject His ways?
As Jesus went around Israel preaching about the Kingdom of God, He was traveling among the people who had been given His Word. They should have recognized Him. In this passage from Mark, Jesus was tired and trying to have some down-time, but a crowd showed up.
Lost People These people were like sheep without a shepherd. They did not know the Messiah. When Jesus saw them, how did he respond?
This was in Israel, His chosen people. Was He angry at His chosen people who didn’t recognize their Messiah?
No.
He had compassion on them and began to teach them.
That’s how Jesus is. He has compassion on the lost. How grateful we are that He does that, seeing that we all were once lost.
We can do the same.
We don’t need to get mad at people who don’t believe in Jesus. We can have compassion on them. We can teach them. Even when we are mistreated by them, we can forgive them and share God’s Word with them so that they might come to know the Good Shepherd.
We were all lost at one point. Jesus came to us and had compassion on us. Let’s go to others and show them that same compassion.
Dear Jesus,
Thank you for having compassion on me when I was lost and for speaking faith into my heart through your Word. Help me to have compassion on those who do not know you. Rather than getting mad, help me to show them love and tell them about you.
“Live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.” – 1 Peter 3:8
How well do you get along with others?
Steven and Alex were brothers, both in middle school. They generally liked doing things together, but from time to time they got into fights. The past few weeks, instead of walking home together, Alex had been walking with Ruth. This irritated Steven, who ended up walking home alone most days.
One afternoon when Alex got home he seemed kind of down. Steven said,
“What’s wrong with you?”
“Nothing,” Alex responded.
“What? Did Ruth dump you?” Steven said snarkily.
“Shut up, Steven!’ Alex retorted.
Steven exclaimed, “Hah! Good. You’re better off. She’s way too good for you, anyway.”
Steven and Alex’s Dad came into the room a minute later to find the two of them rolling on the floor in a fight. After breaking the fight up and giving them each a minute to calm down, their Dad sat them down together and had them explain what was going on. They told him about what each had said. Then, after a couple of minutes, Alex told them Ruth had decided to walk home with another boy.
Their Dad said,
“Steven, how do you think you would feel if a girl you liked did that to you?”
“I guess I wouldn’t like it.”
Dad continued, “Can you see how what you said to Alex was hurtful?”
“Yeah, but he deserved it. He ditched me for the past two weeks!”
Dad turned to Alex, “You and Steven have always walked home together and there aren’t any other kids for him to walk with. Can you see how he might have been hurt when, instead of asking Ruth to join the two of you, you just left your brother to walk home alone?”
“I guess,” said Alex.
Dad looked at both of them, “I understand both of you were upset, but rather than fighting, you could have talked and thought about each other. Sometimes, it just takes putting yourself in someone else’s shoes to understand why they are acting how they acting and then you can start to work things out so you can still be friends. A little sympathy and compassion can go a long way.”
They all talked about it a little more and then Dad had the two of them say they were sorry and forgive each other.
Heavenly Father,
You have compassion towards me when I know I don’t deserve it. Next time someone angers me, help me to take the time to put myself in their shoes and understand why they are doing what they are doing. Help me to show them the same compassion You have shown me.
“The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.” – Psalm 103:8
What does it mean when we say God is gracious and merciful?
Grace and mercy are two words we use to describe God, but they can sometimes be confused. I’ve heard people essentially use them interchangeably, but they aren’t the same thing.
Psalm 103 gives us a little insight into these words. The Psalmist, David in this case, follows the statement that the Lord is merciful and gracious with saying that the Lord is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The second part reveals the first.
The Lord is Merciful – Slow to Anger We often do things deserving of God’s anger, yet God is merciful. He is slow to anger. Mercy is withholding the punishment we deserve. He is also just, though. So, in order to show mercy to us, He let the punishment of our sin fall on Jesus.
The Lord is Gracious – Abounding in Steadfast Love Of ourselves, especially without Christ, we don’t do anything praiseworthy and righteous. With Christ, He is at work in us to will and do good works. So, even then, the good that we do is from Christ. Yet, rather than giving Christ the reward and the honor, He gives it to us.
Grace is giving something good to us when we don’t deserve it. God pours out His love for us in unimaginable ways. He blesses us, cares for us, gives us life, and so much more.
Why? So, why does God withhold the punishment we deserve and give us great blessings we don’t deserve? Because that’s who He is. Since we deserve the punishment and don’t deserve the blessings, it can’t be us. It must be Him. He does it because that’s what He wants to do. That’s His character.
This gives great comfort. Not only can we be relieved to know God is gracious and merciful, but we can have peace to know that He does this not because of anything we do or don’t do. He does it in spite of what we do and don’t do out of His great love for us.
Amen!!
Lord,
You are gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. I have seen You do this in Your Word. I have seen You do this in my life. All praise and honor and glory are Yours forever and ever!
“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,” – Colossians 3:12
How do people see you?
Maybe you’ve heard someone say, “Don’t judge me by what I wear!”
On the one hand, it’s good advice. You may be surprised by the skills and personality of the person despite how they look. On the other hand, you need to be aware that how you present yourself to others will affect how they see you. Don’t be surprised or offended if you dress a certain way and people assume you are like the way you dress. It was your choice to present yourself like that.
The truth is we all present ourselves to others, whether we want to or not. What we wear, how we comb our hair (or not), our mannerisms, and how we act towards people all affect how people see us. Since we are also ambassadors of Christ, it affects how they see Jesus.
In Colossians, God says to clothe ourselves in compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. These traits should be so a part of who we are that these characteristics are what people think of when they think of us. These traits should be as apparent as our clothes.
How does God see you?
Interestingly, this is how we are presented to God, too. Not that we present ourselves to God with how great we are at compassion or patience, but that God has clothed us in the righteousness of Christ. He is perfectly compassionate, kind, humble, gentle, and patient. And, so, we are to God as well.
God is telling us to act like the righteous people we have been made. In this we will love others and when we, as Christians, do this it also means that people start to see Jesus by these traits and glorify His name.
What are some ways you can clothe yourself in these traits?
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for making me holy and righteous. This frees me to not worry about how I appear to You and just love my neighbor. Help me to be compassionate, kind, humble, gentle, and patient just as Jesus is.