Devotion.al

Tag: family

  • From the Heart

    Colossians 3:12–17

    οἰκτιρμοῦ (oiktirmou) :: and concern with sensitivity and compassion

    χρηστότητα (chrēstotēta) :: to or for a person as an act of

    ταπεινοφροσύνην (tapeinophrosynē) :: humble attitude and without arrogance

    πραΰτητα (prautēta) :: of attitude and behavior / not harsh with others

    μακροθυμίαν (makrothymian) :: emotional calm despite provocation or misfortune, and without complaint or irritation.

    So, why the Greek lesson? English misses so much. The one that triggered this particular Greek lesson is οἰκτιρμοῦ (oiktirmou). In the most used translations, this is only translated as compassion. A few translations (e.g., HCSB, ESV, and NASB) add heart in some form. This is an important qualifier.

    Compassion can be an act of obedience (with or without being a loving ). For many people, that is exactly what it is. Almsgiving (giving and/or aid to the poor) is common in a number of religions. It is, for example, 1 of the 5 pillars of Islam (called Zakat). In the church, it is titled Compassionate Ministries (Church of the Nazarene organization). It is Blue Bucket Sundays at Generations Community Church. People give out of obligation, too. It’s not that obedience or obligation is bad, but what about the heart.

    Think of χρηστότητα (chrēstotēta). Giving to give is fine, sort of. If we were to give a poor the best birthday party for the youngest child or feed the family for the month (and, based on the bills of some birthday parties, that isn’t a stretch), which would we choose? Both are giving as kindness, but which has the potential for the greatest kindness.

    Why is this important? It’s about our lives with one another. Our lives with one another are to exemplify love…and compassion of the heart.

    1)Taking the of the Greek, how do they each apply to your walk, whether for yourself or for others?

    2) In Churches, compassion is often the mission of a ministry. That is not how we are called to live. How can you deepen the compassion in your Christian walk? How can you help others to deepen theirs?

  • Thriving Together

    Exodus 22:21–27, 1 Timothy 5:3–16, 2 Thessalonians 3:6–15

    “God only helps those who help themselves.” This is one of those statements that should be considered a swear phrase in the . This statement has been misused and people have been abused with it.

    Truly, if we put this to the extreme test we can definitely prove this false. No baby changes or feeds themselves. No child learns reading, writing, math (and so on) in a vacuum. With very rare exception (so rare as it shouldn’t even be counted), no one comes to saving in Christ without another.

    In Exodus, the concept of widows, orphans, and aliens is really those who have no connections/relations to aid them. We have to remember, most of the “safety nets” that the US and other countries have in place are because the family safety net is mostly destroyed. In ancient Israel, without family, you were truly on your own. While the had directions to create a space for widows, orphans, and aliens to live on the scraps, that was never the heart’s desire. When we are in right with God and others, we should be thriving, not surviving.

    This concept is supported in Paul’s letter to Timothy. It is the family’s responsibility to provide for all members of the family, even the ones they don’t like. What is interesting is the number of requirements to be for a widow to be on the list: 60+, one husband, good “works” (i.e., lived well with positive contributions, no matter how small, to the larger ), and the implied not idle (contrasting to the younger widows).

    It is the idleness that probably led to the quote on the outset. We have all experienced those who have not to work. You might even know people who have been “trained” to not work. That is a sign of brokenness. God wired us to work. That’s even why we have the , for far too many “work”, even when they are relaxing.

    Yet, there is a particular tendency that often comes with idleness that Paul is really against; this is meddling. Meddling, in this context, is more of being a busybody, or digging into or sharing others’ lives in ways that do not build up another. There are those who just cannot help themselves not be involved in others’ lives.

    The other piece of the opening quote are those we are called to help. There is a call on us to help those who cannot help themselves. What “cannot” entails is where the nuance takes place. There are those that will not, must not, can not, and don’t know how or where to start. There is one other category of this, it’s those who do not understand. Some of these are those that take advantage of the hearts of others. However, we cannot judge all by some.

    1. Have you ever used the opening quote? Why? What was your intent?
    2. Have you ever heard the opening quote used against those who are trying hard, or against yourself? How did that make you feel? What the usage of the quote justified? What do you think the users intent was?
    3. We often have litmus tests for those we help. Paul did. What are yours? Why those?

  • How To Win

    Matthew 19:16–21, Matthew 21:28–32, Luke 13:22–30

    What must I do to win? In many respects, that question is the underlying thought in all 3 of these stories. The admiration of the rich and leaders is no new thing. Often people look at and , how do I get where they are? Often this is confused with envy or greed, however, there is also the desire to win. Over the years academics and sociologists, recognizing this, champion a of language, especially in children’s sports, “everyone’s a winner!” What ended up happening, though, was this became an empty thing. What academics and sociologists may have recognized but didn’t communicate wasn’t that the “participation trophy” made the child a winner, it was the people around them, especially their . A lot of the kids who play sports are not winners as far as a championship, but leadership, exercise, teamwork? That’s a different story.

    Think of an American football team. There are a number of teams who just are not good this year. Yet, most of the athletes get up and go to work, and come back to play the game, and they don’t dwell on the last game lost. They look at the game to come. No matter how bad the team may be, there is one rule in sports, never assume you’re going to win or lose. In some ways, athletes take the narrow road. For them, taking the narrow road is what matters.

    In each of these stories, it is not just what do I have to do to win, it is also what is the least I have to do to win. That is certainly the point of the third story. Jesus’ is more along the lines of, “you’re asking the wrong question. It’s not what I do; it’s who I .” We cannot earn our way to salvation. Salvation was already won. Our response cannot be what must I do to earn it. Nor can our response be, what can I avoid doing in response to it.

    1) What does it look like to win for you? How would you or another know you won?

    2) If you had to earn your salvation, how far would you go? At what point would you think, it’s not it?

    3) What does it look like to lose for you? How would you to losing?

  • Looking and Not Turning Back

    Genesis 19:15–26, Deuteronomy 17:14–20, Proverbs 26:11, Mark 13:14–20

    Looking back to see how far you’ve come is a good practice. One of the gifts of doing so is seeing where God had been moving when you were unaware. It is also good to see what decisions you made that you will be able to make a difference for the future.

    As someone once said, looking in the rear-view mirror only shows where you’ve been, not where you are going.
    Lot’s wife looked back to her of old (and possibly one of wealth and ) during the escape from Sodom. Instead of looking to where she (and her ) were going, she looked back…and died.

    As we get to Deuteronomy, looking back has taken another turn. Israel was not to “turn back” Egypt. Yet, Israel did it again and again, including their leaders. While in Deuteronomy there was still some (wrong) nostalgia for Egypt, this should have been long gone after a few generations in the Promised Land. Egypt remained such a part of the Israel story that even Jesus was taken there by his parents to escape a deadly situation. God used it as a fulfillment of prophecy. The only reason that this was so significant was that Egypt continued to be a place Israel looked back to.

    We all look back. Think of the many memes of the internet that look back to some ideal time in the past, as if there weren’t things going wrong “back then”. The world of church and American Christianity has a strong tendency toward this. A lot of effort is spent looking back at the ideal that past (whatever age that is). This means that the church is spending a lot of energy looking in the rear-view mirror and not ahead. This is why one of the struggles of the church is following culture, rather than leading it.

    While it might seem crass to talk about vomit, the reality is that dogs to vomit for some strange reason. While people don’t return to their vomit, per se, they still return to what they know, even if it is bad for them. This is one of the struggles that many people have as they try to for the better. The old way is comfortable, even if it sometimes disgusting.

    Looking back—thinking of what is lost—is a huge problem for any of us. All too often that can lead to a repeat performance of what we left behind. As Jesus warns of Jerusalem’s (and the ‘s) fall, it isn’t so much wail about what was lost, but escape to what lies before.

    1) Do you ever find yourself mourning or dwelling upon what was left behind or what could have been? Why? What emotions do you feel before and after thinking about it? Does that give you any further insights?

    2) What is one thing of the past you see that your employer, social association, church, etcetera is stuck on? Why do you think that is? How can you things ?

    3) The of the unknown/uncertain often keeps us from moving forward. While we may understand that what occurred in the past wasn’t healthy, why do we go back to it? What is it about the future that we are often missing?

  • Binding Ties

    1 Samuel 2:12–17, 1 Samuel 2:22–36, Matthew 10:16–23, Ephesians 6:10–20

    Who or what are the dark powers that Paul talks about in Ephesians? Perhaps they are the members that oppose believers. Perhaps they are the family members the “dress up” in clothing and whose behavior is unrighteous.

    Eli’s sons Phinehas and Hophni are the second set of “pastor’s” kids in the (the first were Aaron’s sons) who went off the deep end. Their lack of respect for others’ sacrifices was bad just on an interpersonal level. It was a form of bullying. Was there a penalty? Yes, but that doesn’t really improve the results. How many people were scarred toward the priesthood? How many became reluctant attendees because of their behavior? This can only be thought of through conjecture. Just based on human behavior, it seems likely that the behavior of Eli’s sons caused a ripple effect of unseen damage. For cultural, societal, and religious reasons people would still go, for the cost of not going could result in ostracization.

    What kind of opposition was expecting? Families kicking out believers. Families turning in believers. Family gatherings devolving into religious arguments and divisions. Even Jesus’ own family was divided until at least after his .

    The dark powers really are the of humankind. Yes, there are dark supernatural powers and influences. Sadly, however, humanity has enough inside itself that outside influence is often not required to make a mess of things. , envy, hatred are in many respect the true dark of humanity. Along with pride, humanity will often do many things which appear to be contrary to the concept of humanity.

    Within families, the excesses often seem to be magnified. While we often think about the awkward family reunion, sometimes we find it in other “families”, whether they be fraternal orders, unions, clubs, church, Homeowners Associations, or whatever. There are always powers that work to separate the ties that bind us .

    1) What have you experienced that tests the bonds of your relationships with others?

    2) Do you have a tendency to look at yourself or at others first when there is a problem?

    3) What is the strongest tendency you have that pushes others away from you? What is the strongest tendency you have that draws others to you?

  • Closing the Gap

    Exodus 32:1–14, Numbers 14:11–24, Ezekiel 22:30-31, Matthew 18:18–20

    Standing in the gap has long been a phrase used for intercessory , and it is fitting. Sometimes, however, standing in the gap doesn’t always mean what we think it means.

    Twice Moses stands “in the gap” apparently between God and the Israelites. The Israelites have betrayed their agreements with God, even so quickly after their miracle-filled escape from Egypt. What possessed Moses to stand between God and the Israelites? Was it truly concern for God’s ? Scripture only really provides that interpretation. In fact, it happens twice. Moses stands between God and the Israelites.

    It’s Moses! Of course, Moses can do that! There is the time Abraham sort-of steps in between God and the city of Sodom, but it wasn’t the same.

    Yet, in Ezekiel, we see that perhaps it isn’t an Abraham or Moses task to stand in the gap. It’s anyone’s task (or even everyone’s). Re-read those 2 verses in Ezekiel. It seems as if God is disappointed that no one is standing between God and consequences. God was looking for a person to stand up and defend the sinners, lost, and unrighteous! Sound familiar? There is an inference that there was such a lack of believers and followers that they couldn’t, wouldn’t, or felt they shouldn’t stand in the gap.

    Where does that leave us? Let’s look at ‘ words. They have long been used by the Roman Catholic for certain practices of theirs. Abuses of it helped to trigger the Reformation. However, in so doing, these words are avoided by Protestant circles. Regardless of our personal feelings, these words of Jesus remind us that we are called to stand in the gap for .

    While we are especially to stand in the gap for those in the extended of believers, we are also called to do the same for those currently outside of the family of believers.

    1) What do you think of the “whatever” that is in Jesus’ words?

    2) For whom in the family of believers are you standing in the gap? For whom that are outside of the family are you standing in the gap?

    3) Looking at (Abraham,) Moses, Ezekiel, and Jesus, what does it mean to be standing in the gap?

  • Blessings and Consequences

    Exodus 34:1–27, Ezekiel 18:1–32

    There are many instances in life where guilt and consequences appear to be related, but at the same time aren’t.

    Often times, especially for “simpler” crimes, we see only the person convicted, not the victims. And when we see the victims, we see the victim of the crime itself and not the “invisible” victims. The invisible victims? There are many. Often there are far more invisible victims than visible ones. This is not (in any way) intended to diminish the actual victims and their pains…not at all. It is to widen our understanding of consequences.

    When God appears to threaten families (whole lineages) with the sins of a forebear, it can seem to be too much. Of course, if one notices the are for 1000 generations and the “” for only 4, there does seem to be an odd imbalance. How does it work when 1 generation is , and the next is faithless? Is it an equation of 1000-4=996? Then the next generation is faithful, and it is again 1000? Perhaps.

    On the other hand, there might be another thing going on here. We have to recall that is everything in the ancient world. The thought of the 1000 generations after you would have been a strong motivator to do right. Watching your children, grandchildren, and (if you live long) your great-grandchildren suffer the consequences of your wrongs would be a strong deterrent.

    This is why understanding who the invisible victims of crime are is so important. The children of the criminal are often deeply affected (for life). The children of victims are deeply affected. The extended families of both perpetrator and victim suffer. It may be in small ways, but the smallest thing can turn a to good or bad.

    The consequences of the sins are carried on. There is a reason why (especially) negative traits (e.g., alcoholism, abuse) are passed down in families. The offender (e.g., the alcoholic or abuser) may have repented, but the damage has been done and usually gets passed down. That is reality.

    That there has to be a clarification of this tells us that there had been some sort of abuse. Whether it was “just” the saying, or if there was something that was far deeper, pervasive, and (or sinful) is up for interpretation. That God saw it as necessary to clarify would seem to indicate a strong spiritual problem that needed to be addressed.

    With these 2 passages, we see guilt and consequences. People may incur guilt with God and . They can , seek forgiveness, and receive it. The consequences, however, remain. The guilt is ours. The consequences are not. When we , it may seem it affects only us, but we may never fully understand the consequences our sins have for others.

    1) What does it mean to be guilty? Toward whom are you guilty?

    2) Have you seen or experienced the consequences of another person’s sins? How did you feel about those consequences? How did you feel about the person as a result of those consequences?

    3) There is a trap when we focus on these two passages, and that is ignoring collective sin. What are collective sins that you can think of? What do you think the consequences were/are?

  • Staying Behind

    Ezra 1:1–6, Hebrews 13:9–15

    Imagine being one of the children or grandchildren who had only heard of the homeland. Imagine having only the legends to live on. Your told you of a place where you actually belonged, instead of being an outsider among other outsiders. Even those who had come from the land had probably lost that God would restore them (what few of them remained).

    Then a declaration from Cyrus was probably first a shock. All of sudden, things were different. For many, it was a that God was indeed . For , sadly, it was more a sign of Cyrus’ manipulation or pity (the cynics). There there was the last group. This group is the ones who cast aside the land and their heritage.

    The don’t really talk about them. Many concern themselves with the “lost” 10 tribes of Israel. Those that returned to the Promised Land didn’t concern themselves with those who remained (too much, rightly, concerned about restoring the people and the land).

    Those that remained integrated into Persian society. They had become Persian. They had to set their in a foreign land. Who knows what the motive was? Was it finances? Was it security? Was it a lack of in God? Their motivations and histories can only be guessed.

    What we do know is that they succumbed to the world. That is why we need to keep the words in Hebrews in mind. The Hebrews that remained (i.e., became Persian) forgot their place in the world was not set by the world, but by the Creator of the world.

    1) Why is important to keep the concept of our “real home” in mind as we walk through this ?

    2) What is the danger of keeping our “real home” too much in the forefront on our minds?