Tag: Compassion

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The Heart of God

Daily Reading

Exodus 22-24

Daily Thought

I hear it all the time, “All sins are the same in the eyes of God.” It is said with good intentions, I suppose. No one is worse than anyone else. God loves us all the same, you know, like Grandma. Ask Grandma whether she loves you or your brother best. “I love you both the same” is her answer every time. So one sin is no worse than any other, and they point to James 2:10, “For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it.” See!

But is that what this verse says?

Every sin, no matter how big or little, is equally effective in separating us from God. That is the point of James 2:10. The standard is “be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). It does not matter if you miss  by an inch or a mile, you missed. Whether you sin badly or not-so-badly, you miss perfection, and you need saving and you need grace and you need Jesus.

On the scales of God’s judgment, however, we find disparity. Some sins weigh heavy, others not so much, and it may surprise us to see which sins are punished most severely. Exodus 22 is a lengthy list of crimes and punishments. In the first 15 verses, mostly about property damage and theft, every one who does wrong gets fined. In the next nine verses, they die. These are sins of sexual perversity and sorcery and idolatry. The punishments increase because the sins worsen. All sins are not the same, the worse the sin, the greater the punishment. Listen to this one: “My wrath will burn, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless” (Exodus 22:24). Yikes! This comes not from lying or cheating or even murder, but when you “wrong a foreigner or oppress him” or “mistreat any widow or orphan” (Exodus 22:21-22). In this, we learn the heart of God who listens to the cries of the helpless and the outcasts and the poor and the weak.  

Daily Prayer

Almighty God, I am amazed You are concerned about me, who I am and what I do. You care about my everyday life. It is good to know what is right and what is wrong, how You expect us to treat each other, what is pleasing in Your eyes. Thank you, Lord, for showing us Your laws that lead to the good life–a life marked by right living. Help me God to remember how personal you are, that You are very close, and that You will lead me. I need to follow!

God, make me keenly aware of those who most need my attention. Give me a heart of compassion for those who need compassion most.

Amen

Daily Question

Would you say you are someone who thinks too much about sin or not enough?

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Silence Was Better

Daily Reading

Job 11-13

Daily Thought

Your friend is suffering. What do you do? 

First, what you don’t do.

Avoid the comparisons, “It’s not as bad as that time I…,” or “My brother-in-law had the same thing.” 

And don’t lay blame, “Well, you had it coming…,” or “You just need more faith.” 

Be careful trying to explain God, “This is God making you strong.” 

You’re not the doctor, so don’t tell them, “I read on the internet about a special treatment.” 

Beware “at least,” like, “at least you’ve had a good life.” 

And, oh, those clichés and platitudes! “Look on the bright side.” “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”

We fear the silence, so we fill the silence. Awkwardly. 

“If only you would be altogether silent! For you, that would be wisdom.” ~Job 13:5

If these are the don’t’s, what are the do’s? 

First, show up. Job’s friends got it right …for a week (Job 2:13). Just be there. 

Then love them, talk relationally. 

And serve them, see a need and meet it. 

And pray, bring God with you.

Daily Prayer

Father God, you are my comfort and my refuge. You are all-powerful and all-knowing. There is nothing so big that I cannot bring it to you. You are an intimate, loving Father. There is nothing so small that you are not interested. You delight in my prayers, which is amazing and wonderful.

God, may I walk through my days with you, speaking to you always, sharing my pleasures and my pains, my desires and my concerns. Then, God, may I find peace and contentment, because I do not walk alone.

Amen

Daily Question

When you are suffering, what do you most want from your friends?

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How to Treat an Enemy

Daily Reading

2Samuel 8-12

Daily Thought

Saul learned early on the first rule of being king is protect the throne by eliminating the competition. When Saul was king, David was the competition. Many times Saul tried to kill David, but he did not succeed, and now David is king. Surprisingly, David asked, “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” (2Samuel 9:1). 

Really? Kindness? If there is anyone left of the house of Saul, that person has claim to the throne. The first rule of king: Eliminate the competition. Protect the throne.

Mephibosheth was the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, and was, therefore, heir to the throne. Mephibosheth was the competition. Yet David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always” (2Samuel 9:7). Rather than kill his competition, David took care of Mephibosheth.

David changed the rules! Why? 

Because he knew if you treat your enemy as your enemy treats you, you will become like your enemy.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.” ~Matthew 5:43-45

However, if you treat your enemy as Jesus treats you, you will become like Jesus.

Daily Prayer

Father in Heaven, You are love – all that love is or can be or can do. My love is soft, convenient. I am careful with my love, lest I be hurt. Your love walks into hurtful places and does what is difficult, risking it all. Your Son died because You love us.

God, may I walk in that kind of love, confident love, passionate love, active love, love that risks. Love where no love is returned. Loving even my enemies. In a world where love has lost its meaning, may I be a definition of Your love. May I change the rules.  May I display Godly love toward all people all the time.

Amen

Daily Question

Are you more prone to treat people the way you wish to be treated or treat people the way they treat you?

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Blessed to Bless

Daily Reading

Mark 8-9

Daily Thought

At the beginning of Mark 8, Jesus feeds a crowd of 4,000 people with seven loaves of bread and a few small fish. It was a miracle, but if you have been following along, you might be thinking, “Wait a minute. haven’t I heard this one before?” You would be right. Almost. In chapter 6, Jesus fed 5,000 people. Now he feeds 4,000, and everything is just about the same. Mark is the shortest Gospel, yet he tells the same story twice, because there is a difference that matters.

To the Jews there were two types of people, Jews and the unclean non-Jews called Gentiles. For centuries, Israel followed a system of purity, including a special diet, some food was clean and some unclean. This kept them holy, set apart from the non-Jews. But a few days earlier, Jesus had called the disciples together “and said to them, ‘Hear me, all of you, and understand: There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.’ Thus he declared all foods clean” (Mark 7:14-15, 19). They did not understand.

Now the feeding of the 4,000. Everything is the same, except they are “in the region of the Decapolis” (Mark 7:31), where lived many Jews and many more Gentiles. Jesus is feeding the unclean the same way he fed the clean, except when Jesus fed the 5,000 Jews, it was the disciples who noticed the hunger. Here, it is Jesus, “I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat” (Mark 8:2). The disciples, even after 3 days, do not mention the need. Jesus cares for people the Jews did not care about and Jesus treats them the same.

After the feeding, Jesus and the disciples returned to the Jewish side of the sea, and were met by the Pharisees, who “began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him” (Mark 8:11). Prove yourself, they demanded. Jesus sighed, refused, and instead, “left them, got into the boat again, and went to the other side” (Mark 8:13), back to the people you are not supposed to care about. In the boat, Jesus explained, “When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They said to him, “Twelve.” “And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” And they said to him, “Seven.” And he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?” (Mark 8:19-21). Not yet.

“For God so loved the world…” ~John 3:16

Daily Prayer

My God, but not just mine, You are the God of the heavens and the earth, and all who live in this world. My love for You is displayed by my love for others–all others. When I feel blessed, I must remember why I am blessed–to be a blessing, going overboard to care for those most unlike me. Build in me that kind of love.

I’m so glad You have that kind of love, God, because without it, I would never know You. I was most unlike You, doing what I wanted, following my ways and rebelling against Yours, and You loved me and You found me. Thank You for caring.

Amen