Tag: humility

March 17, 2024

March 17th, 2024

Sunday – Poetry

Reading – Proverbs 18

Highlight Verse:

“Haughtiness goes before destruction; humility precedes honor.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭18‬:‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Haughtiness goes beyond pride. It is when one considers themselves superior to others.

It’s easy to think, “That doesn’t apply to me.”

But whenever we think that someone who does or believes something different than us is an idiot, we are living the very definition of haughtiness.

Right now, that is the prevailing atmosphere of the political world.

When someone disagrees with what we think is glaringly obvious, our minds default to them either being evil or stupid.

The truth is, I’ve known some very intelligent people who have completely different views from me on faith and politics.

I happen to think that they are wrong.

But I also know that none of us have the whole picture and if we finally get to see the big picture from heaven, we’ll each likely have to adjust our thinking.

Until that day, I’ll firmly stand behind what I believe.

But I’ll give others the freedom to believe as they do without belittling them in my words or thoughts.

When it comes to faith, I will do everything I can to help them understand the Good News of Jesus.

What is your default mode with those who disagree with you – to belittle them (if only in your thoughts) or to try to understand them and help them understand your point of view?
Have you tried finding common ground with those you disagree with?
March 15, 2024

March 15th, 2024

Friday – Prophets

Reading – Daniel 3-4

Highlight Verse:

“But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”
‭‭Daniel‬ ‭3‬:‭18‬ ‭NLT‬‬

At first reading, this verse sounds like they are bravely hedging their bets.

I think they are just trying to make their stand perfectly clear so there would be no doubt in the king’s mind about their commitment to God.

What really stood out to me from this verse is how respectful they were to the king.

They used the polite term “your majesty” (or “Oh king” depending on the translation). While they refused to worship the image of the king, they still showed proper respect for him.

And the king got royally ticked off.

That begs the question whether we should couch our statements of faith with respect or not. If it ticks people off all the more, is it worth it?

I say look at the results.

While we can’t say what would have happened if they had not shown respect, I am sure that it was the truth that caused the king to crank up the heat. It was the miraculous deliverance that opened the king’s eyes to the truth.

It’s quite possible that it was the respect that caused the king to honor Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego after they stepped out of the furnace.

When you speak truth to someone, do you water down the truth to make it less likely to cause offense?
Or do you speak the truth bluntly?
Or do you surround it with respect?
March 14, 2024

March 14th, 2024

Thursday – Letters

Reading – Hebrews 10

Highlight Verse:

“Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭10‬:‭24‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Let’s simply do that today.

Share with us a way to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.

I’ll start.

For those of us who are in Colorado today, a great act of love for our neighbors would be, when we go out to shovel the snow from our sidewalks, shovel the neighbor’s walks too.

You might not know them, and they may not figure out that you did it but if that act is part of a pattern of acts of kindness, they’ll see the difference in you and want to know more.

What are your ideas? Let’s share them and have a conversation about it.
March 10, 2024

March 10th, 2024

Sunday – Poetry

Reading – Proverbs 17

Highlight Verse:

“A truly wise person uses few words; a person with understanding is even-tempered.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭17‬:‭27‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This verse kinda makes me want to stop my comments right here.

But I’m not that wise.

Truth be told, I speak far too much and sometimes without a filter.

And if you only knew what I do filter out.

Words are my thing.

I’m rarely without them.

But sometimes I just need to let them rest.

Are you an under-talker or an over-talker?
What do you do to keep your tongue under control?
March 8, 2024

March 8th, 2024
Friday – Prophets

Reading – Daniel 1-2

Highlight Verse:

“The king was furious when he heard this, and he ordered that all the wise men of Babylon be executed.”
‭‭Daniel‬ ‭2‬:‭12‬ ‭NLT

Have you ever had “that” kind of boss?

You know, the one who followed his own agenda, didn’t let you know what that was, and gave you grief whenever you didn’t follow that agenda down to the unknown letter.

For some of you, maybe it was a mentally unstable parent or a coach who only coached for the power trip.

Almost all of us have had to deal with someone like that at some point.

I’m blessed with a good boss now but I’ve had some who drove me to the edge of quitting. And then there was my stepdad. Don’t get me started.

So how did Daniel deal with people like that?
- He stayed calm.
- He reasoned with his handlers.
- He put forth his best effort.
- And, most importantly, he relied on God, retaining his integrity and devotion.
Can it be so hard?

Yes.

Some have it very tough. I’m guessing that very few have it as rough as Daniel and his friends had it.

Despite that, Daniel stayed strong in the Lord and put full effort toward following his boss.

Do you struggle with dealing with a difficult person?
Have you given that relationship over to God in prayer?
Can we help pray for you? (Without revealing the identity of that person please).
March 6, 2024

March 6th, 2024
Wednesday – History

Reading – 2 Kings 12-14

Highlight Verse:

“But by the twenty-third year of Joash’s reign, the priests still had not repaired the Temple.”
‭‭2 Kings‬ ‭12‬:‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I’ve been meaning to procrastinate but I keep putting it off.

Seriously, though, I’m a master at the art of procrastination.

According to this verse, I’m not alone. They were procrastinating almost 3000 years ago and it’s still a very common thing.

What can we learn about escaping procrastination from this chapter?
- First, find accountability. Joash brought that for the priests. Making your commitments public or at least known to your friends can have the same motivating effect.
- Second, focus on the important. The priests had to stop all their little pet projects to make sure their money and time went to the important task of fixing up the temple.
- Third, get help. The priests hired contractors to get the work done. Sometimes we need to recruit help to get what we need done.
While I’m not sure I can afford to hire people to get stuff done, I can certainly prioritize my projects and tell people about my priorities. Let’s see if that works.

What about you? Are there important things that you’ve been putting off?
What’s your plan going forward?
March 5, 2024

March 5th, 2024

Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Leviticus 13

Highlight Verse:

“As long as the serious disease lasts, they will be ceremonially unclean. They must live in isolation in their place outside the camp.”
‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭13‬:‭46‬ ‭NLT‬‬

On the one hand, it’s commendable that they knew how to avoid spreading diseases way back then.

On the other hand, it was an awfully cold way to handle those who needed help.

Today we don’t shun people.

Unless, of course, you say the wrong thing on social media.

Then people will “cancel” you.

And in some churches, if you say or do the wrong thing… you get the idea.

In the New Testament, Jesus showed by example how to treat the unclean.

He didn’t “cancel” them. In fact, he reached out to them and healed them.

Maybe instead of trying to be the palace for the perfect it’s time to be the hospital for the hurting.

Instead of shunning, let’s bring healing.

Are you one who has been shunned? Have you found healing?
Are you one who has played the roll of the clean, rejecting the unclean? What would it take to turn you into a healer?
March 3, 2024

March 3rd, 2024

Sunday – Poetry

Reading – Proverbs 15-16

Highlight Verse:

“Better to have little, with fear for the Lord, than to have great treasure and inner turmoil.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭15‬:‭16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

When I was 14, I went a a short mission trip to Tijuana, Mexico.

One of the workers at the little center we went to wanted to host us kids for dessert at her house.

We loaded up in the brand-new Oldsmobile wagon and fairly new Chevy Suburban and rode to her barrio.

Her house was clean and colorful.

And tiny.

It was a simple cinderblock two room home with a cement floor and metal roof. The grey walls and floors were covered with colorful blankets and the family was covered with love and joy.

You couldn’t find a more happy and content family in the nicest neighborhoods of Beverly Hills.

What little they had, they shared.

That, my friends, was all the proof I will ever need of the truth of this verse.

Are you content?
Do you own a lot of things or do a lot of things own you?
February 24, 2024

February 24th, 2024
Saturday – Open Topic

Reading – Acts 16:16-40

Highlight Verse:

“Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening.”
‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭16‬:‭25‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Every time I read this; I have to wonder what I would be doing.
- Trying to sleep?
- Brooding in anger at the injustice?
- Desperately praying for deliverance?
- All of the above?
But Paul and Silas sang as they prayed.

And when miraculous deliverance came, they chose to stay so they could minister to those around them including their jailor.

Paul would call those times “light and momentary trials.”

Most of us would crumble under those circumstances.

Maybe if we (me included) would pray and sing in the midst of our truly light trials, we would be able to stand up under the heavier ones.

What trials are going on in your life that you could stand to pray and sing in the midst of?
How would that change your perspective?
February 20, 2024

February 20th, 2024

Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Leviticus 9-10

Highlight Verse:

“Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu put coals of fire in their incense burners and sprinkled incense over them. In this way, they disobeyed the Lord by burning before him the wrong kind of fire, different than he had commanded.”
‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭10‬:‭1‬ ‭NLT‬‬

What was your reaction when you first read this story?

If you’re like me, you may have found it a bit harsh. Okay, maybe very harsh.

I mean, what was so bad about adding a little variety to the rituals?

Pride.

You see, Nadab and Abihu wanted to show they knew how to do religious rituals better than Moses.

It’s possible that they didn’t really believe in God and thought these religious rights were just a show. And what a show they would put on.

God’s show was more impressive.

I am glad that we live under a new covenant of grace and mercy because my pride can show up from time to time.

There’s something to be said for community pride and patriotic pride.

But when my pride puts me before God, that’s misplaced pride.

That kind of pride truly goes before a fall.

Just ask Nabad and Abihu.

What do you think Nadab and Abihu’s motivations were for doing things their own way?
Like me, do you struggle with too much pride?
Where do you find a balance between too much pride and too little self esteem? (We could have a whole other conversation about that).

Tag: humility

But whenever we think that someone who does or believes something different than us is an idiot, we are living the very definition of haughtiness.

But I’ll give others the freedom to believe as they do without belittling them in my words or thoughts.

When it comes to faith, I will do everything I can to help them understand the Good News of Jesus.

I think they are just trying to make their stand perfectly clear so there would be no doubt in the king’s mind about their commitment to God.

What really stood out to me from this verse is how respectful they were to the king.

I say look at the results.

Share with us a way to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.

Truth be told, I speak far too much and sometimes without a filter.

But sometimes I just need to let them rest.

Have you ever had “that” kind of boss?

So how did Daniel deal with people like that?

Despite that, Daniel stayed strong in the Lord and put full effort toward following his boss.

I’ve been meaning to procrastinate but I keep putting it off.

What can we learn about escaping procrastination from this chapter?

On the other hand, it was an awfully cold way to handle those who needed help.

He didn’t “cancel” them. In fact, he reached out to them and healed them.

When I was 14, I went a a short mission trip to Tijuana, Mexico.

You couldn’t find a more happy and content family in the nicest neighborhoods of Beverly Hills.

That, my friends, was all the proof I will ever need of the truth of this verse.

Every time I read this; I have to wonder what I would be doing.

Maybe if we (me included) would pray and sing in the midst of our truly light trials, we would be able to stand up under the heavier ones.

What was your reaction when you first read this story?

Pride.

But when my pride puts me before God, that’s misplaced pride.