After Moses destroys the idol he gets another opportunity to be in the presence of God (another 40 days on Mount Sinai). He actually was able to see the glory of God pass by.
And we see God’s description by his own account.
“The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness,maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.” (Exodus 34:6,7)
But what stuck out to me is how Moses changed after being in the presence of God. His face was so radiant it scared the others.
It’s easier than we might think for people to know where we’ve been or what we’ve been doing.
Many can tell you of my interest in chocolate. It started at a young age. My parents tell me a story of when I was little and I snuck a piece of cake. My face was full of chocolate icing. I was approached about if I took a piece of cake and I straight faced lied – “I did not take the cake”. Despite my insistence, my parents knew where I had been and what I was up to.
Maybe it’s the icing on your face, the ticket-stub that falls out of your pocket, maybe it’s your extensive knowledge of a certain sport, or your church name printed on your shirt, but there are clues that tell others where you have been, who you were with, or what you’ve been up to.
Over time people notice deeper things as well. Because the truth is, whether we are aware of it or not, what and who we spend our time with changes us. Whatever you spend your time looking at, meditating on, and thinking about is what you will slowly, but surely, become. And people pick up on it.
So let me ask the question, “What have you been doing?”
“Who or what has left a mark on you?”
“What do you reflect in your character?”
And more specifically, if it is easier than we might think for people to tell where we’ve been, would anyone think you’ve been with God?
Do you show signs of having been in contact with him and his Word?
John Wincapaw
(originally posted for SeekGrowLove on February 10, 2020)
Reflection Questions
Go back and spend a little more time with John’s 5 questions at the end of his devotion. Which question is hardest to answer?
What evidence have you seen in others that they have been with God? Do you think others see this same thing – or something else – in you?
God tells Moses He will do wonderful things with His covenant people but warns them of making covenants with the people of the land they are going to (Exodus 34:10-16). Does this still apply today? What would it look like today? What are the signs you have seen in yourself when you get too close to the world?
Places of worship come in all different shapes and sizes. I have worshipped God in huge cathedrals with impressive pipe organs and altars overlaid with gold and stained glass windows. I have also worshipped God in open-air tabernacles with sawdust floors. I have worshipped God in a deer stand, at the beach, on a mountaintop and on a table undergoing radiation. I have worshipped God in loud and energetic services with guitars, drums, and electronic keyboards and I have worshipped him in places with no sound at all except the flickering flame of a single candle.
I believe God loves to be worshipped in lots of ways and in lots of places. Even in the Biblical stories God was worshipped on simple stone altars, in burning bushes, on mountain tops and down in valleys.
Israel was at a critical time in their formation and it was important for them to have a steady reminder of God’s presence. God made his presence visible to them as they journeyed with both a pillar of cloud in the day and a pillar of fire at night. As they continued their journey across the wilderness, God chose to make his visible presence known to them in a portable house of worship. This place would provide structure in the midst of their community wherever they stopped to make camp. The tent of meeting or tabernacle would be an ongoing visible sign that God’s glory was in their midst. And God taught them how to be a holy nation. He used various symbols and rituals of sacrifice and worship as a way to drill home to them his holiness and the consequences of sin.
How God chose to do this is quite interesting. He could have simply built a temple Himself in the heavens and dropped it down fully formed on earth. However, God chose instead to invite His people to become active participants in creating this place of worship.
First, God began with their willing desire to give. “Tell the Israelites to bring me an offering. You are to receive the offering for me from everyone whose heart prompts them to give. These are the offerings you are to receive from them: gold, silver and bronze; blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen; goat hair; ram skins dyed red and another type of durable leather. acacia wood; olive oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; and onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breast piece” (Exodus 25:2-7). This was not a mandatory tithe that was required; this was an offering to be willingly given and received.
Where did the people get all of these valuable commodities? If you will recall, as they were leaving Egypt they were given many valuable items by the Egyptian peoples – one might say this was payment to help compensate for years of slavery. They had these items in their possession already. Those who were willing could give them to help create the tent of meeting and the prescribed worship items inside of the temple, which included the Ark of the Covenant, the table, the lampstand as well as the material for the tabernacle itself, and the altar, courtyard and the oil to keep the lamps burning. All of the materials were freely donated. The people of God used their own skill to build the items from these donated materials – carpenters, weavers, stonemasons, goldsmiths and others each made their own contributions to the creation of this place of worship. In this way, everyone in the community that wished to participate had buy in to the tabernacle. It truly was a communal place of worship.
Once the nation finished their journey through the wilderness and took possession of the Promised Land, they would eventually transition from a portable tent of meeting to a permanent temple under the leadership of King Solomon. However, this tent of meeting served them well for 40 years in the wilderness and many more during the times of the judges, and kings Saul and David.
For Christians, we do not worship God in a tabernacle or physical temple and we do not bring sacrifices of sheep or goats or bulls for an offering to God. For us, the Church itself is the temple of God. I am not talking about the building where the Church gathers to worship, I am talking about the actual people who gather to worship, and we are the Church. Jesus said whenever 2-3 gather in his name that he is there in their midst. There is no one single right way or place to worship God. It is wherever God’s people come together. Christian Worship does not have to follow a strict pattern. Worship is where we gather to read the word of God, pray, worship, encourage each other and exhort one another to good works, break bread and proclaim the resurrection of Jesus. Blood sacrifices are not necessary because Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world and he entered into the holy of holies once and for all and gave his own body as the final sacrifice for all of our sins.
One thing remains unchanged from the time of Israel in the wilderness tent of meeting and the Church today. God still welcomes us to bring our offerings from the heart as a way to say thank you. We can still bring tangible offerings, and we can still offer our gifts and talents as ways of showing God our deep gratitude for all of his blessings to us. It is not all that important how we worship or where we worship, but it is very important that we worship and we bring our offerings freely to worship God.
Jeff Fletcher
(originally posted February 7, 2020 for SeekGrowLove)
Reflection Questions
Why do you think God wanted the Israelites to have a tabernacle? What are some benefits today to having a place to go to worship God together with God’s people? What are the additional benefits to being able to worship God anywhere?
Why do you think God gave Moses so many details for how to make the tabernacle and its furnishings?
Where do you find a sanctuary where God dwells with you? What offerings do you freely bring to God as part of your worship?
I love petting zoos, seeing the animals at the 4H fair, and anytime I’ve been up close and personal with a sheep, I’ve been impressed! How soft and gentle, how amazing their wool coat really does feel, and for a non-farmer gal like me, how tricky it is to tell a sheep from a goat sometimes? How someone can tell a llama from an alpaca is also beyond me! I’ve never raised sheep or had a sheep of my own to care for. But, over the years, I’ve heard lots of sermons/teachings on sheep and shepherds, and a few takeaways I’ve learned are: sheep are mentioned a lot in the Bible!, sheep are reportedly dumb animals, and shepherds doing their dirty work were not considered the high class of society.
In today’s reading in Ezekiel 34 and 35, we encounter some Israelites being compared to shepherds though who perhaps thought they were the high class of society. And, they are being reproved harshly. In fact, even modern translations use a little “woe to” language in Ezekiel 34:2 ….”Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves!
This verse caught my attention right away, making me think of a little phrase called “self care.” As an occupational therapist, these are words that for years were common in my “work language”, and it was a phrase referring to the self care tasks we need to do for basic daily living (dressing, toileting, hygiene, eating, etc.). Part of my job was to evaluate and work to help people with their self care tasks which can often be impacted by injuries, developmental disabilities, mental health challenges, etc. It wasn’t a phrase I heard out and about much in “non OT chit chat” for the first 10 years or so that I was working. And then it seemed to me that … kaboom….the phrase meant something new and was used all over social media, taught from preschool to college, and it was something emphasized as crucial for being able to function, be healthy, etc. But, it meant something different. It meant…..perhaps abstractly taking care of oneself…..but some of the examples I saw were more things like…..massages, vacations, get a degree, do a puzzle, prioritize “me time”, yoga, mindfulness breathing, and then maybe some camping weekends to “just relax” if your self care app found you lacking that week. I am kinda glad the term caught my attention because I became aware of some discrepancies that are out there on this subject.
Most definitely, it is beneficial for all aspects of our health to have adequate nutrition, sleep, cleanliness, time in nature, etc. And those of us who live in a free country, have a safe and comfortable place to sleep, the ability to look outside a window and see a tree and bird, the opportunity to be over-fed and clean should not take that for granted. But, it seems to me, these shepherds mentioned in Ezekiel would have loved the “self care” movement of today. A quick internet search regarding “self care” will lead you to terms emphasizing “self reliance”, “self defined”, “listening to you”, “self love”, “self esteem”, etc. Non of these terms are inherently bad if coupled with a Biblical world view, but combine them with some of the lists of things the internet tells me I should do daily for my self care , and my guard is up for a reason. I see some sneaky belief systems creeping in all over that I think are meant to destroy and not heal. The shepherds in Ezekiel were engaging in self care, but they were not doing anything for sheep care. Their job was to care for the sheep.
Should not shepherds take care of the flock? 3 You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock. 4 You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. (Ezekiel 34: 2-4)
In today’s world, there are so many pressing challenges negatively impacting every area of health, and the image Ezekiel 34 ends with provides a beautiful thought for both self care and sheep care. They are words revealing a hope beyond ourselves because my “self” isn’t going to get me through this alone. My mental health benefits from knowing that God cares for his sheep, that I am grafted into the vine through Jesus, and that as Christians, we are also heirs to the promises of Abraham.
They will no longer be plundered by the nations, nor will wild animals devour them. They will live in safety, and no one will make them afraid. 29 I will provide for them a land renowned for its crops, and they will no longer be victims of famine in the land or bear the scorn of the nations. 30 Then they will know that I, the Lord their God, am with them and that they, the Israelites, are my people, declares the Sovereign Lord. 31 You are my sheep, the sheep of my pasture, and I am your God, declares the Sovereign Lord.’” (Ezekiel 34: 28-31)
Interestingly, so many studies show that one of the best ways to improve mental health or physical health is by doing things to help others, so self care and sheep care really are aligned. On days we are struggling with our own baggage and carrying weights Jesus doesn’t want us to carry alone, one of the best ways to engage in true self care is by engaging in sheep care. Ironically, one of our therapy students at work recently told her supervising therapist that she couldn’t see the next patient yet because she had had a stressful day, could tell she needed some “me time”, and proceeded to sit down on a mat in the middle of a patient care area of the hospital and begin scrolling on her phone. I am not sure who needed a bubble bath or pursed lip breathing most at that moment, but I firmly believe asking for help from a shepherd and serving people instead of scrolling would have genuinely helped. However, the memory provides comical relief at work for the rest of us still, and we appreciate that.
Whatever we do to pursue physical, emotional, and spiritual health, let’s be careful it is rooted in scripture and the example we see in Jesus and his followers rather than the latest blog, book, or meme.
-Jennifer Hall
Questions:
Imagine you are home alone sick in bed. How can you participate in sheep care?
Imagine that you have been on a path too indulgent in self care and too lacking in sheep care. How could you improve things?
Imagine a restored earth under Jesus’ reign where all of God’s sheep are gathered in a perfect “pasture”. Take a few moments of prayer and reflection seeking first his kingdom.
In today’s John 4 reading, one of our main characters is a woman from Samaria. When I hear the term Samaria, two phrases jump into my mind. The “Good Samaritan” and the “Samaritan Woman”. Those who label Sunday school lessons or chapter headings don’t seem to toss in the adjective “good” for this one. Just woman. She’s not a man. She’s not a Jew. She’s not married. And she’s out fetching water at the old Jacob’s well (which was in Samaria at that time in history) when she runs across a weary Jesus.
We don’t know the exact reasons Jesus chose to travel through Samaria on his way from Judea to Galilee since he could have easily avoided the area the way “Samaritan-avoiding-Jews” were often known to do. We just know he did travel right through it, and when he asked a woman for a drink at the well, he was recognized as a Jew who would not be expected to interact with her socially. There seems to be some differing opinions among historians and commentators regarding the time of day for this drink, but that detail is not what matters. Whether on Roman time (around 6pm) or Jewish time (noon), we know that Jesus was intentionally interacting with a Samarian woman with a bit of a reputation in a public area, and we are given an account of that meaningful conversation. His words are what sparked the things she learned, what she said of him in the moment, and what she told Samaria about after he was gone. Not what time the old sun dial said when she was at the well.
Jesus allowed himself to be served by this woman, and in turn, by telling her about living water, by showing her he was willing to minister to her even with awareness of the past and present sins in her life, and by revealing himself as the Messiah to her, “many more believed (verse 41).”
This woman (I wish I knew her name just because I’m tired of typing woman, but that detail doesn’t matter either I guess, and Jesus himself calls her “woman”!) uses a number of terms for Jesus which evidence who he is and seem to increase a bit in honor:
Verse 11: Sir
Verse 19: Prophet
Verse 25: Messiah, Christ
And in verse 32 we see that the people she told about him call him “the Savior of the world.”
Jesus acknowledges being the Messiah, the one prophesied about for generations. When he answers in John 4:26 he said “I am he.” In Greek, the words “ego eimi”. The same words the blind man uses of himself a few chapters later in John 9. Jesus essentially said, “Yup, I’m that guy.” Not I am…..anything else. Not I AM YHWH. Not the Creator. Not …I am a coequal part of this mysterious triune deity thing. He said “I am he” referencing being: the Messiah. If Jesus speaks, I think his words deserve our critical attention in a world, even a Christian world, that is often careless with them.
The Samaritan woman knew he was the Messiah and proclaimed him to be who he was. In addition to the personal level of interaction and forgiveness we see in this story giving a beautiful taste of the personal aspect of salvation, our Messiah also referenced the gospel he came to teach, “. . .fruit for eternal life (v. 36)” . . .our inheritance in the coming kingdom of God! The hope for an imperfect Samaritan woman remains my hope as an imperfect American woman.
-Jennifer Hall
Reflection Questions:
Consider if there are any people or groups of people you could treat more like Jesus treated the Samaritan woman even if it goes against norms in your social group.
How can you better draw from Jesus’ living water in your life when you find yourself spiritually and emotionally “thirsty”?
Is there anything you need to share with God or others about what Jesus has done in your life the same way the Samaritan woman did?
Most of the Psalms were written by David, but there are a few that were written by others. For example, Psalm 90 was written by Moses and Psalm 127 was written by David’s son, Solomon.
Today’s reading, Psalm 127 is what we will reflect upon. It offers wisdom about the wise raising of a family. I find some parts of Solomon’s teaching a bit paradoxical. Solomon’s father, King David, had 19 sons by his wives. The year before his father David died Solomon’s first wife Naamah gave birth to his one and only son, Rehoboam. She also gave birth to two daughters Taphath and Basemath. As far as we know from the Bible these are the only three children Solomon fathered. This is odd considering Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines. Solomon valued children and saw them as a reward from God.
A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon.
Psalm 127
Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.
2
It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.
3
Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.
4
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth.
5
Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.
If Solomon valued children so much why didn’t he have more? The most likely answer is that Solomon’s next wife was the daughter of the Pharoah of Egypt. She worshipped idols and brought them into the royal palace. Many Biblical scholars believe that Solomon had no more children as punishment for allowing idolatry to enter his family.
Psalm 127 begins “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.” The house referred to here is not a physical house or palace but a family or a household.
That strikes me as a very wise teaching. And yet Solomon’s actions weren’t very wise when he had 700 wives and 300 concubines. Another paradox is that in 1 Kings 3 Solomon asked God for the gift of wisdom. Because Solomon’s request of wisdom was very unselfish (he didn’t ask for riches or a long life, God agreed to give him what he asked for, wisdom and what he didn’t ask for: wealth, honor, and long life as long Solomon followed God’s commands.
This begs the question… how did God give him wisdom? Did he open up Solomon’s head and pour in wisdom, or was wisdom acquired over time? Perhaps Solomon grew in wisdom over time, when he realized that he missed out on the blessings of a large and fruitful family because he allowed idolatry to enter his home?
Solomon doesn’t quantify a number of children that qualify one as blessed. David had 19 sons. Solomon’s 1 son Rehoboam had 28 sons and 60 daughters (wow, that’s a lot of weddings to pay for).
My wife Karen and I have been blessed with 7 sons and 4 daughters (JJ, Jon, Joshua, Karee Anne (Gregory), Joel, Kailyn, Katie Beth (Mattison), Kass, Jordan, Josiah, and James). We also have been blessed with 16 grandchildren (soon to be 17). We are greatly blessed. My children (and their spouses) and grandchildren are precious gifts from God and I’ve always appreciated this Psalm. Of course, having a large family is not the only sign of blessing from God. However God chooses to bless you, receive it with gratitude and joy.
Peace, Grow, Love
-Jeff Fletcher
Reflection Questions
How would you put in your own words and explain Psalm 127 verse 1? Compare what a house/family built by the Lord looks like versus one built in vain. Consider the home you were raised in – which was it more like? Which do you want for a home/family you will/are or have raised?
What are some of the current views towards children that you have witnessed? Which ones would God agree with, which ones would he not?
We pick up this Friday by finishing off the final 2 chapters of the book of Lamentations—one of the most poetic cries to God in despair, pain, and anguish that is recorded in the Bible. Jeremiah has spent the previous 3 chapters weeping to God about the destruction of both Jerusalem and Judah, and the horrific circumstances it has thrown His people into. Besides the outright attack from the Babylonians, they also suffered siege and famine. Death was inescapable at every turn, from starvation and thirst to even resorting to cannibalism. Amongst all this, Jeremiah has seen it all.
He questions why God had abandoned His people, and why they must suffer. At a certain point he recognizes it is because of the sins of the people of Jerusalem, and that God’s wrath is His own to disperse—that it is by God’s hand justice is determined.
“Who can speak and have it happen if the Lord has not decreed it?
Is it not from the mouth of the most high that both calamities and good things come?
Why should the living complain when punished for their sins?” (3:37-39)
I think about times in my life where it has felt as though I have been left alone—seemingly abandoned. In these moments, my first thought may be to question why God has abandoned me, and why I have to suffer. Why can’t it always be good times? Why would God allow this suffering?
But that thought is unfounded—it forgets the very essence of God’s nature, and does not take on the perspective that Jeremiah takes. God is the one and only rightful judge of this universe. What good would a judge in a court of law be if they let every person who’s done wrong off Scott free?
God is not the source of sin, just as light is not the source of darkness. Rather, where there is no light, there is darkness. Without God and His righteousness, we fall back into sin and into that darkness. Thankfully, because of the sacrifice He sent for us, through the death of Jesus Christ, we can now live under a new covenant of salvation! And because of this gift, we ought to recognize the power and might of our God, as Jeremiah did. In both high and low, fire and ice, joy and pain, we owe everything to God, the creator of both the mountains and the seas.
“You, Lord, reign forever; your throne endures from generation to generation.” (5:19)
-Mason Kiel
Reflection Questions
What suffering have you witnessed or endured that perhaps made you question what God was doing or why?
What sins had Jerusalem and Judah committed? What sins do you see in your society? What sins do you see in your life?
What do you gain by recognizing God as the just God of the universe?
Suffering is sometimes brought about by God’s judgment on sin. Are there other explanations for some suffering?
Revelation is a tricky book. I will admit that I struggle with it, as I’m sure others do. When meditating on this passage I actually sat down and tried to put myself in John’s place. He is receiving one intense vision, full of important messages, all of which he might not fully comprehend in his time.
This devotion is less of a devotion today and more of an invitation to join me in a practice of contemplation.
John introduces himself and tells the reader what he is writing and why he’s writing it. And the first part of this great message is actually a collection of letters to the seven great churches of the time.
Now these letters are laid out in chapters 2 and 3. However, I’m not actually going into those so I feel like I’m within my realm of Revelation 1 for this little exercise!
Join me, if you will, in constructing a letter to yourself and/or your church, written by Christ. This can be either written or mental. This devotion will primarily be reflection questions to give you some things to contemplate.
Reflection:
Take a few minutes with each of these questions to pray and evaluate:
Christ, seated at God’s side, knows your deeds. In looking at your current habits and practices, what does he lift up? What is he pleased with? Pray over these things and ask God to continue to help you to grow. Thank him for allowing you the circumstances that allow you to minister and please him. Thank him for the blessings he has given you.
What about in your church body? What does your church do well in God’s eyes? Pray over your church family now, thanking God for individuals that serve alongside you in the church body. Thank God for the blessings he has given your church family.
Now, what practices in your life are not pleasing? What do you struggle to turn away from? How would Christ address those? How would he advise you to take action? Pray over these, and ask for strength and guidance in those areas. Pray for mercy and forgiveness.
Are there practices within your home church that Christ would not be pleased with? Are there attitudes that need changing? Does your own attitude need adjustment? How would Jesus address your church in this regard? How would he encourage you to correct these behaviors and thoughts? Pray now over your church family. Pray for forgiveness and mercy. Pray that God will show you a way in which you can help be a positive force of change in your church body.
Dear father, I’m so thankful for my fellow believers in churches all over the world. I pray that we would be pleasing to you. I pray that we are able to seek out what we are doing wrong and right ourselves. Please show us the way and also show us great mercy. Thank you for the sacrifice that was made so that we could one day see Christ’s return and see your kingdom established forever here on a perfect earth. Grant us all guidance and strength until we see that great day. In your son’s name I pray, Amen. – Jenn Haynes
Human instincts are a funny thing. We have certain tendencies that our bodies will turn to without thinking in order to preserve itself. Some will say it’s hard-wired in after years of evolutionary learning. I say it’s given by God, a level of thought that we can have without even realizing we’re having it. Our nervous system is an incredible miracle, along with the rest of our body, in how it communicates.
I’m taking martial arts classes currently, and one of the things they teach us in self defense is the ability to yell past our tension. They have us pull air from deep within, really forcing the diaphragm to the point of discomfort, and expel a yell that feels almost animalistic. And we, especially females, practice that in order to help us should we ever have a violent encounter. You see, when we meet a moment of fear and stress, our fight/flight/freeze/fawn response kicks in. We will either spring into action, run, freeze in fear, or try to appease our opponent.
No matter which decision is made, what often occurs first is a moment of freeze, as you try to process. And breaking out of that freeze is DIFFICULT. I know because it has happened to me. When frozen in terror, it’s a struggle to make any noise at all. We practice yelling before and during attacks, so that muscle memory will hopefully help us if we ever have a confrontation. We prepare so that we can push past our instinctual response of fear and call for help or cry out in attack.
Preparing so that you can overcome an instinct seems counterintuitive. We must have that instinct for a reason, right? But our natural instincts don’t always serve us best.
Verses 17-21 say, “But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. They said to you, ‘In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.’ These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.”
We have a lot of natural instincts. Children don’t need to be taught to lie, they do it instinctually to avoid trouble. The instinct to act on attraction is a natural one that causes endless trouble. We have instincts to avoid pain, both emotional and physical, which can lead to us not reaching out to others. We have survival instincts that make us want to look out for our own needs or the needs of our closest family members before looking to the needs of others, frequently leading to selfishness and greed.
Jude is warning us that we can’t let people who follow these natural instincts divide us. Not only that, but we have to build ourselves up in faith. In other words, we must train ourselves out of those instincts. God calls us to a higher level. The world will say to act on how we feel, because those feelings are natural. But there are many things that are “natural” that are actually terrible for us.
Train yourself out of those instincts by frequently turning to God’s word. We are told to test every idea, every belief, every teaching, and even every instinct to be sure whether or not it is of God. Test it against the scriptures. 1 John 4:1 says, “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
Do not let the world lead you astray simply because something “feels” right. Test that feeling against scripture every time. This is going to pit you against most of society. Stand firm. Hold fast and keep yourselves in God’s love.
Reflection:
What tendencies do the world see as “right” because they are “natural,” when the Bible calls them wrong? How can you keep those views from dividing you? Do you see those sorts of divisions happening in your church? They could be as simple as concerns over money keeping us from helping others as much as we should. They could be as socially complex as issues of homosexuality, or sex before marriage.
What are some instincts you find in yourself that you find difficult to contend with? How can you “build yourself up” in faith and train yourself out of some of your own dangerous instincts?
Beloved friends, my prayer for you today is the same as the one ending Jude: “To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy – to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power, and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.” – Jenn Haynes
My kids love to study animals, especially my 8 year old son, Oliver. He has a particular interest in sea-life. He told me once, in depth, about the amazing mimic Octopus. This creature mimics the actions of some other sea life, rather than just using camouflage, in order to protect itself.
There are other animals in nature that do something similar, pretending to be something they are not in order to achieve safety or to catch prey. They pick out what works for other animals, and do those things themselves. We do this all the time, sometimes knowingly, sometimes not. When in a group of people I generally am subconsciously on high alert to fit in. It’s exhausting and tense and causes me so much anxiety. I will likely mimic what is around me so that I can be more comfortable while interacting. This is normal human behavior that some use more than others. And it’s not necessarily a bad thing! It entirely depends on who and what we are mimicking.
There have been studies behind how and why people do this, and it has been coined the chameleon effect. We subconsciously pick up on micro-level behaviors around us and those behaviors affect how we interact. When someone around us is tense and rigid, it tends to make us tense up as well. If someone is relaxed and at ease, this puts us at ease and we subconsciously relax. It’s why yawns are “contagious” and why some people pick up speech patterns and mannerisms when in a group of people speaking in a style different to their usual one. This phenomenon allows us to interact with others with greater ease.
3 John verse 11 says, “Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God.” We are constantly picking up the speech and behavior around us and whether we actively try to imitate them or not, we will do so. Even if it’s on smaller levels, those around you will have an effect on how you speak and behave. John is warning a friend in this letter of a church leader who is being self-serving and giving false teaching. But not only is he warning him away from this danger, he’s also giving an example of who he should imitate instead.
We like to think that we are stronger than we are, when it comes to this particular issue that John is warning against. How many of us have had the thought, “It’s ok, their bad influence isn’t affecting me. In fact, I’m probably having a good influence on them!” We are called as disciples to go out into the world, yes. And we are to set a good example for others to follow. But this requires some maintenance. When we are fully immersed in worldly behavior and speech for a majority of our time, those mannerisms will affect you. Don’t delude yourself otherwise.
1. Guard yourself. Spend frequent time in scripture, prayer, and worship. Arm yourself with spiritual armor and replenish that armor frequently.
2. Balance your time. Most of your time should not be spent being surrounded by sinful behavior. Be sure that most of your time is spent imitating godly mannerisms by surrounding yourself with them.
3. Have accountability. Be sure that you have a reliable, godly support system who will keep you in check. We often don’t even realize when we pick up bad habits, but our closest friends and families will.
4. Keep your focus on imitating good. When you’re out in the world, preaching the gospel and interacting with others, your goal should always be to imitate Christ. Without Jesus visually there in front of you, sometimes that is harder to do, so be sure you have another wise influence in your life that you can imitate as John mentions here. When you are focused on imitating good, it’s much more difficult to imitate evil. Be vigilant.
Reflection:
Who in your life should you be imitating? Are they solid examples of good, Christian behavior? Why? Those traits that tell you they are good to follow are probably traits you want to work on in your own life.
Are you regularly around non-christians and possibly some dangerous habits and behaviors? Probably, as we don’t all work and live in a fully Christian setting. However, it’s important to recognize those potential areas of our life where we might be imitating bad behavior in order to fit in well.
Are there any behaviors or speech you’ve picked up from them that aren’t good or godly? How can you counteract those? What is a good way to behave in those settings while still being able to interact and have a positive influence on your environment?
My prayer for you today is that you have a positive influence on your surroundings and others are led to imitate you! I pray that if you don’t already have a person in your life with godly influence for you to imitate, one steps in. I pray that you find the support and strength you need to go be in the world, but not be a part of it. Be a world changer for Christ today! – Jenn Haynes
Word association games. Have you ever tried them? If I say, “Fruit,” for example, what is the first thing that comes to your brain?
Have you ever tried those with people? I don’t think most people can be broken down into one word. We are far too complicated. But when you think of an individual – for example, “Mom”- what is the first word that comes to mind? I just tried this exercise on each member of my family, using other family member’s names. I’m happy to say that at least one of my children as well as my husband said, “loving” when presented with my name or “Mom.” I’ll take that win and ignore the fact that the others thought of food.
When doing a word association with “Christian,” what do you think people come up with? What about when nonChristians think of you?
Verses 5 and 6 are another reminder from John to love others. And again, as he did in 1 John, he describes what love is. “And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.”
Walk in love. The Greek here is agape, which is the highest form of love. This is a selfless and sacrificial love. And the command is that we walk in it.
This is not an occasional action, loving one another. It’s not even a frequent action. It’s even more than that. Walking in love means that every intention and motivation must be love. Love should be our defining characteristic. When people see you and think of you and hear you, they should associate you with God’s love. And walking in love means behaving like Jesus.
It’s difficult knowing how Jesus would behave in every situation. There’s so much misinformation out there, and so many lies. I started and deleted so many examples of common lies that Christians believe here. I will instead say this: read the scriptures. If you’re unsure as to how Jesus would behave in a given situation, read the scriptures. Read God’s commands.
This short letter was important enough to write and send, so the short message in it must be vital. Walk in love and in truth. In other words, live as Jesus did.
Reflection:
What do you imagine people think of when they consider you? Is your most defining trait love or something related to love? If you don’t think it is, how can you go about changing your actions and words so that others see God’s love being reflected from you?
Think of other strong believers that you know and admire. Do a word association for them. What characteristics do you think of? Are any of those characteristics ones that you’d like to work on in yourself?
Have you allowed any lies to sneak their way into your faith? How much time do you spend in scripture that would allow you to recognize the lies if they showed up? Do you find yourself thinking of how Jesus would behave in a given situation when you encounter it?
My brothers and sisters, my prayer for you today is that you have open eyes and hearts so that you can see how God is working in you. I pray that your influence on others be one that is full of truth and love.
Seek Grow Love 