Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God.3 John 11
Occasionally in our lives we are asked to state who we consider to be our “hero or who we most admire.” According to the annual United States Gallup poll the incumbent president is usually top of mind when Americans name, without prompting, which man living anywhere in the world they admire most. In the 74 times Gallup has asked the open-ended most admired man question since 1946, the incumbent president has topped the list 60 times.
When you look at the list from 2020, four of the “most admired men alive today” are politicians, one is a government employee, two are businessmen, one is an athlete and two are religious leaders. Billy Graham is the all-time vote getter while he was still living with 61 appearances in the top 10 of this list. That fact made me feel slightly better.
Although as a society we seem to easily agree that most politicians are not typically ones to be trusted we, for some reason, continue to view them as someone to admire.
Growing up I would have done a “hard pass” on who to write down when asked this question. I lived a fairly sheltered life – not much TV, only one friend, my parents didn’t have many friends. And I wouldn’t have written my mom or dad on that list. At various times in my life I’ve thanked God for somehow keeping me on a halfway straight path due to limited guidance.
According to Forbes magazine these are the ten qualities people admire most in others:
Humility
The ability to learn
Integrity
Responsibility
Resilience
Compassion for others
Respect for others
Big visions
Inspire others
The ability to “reinvent themselves”
After reading this list, did anyone come to mind? I doubt that it was a politician. When I got married I finally met someone that does a pretty good job meeting the high standards of this list – my mother in law. I set upon a path of being more like her. Someone who is kind to everyone, offers a friendly “hello” at all times, thinks of and serves others, and is always looking on the bright side. While attempting to mirror her I realized I had, in fact, been imitating someone else all along. Someone who was inwardly focused, pessimistic, frequently angry, and had difficulty showing love.
At the end of John’s letter to the church elder Gaius, he warns us to be careful who we choose to imitate. He has made the case that another church leader, Diotrephes, while powerful and surely had a large following, was not up to the standards set by Jesus. He instead turns Gaius to another Christian brother, Demetrius.
Demetrius is well spoken of by
everyone—and even by the truth
itself. We also speak well of him,
and you know that our testimony
is true.3 John 12
You notice it isn’t enough to have others speak well of someone. John reminds us that the “truth” must also be used as a measuring stick. There are many famous people on Gallup’s “most admired men alive” list. And many have well known, serious transgressions. Carelessness with the truth has been one of those. But because they are famous we humans tend to set many bad behaviors aside.
When I was coaching girls softball, I watched the habits and techniques of many of the successful coaches. I gleaned a lot of good coaching skills from them. But there wasn’t one, at the time, that I could name as most admirable. Many parents, on the other hand, admired those coaches because they won trophies. What they didn’t mind was the abusive behavior toward their young daughters. Unfortunately, throughout my years in youth, high school and collegiate sports I found this to be frequently the case. And parents expected other coaches to imitate this same behavior, thinking that was a winning formula.
Last year, my BSGs (Bible Study girls) embarked on a new study called “The Proverbs 31 Woman.” Now there’s a woman to admire! Here’s an excerpt from this long list of character traits to imitate:
She gets up while it is still night;she provides food for her familyand portions for her female servants.
She considers a field and buys it;out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
She sets about her work vigorously;her arms are strong for her tasks.
She sees that her trading is profitable,and her lamp does not go out at night.Proverb 31: 15-18
Each week we would take a verse and apply it to our lives. From our relationship with our husbands to our finances, our work ethic to our own health we were presented with a truly admirable touchstone for our lives. We cleaned out our closets and our minds. We took a hard look at our finances and our eating habits. We used God’s Word rather than the world of the flesh to imitate.
In our world today so many people are trying to imitate the latest Instagram influencer or sports figure. We see “success” or fame as proof they are worthy of imitation. We put people like Joanna Gaines or Elon Musk up high on our list. Meanwhile there are Jesus followers, who just do the good work day in and day out that truly deserve our imitation.
Join together in following my
example, brothers and sisters,
and just as you have us as a
model, keep your eyes on those
who live as we do.Philippians 3:17
It might seem like it takes a real discerning, wise mind to know who to imitate. But we all truly know when we’ve met that “someone.” We just then need to measure that person against God’s truth. And yes, we all sin. We all have something to which we must repent to God. But I’d rather imitate a loving, self sacrificing person who doesn’t always use her time wisely than a person who causes chaos and destruction in her wake.
Take a moment today and evaluate the answer to the question, “Who do you most admire?” Be honest. It’s easy to throw off platitudes. No one else but God is listening. Until we can face the evil we are imitating we cannot fully become the mirrors for Jesus.
Lesson #1: Show hospitality to strangers, they may be God’s heaven-sent angels
Dear friend, you are faithful in
what you are doing for the brothers
and sisters, even though they are
strangers to you.3 John 5
The saying goes, “A man’s home is his castle.” And we might add to that, “surrounded by a deep moat, protected by a closed drawbridge.” At least that’s how it seems so many have come to treat their abodes. But the concept of hospitality has a long history for us Christians.
The two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. When he saw them, he got up to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground. “My lords,” he said, “please turn aside to your servant’s house. You can wash your feet and spend the night and then go on your way early in the morning.”
"No," they answered, "we will spend the night in the square."
But he insisted so strongly that they did go with him and entered his house. He prepared a meal for them, baking bread without yeast, and they ate.Genesis 19: 1-3
In Leviticus we are admonished to treat the traveler as one of our own family. And throughout the New Testament we see the kindness of various townsfolk welcoming Jesus and the disciples along the way. Without these strangers’ help they would’ve found themselves hungry and without a bed on which to lie their head.
And in our smallest Bible book, 3 John, we see the work of a church elder named Gaius. The news of his hospitality and kindness toward fellow Christians reached John who noted how it brought him “great joy.”
But why is hospitality a life lesson? The Greek word for hospitality is philoxenos from the two words philos (friend) and xenos (stranger) and it means to show proper warmth or friendliness to strangers. It also means to have the readiness to share our home and other treasures. So often when we think of hospitality in our home it means inviting friends and family for dinners and parties. But strangers? Pull up the drawbridge and release the piranhas into the moat!
So what is Christian hospitality?
Answering calls from the church to hosts missionaries and guests
Inviting church elders over for meals
Hosting church activities such as Bible study in our homes
Reaching out to our unfamiliar neighbors and inviting them over for coffee
Being a welcoming face at church – not just a smile but showing a genuine interest in a new face
I wonder how many of us (I raise my hand) have read in the church bulletin about a visiting missionary needing a place to stay for a week or a car to borrow and we thought at best “Yea, I don’t feel comfortable with that” and at worst didn’t think about it at all?
I have a friend who has always held her Catholic priests in very high honor. It borders on being afraid of them. And when a friend of hers invited her to have a private gathering with a local priest she was aghast that it was all so, well, normal. It reminds me of when my kids were in elementary school and they thought the teacher didn’t have a life outside the classroom. But church leaders are people in addition to their divinely appointed roles. They enjoy fellowship just like you and me!
What hospitality is not.
Allowing situations in our home where guests openly sin
Inviting guests out of a sense of obligation, not love
Feeling the need to have our homes be perfect before inviting guests
Let’s look at number 1. Many years ago, my husband and I invited his brother and his brother’s girlfriend out for a visit. They couldn’t afford to travel so we let them stay at our home. Under one condition. They’d have to sleep in separate rooms. As a fairly new Christian, this was the first time I really stood my ground as the “new me.” Initially, my brother-in-law took issue with this. He commented that my husband and I had lived together before marriage so why should we now place this restriction on him – wasn’t that hypocritical? Friends, let’s be honest. Before we were made new in Christ, we did a lot of stupid, dangerous, sinful things. It’s ok to now say those things were wrong. And being that our house is our castle, you can make any rule you want. We didn’t place judgement on what he did outside our home, we just drew a line as to what was going to happen in our home, around our children. Our hospitality included the use of our home but not the erasure of our morals. The result? They both came and had a great time plus we were able to witness to my brother in law the changes Christ had made in our lives.
Number two seems obvious but when people take action out of a sense of obligation rather than love, the road can get bumpy. I read the story of a pastor who was invited to speak at a church. The host family welcomed him in, showed him his room and then preceded to tell him they didn’t feel it was their responsibility to feed him. They also worked very hard to completely ignore him over the course of five days. They did their “Christian duty” in their eyes. But can we really call that true Christian hospitality? I hope not.
The key to good hospitality isn’t found in the externals, like linen tablecloths and exquisitely furnished guest bedrooms, but in qualities like servanthood, a listening ear, and an encouraging word.
Max Lucado
When I was involved in PTA there was a chair position called “hospitality.” What that entitled was setting up a beautifully appointed table of yummy food at various events. Shouldn’t a church body’s goal be more of the philoxenos version? How many times does your church have to beg people to be greeters or to host a home Bible study? Our church volunteer coordinators should be overwhelmed by the requests to be able to say “hello!” and shake hands with new people. We should have too many homes (large and tiny) from which to choose for Bible study. We may not be the Hospitality Chair but we should all be committee members!
We ought therefore to show hospitality
to such people (the faithful) so that we
may work together for the truth.3 John 8
A Christian who lives with an active approach to philoxenos brings God a lot of joy, just like Gaius did for John. We are reminded in the Old Testament that at one point in our lives we were all strangers. Strangers hoping for someone to reach out and say “hello.” Strangers hoping someone would show us God’s love. We need to assume that person is us.
A few weeks ago, I told my husband the following: “I can’t wait to get back to the way things were before the pandemic.” And then I stopped. I realized that wasn’t really true. My good friend and I were having lunch this week and I shared this moment with her. I went on to explain that yes, there’s a lot I’m hoping will “get back to normal” in the coming weeks but God uses every single moment in our lives for His purpose – good and bad. He uses non-believers and believers. I heard a pastor the other day explain that we shouldn’t be asking “why” to God when faced with difficulty but rather, “what can I learn about God or what does God want me to learn about myself?”
My BSGs (Bible Study Girls) were asked recently to draw a sanctification growth chart. Sanctification meaning our faith journey toward being more like Jesus. I drew some small spikes, a few flat lines, and then two large spikes. From the day I clearly recall my daughter (about 2 years old at the time) spurring me to answer her questions about God and angels to today I can thankfully say my growth chart has well, grown. The two large spikes include a large test Jesus put me through when He asked me, through a vision, to drop much of what I thought was important in life and instead feed the homeless for a year. The second spike? It started in February 2020 – the start of the COVID pandemic.
My church shuttered their doors. My old Bible study group went on-line. And then all other communication with my church ceased. Yes, they offered a weekly video but that is not fellowship. A cold, impersonal video just isn’t “church.” It’s not a communion of the saints.
My new BSGs, however, stayed in constant contact. Some of us came together in person with walks and distanced lunches. And together we made a commitment to not let each other go and to help each member delve deeper into His Word. We have been open about our sins and our dreams. Our hopes and our failures.
But more than just this group, I have fallen often on my knees in prayer. Sometimes crying out in fear and sometimes in sadness. Other times in thankful hallelujah. Had I been left to attending Sunday church for one hour a week I’m not sure I would’ve made the same progress. But I can tell you this, of all the things I’m most grateful for over the past year is what I now understand to be the most important – God’s never ending love for me.
His Word has been revealed to me in so many amazing ways. I’ve discovered the majesty of the Lord and His faithful promises. I’ve learned about the perils of disobedience and the joys of freedom that obedience brings. Through His Word I’ve learned how to hold the line of faith and to recognize when the devil is trying to loosen my grip.
While reading Warren Wiersbe’s commentary on the book of Jude I came across this powerful yet simple message to Christians everywhere:
Every Church = Bible Institute
Every Christian = Bible student
Every Pulpit = Teach the positive words of Biblical truth AND denounce error
Are you a student of the Bible? We are well-versed in so many other unnecessary aspects of life: the details of every episode of Downton Abbey (or pick your favorite show), the stats of our favorite baseball (golf, basketball, etc) player, the ins and outs of Joanna Gaines’ life. You get the picture. But can we say the same about every single book in the Bible?
My same friend I mentioned earlier asked me what I thought about the books that weren’t included in the Bible. I told her, “To be honest, if I could just become extremely knowledgeable about the ones in it, I think I’d be doing pretty good.”
And that’s I why I chose for my next series, Tiny But Mighty: 15 life lessons from the Bible’s smallest books. If you have never read these five books you could tackle them in about an hour (or less). But I’ll be honest, my first read through these left me thinking, “There’s a lot more than 15 lessons here.”
During the next 5 weeks we will discover more about how to confront a difficult situation, why love is obedience, how to really make social change, the effects of disloyalty, our role as God’s soldier and much more.
So, jump on board, join me in this sanctification journey! We may be just one Christian on this path to glory but God is sure to use us and the more we know about His will, the more He can do with us. We may be tiny but we sure can be mighty.
Throughout the Bible we are taught how the least becomes the most, the youngest becomes the greatest, and the weak become strong. In my journey of studying the Bible I’ve flipped past seemingly insignificant books as I searched through the powerful messages of the Gospels and the insightful letters to the Corinthians and Ephesians. And we all know from popular culture about Noah, Moses and even Job. But what about those tiny books with odd names like Philemon, Obadiah and Jude? What can four short paragraphs in 3 John even tell us?
When you do a Google search for “the shortest books in the Bible” you find five books:
3 John: 219 words
2 John: 245 words
Philemon: 335 words
Obadiah: 440 words
Jude: 461 words
They are all tiny yet mighty books placed purposefully by the ancient church in our Bibles. They are fascinating to read, not just in their lessons but for their glimpses into the real lives of the prophets and disciples. They speak of trials, friendships, conflict, success and failure. They show the good work of the people of God – spreading His love and messages.
These five books remind us that as one tiny person in a world of millions we can play an integral part in God’s plan. We can switch from saying, “who am I?” to “I am here, Lord, send me!” Their lessons include picking role models, how to deal with conflict, true hospitality, forgiveness, social change, handling false teachers, and so much more.
Please join me in this five-week study as I glean life lessons from these powerful, yet tiny books of the Bible. Each week, starting February 15, three lessons will be discussed from one of the books and posted on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Be sure to follow emboldened.net to receive your posts via email. I look forward to having you join me on this Tiny Yet Mighty adventure!
I confess that I am free because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The shedding of His blood paid the ransom for me. The hold Satan used to have on me is broken, and I am liberated and set free! Now God’s divine power operates mightily in me, and I have authority over the enemy who used to control me!
A prayer to be deeply knowledgeable about God’s Word
Holy God, I confess that I have spent much of my Christian life hearing your Word and yet not absorbing and living out our Word. I’ve sat in your Holy presence at church and listened, then walked out of the doors and turned my thoughts solely on selfish and worldly pursuits. So I often, when I hear a conviction through your Word, I think of someone else who needs to hear the message – all the while it is me that needs to accept the correction. I allow my endless “to do lists” to take time away from learning more about you, from soaking my soul with your loving spirit. I allow my “study” of your Word to just be catchy verses that scroll by on social media. LORD, with your teaching and guidance I will proclaim that I am deeply knowledgeable about your character through your Word. I will be your faithful student. I lift this up in Jesus’ name, Amen.
A prayer to live a joy-filled life.
Gracious God your gifts and blessing to me cannot be counted. And yet so often I turn to the negative parts in my life and place my constant thoughts in them. When I rise I forget to be thankful that I have yet another day in which to serve you and be blessed by you. And as I go about my day when you place joyful moments at my fingertips I take them for granted. When I lay my head down to sleep I can easily recall all that went wrong in the day rather than what went right. But your joy is there for the taking. I want to live basked in your greatness, your beauty and your joy. I can and will, with your help, find joy in every circumstance. You are working for my good at all times and I just need to remember that promise. Thank you for giving us your Son who implanted the Holy Spirit in us – a spirit of joy and of goodness. I pray this in your Son’s Holy name, Jesus. Amen
A prayer to be a patient person
Faithful Father, I get so caught up in the busyness of life that I forget that my needs and desires are not the same as everyone else’s. When I’m running late, I want to yell at the drivers in front of me for not moving quickly enough. The slow grocery store bagger receives my glare when she doesn’t work at the same speed which I expect. Or when a friend doesn’t respond to my text as prompt as I need, I get frustrated. I’ve come to realize, LORD, through your holy Word that my impatience is an outgrowth of my lack of humility. Your admonishment to love one another needs to be on my lips when I feel that frustration and anger well up inside me. LORD, I know there is nothing more important to you than having your children express compassion and love for each other. Rest your loving hand on my shoulder as a reminder for when I forget this. Quell my impatient heart and mind and replace it with grace. In your Son’s name I pray, Amen.
A prayer that I would share the Gospel with others
Merciful God, your Word has healing power for the sick and your Word gives hope to the downtrodden. Your promise of eternity is a promise for all who believe. But I allow my worries and my fears about worldly judgement guide my discipleship. I keep your holy and powerful gifts to myself, not sharing them with those who need them. LORD, our one true purpose here on earth is to serve you and by doing so we are asked, even required, to speak of you to all who will hear. Help me to succumb to your strength and guidance rather than that of the world. I know you will put the right words in my mouth at the right time. I just need to be willing to speak them. Each day place someone who needs to hear from you in front of me. With the strength of the Holy Spirit urging me on I will be faithful in spreading your gospel of Good News. In Jesus name, Amen
I rest my worries in constant prayer
LORD, I confess that I can cite Philippians 4:6 quite easily but it is the actual doing that I struggle with. In fact, when I get very distressed, I forget about you and turn inward to try and solve my problems. Or I call friends and family to lay all my worries upon. Too often it seems you are my last gasp when all else fails. Thank you for giving us your Son to remind us that you are the only source we need to turn to in times of trouble. With His guiding words I will place you front and center of my difficult situations. Through constant prayer and communion with You I will find everlasting peace. I lift this up in Jesus’ name. Amen
A prayer to speak only when needed
LORD, I would like to make this brief but I seem to have an issue with words. They flow freely from my mouth without filters. At times I gasp at myself for the words that exit me. James is so right when he shows me that my mouth is like the rudder for my ship. And I want to be on the right course with you, God. Sometimes I need the entire trinity to help me grab hold of my rudder. But I know with practice, your grace and the urging of the Holy Spirit I can and will be the quiet captain of my ship. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
A prayer to keep my body strong and dedicate it to serve God
Heavenly Father, I regularly make the commitment to keep my spiritual life active and strong. However, when I make choices about exercise or my diet, I rarely see that as part of my devotional life. My spirit, my soul and my body all belong to you. You ask us to be your warriors in the name of Christ. And warriors are strong spiritually, mentally and physically. Starting today, LORD, I recommit my entire body to you. When I am weak and want to forgo exercise or eat food I know just isn’t good for me I ask that your Holy Spirit remind me that I need to be strong to accomplish all that you have planned for me. I lift this up in your Son’s Holy Name, Amen.
A prayer to live without regret
Holy God, it’s been many years since I accepted your gift of salvation, which along with that gift came forgiveness. And yet, so often I am unable to forgive myself. My heart still twinges when I think of the times I lived in sin. And once saved, I look back at the years I realize I wasn’t fully committed to obeying your Word. I’ve wasted enough time, however, not accepting your grace. I am learning how much you love me, LORD. And with that, I’m working to accept that I am a new person because of your son Jesus. The old me can’t take up any more precious time when you are filling up my heart with overwhelming love. I admit I sometimes need stern admonishment from you to keep me on track. But at other times please send me a gentle kiss or unexpected hug to remind to live in today, not the regrets of the past. I ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.
A prayer to act when directed by God
Dear God, I used to think that my faith was solely a personal, spiritual pursuit. But I keep hearing the word “obey.” I admit that obeying isn’t a comfortable word for me. It implies me giving up something for someone else. In your covenant world however, “obey” just means holding up my end of the bargain. You are always faithful, LORD, and I need to be faithful as well. James said it best when he admonished us to be “doers of the Word, not just hearers.” Sometimes I allow the world to drown out your Holy Spirit who speaks your will to me. Or I worry that I’m not worthy or ready to do your work. But I’m tuning in to you and listening, watching, and anticipating for your direction. Give me opportunities to be your hands, your feet and your heart. I will obey. In your Son’s name I pray this. Amen
A prayer to always speak kindly of others
Merciful God, so often when I think of sinful behavior, I rarely attribute my own tendency to gossip and tear down others. And yet throughout Jesus’ time here on earth he reminds us to love one another. Help me to remember to love not just with deeds but with my words. You speak so kindly of me, LORD, and I have many, many flaws. Not only do I need your help in not speaking unkindly, but also in being your servant to exalt your people. I know that a kind word is all that is needed to cure so many of our world’s ills. Guide me in controlling my lips so that they drip with kindness rather than bitterness. In Jesus’ name I lift this up to you. Amen
A prayer to be a blessing to those around me and my community
Holy Spirit I get so wrapped up in my everyday problems and to-do lists I forget to pause and look at the world around me. I rush out in my car and don’t stop to say “hi” to my elderly neighbor. I see the trash someone has left behind at the nearby lunch table and I assume someone else will pick it up. I watch the mother with two kids struggling to get her groceries in the car and I think, “thank goodness that isn’t me.” Oh, how I know you keep whispering to me to stop and do your work. But I prioritize my list and sometimes you aren’t on it. LORD, I say I want to be a blessing to others and yet I let so many opportunities pass me by. Today, I will be that blessing. Today I will recognize the need to slow down, reach out, and do your work. I will be your mustard seed and help build your Kingdom into all it’s glory. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
A prayer to not be judgmental of others
Holy God, we live in a world that judges us on a photo that gets scrolled by in an instant, our decision at the ballot box, the type of car we drive, or even the color of our skin. I am guilty of making snap judgements about the people I encounter throughout my day. But in your world, LORD, we are all equally loved. I have discovered the uniqueness of your message through Jesus – that you are the father, king, counselor, protector of ALL people. You are at work in all of our lives, believer and non-believer. Through the life lessons of Jesus and the prompting of the Holy Spirit I will be the type of person who loves first, rather than judges first. I want to be loved and accepted for who I am uniquely made to be and I will see others in that same light. I pray this in your Son’s name, Amen
A prayer to avoid using coarse language
Holy Father, it has become so easy for me to use your name in un-holy ways. There was once a time that when angered or frustrated I would just say some silly old saying. But as I drew closer to the ways of the world my language followed. I want to be closer to you instead, LORD. I want to speak like your son, Jesus. I know that anger, impatience, laziness, and bitterness are all roots of my use of foul language. Help me, Holy Spirit, to cut out those roots so that out of my mouth comes praise, prayer, forgiveness and grace. I will use my mouth, with your guidance, for these rather than obscenity and coarseness. Amen
A prayer to constantly praise and thank God
Mighty God, I admit that when things go wrong in my life I am quick to ask for help. But when my life is running along smoothly or even when a prayer is answered I’m equally quick to forget to thank you. Each and every morning when I rise, I commit to thanking you for what you will send my way that day – even the “not-so-good.” Because even in those times I know I have the opportunity to grow in my faith. And throughout my day I will remember to thank you even for the little gifts you send my way. LORD, at the end of my day I’m frequently so tired. But you are never tired of hearing my praise for you. I will, before my eyes close, remember the ways you revealed yourself to me that day. Whether you acted as my counselor, comforter, King, creator, or protector, I will praise you. In your son’s name I pray, Amen.
A prayer to love myself
Heavenly Father, so many of my perceived short falls come from my poor sense of self-worth. I look in the mirror sometimes and to be honest I don’t always see what you see – a beautifully, wonderfully made daughter of God. And I confess that my lack of love for your creation can spill over to my inability to openly love others without judgment. But I don’t want to grieve the Holy Spirit any longer. My heart, body, mind and soul were created by and belong to you, LORD. With the reminders found in your Holy Word to love my neighbor as myself I will look into that mirror with newfound love and admiration for your creation. Thank you for my life, thank you for making me uniquely me. I lift this up in Jesus’ name, Amen
Out of the same mouth come
praise and cursing. My brothers
and sisters, this should not be.James 3:10
A prayer to avoid using coarse language
Holy Father, it has become so easy for me to use your name in un-holy ways. There was once a time that when angered or frustrated I would just say some silly old saying. But as I drew closer to the ways of the world my language followed. I want to be closer to you instead, LORD. I want to speak like your son, Jesus. I know that anger, impatience, laziness, and bitterness are all roots of my use of foul language. Help me, Holy Spirit, to cut out those roots so that out of my mouth comes praise, prayer, forgiveness and grace. I will use my mouth, with your guidance, for these rather than obscenity and coarseness. Amen
We all remember that moment well. I was driving the middle school carpool that morning. A car full of young, impressionable minds. Just before I got to a busy intersection a car swerved over from another lane in front of me, causing me to hit my brakes. And just as our basic driving skills become automated, my middle finger and mouth began its ugly automatic work. The car went silent. I was immediately convicted of my sin by five sets of enlarged eyes on me.
You’d think that instances like that would’ve got me to stop cursing in anger but it hasn’t. In fact, knowing about three weeks ago that eventually I’d be writing this post I started more aggressively working on this problem. And yet, just the other day I think I managed to use just about every curse word available when talking to my husband about politics.
Nor should there be obscenity,
foolish talk or coarse joking,
which are out of place, but
rather thanksgiving.Ephesians 5:4
Have you ever watched a movie where it seemed the director purposely had every actor place a curse word in every sentence the actors spoke? I have. And I’ve finally had to stop watching. I understand when our anger rises up that we again allow our mouths to control our world. But the gratuitous use of cursing is not something I understand. Everything, to some people, is “f’ing (fill in the blank).” It’s become just another adjective. And yet, it isn’t.
According to one researcher, we swear on average from 0.3% to 0.7% of the time — a tiny but significant percentage of our overall speech. Given the fact that the average woman speaks about 25,000 words a day that adds up to around 1,750 swear words per day. That’s a lot of sinful speaking.
When I worked in our local high schools, I would see the prevalence of swearing amongst our teenagers. Each year it seemed to get worse and worse. When I would admonish a student they would say, “oops, it was just an accident.” However, we all know that well-practiced behaviors become simply rote acts.
We are told throughout the Bible and especially the New Testament that we, as believers in God and then Jesus, are to be set apart from this world.
Let us behave decently,
as in the daytime, not
in carousing and drunkenness,
not in sexual immorality and
debauchery, not in dissension
and jealousy. Rather, clothe
yourselves with the Lord
Jesus Christ, and do not
think about how to gratify
the desires of the flesh.Romans 13:13-14
This verse makes it clear, whether in daytime, nighttime, with Christian friends or non, in our work environment, our home, or alone in our car, we are to clothe ourselves with Jesus. The worst I have ever read come out of Jesus’ mouth was to call the Pharisees “vipers.”
In the United States, during the 19th century, there was a craze to come up with “mild oaths” or pseudo-swearwords that replaced profane words with inoffensive ones. They tended to be silly and even poetic. “Jumpin’ Jehoshaphat,” “Holy, Moly,” and “gee willikers!” were just a few. It was a sign of our Christian influence in society. Sadly, we seem to have lost not only that influence but our desire to be that influence.
My BSGs’ (Bible Study Girls) favorite saying is “imperfect progress.” And that’s what I’m in the midst of – really, aren’t we all? And as I listen to our media, tv shows, music, and more accept that cursing God’s name as the “new normal” I pray for the Holy Spirit to help me be set apart. I want my “new normal” to be for the glory of God, not for the fulfillment of my flesh.
If you want this too, add the prayer to your daily prayer list and watch and see how God works in your life!
Do not repay evil with evil
or insult with insult. On the
contrary, repay evil with blessing,
because to this you were called
so that you may inherit a
blessing.1 Peter 3:9
A prayer to be a blessing to those around me and my community
Holy Spirit I get so wrapped up in my everyday problems and to-do lists I forget to pause and look at the world around me. I rush out in my car and don’t stop to say “hi” to my elderly neighbor. I see the trash someone has left behind at the nearby lunch table and I assume someone else will pick it up. I watch the mother with two kids struggling to get her groceries in the car and I think, “thank goodness that isn’t me.” Oh, how I know you keep whispering to me to stop and do your work. But I prioritize my list and sometimes you aren’t on it. LORD, I say I want to be a blessing to others and yet I let so many opportunities pass me by. Today, I will be that blessing. Today I will recognize the need to slow down, reach out, and do your work. I will be your mustard seed and help build your Kingdom into all it’s glory. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
One of my neighbors is a quiet, older gentlemen. He lives by himself in the largest house in our development. He and his old dog, Scooter, are fixtures in our community. And yet, most people probably don’t know that he supplies all the doggie poop bags for a dispenser in our neighborhood. For Christmas, he always gives me and my dog, Tucker, a box of our own doggie bags. You could say he’s in the dog poop ministry! An unlikely blessing to so many of us.
In the same way, let your
light shine before others,
that they may see your good
deeds and glorify your Father
in heaven.Matthew 5:16
No matter how many Bible study groups I’ve been a part of or how many churches I have attended, the one thing about “ministry” people seem to fear is being called to give up all their possessions and move to the outback of Africa. And yet, Christ calls us to be a blessing starting in our own homes and neighborhoods. If all of us would just start there, imagine the transformation that would take place!
If you really keep the royal
law found in Scripture,
“Love your neighbor as yourself,”
you are doing right.James 2:8
At the beginning of the Covid pandemic I was called to start what became The Joy Challenge. I invited my friends, family, Bible study groups, and neighbors to take part in a variation of Max Lucado’s effort to raise the joy level of 100 people over 40 days. About 20 people said, “yes!” It was fascinating to hear people struggle with the idea of being that tiny mustard seed who could affect others. Some said, “How can I do anything if I’m locked away in my house?” Others said, “But I don’t really know anyone.” While even others said, “I can’t afford to buy things.”
But the ideas began rolling in. Some started writing little notes to friends and neighbors. One lady painted smiley faces of all sorts on rocks and placed them in her yard. My walking buddy just started waving and yelling “hello” and “have a great day” to an endless supply of UPS, FedEx and Amazon drivers. Some had their kids write chalk notes out in front of people’s houses.
And me? I thought I had a great “in” on some toilet paper from China. When it arrived, the rolls were tiny travel rolls about 3” in diameter. After a good laugh I decided God wanted me to give these little rolls way so, I tied a note to all of them with a funny quote and randomly dropped them off at people’s doors along my walking route.
Months later one of those neighbors stopped me and said, “Aren’t you the lady that gave us that toilet paper roll? We saw you on our security camera! Thank you so much – we thought it was hilarious!”
It shouldn’t take a world-wide pandemic for us Christians to seek out ways to spread joy and be a blessing to our neighbors and our community. I’m re-committing myself, no matter the busyness of the day, to be on the lookout for ways to be someone’s blessing. It might mean I take an extra minute to roll my neighbor’s trash can in or I stop and pick up that plastic bag that’s rolling down the sidewalk. It’s a mustard seed. And I know each one I plant will help build His Kingdom.
If you want this too, add the prayer to your daily prayer list and watch and see how God works in your life!
But one thing I do: Forgetting
what is behind and straining
toward what is ahead, I press
on toward the goal to win the
prize for which God has called
me heavenward in Christ Jesus.Philippians 3:13-14
A prayer to live without regret
Holy God, it’s been many years since I accepted your gift of salvation, which along with that gift came forgiveness. And yet, so often I am unable to forgive myself. My heart still twinges when I think of the times I lived in sin. And once saved, I look back at the years I realize I wasn’t fully committed to obeying your Word. I’ve wasted enough time, however, not accepting your grace. I am learning how much you love me, LORD. And with that, I’m working to accept that I am a new person because of your son Jesus. The old me can’t take up any more precious time when you are filling up my heart with overwhelming love. I admit I sometimes need stern admonishment from you to keep me on track. But at other times please send me a gentle kiss or unexpected hug to remind to live in today, not the regrets of the past. I ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.
I don’t know about you but I’ve done some very non-Christian things in my life. I spent about five years of my younger life seeking inappropriate relationships with men. I thought that if I turned over my precious gift of intimacy that I would find love. We can watch endless movies, read countless novels, and dispense wisdom about how fruitless this path is and yet never seem to apply it to our own lives.
The first time I said a desperate prayer was when, at 19, I thought I was pregnant. I begged God to save me from myself. And He did. I don’t really know why since I know others were not. I bargained with God to do His part and I would stop such reckless behavior. And I did not. I wasn’t a Christian at the time – although I believed in God. So maybe He was giving me a few allowances. I won’t know until the day of my eternity when I can ask Him.
Fast forward a few years and I was a young mother with two kids. I was a Christian by then. And yet I continued, time after time, to disobey God. Boy did that lead to a lot of unnecessary hardship. Of these two situations it’s actually this second that I tend to regret the most. Because I truly knew better. I think of all the wasted hours of tears and painful relationships I could have avoided. I think of the times I could’ve been a better mother and wife and friend had I just surrendered myself completely to God.
If we confess our sins, he
is faithful and just and will
forgive us our sins and purify
us from all unrighteousness.1 John 1:9
I realize that by holding on to my forgiven past it’s like a log tied around one ankle. It hinders me to fully grab onto the joy of today and promises of God. It’s not that we need to forget our past. We can learn a lot from our choices and their consequences. But when we accept Jesus as our savior we must accept that we are now changed in our spirit. Sometimes we just need to remind our heart and mind of that change.
Friend, I don’t know what sinful choices you may have made in your past, but Jesus came so we don’t need to live an entire life of repentance for our past regretful choices. We need to turn those sins over to God only once. And turn our faces toward today.
There’s a lot from my past that I’m still working on fully releasing to God. He has already forgiven me for them. I just need to let go of the string and allow them to float into the heavens. With His gentle reminders of His love for us we can be free.
If you want this too, add the prayer to your daily prayer list and watch and see how God works in your life!
Therefore, I urge you, brothers
and sisters, in view of God’s mercy,
to offer your bodies as a living
sacrifice, holy and pleasing to
God—this is your true and
proper worship.Romans 12:1
A prayer to keep my body strong and dedicate it to serve God
Heavenly Father, I regularly make the commitment to keep my spiritual life active and strong. However, when I make choices about exercise or my diet, I rarely see that as part of my devotional life. My spirit, my soul and my body all belong to you. You ask us to be your warriors in the name of Christ. And warriors are strong spiritually, mentally and physically. Starting today, LORD, I recommit my entire body to you. When I am weak and want to forgo exercise or eat food I know just isn’t good for me I ask that your Holy Spirit remind me that I need to be strong to accomplish all that you have planned for me. I lift this up in your Son’s Holy Name, Amen.
I heard a pastor speaking the other day about our bodies being a “living sacrifice” and how so many of us Christians focus solely on the spirit part of our being. But there are three key parts that make us, well us. Our spirit, our soul (emotions and mind), and our physical body. And when one is out of balance then we haven’t fully committed ourselves as a living sacrifice. We may be saved but some of us are downright miserable either because of what goes on in our heart and head or because we just don’t feel good about our bodies.
We make that New Year’s resolution to lose that famous 10 pounds. Which in reality is probably more like 15 or 20. But resolutions are only so good as our own personal commitment to ourselves. Recognizing that our bodies belong to God and He has a divine purpose for them is key to taking control over our physical health.
There’s a funny movie featuring Goldie Hawn and Meryl Streep called, “Death Becomes Her.” In it the two women take an immortality potion. The two women have despised each other their entire lives and spend much of the movie trying to outdo each other. But prior to taking the potion they are warned to take care of their bodies. Once broken, their body remains damaged – but they continue to live forever. The famous scene in the movie is called the “shovel scene.” The two women get into a fight and begin bashing each other with all manner of devices including shovels. The destruction they cause to their bodies is hilarious. And they will be stuck that way for all eternity.
Oops, you gotta little hole right there…
When we look into our mirrors, we should heed the same warning. This is the only body we have and we should take good care of it, not just for ourselves, but in God’s name and purpose. If we are not in our best fighting shape (no matter our God-given physical situation) then how can we expect God to give us every opportunity possible to serve Him?
My current Bible study group (My BSGs – Bible Study Girls) is made up of two women I met at the gym and another with whom I walk regularly. Now, lest you think the two from the gym were longtime friends I want to clarify. I started working out at this particular gym because my daughter was a physical therapist there. It was a different type of workout than I’d ever done. Their small classes are crossfit style, in addition to weight training. There’s not a lot of time to sit around and chit chat.
She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.Proverbs 31:17
I found that some people have the unique ability to actually talk to others while dying, I mean working out, on the rowing machine. It was during these times I discovered some of the Christians in the group. They were open with their faith journeys. So, when my walking buddy urged me to start a new Bible study, I prayed about who to invite. God urged me to ask some of the ladies I sort of knew from the gym. Two of them immediately said, “yes.”
Had I not stepped out of my comfort zone and joined the crossfit craze, had I not made a commitment to working out every weekday at 6:30a.m., I wouldn’t have met these amazing women. God used me and my body to serve His kingdom.
I’m currently working on losing a few pounds I gained during the lockdowns. But I have a renewed commitment, not to me, but to God. I want to be in the best physical shape I can be so that He opens more doors and places me where I can do His work. I know with this new understanding of my body being a living sacrifice and the help of His Holy Spirit I will be in fighting shape soon.
If you want this too, add the prayer to your daily prayer list and watch and see how God works in your life!
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
A prayer to speak only when needed
LORD, I would like to make this brief but I seem to have an issue with words. They flow freely from my mouth without filters. At times I gasp at myself for the words that exit me. James is so right when he shows me that my mouth is like the rudder for my ship. And I want to be on the right course with you, God. Sometimes I need the entire trinity to help me grab hold of my rudder. But I know with practice, your grace and the urging of the Holy Spirit I can and will be the quiet captain of my ship. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
At my first professional job after graduating from college, I found myself in a new position in which the company heads wanted me to help get the entire company on a new course. I was only 23 years old and immature in many ways. The job entailed me meeting with the directors of each division of the company and educating them and guiding them through this new direction. One particular gentleman was one of those types that doesn’t say much in meetings. He needed to ruminate a while – go take a walk and a “secret” smoke – and then give his input. He made me very uncomfortable.
After I would bring up a topic and give my input we would sit in silence. That is, until I couldn’t bear it anymore and then I would start babbling. And the more I babbled the deeper, as they say, into the weeds I would get.
Avoid godless chatter, because
those who indulge in it will
become more and more ungodly.
2 Timothy 2:16
When we feel the need to fill empty spaces with words we can find ourselves making promises we can’t meet, contradicting ourselves, confusing the issue, giving bad advice, or revealing more than we should. I found myself doing all of these things in those meetings until one day a friend gave me the good advice to stop talking and let the man catch up.
You would think that lesson alone would’ve trained me in the art of being ok with silence but it hasn’t. Just the other day I had to apologize to someone for interrupting her while she was sharing a difficult issue. One of my walking buddies, with whom I have a very trusting relationship, has taken to saying, “That isn’t helpful for me right now,” when I am talking at her too much.
The root of this babbling seems to stem from a need to make sure people know my opinion. So many of us want to make sure we are “heard.” When in actuality God places more importance on the kindness of listening.
I am getting better at this thing called silence. My prayer life now includes the request of God to help me keep my mouth shut when I need to and speak only when I need to. I have a feeling I’ll have that as part of my prayers for a long time. Until I get it right, my ship will tack back and forth a bit until I can get it to smooth sailing.
If you want this too, add the prayer to your daily prayer list and watch and see how God works in your life!
emboldened.net 