Devotion
Sticks and stones may break my bones....but words can also hurt me!
David Jacobs
I remember my time in high school fondly: I was an active student with a bit of a wild side. Teachers often disagreed with my rebellious streak but put up with my behavior as long as I kept my grades up. One teacher, however, saw my rebellious side for what it truly was: a cry for help. She seemed to understand thoughts and anxieties that I had that I thought I concealed well considering nobody else seemed to notice them. I have her to thank for calming me down, because through conversations with her and her willingness to listen and offer me valid advice, I gained a mentor that I am today grateful for.
John the Baptist offered similar guidance to the masses. He had gained celebrity status, preaching to multitudes of people, crowds that were hungry for direction. He was more than willing to oblige, offering prophecies and advice that had scarcely been heard before. His preaching was viewed as a threat by those in power, eventually costing him his life (Matthew 14:1-12). It was not just the lowly and meek that sought his council and thirsted for his preaching; in these verses, government officials, tax collectors, and soldiers were among the multitudes clamoring to hear his voice. Like my teacher did to me, John was not afraid to speak harshly towards the masses, ridiculing them, calling them a "generation of vipers." This harshness is often what needs to be said but is hard to hear. Without John's preaching, the world would have not been fully prepared to hear and interpret the message of Christ shortly thereafter.
Prayer
Have you fell out of touch with someone because of criticisms that you or they said to each other? Think back about what was said: what was the reason behind it? Were you or they trying to truly help? Be the bigger person in these situations and try to truly listen to the criticism. You often end up improving as a result.
Night Prayer
A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards.
Inspiration
Often, we speak before we have to opportunity to think about our words. In the heat of the moment, we immediately express negative feelings without analyzing the situation first. We jump to conclusions when directing meetings and speak in haste with our children before evaluating all sides. As leaders in any setting, we must be tactful and make decisions by weighing all details. Instead of expressing emotions with our authority, we must seek to mediate justly and reflect the mercy of God with our decision-making.
Prayer
Dear Lord, Please forgive us when we jump to conclusions and fail to lead with mercy and grace. Guide us to reflect Your character when You place us in a position of authority. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Devotion
A Simple Creed
Frances Taylor
Although the last verse of this passage is considered to be a portion of a hymn prayed by the people in the communities around Ephesus, I think of it as a creed, a simple statement of beliefs. It lets us know that they believed that Jesus was God, coming in the flesh, who was justified, or vindicated as another translation has it, by the Holy Spirit, seen by the angels, which could mean actual angels in heaven, or that he was seen by the disciples and others considered to be holy, preached by those disciples to reach out to a world that believed in the message of the Good News and was received by the Father into heaven where he would reign. Of course, I could be wrong about the actual meaning of the hymn, but it really doesn't make any difference. It makes me think about creeds, or statements of belief. I know there are a few formal ones such as the Apostles' Creed, or Baptismal Creed, and the Nicene Creed which expands a little on the first. But ...
Morning Prayer
For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.
Inspiration
It may seem that the lives of some non-believers are often much easier and carefree than our own. Unshackled to principle, they may float free between pleasures with no particular conscience. But this 'freedom' is not true freedom, and one shouldn't mistake it for what it really is; being lost in the wilderness. This 'freedom' of the non-believer does not extend into the afterlife, and is in fact, shackled only to this, our material world. Since they have not had to endure the call of their consciences, they will not find our God's eternal peace.
Prayer
Lord God our Creator and Father, let me endure all that is sacred, just and fair in this world. Help us understand in facing our sufferings that we are doing so for you sake, in your glory. Thus, give us grace and show us mercy, for in answering to our consciences, we know we are doing your work. Help us stay pure ...
