A legacy of dysfunction

Mandrake roots (Source: Wikipedia)

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Genesis 30:1-24

TO CHEW ON: "Now when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister, and said to Jacob, 'Give me children or else I die.'" Genesis 30:1


Jacob's harem was not a happy place. Rachel envied Leah's fruitfulness and blamed Jacob for her lack of conceiving. This provoked Jacob's anger. The rivalry between the sisters soon drew their maids into the competitive struggle and enlarged the circle of bigamy. In these women's eyes, even God chose sides, favoring one and then the other with sons. This all sunk to a new low when Rachel and Leah showed their superstitious side as they haggled over some supposedly aphrodisiac mandrake plants for a night with the man.

Some thoughts on this depressing installment of the story:

1. We see the wisdom of God's design of one man + one woman (Genesis 2:24) by the mess in homes where men had several wives (like this one and see also the story of Elkanah, Peninnah and Hannah - 1 Samuel 1:1-7).

2. Individual sinful tendencies and family strife are readily passed from one generation to the next. The tensions of Isaac & Rebekah's relationship are only magnified in Jacob's family.

Do we find such generational weaknesses in our homes too? Probably, to some extent at least. But do they have to carry on? How can we put a stop to such a  legacy of dysfunction? Here are some ideas. Can you think of more?

• Ask God to show us where we are duplicating the sins of our fathers. We may be blind to these and need to grow sensitive again. One way is to read and apply what God's word says about attitudes to avoid (Exodus 20:1-17; Galatians 5:17-21) and those to cultivate (1 Corinthians 13:1-13, Galatians 5:22-26). Another way to gain insight is to ask close friends and family members what they see in our relationships and homes.

• We need to beware that kids interpret  "normal" from what they see at home, and by God's grace set a different example than, perhaps, we saw in our own homes growing up. Emulate the good; reject the bad.

• Remember that with God there are new beginnings.

" … put off … the old man … and be renewed in the spirit of your mind and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness" - Ephesians 4:22-24.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new" - 2 Corinthians 5:17

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me not to make excuses for sinful attitudes and tendencies which have been part of my family. With Your enabling, I'm never too old to change. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Tainted living-—recognize it, lay it aside

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 1 Peter 1:17-2:3

TO CHEW ON: “Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby.” 1 Peter 2:1,2


I have recently found a new way to meditate on Bible passages—through Bible journaling. A book that introduced me to this activity describes what it is:

“Bible journaling is a way to express your faith creatively. Putting pen to paper is a great way to remember and record biblical concepts that are meaningful and relevant to your life. Whether you are drawing, coloring, and writing right inside your Bible—the most commonly understood definition—or writing and illustrating scripture verses in a separate book or on paper alongside your Bible, the essential thing to understand is that Bible journaling is about creating while reflecting on God’s word” - Joanne Fink & Regina Yoder, Complete Guide to Bible Journaling, p. 8.

The guidebook has tons of ideas, introduces prominent Bible journalers and their work, and suggests ways and places to share Bible journaling, doodles and lettering.

I was instantly attracted, dug out an old notebook New Testament with wide margins, and tried my hand at it.

My first attempts were meaningful and rich. As I drew and lettered, my mind dwelt on what I was illustrating. More snippets of Bible verses came to me, and I added them to the design. It was worthwhile and uplifting to me spiritually.

Then I searched #biblejournaling on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. I found many wonderful ideas—brilliant and bold artwork, flawless lettering that looked like it came from a computer. I joined a Facebook group where members share their work with each other. And slowly the purity leaked out of this activity for me as it became about comparison, envy, wanting "likes" for my work, pride. Yuck!

Today’s Bible text is right-on for this situation. It reminds me, and us, of the tendencies inherent within us (toward malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, evil speaking) and that they can infect any aspect of living (even studying the Bible!). It tells us in plain words that we need to lay them aside as we give attention to taking in, with the focus and single-mindedness that babies give to drinking a bottle, wholesome Bible truth.

May this be my (our) template for thought and action:

“Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of Jesus (not myself), thanking God the Father every step of the way” - Colossians 3:17 MSG).

“And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father” Colossians 3:17 NLT.

“Whatever you do [no matter what it is] in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus [and in dependence on Him], giving thanks to God the Father through Him” Colossians 3:17 AMP.

PRAYER: Dear Father, help me to not only recognize the carnal tendencies within myself, but to lay them aside by starving them—refusing to give them what they want. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Love—it begins between the ears

TODAY'S SPECIAL: 1 Corinthians 2:31b-3:13

TO CHEW ON: "Love … believes all things, hopes all things …" 1 Corinthians 13:7


Today is Valentine's Day when we demonstrate our love with all kinds of loving actions like sending cards, gifting chocolates, and taking our loved one out for dinner. It's a day when 1 Corinthians 13—the Love Chapter—is the perfect reading. But have you noticed how many of the attributes of love listed in it are rooted in thoughts and not actions at all.

Let's make a list. (I've referred to the Amplified along with the NKJV):

Love refuses to think thoughts of:

• envy, jealousy, vainglory or self-exaltation (1 Corinthians 13:4).

• violated rights, self-promotion, resentment, the evil done to it (1 Corinthians 13:5).

Love encourages thoughts of:

• patience, kindness (1 Corinthians 13:4).

• truth (1 Corinthians 13:6).

• perseverance—bearing up under anything and everything, the best about the loved one, hope (1 Corinthians 13:7).

Whatever kind of love we celebrate today—the love of parent to child, friend to friend, or lovers—let's remember that how it begins and whether it stays strong are dependent on the thoughts we feed it. If your love for someone is anemic, take a look at your thoughts about that person. And love-friendly thoughts not only nourish love but also give integrity to all those actions of love we perform today—and every day.

PRAYER: Dear God, please make me sensitive to thoughts that destroy love—like envy, jealousy, and resentment. Help me to make a habit of thinking the best of every person. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Wisdom that leads to confusion

Image: Pixabay.com

TODAY'S SPECIAL: James 3:13-4:10

TO CHEW ON: "But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above but is earthily, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there." James 3:14-16


James calling "bitter envy and self-seeking" wisdom snags my attention. Of course we catch his undertone of sarcasm, for envy and self-seeking aren't wisdom at all—or are they?

It's certain that they're not godly wisdom. A sidebar article in my Bible underlines the source of such wisdom:

"This text notes both envy and strife—their source and the impact they can make. Ultimately the "devilish" source of both indicates satanic enterprise finding human cooperation" Billy Joe Daugherty, "Avoiding Strife," New Spirit-Filled Life Bible p. 1755.

One result of the wisdom of envy and self-seeking is "confusion."

[The Greek word transliterated confusion is akatastasia. It means instability, a state of disorder, disturbance, confusion.]

That word is used four other places in the New Testament.

• In Luke 21:9 it is rendered "commotions" and describes the riled up condition of the world before "the end."

• In 1 Corinthians 14:33 where Paul says, "for God is not the author of confusion but of peace…" it's after an appeal to the Corinthians to give way to each other during church ministry and not seek the limelight for themselves.

• In 2 Corinthians 6:5 Paul use of akatastasia is transliterated "tumults" in the list of things he has endured as a Christian.

• And in 2 Corinthians 12:20 it figures as "disturbances"—along with "strife, jealousy, angry tempers, disputes, slanders, gossip, arrogance"—in the list of things Paul fears he will find when he visits the church in Corinth.

It's easy to see why envy and self-seeking cause confusion. For if we're all seeking to stroke our own egos, the goals of the group are fractured in as many pieces as there are members. But if the purpose of each is to honor and glorify Jesus and advance His kingdom with no concern about who gets the credit, unity and cooperation will result.

The trouble is, this wisdom of envy and self-seeking is not only ingrained in our society but it seems to be stamped on our very psyches. It's part of our human nature. That's why the end of our reading is important. James, after tracing the dead-end path of this demonic wisdom, even into prayer and pseudo-devotion (James 4:1-4) gives the prescription for our envious, selfish tendencies (James 4:8-10):

1. Seek God: "Draw near to God."
2. Confess: "Cleanse … hands, purify … hearts… lament, mourn, and weep"
3. Humble yourself: "Humble yourselves in the sight of God."

PRAYER: Dear Father, I have been guilty of envy and self-seeking. Help me to take a dose of Your medicine every time I find myself defaulting to this demonic wisdom that always leads to confusion. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Envy

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Matthew 27:3-31


TO CHEW ON: "For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy." Matthew 27:18

Envy - what a seemingly small and innocuous motivation was behind the death of Jesus. Who of us hasn't, at one time or another, referred to ourselves as being envious of someone for their possessions, talents, or lot in life?

The Greek word used in the original Matthew 27:18, "because of envy"--  phthonos --  means simply "envy, prompted by envy".

When we speak of envy we refer to "a feeling of resentment or discontent over another's superior attainments, endowments or possessions. It is often accompanied by dislike, ill-will, even hatred" - Funk & Wagnalls Standard College Dictionary.

(Note that the Scriptures below are not linked to Bible Gateway. If you view this post online, hovering your mouse over the reference will bring up a little text box with the verse inside.)

Envy is an emotion that threads through the Bible. A quick look at examples show its destructiveness:

• Cain killed Abel because he was envious of the fact that God had accepted Abel's animal sacrifice (in compliance to God's directions) over Cain's sacrifice of produce (Genesis 4:5,8; 1 John 3:12).

• Envy caused the Philistines to sabotage Isaac's wells (Genesis 26:14).

• Envy was rife in Jacob's family:

- his wife Rachel was envious of Leah (Genesis 30:1).

- His uncle Laban's sons were envious of him (Genesis 31:1).

- He favoured Joseph, which caused envy and hatred to grow among his sons (Genesis 37:3-5, 11).

I could go on and on with examples but I'm sure you get the picture.

The scary thing about envy is how common it is, and how readily it springs up in anyone — in us.

• Asaph the psalmist warns against the righteous envying the wicked (Psalm 73:3).

• Solomon warns of envying our successful neighbour because of his hard work and skill (Ecclesiastes 4:4).

• Proverbs characterizes envy as "rottenness to the bones" (Proverbs 14:30).

• Paul calls it carnal behaviour (Corinthians 3:3), anti-love (1 Corinthians 13:4), the opposite of walking in the day (Romans 13:13).

• James refers to envy as sensual, demonic wisdom whose symptoms are confusion and every evil thing (James 3:14-16).

The wake-up call is that whether or not we are envious is entirely within our control:

"Do not let your heart envy sinners..." says Proverbs 23:17.


"Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another" says Paul in Galatians 5:26.

A  bit of envy is not merely a natural and harmless reaction to life's perceived unfairnesses. Envy is not okay. It's a dangerous little murder seed that was powerful enough to initiate the death of Jesus.

PRAYER: Dear God, please show me the envy that is hiding inside me. Help me to see it as the poison it is and to destroy every trace of it. Amen.


MORE: Maundy Thursday

Today is Maundy Thursday:

"Maundy Thursday, also known as Holy Thursday, Covenant Thursday, Great & Holy Thursday, and Thursday of Mysteries, is the Christian feast or holy day falling on the Thursday before Easter that commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles as described in the Canonical gospels. It is the fifth day of Holy Week, and is preceded by Holy Wednesday and followed by Good Friday" definition from Wikipedia.

And here is the liturgy for Maundy Thursday.