I was riding my bike with Ragnar, my husky, running beside me and attached to my bike by a pole made especially for riding a bike with a dog. All was perfect. Ragnar was happy to be out on a cold day, and I was enjoying the beauty of God’s creation. Until...
A big white dog came barreling out of his yard. Loose. Growling. Hackles raised.
Ragnar loves other dogs, so I wasn’t concerned he would fight back, but he leaped toward the dog, pulling my bike sideways and dislodging my entire seat post. I fell across my handlebars, injuring my shoulder.
Seemingly oblivious to my pain, my neighbor—the owner of the big white dog—just smiled, saying, “It’s okay. He’s a friendly dog.”
This neighbor was also someone I had spoken to recently about Jesus. But, in response to her too-calm attitude, I was hardly a glowing example of God’s love. I was hurting, furious, and struggling to hang on to my crippled bike and my crazy husky.
“Get your dog,” I demanded between clenched teeth. The rest of what I said wasn’t exactly neighborly.
Was my neighbor’s casual attitude toward the accident hurtful? Yes. Could she have been a more responsible dog owner? Yes. Was it okay for me to let her know I was hurt? Yes. But did I demonstrate Christ’s love in how I spoke to her? No.
Memories of my earlier talk with my neighbor flooded my mind. She had rejected Jesus because she found Christians treated her with the same rage and backbiting she could find without bothering to get up early on a Sunday morning.
I wish I had taken a deep breath and considered how I could have shown Christ’s love in that situation. We’re all sinners who can be unkind with our words. But, in Jesus, we become new creations, free to reflect His love and truth in all our interactions—and free to seek forgiveness from God and others when we do mess up.
If you know Jesus, you are a new creation. How does your identity in Christ affect your words and attitudes?
How can you show Christ's love when you are genuinely hurt? How can you apologize when you mess up?
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17 (CSB)
A New Creation
August 28, 2019 • Vicky Kaseorg
Nametags
August 31, 2019 • Taylor Eising
As I brushed my teeth, I examined the reflection of my nametag in the bathroom mirror. By now, the words were so familiar I could even read them backward: “CHILD OF GOD.” I smiled as my other names echoed through my head: “Image-bearer.” “Chosen People.” “Ambassador.” “Temple of the Holy Spirit.” They each flashed onto my nametag briefly as I spat out my toothpaste before gathering my backpack and walking outside. -Today will be different,- I told myself. -Today, I will be kind. Today, I won’t sin. Today, I will remember that I am a Child of God.- I kept this promise really well…at first. I made it all the way to the school bus! Then Rick called my shoes “ratty” and went on and on about how my parents couldn’t buy me new Jordans because they were poor. I cringed as new nametags appeared elsewhere on my jacket, identifying me as “Ratty” and “Poor.” Burning with anger, I spat back, “At least my family cares about me! Your parents just buy you stuff to make you shut up!” A nametag with “Unloved” appeared on his sleeve as his fist collided with my nose. By the time the fight ended, we each had a few bruises, a week’s worth of detention to serve, and several more unflattering nametags. After school, I slumped onto my bed, exhausted. -Why, Lord? Why can’t I control myself? Why am I such an awful sinner? I sighed as “Sinner” arrived on my chest. I just need to be better. I just need to try harder. I just need…- Silence filled my head. “You need Me,” Jesus’ voice answered. One by one, the nametags I had accumulated throughout the day disappeared. With each one that left, a weight lifted off of my heart. Finally, nothing was left but my one, true nametag: “CHILD OF GOD.” Reread Today's verses. Who does Jesus say you are? What does it mean to have your identity in Him? When you sin, do you get frustrated with yourself and resolve to try harder? Or do you bring your sin to God, confess it, ask for His forgiveness, and remember who you are in Him? But to all who did receive him, he gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in his name. John 1:12 (CSB)
Sharing Jesus Without Fear
August 30, 2019 • Aurora Scriver
Sharing the good news of Jesus can be awkward and difficult, but God calls us to share Jesus in a loving and clear way. But how do we strike that balance of gentleness and honesty? Remember God’s love. Remember, God doesn’t want anyone to perish because they chose sin (2 Peter 3:9-10). God is just, and He is also loving. Reflect that same understanding with the people you meet. God is in control. The way people react to Christians can be scary sometimes. (For that matter, Christians can be scary to other people!) But you don’t need to live in fear; you have the power that raised Jesus from the dead inside of you through the Holy Spirit. God is with you, He’s in control, He’s good, He’s faithful, and one day He will raise you from the dead. Nothing can separate you from Him, even the worst of interactions with other people. Approach people in love and gentleness, keeping these promises from God in your mind. Move gradually. Truth can be hard to absorb. So be patient with people. Share truth, but don’t give people a glut of information. Give people silence and time to consider and think. Just do it! God will equip you with His Words (Exodus 4:12; Matthew 28:20). Go out in the love and strength of Jesus, and He will provide courage and opportunities. Talk to Him about it today. What questions have people asked you about Christianity? How did you respond? How would you describe the good news of Jesus? Try to get it down to one or two sentences so that you have an easy reference point if someone asks you what you mean. If someone says something mean to you about Christianity, what is something you could say or do in response instead of exploding with anger? Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. Ephesians 4:15 (NLT)
Me
August 29, 2019 • Bonnie Haverman
Isabel, at age eleven, is an amazing dancer. She has already performed with a major ballet company in several productions. Isaiah, age thirteen, just started attending college. Derek, at age fifteen, was considered one of the best BMX racers in Texas. Do you know someone like that? Someone gifted in academics, sports, acting—you name it. That was not me. I was just an average student. I was and am a slightly-better-than-average salesperson. I’m good at a lot of things, superstar at none. It used to bother me until someone pointed me to Psalm 139. When I read it, I was in awe. God—the only wise God, the Creator of the universe, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords—made you and me! Not only did He make you and me, but He loved us enough to come down to offer us freedom from sin and death so that we could be with Him forever. Whether God has given you an amazingly obvious talent or if your talents don’t seem as striking as those of your peers, live a life of thankfulness, knowing that God created you in His image with unique gifts and abilities for use in His kingdom. Try reading Psalm 139 every day for a whole year—you will be changed. It will give you a reason to praise God for His amazing creation: you! Do you envy other's abilities? What do you do well? How can you honor God with those abilities? Have you spent time thanking God for making you? And there are different activities, but the same God produces each gift in each person. 1 Corinthians 12:6 (CSB)