FAMILY IT! — Wednesday Family Devotional — “Thirst Things First”

What’s your dream vacation?  Where’s the one place you would love to go more than any place else?  Maybe it’s so amazing you haven’t even told anyone, because you’re so certain you’re never actually going to get to go.  Where is it, where is it, where is it?  Share!

Knock, knock.  There's someone standing at your front door with free tickets to your dream vacation place.  Seriously, some dude with a briefcase and a big cheesy grin is handing you the plane tickets…or train, boat, rocket, etc.  They’ve got your name and your family members’ names on them, and the destination is [insert dream vacation location].  Your family is smiling ear to ear.  He’s handing them to you.

Here's the question: do you believe him?  Do you think this is for real?  Or are you more likely to think it’s a scam, or maybe some kind of practical joke?  Are you the one looking for the hidden cameras?  

We live in a pretty suspicious world.  “There’s no such thing as a free lunch,” after all.  Everyone loves to catch someone getting spoofed, especially with the chance that the video might go viral.  So it’s no surprise we carry doubt around.

And yet, sometimes great things really do happen.  So what would it take to convince you that the trip was real?

What if your parents said it was a surprise that they’d been planning for?  Would that do it?  (Probably depends on your parents.)

What if your best friend shows up, all smiles?  Your parents told them and he/she wanted to be there to celebrate with you.  Now are you buying it?

How about if the president of the theme park/cruise ship/airlines/resort got out of the car and came up to congratulate you.  Is that enough?  I’m hoping that would convince most people, although some are skeptical enough that even the CEO wouldn’t be enough.  

But what about this?  In addition to the tickets in front of you, you see a stack of luggage sitting by the garage door ready to go.  You remember that your parents have been working a lot of extra hours “to save money” they say.  You realize the dog is gone, already at the kennel.  You see a slip of paper on the counter saying that the mail has been placed on hold.  It’s right next to the stack of make-up work for the days of school you’re going to miss.  How ‘bout now?  

Testimonies from people are a tricky thing.  Sometimes they’re convincing, but sometimes our doubt is too strong.  When we see that testimony repeated or confirmed in how someone is acting or the choices they’re making, then we’re much more likely to believe.

Jesus struggled with this same idea.  No one wanted to believe He was the Son of God, especially not the church leaders.  It seems kind of funny, because these guys were supposed to be the experts on the Messiah, but when He actually showed up, they thought He was a big fat liar.  

Jesus told the religious leaders what He thought in John 5:31-47.  He points out that they read about the coming Christ in the Scriptures.  They had the verses memorized about God’s special Savior.  But when Jesus came, fulfilling every prophecy, they didn’t believe him.  (v. 39-40)  They sent a messenger to John the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin (who they also didn’t like), so see if he’d confirm the story.  John replied with a huge thumbs up, but they still refused to buy it.  (v. 33)  Jesus points out that even God himself vouched for his Son, but the religious leaders wouldn’t even listen. (v. 37)  

I think Jesus drives it home the most in verse 36: “But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me.”

Ok, so maybe they didn’t believe that all the prophecies in Scripture applied to Jesus’ life.  And maybe they figured John was to biased—or too delusional himself—to tell the truth.  And maybe they figured “God’s testimony” was just a flashy magic trick.  But look at Jesus’ life!  Everything He did—healing, teaching, ministering to the lost and the broken, talking constantly about the love of God and his Kingdom, helping the neediest people—no one does that kind of thing just for fun.  That’s a mission that only comes from God.  

That should have been testimony enough, don’t you agree?

So what about you?  My guess is that if someone asked, you’d tell them you believe in Jesus.  Maybe you even share on your own that you are a Christian.  You’ve got some t-shirts with cool God-quotes on them or your church logo or something like that, and you wear them proudly.  That’s great!

But here’s the real question: do people believe you?  Does your life—your actions, your speech, your attitudes—line up with a Jesus-serving life?  If someone took a look around at your day today, would it confirm that you are all about God and his mission?

That may seem like a hard question, but it’s an important one.  We don’t want to focus on living our lives based on what others think, but we do need to step back from time to time to make sure we are who we think we are.  After all, if you have your “Jesus ticket” but don’t have your bags packed, so to speak, then maybe there’s a problem.

Spend some time talking as a family.  Is there something you can do today, this week, to live more like a Jesus-lover?  Is there something your family can do or needs to do to live out your faith?  Talk about it then close in prayer, asking Jesus to help you take these steps.  Let’s make sure the best testimony we have to our relationship with Jesus is not our words, but our way of life. 

FAMILY IT! — Wednesday Family Devotional — “What’s That Look Like?”

Supplies: Bible; paper; pencils

SHARE 

Hand out a piece of paper and a pencil to each person in your family.  Have everyone draw a picture of what they want to be when they grow up.  If you are already “grown-up,” draw a picture of what you wanted to be when you were your child’s age.  When you’re done, fold your paper in half.  Now have one person collect them, mix them up, then take turns trying to guess who drew each picture and what career they’ve chosen.

How’d you do?

When you’re young, it’s fun to think about all the different cool jobs you could do as an adult.  We get pretty enamored by the surface appeal of different careers, but most of the time we don’t know what that job really looks like.  I remember wanting to be an archaeologist when I was in grade school.  Indiana Jones had just hit the theaters, and he made it look…well…awesome!  Thankfully, as I grew, my passion for digging was replaced with a love of writing.  “Children’s author” became my new career goal.  I pictured myself submitting my manuscripts and what it would be like to go on book tours, to see kids reading my amazing stories.  As part of a class assignment, I got to interview a local children’s author and find out what this job looked like.  

Boy, did she burst my bubble!  I’d never thought about the full picture of what being an author meant.  I hadn’t considered how much alone time would be involved.  I’d never thought about what I’d do if I got writer’s block—no ideas = no money.  I had no idea that once I had a manuscript, I’d have to hawk my beloved story to dozens of publishers, most of whom probably wouldn’t like it.  My full picture of “children’s author” changed drastically.  I realized I needed a fall back career choice.  Having grown up as a teacher’s kid, I chose education.  (Turns out I was pretty good at that, too.)  I knew what being a teacher looked like. I had a full understanding of the job and was able to step into that career and embrace it.

READ

Grab your Bible and read Romans 12:9-21.

THINK

When we decide to follow Jesus and enter into the family of God, we get the incredible gift of a new life.  Now we are “disciples,” “children of God,” “ambassadors of Christ,” and “lights of the world.”  That sounds so great, but…man, what does that look like?  I mean, most of us haven’t gotten to see genuine Christ-like love lived out as a lifestyle.  In fact, when you consider the world we’re used to, it’s hard to even imagine what that even might kind of look like.

Thank Heaven for Paul!  He gives such a wonderful picture of what it means to live like Jesus.  Each sentence is a new and practical way I can apply the love of Christ in my day-to-day life.  I just want to take this passage, write it out as bullet points, and tape it to my fridge. 

• Don’t fake it.  Make sure my love comes from a real place in my heart.
• Stay focused on the good that’s around me.  Reject the evil.
• Treat other people better than me.  Make them the priority, whether they deserve it or not.
• Keep my fire for God white hot and serve Him with all I have.
• Because of Jesus, I always have hope that things will get better.  Focus on that, and I’ll be joyful!
• When there are tough times, I need to be patient and let God move at the right time.
• I need to keep praying through every circumstance.
• Be kind to the people who go out of their way to make me miserable.  Do NOT sink to their level.
• No matter what’s going on in my life, I need to be present in the lives of others, celebrating their high points and grieving their losses right along with them.
• Work at keeping positive working relationships with the people around me.
• Remember that I’m no better than anyone else, so I can hang with everyone from superstars to slum dogs.  
• I will encounter evil and unfairness a lot.  It is NOT my job to balance things out.  It is NOT my job to make sure everyone gets what they deserve.  It is NOT my job—it’s God’s job.
• My job is to care for the people God put around me: friends, enemies, and frenemies.
• If I’m committed to live like Jesus, if I stay true to goodness, I will have the power to beat the devil with an ugly stick!

This is something I can use—today!  This really helps me see how I can be a mini-Jesus in the 21st century.  I can apply these at work, at school, with my family, with my friends. How awesome is that!

APPLY

Read through the verses again or take another look at the list above.  If this is what it looks like to live like Jesus, which point(s) are you already living?  Which one(s) describe your life, too?  Which of them not so much?  Prayerfully consider the areas you struggle with the most and challenge yourself to focus on applying one during the next 24 hours.  Maybe instead of focusing on your own demands and to-do’s, you’ll prioritize others and put their needs first.  Perhaps you’ve been stuck in the middle of a difficult season.  For the next day, when you start to feel down, turn your thoughts to the hope you have in Jesus and pray through.  Share your challenge with your family, then make a date to meet again tomorrow and see how it went.  End your time together praying for these steps.

PRAY

Loving Jesus, we are so blessed that You stepped down from the glories of Heaven so that we could have a living, breathing picture of love in action.  Help us as we strive to be like You.  Holy Spirit, transform our hearts!  In Your Name we pray, Jesus.  Amen

REPLY

Did you and your family enjoy this devotional blog?  We'd love to know about it!  Our hope is to continue providing this weekly opportunity for families to do a devotion together.  If your family did this devotion, please shoot us an email, text or just post a comment to this blog.

FAMILY IT! — Wednesday Family Devotional — “House Rules or House Ruler”

Supplies: Bible

SHARE 

I love to play games.  Board games, card games, video games—I like ‘em all.  In part, I think it’s a compensation for my childhood.  I did not grow up in a gaming family.  We had plenty of games in the house, we just never played them together.  As a result, most of my game-playing happened at friends’ houses.  It was there that I learned about the phenomenon called “house rules.”  In case you’re unfamiliar, this is the recognized suspension or alteration of standard, accepted game rules for the sake of family or group preferences.  For example, the instructions for Trivial Pursuit say you can only earn a pie piece if you land on one of the six “wedge spots.”  But when I went to my friend Tricia’s house to play, their house rules were that you could get a piece for any question answered correctly.  (Obviously they were looking for a faster-paced game.)  I eventually learned different house rules for when it was ok to slide in Sorry, whose hand you could pick from when you played Old Maid with three or more players, and whether or not you had to go back if, in Candy Land, you drew the Gingerbread Tree card when you were already way past that spot.

I admit, while I appreciated the variations in house rules, at times they drove me batty.  It was hard to keep up with each little customization.  What are some house rules your family has?  What about house rules your friends have for the same games?

READ

The Pharisees were starting to worry that maybe Jesus had His own “house rules” when it came to the Scriptures.  They’d noticed He didn’t always follow the Law the same way they did, and I’m sure the rumors started shortly after.  Read Matthew 5:17-20 together to see Jesus’ response to this theory.

THINK

This passage is a challenging one, in part because has a wide array of interpretations.  Some look at Jesus’ statement about fulfilling the Law and the Prophets and believe that means the Law doesn’t apply to us anymore.  Others focus on verse 18 where Jesus basically says pigs will fly before the Law is changed.  See, it’s challenging, right?  Which is the correct interpretation?  

The confusion has unfortunately resulted in a lot of “house rules” when it comes to living out faith.  We’ve become masters at picking and choosing which laws and teachings we want to abide by and which ones we’re convinced aren’t relevant any more.  We’ve also become masters at justifying our choices. 

Jesus overturned the table in the temple, so that means it’s totally ok that I unleash on some kid at school who’s been pushing my buttons.

Jesus called the Pharisees a “brood of vipers,” so that means it’s fine that I hone my name-calling skills for the refs at the next game. 

Jesus said that no food was unclean, so that means I can eat whatever I want in whatever quantities.

And since Jesus didn’t have any romantic relationships, I can make up those rules however I want.

Sound familiar?  If it’s not something you see in your own faith walk, I’m sure you’ve noticed it in others.  We modify and tweak the Word to make it fit our own preferences and end goals.  I saw this clearly for the first time when I was a young youth pastor.  One of the pillars in my youth group had begun making questionable life choices, so I called him in to talk with him.  I pointed out how well he understood scripture, as evidenced by his contribution during group discussions.  Based on what he knew about Jesus, did he think he was making wise, Christ-like decisions in his life?  This is what he told me: “I know that Jesus loves me and will forgive me for any sins I commit.  I also know I’m only going to be young once, and I want to have fun while I can.  So I’m going to live up my teens and twenties, and then when I’m older, I’ll come back and ask Jesus to forgive me.  Then I can live the rest of my adult years in close relationship with him.”  I was dumbfounded.  It was almost 15 years ago, but it still makes my heart hurt to remember.  This amazing teen had developed his own house rules for faith, and it ended up leading him down a dark pathway, one that ultimately severed his relationship with Jesus.

We can get caught up in the “rules” of the Law, but here’s what’s being said in this passage.  Jesus is calling us to His rule.  Not His rules, His rule.  He wants us to allow Him to be the Ruler of our hearts, the Lord of our lives.  He doesn’t want us obsessing over a long list of do’s and don’t’s.  He wants us obsessing over Him!  He wants us making Jesus the absolute center of everything we do.  If we do that, if we make Jesus our House Ruler, then everything else will fall into place.

APPLY

Are there any house rules you’ve developed when it comes to your faith life?  Maybe some of them are family-wide adaptations, or maybe they’re personal and just apply to you.  Depending on your situation, you may gather together as a family and boldly confess how you’ve chosen to ignore or alter Jesus’ teachings.  Or you may want to take time by yourselves in personal prayer time.  Whichever you do, I challenge you to name, to confess to Jesus any “house rules” He’s revealed to you.  Then ask Him to be your Ruler instead of your Rule-Maker.  Allow Him to begin to change how you see everything, including the Bible, in the light of Him.

PRAY

Jesus, You are the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings.  Your rule is inevitable and undeniable.  Yet we live in a culture that focuses more on the rules than the rule.  We look to the list of behaviors instead of the leader.  Help us now as we turn our eyes away from the words and focus instead on You, the Living Word.  In Your Holy Name we pray, Amen.

REPLY

Did you and your family enjoy this devotional blog?  We'd love to know about it!  Our hope is to continue providing this weekly opportunity for families to do a devotion together.  If your family did this devotion, please shoot us an email, text or just post a comment to this blog.

FAMILY IT! — Wednesday Family Devotional — “Unexpected Guests”

Supplies: Bible

READ

This week, PoC K.I.D.S. wraps up our “Unexpected Christmas” series as we look at the last part of the nativity story.  Read Luke 2:8-18 and Matthew 2:1-2, 7-11.

SHARE 

“Unexpected guest” is not a phrase one hears much these days.  It’s become pretty taboo to arrive at someone’s house unannounced, with the possible exception of family or close friends.  Gone are the days of the pastor just showing up on your doorstep or a neighbor randomly dropping by for coffee and a chat.  It just doesn’t happen.  Admit it—the thought of someone knocking on your door right now to sit down and just visit inspires panic in many of us.  “My house is a disaster area—what will they think?”  “I have so much to do, and this will mess with my plans for the day.”  “Why are they here?  What do they want?”  Even an unexpected knock at the door drives most of us to the window instead of the knob.  (We want to know to whom we’re opening the door!)  Can you think of a time when you had to process an unexpected guest?  What was the situation?  How did you handle it?

The most glaring example in my mind is Christmas 2007.  This was a special holiday for me—it was my first Christmas as a mom.  Our firstborn was just two weeks old when Advent started, and I was uber excited.  I had so many thoughts about how to make the holiday special for the first grandchild, and it culminated with a celebration on Christmas Day with both sides of our family.  (Hi, I’m Karin, and I’m a control freak.)  It was going to be a picture postcard: two parents, four grandparents, two great-grandparents, and an uncle, all around our tree, all oohing and ahhing over my absolutely adorable daughter.   Move over, Norman Rockwell!  Then, like the day before (or maybe three), my mother-in-law called to inform us that she was bringing a guest.  A guest!  To MY house!  For MY special first Christmas with my baby.  And not a friend of the family or distant relative guest.  This was a stranger!  Some recent transplant to the area with no real job or connections beyond my mother and brother-in-law.  And now he was going to bust in on my postcard picture!  I was too gracious to refuse him, but my frustration (insert: wrath) bubbled not too far under the surface.  I did almost nothing to welcome him and instead found myself resenting just about everything he did…like when my mother-in-law suggested he be the one to open my daughter’s presents (since she obviously couldn’t do it herself).  As if!  I look back with true shame at my behavior that day.

THINK

Oh, how I wish I had been like Mary!  After being shut out by the town she was visiting, she turned around and opened her makeshift delivery room to absolute strangers.  And this wasn’t just Joseph’s extended family she hadn’t met yet.  These were dirty, smelly, lowly shepherds kneeling around her barely-a-few-hours-old child.  Many months later, there were more unexpected guests.  These visitors came dressed in finer clothes, for sure, but their language and customs were likely very strange.  Even the gifts they brought, though valuable, were incredibly odd.  But just like she did with the shepherds, Mary opened her home to these “wise men.”  Her goal for both was the same: she wanted to share Jesus with them.

APPLY

As if I didn’t feel bad enough from my poor behavior seven Christmases ago, now the Holy Spirit is really pinching.  Because the reality is unexpected guests show up in our lives.  Not just at the door or even around our holiday table.  They show up at work.  They pop up at school.  They drop into our neighborhood, even our families.  Sometimes they come dressed as strangers, and sometimes they come as people we know but don’t really like.  Sometimes they bring absolutely nothing into the relationship—no help, no apparent value or benefit.  At other times, they bring too much.  They’re loaded down with critical words, manipulative behaviors, or just loads of baggage.  It’s not who we were looking for, and yet here they are sitting next to us in math or wearing a “Manager” name tag at work or sporting a new name, like “in-law.”  It’s not who we were expecting, and yet they’re here.  With us.  In our world.  In our space.

What are we going to do?  Are we going to get huffy because these people dared to knock on our proverbial doors of life unannounced?  Or are we going to be like Mary?  Are we willing to set aside the inconvenience and intrusive feelings and just share Jesus with them?  That’s all we’re asked to do.  In fact, if God is sending people our way, that’s probably why.  I did not share Jesus with that young man that Christmas.  Thankfully, my mother-in-law did.  She shared Jesus that day and many days after.  In fact, she and that “stranger” became so close that he traveled back to Illinois this summer to serve as one of her pallbearers.  Oh, what a difference Jesus makes!  Will you share Jesus with someone unexpected this Christmas?

PRAY

Precious Jesus, thank You for coming to us, for trading Your royal robes for swaddling clothes.  You came unexpectedly into this world, for sure.  You came unexpectedly into our hearts, as well.  Guide us and help us now, Holy Spirit, as we seek to share the Prince of Peace with the unexpected people you’ve brought into our lives.  In Jesus’ Holy Name we pray, Amen.

REPLY

Did you and your family enjoy this devotional blog?  We'd love to know about it!  Our hope is to continue providing this weekly opportunity for families to do a devotion together.  If your family did this devotion, please shoot us an email, text or just post a comment to this blog.

FAMILY IT! — Wednesday Family Devotional — “Unexpected Beginnings”

Supplies: Bible

SHARE 

We like predictability.  Yeah, ok, it’s fun to be spontaneous once in awhile, but all in all, we find comfort in the fact that life operates in a certain, relatively consistent pattern.  The sun comes up in the east.  If something tastes delicious, odds are it’s not good for you.  Half the kids in the mall will cry when it’s their turn to sit on Santa’s knee.  Good brings good, bad brings bad, and the Chicago Cubs…well, you get my point.  We expect certain things in life.  That’s why, when we don’t get what we expect, we are often taken aback.  We even have a catch phrase:

“It’s not supposed to happen that way.”

The slacker in your history class who sleeps through every lecture ends up getting the best grade at the end of the semester. — It’s not supposed to happen that way.

The short, geeky guy ends up at the dance with the prom queen. — It’s not supposed to happen that way. 

You slip on some ice and do a phenomenal hip-hop ballet move, never once spilling a drop of your latte. — It’s not supposed to happen that way.

A wonderful family who love God and serve others gets into a fatal car accident. — It’s not supposed to happen that way.

Can you think of anything that would fit this category?  Good or bad, what’s happened to you lately that caused you to say, “It’s not supposed to happen that way”?

READ

Read Luke 1:26-49 together as a family. 

THINK

If we have a certain expectation for the predictability of life, we have an even greater expectation for the predictability of God.  We have built God a nice little box and expect Him to do His work within the confines of that box.  And let’s face it—Mary and Elizabeth’s story are waaaaaaayyyyyy outside that box.  I think we get so used to the story that we forget how absolutely absurd it is: first-time parents who are old enough to be grandparents and a pregnant unwed teenager.  This story that kicks off Luke’s gospel is the stuff of tabloids.  Can you imagine the headline in The Judean Enquirer?  “Teen Pregnancy Shocker: ‘There’s no dad!’”  Then inside there’d be a picture of a partner-less Mary and her senior citizen cousin taking their Lamaze classes together.

It’s not supposed to happen that way!  God’s not supposed to work like that!  Or is He? 

God is the Master of the unexpected.  Some of His greatest works happen in unexpected circumstances, in unexpected places, and through unexpected people.  We just need to open our minds to see them and recognize His hand at work.  Mary’s family and neighbors likely had a hard time with that.  Joseph certainly did, until an angel set him straight (how unexpected!).  When we go through difficult seasons, when we struggle through the difficulties, when we’re fighting the slings and arrows of gossip and judgment, it can be challenging to think of our life circumstances in those moments as part of God’s plan.  It just seems counterintuitive.  But we’ve got to remember that God uses the unexpected to reveal His will and bring salvation.  Our job is not to manipulate our circumstances or even try to make sense of them.  Our job is to be like Mary and say, “I am the Lord’s servant…My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,…for the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name.” (v 38, 46, 47, 49)

APPLY

Think about the situations you shared a minute ago.  Maybe you’ve had a couple of other examples come to mind.  The temptation may be to try and figure out how God is working through those situations.  You can certainly ask Him—and He may choose to tell you.  But in the meantime, you still have a role to play.  Whether your struggle is at work, at home or at school, choose to be the Lord’s servant in unexpected circumstances.  Commit to submit to God’s will as it unfolds in and around you remembering that great things have come from unexpected beginnings.

PRAY

Glorious God, thank You for being all that You are—completely indescribable in every way.  Forgive us, Father, for trying to pigeonhole You and limit Your ways and workings in our lives.  Have Your own way, Lord!  Today we surrender fully to Your purpose, in all its unexpected wonder.  In Your Holy Name we pray, Amen.

REPLY

Did you and your family enjoy this devotional blog?  We'd love to know about it!  Our hope is to continue providing this weekly opportunity for families to do a devotion together.  If your family did this devotion, please shoot us an email, text or just post a comment to this blog.

FAMILY IT! — Wednesday Family Devotion — “Them or Us”

Supplies: Bible; different colored crayons, one for each family member (No crayons? Use coffee mugs, flowers, postage stamps, whatever you have—as long as each one is different.)

TRY

Give each member of your family a crayon (or whatever you’ve collected).  Have each person describe their item.  You don’t need to hide it from each other, just tell about the crayon you’re holding.  Once everyone has shared, think about how you each talked about your item.  Did your descriptors focus on how your item was LIKE the others, or did you tell more things about how it was DIFFERENT?  Did you say the crayon you were holding was “made of wax” or did you say it was “(insert color word)”?  When we look at things, we usually focus on what makes things different.  We like to be individuals, and we see differences as what make us unique.  Unfortunately, our differences can also be what divides us.  If we’re not careful, we take our differences and start putting the people around us into to groups: Us and Them.

READ

Read Luke 9:51-56 together.  If you have very young children, try retelling the passage as a story.

THINK 

James and John got really sidetracked by differences.  Ironically, they were on their way to Jerusalem so Jesus could give His life for ALL people.  But when the Samaritans refused them passage, all James and John could see were the things that separated them.  The Samaritans became “Thems.”  THEY were descended from Jews who disobeyed God’s laws and married pagans, people who didn’t believe in the one true God.  THEY were half-breeds.  THEY were not real Jews.  THEY didn’t worship God the right way.  THEY didn’t care who Jesus was.  And because of that, James and John felt THEY deserved to die.  Thankfully, Jesus set them straight.  The Son of Man didn’t come to condemn “them.”  He came to save “us”—all of us.  James and John forgot that their own sins made them just as deserving of a fireball strike.

Most of us have some people in our lives we think of as “Thems.”  It could be the noisy neighbors across the street who have different colored skin and speak a different language.  Maybe it’s that group of kids at school who wear different clothes, clothes you’ve never seen in any store ever.  Or maybe it’s the guy stopped next to you at the red light who listens to really different music really loudly.  For me it was the girls in my college dorm who cooked different food that made the whole floor smell…different.  When we think about people as “Thems,” we automatically start holding them at arm’s length.  Their differences become reasons to exclude them from our fellowship and, as a result, from God’s fellowship as well.  Yes, we have differences, but the things that connect us—our similarities—are the most essential.  God created all of US out of His love.  And every single one of US has betrayed that love through sin.   But His love was so overwhelming, that He send His Son to die for US.  Now God calls every single one of US His child and waits for US to come home to Him.  You see, we’re not as different as you may think…

APPLY

Let’s bring this home.  Take some time and share some of your “Thems” with each other. It may be hard, but being honest and open, confessing the people we tend to judge, will help us overcome this barrier.  Share what differences you often focus on.  Then talk about what you can do to start reaching out to “Them” and start including them with “Us.”  Close by confessing your “Them” thoughts to God and asking for His help in changing your thoughts to “Us.”

**If you have very young children, take time to talk about how people are different.  You could take a walk, visit a playground, or read a book or watch a short TV show that features people from another culture.  Have your child share ways these people are different from him or her.  Then point out ways they are the same: eyes, ears, they like to play, etc.  End by explaining that another similarity is that God loves them just like He loves your child. 

PRAY

Father God, You created all of us.  Each adult, each teen, each child was created out of Your abundant, ever-present love.  Forgive us for taking the wonderful gift of diversity and using it as a method to divide.  Help us, Lord, to see the world as You do: children of the Most High God.  Help me to love everyone like I love myself.  Amen.

REPLY

Did you and your family enjoy this devotional blog?  We'd love to know about it!  Our hope is to continue providing this weekly opportunity for families to do a devotion together.  If your family did this devotion, please shoot us an email, text or just post a comment to this blog.

Sunday Readings

• Luke 10:1-24 (NIV)

Jesus Sends Out the Seventy-Two

10 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two^[a] others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. ² He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. ³ Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. ⁴ Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.

⁵ “When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ ⁶ If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you. ⁷ Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.

⁸ “When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. ⁹ Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ ¹⁰ But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, ¹¹ ‘Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near.’ ¹² I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.

¹³ “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. ¹⁴ But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. ¹⁵ And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades.^[b]

¹⁶ “Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

¹⁷ The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.”

¹⁸ He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. ¹⁹ I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. ²⁰ However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

²¹ At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.

²² “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

²³ Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. ²⁴ For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”

 

 

• Mark 10:45

⁴⁵ For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

 
 

Saturday Readings

Luke 10:1-24 (NIV)

Jesus Sends Out the Seventy-Two

10 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two^[a] others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. ² He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. ³ Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. ⁴ Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.

⁵ “When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ ⁶ If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you. ⁷ Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.
⁸ “When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. ⁹ Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ ¹⁰ But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, ¹¹ ‘Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near.’ ¹² I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.
¹³ “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. ¹⁴ But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. ¹⁵ And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades.^[b]
16 “Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.”
¹⁷ The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.”
¹⁸ He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. ¹⁹ I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. ²⁰ However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
²¹ At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.
²² “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”
²³ Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. ²⁴ For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”

Friday Readings

• Matthew 17:1-13  (NIV)

The Transfiguration 

17 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.

4 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”

5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”

6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” 8 When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.

9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

10 The disciples asked him, “Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?”

11 Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. 12 But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.



John 16:12-13 (NIV) 

12 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.

Wednesday Readings

• Matthew 17:1-13  (NIV)

The Transfiguration 

17 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.

4 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”

5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”

6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” 8 When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.

9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

10 The disciples asked him, “Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?”

11 Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. 12 But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.

• Proverbs 2:1-5 (NIV) 

Moral Benefits of Wisdom 

2 My son, if you accept my words

and store up my commands within you, 

2 turning your ear to wisdom 

 and applying your heart to understanding— 

3 indeed, if you call out for insight 

 and cry aloud for understanding, 

4 and if you look for it as for silver 

 and search for it as for hidden treasure, 

5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord 

 and find the knowledge of God.

Tuesday Readings

• Matthew 17:1-13  (NIV)

The Transfiguration 

17 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.

4 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”

5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”

6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” 8 When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.

9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

10 The disciples asked him, “Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?”

11 Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. 12 But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.

• Genesis 2:16-17 (NIV) 

16 And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”

Monday Readings

• Matthew 17:1-13  (NIV)

The Transfiguration 

17 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.

4 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”

5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”

6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” 8 When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.

9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

10 The disciples asked him, “Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?”

11 Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. 12 But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.

• Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV) 

18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Sunday Readings

• Matthew 17:1-13  (NIV)

The Transfiguration 

17 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.

4 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”

5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”

6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” 8 When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.

9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

10 The disciples asked him, “Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?”

11 Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. 12 But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.

• John 8:28-29 (NIV) 

28 So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up[a] the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. 29 The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.”