FAMILY IT! — Wednesday Family Devotional — “Street Hero”

My third grader has been learning about some of the laws and principles found in science.  We’ve studied things like thermodynamics, Newton’s Laws of Motion, and even experimented with the principles of sound.  But one thing that hasn’t popped up is the “more/less principle.”  That’s the idea that if you have more of one thing, you will consequently have less of something else.  For example, the more toys I put in the tub, the less room there is for me.  The more time I spend at the park, the less time I’ll have at the library.  The more mashed potatoes I eat at dinner, the less room there will be in my stomach for yummy dessert.  

You get the idea.

Sometimes this can be a great thing.  For example, the more muscle I build on my body, the less fat I’ll have.  Score!  The more time I spend focusing on my homework, the less time I’ll have to spend studying for the quiz.  Can you think of your own?   Take a minute for some creativity and see who around the living room can come up with the best “more/less” example.

John the Baptist understood the “more/less” principle in the most personal way.  By the time John’s cousin Jesus began teaching people about God’s love, John already had a thriving baptism business going.  Well, it wasn’t really a business, but people did know all about this camel-wearing preacher guy who lived in the desert and taught people to repent of their sins.  He had his own followers and they were making a Kingdom difference teaching and baptizing others.

So when Jesus and His posse start doing the same thing on the other side of town, John’s disciples get their noses a little out of joint.  You can all read about it in John 3:22-36.  See what I mean?  They were definitely battling with some serious jealousy there.  But John handled it so wonderfully.  He helped them get their eyes off of their own mission and helped them focus on God.

The best summary of John’s philosophy comes in verse 30: “He must increase, but I must decrease.”  I love that!  It’s the ultimate “more/less” example.

Jesus must increase.  Absolutely.  We want more of Jesus.  We want more of His love, more of His grace, more of His gentleness and His faithfulness.  In times of struggle, we strive for more of Jesus’ peace.  When we’re frustrated by others, we long for more of His compassion.  More Jesus!  More Jesus!

Thankfully, there’s plenty of Jesus to go around.  But there’s not plenty of us.  We only have so much space in our hearts and minds, and if we want more of Jesus, we need to have less of something else to make room.  

That less is ourselves.  

If we want more of Jesus in our lives, we need less of ourselves getting in the way.  What does that mean?  It means I need to focus on less about ME.  Less about what I want, what I think I need, what I wish were happening.  I need to spend less time worrying about my thoughts, my opinions, my likes, my dislikes, my dreams, my fears, my my my my.  That’s a lot of me! 

But when we can be like John and decrease some of that “me,” we make room for Jesus to grow in our hearts.  When we silence our own voices, we can suddenly hear His thoughts, His opinions, His likes, His dislikes, His dreams and plans for my life.  We end up with more of Jesus, and that brings so many amazing blessings with it.

What do you need less of in your life to make room for more of Jesus?  What can you decrease?  Less time playing?  Less time on the phone?  Less time trying to plan your own stuff?  How can you decrease those things so you have more space available for Jesus?  What can your family do together to increase Jesus?  Make a plan: what will you decrease and how will you increase Jesus time?  Close together in prayer asking Jesus for that very thing—less of us, mor of You.

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.”

Saturday 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.

Friday Readings

• Luke 7:18-35 (NIV) 

Jesus and John the Baptist 

18 John’s disciples told him about all these things. Calling two of them, 19 he sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”

20 When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’”

21 At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. 22 So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. 23 Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”

24 After John’s messengers left, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? 25 If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear expensive clothes and indulge in luxury are in palaces. 26 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 27 This is the one about whom it is written:

“‘I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’

28 I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

29 (All the people, even the tax collectors, when they heard Jesus’ words, acknowledged that God’s way was right, because they had been baptized by John. 30 But the Pharisees and the experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.)

31 Jesus went on to say, “To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? 32 They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to each other:

“‘We played the pipe for you, 

and you did not dance; 

we sang a dirge, 

and you did not cry.’ 

33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ 34 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ 35 But wisdom is proved right by all her children.”

• Ephesians 5: 15-16 (NIV)

15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.

• Genesis 3: 8-9 (NIV)

8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”

James 2: 14-17 (NIV)

Faith and Deeds 

 

14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

Wednesday Readings

• Luke 7:18-35 (NIV) 

Jesus and John the Baptist 

18 John’s disciples told him about all these things. Calling two of them, 19 he sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”

20 When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’”

21 At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. 22 So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. 23 Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”

24 After John’s messengers left, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? 25 If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear expensive clothes and indulge in luxury are in palaces. 26 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 27 This is the one about whom it is written:

“‘I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’

28 I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

29 (All the people, even the tax collectors, when they heard Jesus’ words, acknowledged that God’s way was right, because they had been baptized by John. 30 But the Pharisees and the experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.)

31 Jesus went on to say, “To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? 32 They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to each other:

“‘We played the pipe for you, 

and you did not dance; 

we sang a dirge, 

and you did not cry.’ 

33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ 34 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ 35 But wisdom is proved right by all her children.”

• Colossians 2: 6-7 (NIV) 

Spiritual Fullness in Christ 

 

6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

•  Isaiah 49: 15-16 (NIV) 

15 “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast 

 and have no compassion on the child she has borne? 

Though she may forget, I will not forget you! 

16 See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; 

 your walls are ever before me.

•  Romans 5: 6-8 (NIV) 

6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.