Posts Tagged ‘Servanthood’

13.Jun.2010 |

Jealousy and Encouragement

Written by Jill
6 Comments

Encouragement
Encouragement for most of us is not a natural thing to extend to others. We are more interested in our own personal success rather than helping others. Eve in Genesis 3:5 was taken in by the statement from the serpent that she would be like God if she ate the forbidden fruit. She saw great benefit for herself and so went ahead and took a chance that led to disaster. She didn’t consider others in this decision.

It’s easy to understand that we want encouragement but it’s harder to give encouragement. We find it easy to extend encouragement to those whose success is non-threatening to us such as our children, or one whose success has nothing to do with ours. However it can be difficult to offer praise when another’s success may highlight our lack of success or their success may infringe on ours in some way.

Tainted Encouragement
We may be excellent at throwing out slighted compliments such as “you’ve come a long way” or “you’ve really improved”. Alternatively we can diminish their success by pointing out things that detract from their achievement. For example, they were given a head start in some way.

If someone succeeds, then support them wholeheartedly. If someone tries some thing new, then champion them on. If someone is having to fill the shoes of another, then be ready to be their greatest support.

Competition or Jealousy
In 2 Timothy 4:7, Paul talks of running a race. He’s in a competition. The Bible is full of battles with mankind fighting each other. It is good to remember that competition is normal but remember the side that you are on. What will come from your lips when another succeeds or takes up a new challenge? Will we allow our words to be tinged with jealousy? Are we truly examining our heart and disciplining ourselves to stay true to God and others.

Paul instructs Timothy in 1 Timothy 6:12 to “fight the good fight.” This reminds me that in keeping a great attitude, that I must not start excusing another’s success but recognise it for what it truly is. We often think that achievement is easy but many achievers stand alone since few want to cheer them on.

The Power of Encouragement
The great apostle Paul writes to Philemon, “My brother, please do me this favor for the Lord’s sake— give me this encouragement in Christ.” Paul writes pleading the case of another. Paul writes asking that this slave be given another chance. Paul wanted Philemon to recognise this slave’s salvation and welcome his as a brother. Paul wanted Philemon to encourage the slave so that he could succeed further in life.

Encouragement and praise are powerful. Proverbs 12:25 says “an encouraging word cheers a person up.” We can shift our attitudes from waiting to get encouraged to being an encourager.

When we struggle to praise and encourage, we are often disappointed that it was not ourselves that experienced success. However, if we discipline ourselves to praise, we fuel one another and build extensions into one another’s lives that strengthen bonds.

Did you like this? Share it:
06.Jun.2010 |

God Sees What Others Cant

Written by Jill
4 Comments

Opportunities or Attack
Sometimes we are given opportunities to change and grow and yet we think that it’s an attack from the enemy. Even the enemy’s attacks are opportunities to stand, fight and grow. Many of these opportunities, if we took them, would bring us greater success. We also discover abilities within ourselves when taking opportunities, of which we had no idea.

David chose to fight Goliath in 1 Samuel 17:48-49. David saw a dilemma which potentially could bring death to him and many others and yet he didn’t go into a prayer room or wait for someone else to fight.

His brothers scorned him as he showed interest in this battle. In 1 Samuel 17:28, Eliab his brother, became angry and said to David, “Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the desert? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle.”

However David saw an opportunity beneficial to himself and others and so he walked toward Goliath with a lump in his throat and heart pounding. He cried out to God and turned his fear to faith.

Opportunities May Be Inconvenient and Uncomfortable
Challenges aren’t convenient and may be the devil but God whispers to us amongst our anxiety and fears that the devil has already been overcome. We just have to walk in the plan that has already been mapped out for us.

Opportunities are usually not convenient and often involve facing fear, or doing something new and uncomfortable. It may even disagree with our way of thinking.

David fought a soldier’s battle while surrounded by soldiers and yet he wasn’t a soldier but a shepherd. In the rising to the challenge, we can find new confidence and success.

Exciting Or Unpleasant – It Prepares You For The Next Step.
We face opportunities in life whether exciting or unpleasant. We may face a marriage or career opportunity or we may face divorce or painful illness or death. Every thing that we face can prepare us for our future.

In 1 Samuel 17:34 -37 David says to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”

David was unknown to Saul and so David was letting the king know that he was prepared for this battle by his previous accomplishments. David was already called and anointed by God but his faithfulness and abilities were unknown to men.

When David was speaking he was showing that each opportunity was preparation for the next. Those opportunities that we may wish to avoid actually are our preparation for greater things.

David could stand in front of Saul with character and fruit that backed his plan. But David also understood that it was fine to be unrecognised by man and he was prepared to do and fight whatever battles that came his way because each challenge prepared him for his future.

Did you like this? Share it:
30.May.2010 |

Marriage and Contentment

Written by Jill
3 Comments

Building Contentment
Contentment in marriage is a long term goal rather than instantaneous. The combining of two people is an upheaval. Dating is part time sharing, whereas marriage is full time. One goes from living a single life of infrequent sharing to a married life where sharing must be frequent.

Decisions have to be joint from whom is doing what, how money is spent, who initiates and how often is sex, what friendships should be maintained and should a couple have separate interests. Dean and my fights concerned from which end do you squeeze the toothpaste, how often and with whom did we socialise, with whose family should we spend Christmas and whether he needed an evening meal. These things all contributed to battles in our marriage. Understand that a degree of conflict and hurt is normal in marriage. But then the aim is to resolve the issues, to help the other, make apologies and do what is needed to build contentment within the marriage.

Real Romance
Marriage sounds romantic. The wedding day is particularly romantic as the bride and groom look their best while they pledge fidelity to the end of their days. There are gifts in abundance, a gorgeous setting and meal while the honeymoon has finally arrived. The attention is all on the couple as it is their day. It is little wonder that many couples face huge letdown regarding marriage. So much has been placed on making the wedding day romantic but true romance is not built in one day. It is built as two get to know one another. As two really know what the other desires and makes them feel loved.

Serving To Contentment
Reading all the books and attending marriage classes helps but this knowledge needs to become action. Putting advice or knowledge into action is like a step of faith. You take action without knowing the result.

Often in marriage, one partner chooses not to serve the other because the other is yet to serve them. It is unwise to live your marriage this way. Firstly our giving to the other is out of reverence for Christ rather than our partner. Paul writes this in Ephesians 5:21. When we choose to give to our partners we choose to give to God. Whether someone is loving or not does not negate that they are made in the image of God. Choosing to give to our partners means that we are depositing into God and honoring Him. Most often when we start to give to the other, at some point they start giving back.

Loving Our Partner
Secondly how do we serve our partners? Perhaps we are misreading what they want. God loves our worship, our prayer, our studying of our Bibles and the church. God loves to watch us caring for one another and helping one another out. God loves our generosity even with money and that we tithe to the church and give it to others. God loves anything that we do that shows our love for Him. We know all of this because we have spent time with God.

We can do this in our marriage. By watching, listening and conversing with our partner, we can discover their likes and dislikes. For years I have given Dean gifts because I like gifts. It’s a continual joke in our marriage. He loves to eat out while I have learnt to appreciate this. Initially to me restaurants were a waste of money but part of loving Dean is appreciating what he likes. I’ve learnt that it’s not about the money but that he enjoys me being with him doing something that he loves.

Sometimes we misjudge our partners and regard them as less spiritual, intuitive or talented. I used to think that Dean was frivolous. I discovered my mistake because I took the time to get to know him. Choose to do what your partner desires, choose to encourage your partner and let them know that they are the most valuable person on this earth.

Contentment Lies in Changing Yourself
Choose to change your mind and work on your own character rather than trying to change your partner. When we try to change another it is not necessarily according to God’s plan nor is it necessarily beneficial.

See your giving to your partner as your tithe. When we tithe, we don’t know the reward, the source of the reward or the time of the reward. In tithing we give to God without knowing to whom, what or where it will go. Often we remain unrewarded in marriage because we are not generous to the other. And so adjust your expectation and get generous in your marriage.

Did you like this? Share it:
11.May.2010 |

From Nobody To Somebody

Written by Jill
6 Comments

In 1 Samuel 16, David shepherded sheep for his family in back pastures and his dad never thought of him as a king. The prophet Samuel had to ask Jesse, David’s father, if he had any more sons before Jesse thought of David. Jesse did not regard his youngest son as regal material.

It did not matter though because God speaks and moves according to His plans. He will speak to those that are instrumental in shaping our lives as He did to Samuel regarding David as king. This future king was a shepherd boy and no one knew of his achievements in the back pastures. David unknown to others had killed lions and bears and served faithfully in one job with no complaint.

God’s choice in His use of people is not random. When Jesus chose his disciples, it would not have been random. I can imagine Jesus conversing with His Father as he walked past each future disciple. He would have seen the differing personalities, character, heart, abilities and attitudes before He chose them.

Sometimes we feel that we are overlooked, in the wrong position or place or all of these things. Sometimes we feel unworthy, ill equipped or perhaps too accomplished to do what we are doing. Sometimes we get excited about a new task or career only to find that this fades and then then we struggle with a souring attitude. We’ve lost our vision and are now filled with complaint. We then become unfocussed and cast blame where blame is not due.

David was a shepherd boy and yet God made him a king. That’s the equivalent of cleaning toilets in today’s society to then ruling a nation. David was faithful in this insignificant position and it did not matter that his family saw him as insignificant. God saw his talents and faithfulness and that he was kingly material.

If you dream of doing something, are being faithful in your commitments and are communicating honestly with God and your leaders, then stay put until doors open. Dreams are better served than chased from church to church or from place to place.

As individuals, disciplining oneself to be happy as whoever and doing whatever serves one well in life.

Did you like this? Share it: