Escaping Quicksand

Long before a giant shark attacked its first victim in Jaws, before Indiana Jones stumbled onto his first booby trap, and before computer graphics breathed new life into zombies, one of the most terrifying scenes on the big screen was when someone stepped into quicksand. No Tarzan movie was complete until he had rescued some innocent soul from certain death in that awful ooze or the villain’s final breath had gurgled to the surface.

Like that quicksand, problems sometimes threaten to suck us under. The harder we struggle, the deeper we sink. But things are rarely as bad as they seem. Laws of physics make it nearly impossible for a person to sink more than about waist deep in real-life quicksand. It may be difficult and take awhile to get unstuck, but the person won’t go all the way under. Likewise, those who have a working faith in God can only sink so low or stay so long entangled in their problems.

Google “how to escape from quicksand,” and you will find a few pointers that together form a basic plan. Adapted to the faith approach to problems in general, those points go something like this:

• Don’t panic. That will cause you to sink deeper. Try to relax. Control your spirit, and trust that God is in control of the rest.

• Pray. God always has a better plan than you can come up with on your own.

• Shed unnecessary weights. Problems have a way of putting lesser things in perspective.

• Spread your weight. Lean on God. “Underneath are the everlasting arms.”

• Be patient. Slow, deliberate actions produce better results than frantic activity.

• Rest periodically. Clear your mind and refresh your spirit by meditating on positive, faith-building thoughts from God’s Word.

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John 14:1 ESV – Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.

John 16:33 ESV – I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.

2 Corinthians 7:1 ESV – Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.

Vanessa’s Angels

The sun was slipping below the horizon as I drove up the narrow two-lane road in central Mexico. I glanced at my wife, Amber, sleeping next to me. In the rearview mirror I could see our three daughters—Tory, the brilliant four-year-old; Shelly, who had just turned two and hardly seemed to stop talking; and baby Vanessa. All were also fast asleep. I considered stopping for coffee, but decided against it. Stopping would surely wake everyone up. Plus we were in a race against time. I didn’t mind driving in the evening, when the children were asleep and the vehicle was cool. It also gave me time to think. I needed that. It had been a long year!

My mind took me back to when Amber was pregnant with Vanessa. We had traveled to the U.S. West Coast to visit Amber’s family, then to the East Coast to visit mine. Eventually we had joined a mission center in the south of Mexico, arriving just three weeks before Amber’s due date. She had been having premonitions that something wasn’t right with the baby. I told her that she worried too much. But Amber was right. Shortly after Vanessa was born, we were told that Vanessa had a heart condition that would require surgery. The full extent of her condition was not clear, but her doctors urged us to return to the U.S. for better medical care. Some friends in Dallas, Texas, agreed to take us in for a month. That’s where we were headed now.

We arrived at our friends’ house in the wee hours of the morning, to a beautifully prepared room. The girls were delighted to find two little beds, just their size. “Mommy, how long can we stay in this hotel?” Tory asked in wonder.

Our first trip to a cardiologist ended with an ambulance ride to the Intensive Care Unit of the Children’s Medical Center. Vanessa spent over two months there, her tiny body struggling to cope with heart surgery, weak lungs, intubations, and strep infections. Amber and I took turns staying with Vanessa at the hospital, one of us by her side around the clock. And all the while these wonderful friends took care of our girls, cooked our meals, washed our laundry, loaned us a car when ours broke down, and even paid our highway tolls so we could take a shorter route to and from the hospital.

When we were finally able to take little Vanessa home to recover, they gave us their own bedroom, where there was more room for all the medical equipment that was needed for Vanessa’s care. All that time, they never breathed a word about how much this was costing them.

Six weeks later, Vanessa slipped into a coma and was rushed back to the hospital. Over the next three months, a team of doctors continued to try to diagnose the problem. As the test results came back one by one, we were overwhelmed. Her brain was damaged. She was deaf and blind. Her heart condition would require multiple surgeries. Her condition was deemed terminal. The doctors gave her a year—perhaps two—and released her into our care.

For months our friends had shared their all, asking nothing in return. We were sure that there was no way they could continue to support us. We found a small apartment close to the hospital and prepared to move there.

Then our friends did something we never expected. They asked us to stay. Had they considered what they were getting themselves into? Did they realize that Amber and I would need to take shifts with the baby 24/7? That Vanessa would need constant medical attention, weekly visits from nurses? It would turn their home upside down. And we were not sure how much we would be able to contribute, financially or otherwise. Did they realize that this could go on for years?

They did understand and quietly replied, “Whatever you need, for as long as you need it, we are here for you.”

A few months later, while quietly resting, Vanessa passed from her mother’s arms into Jesus’. That was eight years ago. To this day, our friends’ actions remain the most vivid example of sacrificial giving I have ever seen—true unconditional love and kindness, love that gives until it hurts and then some, even when it knows that that those on the receiving end can never repay. Our friends didn’t merely say they wanted to follow Christ’s example, they did so!

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Hebrews 13:16 ESV- Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

Romans 12:1-2 ESV – I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Hosea 6:6 ESV – For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

Extravagant Generosity

Giving puts us in a healthier relationship with our possessions and with the material world in which we live.We like making money, but we enjoy other things as well, such as the love of our family, belonging to community, a sense of meaning, accomplishment, contribution, and service. We enjoy making a positive difference in the lives of other people. But how do we maintain balance and perspective? How can we appropriately secure the basic needs of food, shelter, education, and health while also living with purpose? How do we avoid too much preoccupation with the things that do not ultimately satisfy, and cultivate those things that do? The intentional practice of generosity helps us keep our priorities straight.

Giving reflects the nature of God. We give because we are made in the image of God, whose essential nature is giving. We are created with God’s nature imprinted on our souls; we are hardwired to be social, compassionate, connected, loving, and generous. God’s extravagant generosity is part of our essential nature as well. But we are anxious and fearful, influenced by a culture that makes us believe we never have enough. God sent Jesus Christ to bring us back to ourselves, and back to God. As we “have in us the mind of Christ Jesus,”1 we become free. Growing in the grace of giving is part of the Christian journey of faith, a response Christian disciples offer to God’s call to make a difference in the world.

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Ecclesiastes 5:10 NIV – Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless.

2 Corinthians 9:7 NIV – Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

Malachi 3:8 NIV – Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, ‘How do we rob you?’ In tithes and offerings.

Put Yourself at the Peak

A group of aging friends spend their summer vacations climbing small mountain ranges. They delight in conquering each peak in turn—no mean feat considering back problems and other ailments that sometimes come with age. It’s a strenuous activity, but glorious vistas make up for aching muscles and exhaustion. If you ask them why they don’t spend their vacations relaxing on a warm beach instead, they will dismiss the idea. They would rather go on their mountain climbs, despite the effort. They say there is nothing like the satisfaction of reaching another summit.

For this exercise, visualize a mountain range. Focus on a picture, or use your imagination. Tag each peak as one of the problems in your life—one might be upcoming bills, another is the promotion or better job you’re hoping for, another is a long-term ailment, another is a task you can’t seem to complete, and so on. Have you groaned and worried as these difficulties loomed large on your horizon? It’s time for a change in your perspective!

Choose one of the peaks and picture yourself climbing it. It’s somewhat of a struggle getting up the rocky slopes, but you are not climbing alone. A strong, experienced, and capable mountain guide accompanies you. The Lord promises, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you.”1 He offers a helping hand as you clamber over rocks. He guides you in a safe path. Together you can make this climb. You’re cheerful, even eager, as you anticipate reaching the summit. Remember, this is an exciting challenge, not a drudgery. Now, picture you and Jesus celebrating together at the summit. You’ve reached your goal!

“If the conquest of a great peak brings moments of exultation and bliss, which in the monotonous, materialistic existence of modern times nothing else can approach, it also presents great dangers. It is not the goal of grand alpinism to face peril, but it is one of the tests one must undergo to deserve the joy of rising for an instant above the state of crawling grubs. On this proud and beautiful mountain we have lived hours of fraternal, warm, and exalting nobility. Here for a few days we have ceased to be slaves and have really been men. It is hard to return to servitude.”
—Lionel Terray (1921–1965), French mountaineer

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Philippians 4:13 ESV – I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Proverbs 16:3 ESV – Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.

Matthew 16:26 ESV – For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

Announcements

Helping Hand Project 
Duration: May - July 2018
Target: RM2500.00
Theme: Extend A Hand of Hope. (Helping the children of Malaysia and Myanmar)
Details: To be announce later

Banana Leaf Ministry

Date: 9 June 2018 (Sat)

Time: 11am

Venue: Community Hall

Reminder:

Young Adults Retreat 2018

Date: 15-17 June 2018 (Fri-Sun)

Venue: La Pari-Pari Langkawi

Details: Kindly contact Capt Andrew.

5 Pillars of Financial Success

One thing that makes life stressful and even worrisome at times is a lack of money.That’s when it’s important to remember that God is the source of financial supply. “The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness.” It’s His to give, and He’s happy to give it. “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” But no matter how much God wants to help you out, if your financial “house” is missing some of the main pillars, it won’t stand. You need to believe God is able to supply, and then ask and take action. That’s where knowledge, good business sense, and planning come in. Thankfully, God has given an abundance of practical advice on how to put yourself in the best position to receive His financial blessings.

1. Put in the work.
This may seem obvious, but many people don’t do it and then wonder what went wrong. To be successful in business or even to hold a good job, you must work hard and put in the necessary hours. It doesn’t matter how smart, educated, or skilled you may be, if you don’t put in the work, God likely won’t be able to bless you as much as He would like. “He who has a slack hand becomes poor, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.” “The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty.” “A hard worker has plenty of food, but a person who chases fantasies has no sense.”

2. Appreciate and preserve God’s blessings.
God is a wise investor. He gives the most to those who are thankful for what He’s already given them and show their appreciation by being good stewards of His material blessings, by being thrifty, and by not taking His generosity for granted. Don’t be negligent or wasteful. “He who is faithful in whatis least is faithful also in much.”

3. Give to those in need.
God sees the plight of the poor and wants to come to their aid, but very often He chooses to do so through earthly agents, like you and me. Why? So He can bless both the giver and the receiver. “Blessed is he who considers the poor.” “The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself.” “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” “Let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.”

4. Ask for the right things.
God says, “Ask and it will be given,” but He also says, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss.” God loves to see us happy, but He also sees the big picture, which we often don’t. He says, “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” He knows what will be the best for us and everyone else concerned in the long run, and He answers prayer accordingly. That’s why we must pray not only for God to supply our needs, but also for ourselves to be in step with Him—to pray for what He knows is best, rather than what we want or think is best. “This is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.”

5. Have a healthy perspective on wealth.
There are much more valuable things in life than money. “Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness!” Keep your spiritual life and relationship with God strong, and try to be a good example of an honest and upright follower of Christ. “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” “All these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God.” “If they obey and serve Him, they shall spend their days in prosperity.” “No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.”

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Deuteronomy 8:18 ESV – You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day.

Proverbs 3:9-10 ESV – Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.

Matthew 6:33 ESV – But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Zarephath

A retelling of 1 Kings 17:8–16

“Have you something for me to eat, something to drink?” the unassuming stranger asked. “I’m weak from hunger and weary from my journey. Please, I beg you.”

My heart reached out to him. I felt the same hunger pains. Zarephath, where I lived, was like wherever this man had come from—in the grip of famine. I too was weak and weary. I too needed someone to rescue me before I perished.

I had almost nothing, and he was asking me to give him what little I had. If I had had only myself to look after, I would have given him my last morsel without a second thought. I had given God plenty of reasons to turn His back on me. I didn’t deserve to live, but what about my little boy, the light of my life, whom I adored?

“Come. … Of course, come in,” I answered haltingly. “But, you see, I have nothing to give you. I have only enough flour and oil to prepare one last meal for my son and myself before we die. We were gathering sticks for the fire when you came up the path.”

He was a handsome child, but gaunt now from having eaten very little for several weeks. A smile lightened his lips. He always had a smile. “Mother, I have found some sticks, too. The wind caused them to fall in the night. They will make a nice fire.”

The man looked deep into the child’s eyes. “Surely, the Lord has led me here,” he said.

I looked over at my boy, his curly brown hair tousled by the stiff breeze. His eyes were fixed on me, the way small children look at their mothers with expectancy and trust.

“Do not fear,” the man said. “Make me a small cake first, and then make some for yourself and your son. For thus says the Lord God, ‘The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the Lord sends rain on the earth.’”

I went to the shelf and took down the oil jar. It was light in my hands, nearly empty. Why was I doing this for a stranger? It didn’t make sense.

“Light the fire, my son, while I make the bread.”

I took the sack of flour from its bin. It too was nearly gone. As I kneaded the dough, a strange thing happened. Energy returned to my hands. My feet felt light as I took it to the oven. There was something different about this bread.

I struggled to ignore my hunger pangs as the room began to smell of freshly baked bread, and I avoided my son’s attentive gaze.

The man reached for the bread as I offered it to him. He held it up to God and said, “Lord, bless this food You have provided, and bless these hands that have prepared it.” He turned to me and smiled. “Now make for yourself and your son.”

“But I have just used the last…” I hesitated. His eyes told me that I should just do as he said.

“Son, hand me the flour and the oil.”

The boy’s eyes were filled with wonder as he handed me the flour. The sack was heavier than it had been in days. Then he passed me the oil jar, and as he did, oil splashed on our hands. Our hearts, like the jar of oil, were full to overflowing.

And God was true to His word. What had once been only a handful of flour and a few drops of oil kept the three of us alive for nearly three years, until the famine had passed.

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1 Kings 17:8-16 – 8 Then the word of the Lord came to him, 9 “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you.” 10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, “Bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.” 11 And as she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, “Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” 12 And she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. And now I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.” 13 And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son. 14 For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the Lord sends rain upon the earth.’” 15 And she went and did as Elijah said. And she and he and her household ate for many days. 16 The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah.

Built to Stand

At about 3 pm on March 11, 2011, the Tohoku earthquake hit the northeastern half of Japan. It was the worst earthquake in that area’s recorded history. Thousands were killed, and hundreds of thousands more were forced to evacuate and move in with friends or into temporary shelters.

When we felt the first tremors, my sister, Yuriko, and I thought nothing of them. Small earthquakes are frequent, sometimes daily, occurrences in Japan. Everyone learns to take them in stride. However, when the shaking escalated instead of subsiding, we rushed outside and held onto each other just to stay on our feet. The ground undulated. Our house, which was built to withstand earthquakes, swayed like the trees outside but didn’t fall. We later learned that in the area where we live, 205 km (128 mi) from the epicenter, the tremor measured 6.5 in magnitude.

My first concern after the quake was how my friends and family had fared. The electricity, gas, and water had all been cut, the phone lines were jammed, and it was very cold. Transportation had ground to a halt, so Yuriko and I could not even get to where our parents were. Realizing that the best thing we could do in such a situation was pray, we prayed for everyone we could think of. Eventually we were able to get through to our parents. I have never been so relieved as when they told us they were safe.

When our electricity was restored, I got online to find out how my other family members and friends across Japan were doing. It had only been a few hours since the earthquake struck, but my Facebook wall was already plastered with notes. “How are you doing?” “I’m praying for you!” “You and your family are in my prayers!”

One by one, our friends reported that they were unharmed. Some people told of having been near factories that had caught fire, or near the seashore where they could have been swept away by the ensuing tsunami, but all had been protected from harm.

The earthquake made me appreciate my friends and their support more than ever. Like the sturdy construction of our house, made to withstand violent shaking, friendship is best proven in times of trouble.

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Proverbs 18:24 ESV – A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

John 15:13 ESV – Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

Proverbs 20:6 ESV – Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find?

Keys to Communication

Good communication depends on a few basic principles. Learn these, and you will be well on the way to happy, productive relationships.

Honesty. If you want to get off on the right foot with others, be honest and straightforward from the start.

Tact. It’s important to be honest, but it’s also important to be loving and considerate in your presentation, especially with people who are naturally sensitive or when the subject could be sensitive.

Wisdom. Wisdom is what helps you be tactful. You’ll find a lot of useful wisdom within the pages of the Bible, but you can also get wisdom that is tailor made for each situation by asking God for it.1 That is promised in the Bible, but you need to ask.

Love. You may not do or say everything right, but if others see that you are motivated by love and concern, little problems or misunderstandings are less likely to become big ones.

Prayer. Sometimes praying together about a shared situation can help things click between two people like nothing else.

Positiveness. Being upbeat usually elicits a like response.

Timing. Knowing when to say something is often as important as knowing what to say. So is knowing when not to say anything.

Approachability. Dictionary definitions of approachable include accessible; easy to meet, know, talk with, etc.; friendly. When someone knows you will take time for him or her, you’ve won a friend.

Attentiveness. Listen to what others have to say without interrupting, trying to hurry them along, or finishing their sentences for them. Nothing opens a channel for constructive dialogue better than being a good listener.

Open-mindedness. People’s opinions and the way they approach problems are as different as people themselves. Letting others express their thoughts and feelings conveys respect and fosters positive, fruitful exchanges. People will be much more at ease with you and more likely to turn to you for advice if they know you will be open to what they have to say, even if you don’t agree.

Empathy. Be sensitive to others’ likes and dislikes, needs, and moods. Put yourself in their shoes. Practice the Golden Rule.2

A sense of humor. A little laughter can be just the thing to keep potentially difficult exchanges from getting too intense. Lighten up!

Clarity. There would be a lot fewer misunderstandings between people if they didn’t beat around the bush or rely so much on hints. Don’t leave others guessing; say what you mean. If you’re not sure they understand your point, ask them.

Effort. Sometimes communicating is plain hard work.

Consistency. People who communicate regularly understand each other better and are more likely to be able to work through problems when they come up.

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Colossians 4:6 ESV – Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

Proverbs 15:1 ESV – A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

Psalm 141:3 ESV – Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!

Love Is the Most Important Thing

We could all stand to improve in our relations with others,and the Bible has lots of helpful counsel for us on that subject—how to work with others, how to treat them, and so on. It talks about patience, longsuffering, unselfishness, and giving. But it goes on to say that love is the most important thing. “The greatest of these is love.” Love is the most important ingredient in our relations with others.

The hallmark of Jesus’ ministry was love, and He tells us to love likewise. “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” How can we say we love God whom we can’t see, if we can’t love the people we live and work with all the time? How can we say we love people whom we haven’t seen, if we don’t love those we see every day?

God puts certain people in our lives—relatives, coworkers, overseers, clients, or neighbors—whether we like it or not. Whether we like to be with these people or not, He has put us with them and it’s our responsibility to love them. If we have a hard time getting along with them, He evidently knows we need to learn to, or He wouldn’t have put us together. And it must be possible, or He wouldn’t have put us in that situation.

We only grow and learn when we have a challenge, so look at this as a new challenge. “What can I do to grow in my relationships with other people?” Part of the answer to that is growing in our relationship with Jesus, because when we do, we’re more loving toward other people. If we love God, we’ll love others, too, because loving others is one way we show Him love. And that’s what it’s all about. That’s the main purpose for living—to love God and others. Love is the most important thing!

Paul mentions three Christian virtues—faith, hope, love—at the end of 1 Corinthians 13, his great chapter on love, and each one enfolds a paradox. Love involves caring about people most of us would prefer not to care about. Hope gives us the power to look beyond circumstances that otherwise appear hopeless. As for faith, it will always mean believing in what cannot be proven, committing to that of which we can never be sure.

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Mark 12:31 NIV – The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

Romans 12:9 NIV – Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.

Romans 13:10 NIV – Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

The Bus Test

I stood on the crowded bus, heart pounding and feeling flushed. I had read somewhere that a pregnant woman at rest is in effect working harder than the average person climbing a mountain. But that wasn’t the reason for my rapid heart rate and the resultant “glow.”

I was fuming. Here I was, over seven months pregnant, and no one offered me and my prominent belly their seat. I had been one of the last people to board the bus because nearly everyone else had pushed ahead to secure themselves a seat.

I had been involved in volunteer work in that Asian country for a few years. After a long day at a program for the underprivileged, the only transport available was a city bus, stuffy and packed with commuters. I could understand their end-of-the-workday weariness, but not their lack of common courtesy. Who wouldn’t offer a pregnant woman a seat? I stood there huffing to myself until I reached my destination.

The next day, I voiced my annoyance to a coworker. She sympathized and shared a few of her own experiences of having to deal with rude fellow passengers on buses. Back and forth we went about the lack of manners and consideration we sometimes encounter.

My husband listened silently for a few minutes, and then offered a few words of his own, which helped put things in perspective. “We want to make a difference with our projects and programs. The real test of our love, though, is the buses.”

He was right. I dedicate much of my time to helping others, but here I was, in the comfort of my own home, surrounded by all that I need, being critical of those same people. Who qualifies for my love and empathy? Only those who exhibit certain social graces that I consider elementary?

Sometimes it is healthy to travel on a hot, crowded bus, to see and feel the things that others face on a daily basis, to remember how blessed I am, and to be reminded that everyone needs and deserves love, respect, and consideration.

Be slow—Be quick!
Be slow to suspect—quick to trust;
Slow to condemn—quick to justify;
Slow to offend—quick to defend;
Slow to expose—quick to shield;
Slow to belittle—quick to appreciate;
Slow to demand—quick to give;
Slow to provoke—quick to help;
Slow to resent—quick to forgive.
—Author unknown

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Titus 2:7 ESV – Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity.

2 Corinthians 2:17 ESV – For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.

Philippians 1:10 ESV – So that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ.

Helping Others Reach Full Potential

The Respect Effect

A banker always tossed a coin in the cup of a legless beggar who sat on the street outside the bank. But unlike most people, the banker would always insist on getting one of the pencils the man had beside him. “You are a merchant,” the banker would say, “and I always expect to receive good value from the merchants I do business with.”

One day the legless man was not on the sidewalk. Time passed and the banker forgot about him until he walked into a public building one day. There in the concessions stand sat the former beggar, now the owner of his own small business.

“I have always hoped you might come by someday,” the man said to the banker. “You are largely responsible for my being here. You kept telling me that I was a merchant. I started thinking of myself that way, rather than as a beggar receiving gifts. I started selling pencils—lots of them. You gave me self-respect. You caused me to look at myself differently.”

—Retold by Randy Stanford

The Lifesaver

Susan’s personal problems were enormous. She was dealing with tough issues from her past. Her husband had emotionally withdrawn from her. The family was in financial trouble. Somehow she kept up a good front at work, even though she was thinking of suicide.

Then she received a Christmas card from her boss with these handwritten words: “I don’t know what we’d do without you. Thank you for being so competent and helpful.”

Later she commented, “I framed that card and put it up in my kitchen. It’s like a sign that says, ‘You’re okay!’”

So send that card. Write that note. You may be giving someone just the lift he or she needs.

—David C. Egner

The Assignment

God puts people in our lives on purpose so we can help them succeed and help them become all He created them to be. Most people will not reach their full potential without somebody else believing in them. That means you and I have an assignment. Everywhere we go, we should be encouraging people, building them up, challenging them to reach for new heights. When people are around us, they should leave better off than they were previously. The Bible says that love is kind.1 One translation says, “Love looks for a way of being constructive.”2 In other words, love looks for ways to help improve somebody else’s life.

—Joel Osteen

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1 John 3:17 NASV – But whoever has the world’s goods, and beholds his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?

Matthew 25:35-40 NASV – ‘For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You drink? ‘And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? ‘And when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ “And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’

Hebrews 13:16 NASV – And do not neglect doing good and sharing; for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

Loving-Kindness Is Twice Blessed

The weather had been dark and rainy, and I felt just as gloomy. It happens to us all, I guess.

As I sat at my desk, I remembered it was the birthday of a longtime friend—a single, middle-aged woman who had dedicated the past 30 years to nursing and loved her work. Knowing that she didn’t have family in town, I decided to give her a call. Sure enough, she was on B shift, scheduled to work late into the evening, and wouldn’t have much of a birthday this year. As always, though, she sounded cheerful and was happy I had called.

After I hung up, I couldn’t shake the feeling that she would really appreciate a little special attention on her birthday. Still feeling a little gloomy myself, I tried to put the thought out of my mind, but as the day passed I couldn’t shake it. I finally gave in, and that evening set off to the hospital with a card, a slice of cheesecake, and a “flower” sculpted from balloons.

My friend’s grateful smile and joyful exclamations assured me I had done the right thing and were a generous reward for the little effort it had taken.

When I got home, I realized that I had not only cheered up a lonely friend on her birthday, but I had caused my own gloom to dissipate in the process. Making her day had made my own.

Isn’t that the way it is when we take the time and make the effort to do something for someone else? It’s like the little saying, “Loving-kindness is twice blessed; it blesses him who gives, and him who receives.”

Life constantly presents us with opportunities to take an extra step or do a kind deed that will make a difference to someone. And the wonderful thing is that as we do, it changes things for the better for us too. Like a boomerang, the blessing comes back to us.

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1 John 4:20-21 ESV – If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.

2 Peter 1:7 ESV – And godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.

Zechariah 7:9-10 ESV – “Thus says the Lord of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart.”

The Other Side of the Desk

I was submitting some legal paperwork,and to my dismay there were several discrepancies in my documents. Something that at first appeared easy to rectify instead took several weeks and numerous appointments to sort out.

At one of the offices where I had been sent, I came face to face with Olga. She struck me as efficient, but rather curt. We got off to a rough start. Mine was probably the hundredth problem she had had to deal with that day, and it seemed I would get no sympathy from her. To make matters worse, her computer froze and she had to reboot. She muttered that she was going to take an aspirin and would be back in a minute.

While she was away, I asked God for wisdom in handling the situation, and suddenly I saw things from a different perspective. For a moment I put aside my aggravation with how things were going and tried to imagine what it was like to sit on the other side of that desk.

As we waited for her computer to reboot, I asked Olga if she had encountered my specific problem before. That was the beginning of a dialog between two tired, frustrated women.

Olga explained that she had only been working at that job for a few months. In the past year, she and her husband had divorced, and she had gone through a very difficult time adjusting to her new life as a single parent. I sympathized and explained that I was a missionary, here to share God’s love with people whom I had also come to love.

Eventually, she was able to log back into the system and enter the correct information.

Over the next few days, we spoke on the phone a number of times as I checked on the progress of my paperwork. Each time our communications grew friendlier and more relaxed, and when I visited her office to collect the finalized document, Olga took extra time to verify that everything was correct. We parted as good friends.

I caught myself smiling as I stepped out into the windy evening. Taking a personal interest in someone else’s problems had transformed a mutual ordeal into a mutually positive experience.

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Matthew 5:42 ESV – Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

Luke 3:10-11 ESV – And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?” And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.”

Luke 12:33-34 ESV – Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.