A Minute With The Bible I John 3:17 points out, "But whoso hath the world's goods, and beholdeth his brother in need, and shutteth up his compassion from him, how doth the love of God abide in him?" Love and compassion are tied together in this passage. When someone is in need, the compassionate person will assist the individual. Love is the motivating force; compassion is the kindness one has toward another. There was a man who was beaten by robbers and left to die. There came a Samaritan and bound up his wounds, carried him to a place where he could recover, and paid for his lodging. Jesus had been asked, "Who was one's neighbor?" The account of the good Samaritan was his answer. What we need is more compassion; less selfishness. We need more love; less hatred. Are we like the good Samaritan?
"Every one therefore who shall confess me before men, him will I also confess before my Father who is in heaven"(Matthew 10:32). In order for one to please the God who created each of us, we must be willing to acknowledge His existence and His power. A confession, however, is much more that saying the words. A true confession of faith involves accepting that which is commanded by the Lord. If one has the courage to stand up for the Lord and His word in this life, he will be rewarded in the next life. One who serves the Lord should not be ashamed of the ways of truth and righteousness. Jesus did not hesitate to die upon the cross for every human that has ever lived or will live. The Lord will stand beside us and uphold us as we profess, and live, the life of a Christian. He will, in the presence of His Father, be willing to confess the faithfulness of his disciple(s). The Lord was not ashamed to die for us. Are we willing to live for him?
"Who is wise and understanding among you? let him show by his good life his works in meekness of wisdom"(James 3:13). There are few things that can affect others than a proper lifestyle. The faithful disciple is wise enough to know that if he desires to demonstrate his spiritual wisdom, he does so through proper conduct and behavior. There will be no question among his neighbors about his lifestyle. They will see how he talks and how he acts. When they realize his interest is in spiritual matters, they will come to him for counsel and assistance. Such righteous individuals build a reputation for kindness and integrity. Do you want to be wise? Study the Bible and learn God's ways for men. Do you want others to understand you? Live the righteous life that attracts the attention of your family, your friends, and your neighbors. How wise are you?
"Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall exalt you"(James 4:10). I fear that many of our society have little to do with humility. It is not easy to recognize one's own humanity and accept the fact that we are only mortals. Too many boast of what they have accomplished giving little credit to those who made it possible for them to achieve. There was a rich man who made a good crop. He boasted of what he had accomplished and patted himself on the back. One factor he ignored: the brevity of life. The Lord pointed out his foolishness and said, "This night is thy soul required of thee." We need to realize that we are what we are because of the graciousness of the Lord as well as the assistance of others. No man has accomplished anything worthwhile without the assistance of others. The Lord only exalts those who practice humility.
"Behold, we call them blessed that endured: ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord, how that the Lord is full of pity, and merciful"(James 5:11). Do we become impatient when we are waiting on a red light? Or, when we are waiting for someone? Or, as we wait in a professional's office? Or, the waiting in lines? We are not very patient, are we? The word patience carries the idea of "to abide" or "endurance." Job was suffering, but Job endured. He understood that his dependence was upon Jehovah and the Lord would see him through his trials. Job would "abide" the sorrows and afflictions placed upon him for he knew, in the long run, God would care for him. We need to endure whatever be our fate; we need to abide those unpleasantries of life; we need to trust in the Lord as did Job. How patient have I been today?
"The Lord God fashioned into a woman the rib which he had taken from the man and brought her to the man"(Genesis 2:22). None of the beasts of the field could meet the needs of the man. Adam needed someone whom he could love; someone to communicate with; someone who would understand and fulfill his needs. Eve met the needs of Adam and the first marriage came into existence. It was God's desire there be one woman for one man. In His wisdom, he so designed humanity differently from the animals of the field. Man was an intelligent being, capable of caring for and loving a mate in a manner that the lower creatures could not achieve. The Lord created one woman for one man for a lifetime. Such is God's will from the beginning. Do you accept God's way?
"And the man knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man with the help of Jehovah"(Genesis 4:1). The first child born on this earth was a joy to these parents. There is something wonderful about becoming a parent, knowing the child is a product of the love that binds husband and wife together. Do you remember what it was like to cuddle your firstborn? How glad and happy you were as you cared for your child? If that feeling could be in the hearts of all parents, we would never hear of the mistreatment and abuse of children. When parents love a child, they will do all within their power to protect they; they will seek to guide them in the ways of truth and honor; they will rejoice in their accomplishments. How is it at your house?
"When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate"(Genesis 3:6). The first humans did what God told them not to do. They ate of the forbidden fruit and violated the instructions of God. This first sin was committed by their own choice. They were free moral agents, who could understand and obey commands or disobey commands. Sin has been attractive to mankind since the Garden of Eden. Satan did his work well as he deceived our foreparents. The devil still lives and walks about on the earth, seeking to entice men into sin. What Adam and Eve should have done, and we need to do is to "just say no."
"Anxiety in a man's heart weighs it down, But a good word makes it glad"(Proverbs 12:25). Worry takes its toll on any human. It costs him sleep, rest, and energy. Many of our society have a difficult time because we are anxious about that which belongs to this life. We are anxious about our families, our jobs, our nation, our health, and a host of other cares with which we are burdened. When you are anxious, have you not been lifted up when someone spoke a word of encouragement? Perhaps by knowing people care, we begin to feel relaxed and realize that our situation is not as bad as we assumed. We should not only receive a "good word," but we need also to give a "good word" to those who are having difficulties and problems. Much of the time we will find that our circumstances are not as bad as we thought. A kind word, a pleasant thought, and a smile can bring gladness.
Solomon, the wise one, stated, "Rejoice, young man, during your childhood, and let your heart be pleasant during the days of young manhood"(Ecclesiastes 11:9). There is something wonderful about youth and the vitality of those who are young. The future is bright; it is filled with opportunity. Yet, it is what one makes of his youth. There is a challenge in every day and hope as one pillows his head at night. The life of the young can be a blessing or a curse: most of the time it is up to the person himself. The experiences can be pleasant or they can be disruptive and disappointing. It lies within the young heart to seek the challenges of the future and to use the past only as a means of growing and understanding. Solomon advised to "remove grief and anger from your heart" because life is fleeting and before you realize it, youth is gone. Make the best of it!
Solomon advised, "Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near when you will say, "I have no delight in them"(Ecclesiastes 12:1). The time to serve the Lord and practice righteousness is while we have the energy and strength to do so. Young people are responsible to God as well as the elder. When one has the optimism of youth, the determination of spirit, and the power of the flesh, one's life should be spent in righteous and lawful behavior. There will be days when you regret your conduct in youth if it is not as it should have been. Youth should so live that they will not look back in sadness because of their past behavior. Use the strength of your youth to learn, to love, to achieve, to set a proper example to others, and to do nothing of which you will be ashamed as you grow older. It is in your power!
The wise man advised, "Let your fountain be blessed, And rejoice in the wife of your youth"(Proverbs 5:18). Can you remember how happy you were when you first took someone to be your mate? Did you know that God intended for a marriage to last a lifetime? Perhaps many forget how they longed to have a mate whom they could love and care for in times of joy and in times of sorrow. The one you married saw something in you that brought an attraction, not just physical, but a deeply ingrained emotion that stirred your very spirit. How delighted you were that someone cared enough to love you and to marry you. What happened along the way? Where those feelings lost in the passing of time? Why? Did you not learn to weather the storms that came your way--together? What caused you to drift apart? Somewhere along the way, you ceased to love. How sad!
Jeremiah stated, "It is good for a man that he should bear the yoke in his youth"(Lamentations 3:27). Life is not a continuous experience of ease and prosperity. There will be times when life is unpleasant and one wonders if anything good can happen. This lesson should be learned while one is young. Realizing how life can be, the wise person will be able to bear the adversities along with the happy experiences. Learning to work, to achieve, to overcome, and to be patient should be learned in the early years of one's life. Let one, as Jeremiah observes, "put his mouth in the dust." There will be those who are unkind and his "cheek" will feel "the smiter." As the young person faces the hardships of life, the reaction can either make the person stronger and more determined or it will cause one to sour on his life and become a miserable human being. How do you face life?
The apostle Paul wrote to a young Timothy and said,"Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe"(I Timothy 4:12). While the instructions of Paul were to a young man, it is certainly appropriate for those of any age to follow the inspired words of the apostle. Proper speech is not just for the young, it is for the elderly as well. Appropriate conduct is not peculiar to youth, but all ages need to learn how to behave. Love is not confined to the young, it belongs to all ages. Faith should motivate every soul, whatever be their stage in life. Purity is a virtue at every age level. When you sum up these qualities that Paul identified, they belong to every faithful Christian, whether young or old. Too often, we make the mistake that righteous behavior is determined by one's age. The word of God teaches that we are all to live godly.
A young ruler said to Jesus Christ, "All these things I have kept, what lack I yet?"(Matthew 19:20). The ruler had asked the Lord, "...what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?" Jesus answered by stating commandments from the Law of Moses. The young man replied that he had "kept" that part of the law and asked what he lacked. Christ, who knew the hearts of all men, told him that he would be complete when he sold his possessions and distributed his treasure "to the poor." Jesus told him the "good thing" that he must do, but the ruler was unwilling to make that sacrifice. It is unfortunate that so many of humanity lack the one thing that can take them to heaven: sacrifice. Without making the sacrifice that is preventing one from pleasing Jehovah, regardless of all of the "good things" that may be in one's life, he is like the ruler: lost!
The inspired apostle Paul wrote to Timothy these words,"Do not sharply rebuke an older man, but rather appeal to him as a Father, to the younger men as brothers, the older women as mothers, and the young women as sisters, in all purity"(I Timothy 5:1-2). How we treat others is an index to our own character. We are no better than how we behave in regard to our families, our friends, our neighbors, our co-workers, or any other person. Paul is helping a younger man to understand how others are to be treated. When the proper attitude is shown to those with whom we have contact, we become a better person and will be respected by most of those with whom we associate. If we could all treat others as we should, how much better would be this world. No fights, no wars, no crime, no place for anger and revenge--can you imagine such a society? It starts with me--and you!
"I have been young and now I am old, Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread" were the words of David, the king of Israel, in Psalm 37:25. The faith of David, even though he was human and made mistakes, is expressed in this passage. The Lord will take care of those who are righteous. He cares about those who are his servants. Jehovah will provide what each disciple of Christ truly needs. From the example of David(and other Old Testament saints) to the present day, God cares for His people. On the other hand, the Lord is given credit for a lot of things he didn't do! While he makes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, never think that God approves one's behavior because of physical blessings. When it comes to spiritual matters, the Lord has revealed through the Gospel of Jesus Christ the requirements to obtain such blessings.Aired during