Day Seven
Dutiful - Considerate
Proverbs 31:14..She rises while it is yet night and gets [spiritual] food for her household and assigns her maids their tasks...
Romans 12:10,16...Love one another with brotherly affection [as members of one family], giving precedence and showing honor to one another...Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, (snobbish, high-minded, exclusive), but readily adjust yourselves to humble tasks. Never overestimate yourself or be wise in your own conceits...
1 Corinthians 13:4-8a...Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily...It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]...It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail...Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]...Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]...
Ephesians 4:1-3...I therefore, the prisoner for the Lord...appeal to and beg you to walk (lead a life) worthy of the [divine] calling to which you have been called [with behavior that is a credit to the summons to God's service...Living as becomes you] with complete lowliness of mind (humility) and meekness (unselfishness, gentleness, mildness), with patience, bearing with one another and making allowances because you love one another...Be eager and strive earnestly to guard and keep the harmony and oneness of [and produced by] the Spirit in the binding power of peace..
Ephesians 4:32 - 5:2...And become useful and helpful and kind to one another, tenderhearted (compassionate, understanding, loving-hearted), forgiving one another [readily and freely] as God in Christ forgave you...Therefore be imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father]...And walk in love, [esteeming and delighting in one another] as Christ loved us and gave Himself for us, a slain offering and sacrifice to God [for you, so that it became a sweet fragrance...
Ephesians 5:21,22,25,28,33...Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One)...Wives, be subject (be submissive and adapt yourselves) to your own husbands, as [a service] to the Lord...Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her...Even so, husbands should love their wives as [being in a sense] their own bodies, He who loves his own wife loves himself...However, let each man of you [without exception] love his wife as [being in a sense] his very own self; and let the wife see that she respects and reverences her husband [that she notices him, regards him, honors him, prefers him, venerates him, and esteems him; and that she defers to him, praises him and loves and admires him exceedingly]...
Philippians 2:2-5...Fill up and complete my joy by living in harmony and being of the same mind and one in purpose, having the same love, being in full accord and of one harmonious mind and intention...do nothing from factional motives [through contentiousness, strife, selfishness, or for unworthy ends] or prompted by conceit and empty arrogance. Instead, in the true spirit of humility [lowliness of mind] let each regard the others as better than and superior to himself [thinking more highly of one another than you do of yourselves]...Let each of you esteem and look upon and be concerned for not [merely] his own interests, but also each for the interests of others...Let this same attitude and purpose and [humble] mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus; [Let Him be our example in humility]...
Colossians 3:12,13,14,18,19...Clothe ourselves therefore, as God's own chosen ones (His own picked representatives), [who are] purified and holy and well-beloved [by God Himself, by putting on behavior marked by] tenderhearted pity and mercy, kind feeling, a lowly opinion of yourselves, gentle ways, [and] patience [which is tireless and longsuffering, and has the power to endure whatever comes, with good temper]...Be gentle and forbearing with one another and, if one has a difference (a grievance or complaint) against another, readily pardoning each other; even as the Lord has [freely] forgiven you, so must you also [forgive]...And above all these [put on] love and enfold yourselves with the bond of perfectness [which binds everything together completely in ideal harmony]...Wives, be subject to your husbands [subordinate and adapt yourselves to them], as is right and fitting and your proper duty in the Lord...Husbands, love your wives [ be affectionate and sympathetic with them] and do not be harsh or bitter or resentful toward them...
"OH THE GAMES PEOPLE PLAY NOW
EVERY NIGHT AND EVERY DAY NOW
NEVER MEANING WHAT THEY SAY NOW
NEVER SAYING WHAT THEY MEAN..." (Games People Play, Songwriter, Joe South - 1969).
A few weeks ago, this song, Games People Play, kept running through my mind. The only music I listen to is Christian music, so I knew this was being brought to my memory for a purpose. As I began to work on this particular devotional, with the characteristics being dutiful and considerate, this song came back again. Well, you might ask, what does this song have to do with today's devotional topic? Actually, the words of the song reflects what still goes on today, some 33 years after it was originally written.
I went through the New Testament and found many scripture verses of how we are to walk in love regarding each other and there are many more examples I could have used. The scripture verses and this song are actually a paradox, a contradiction. But what we have, in reality, achieved in our society in the Church, in our families, between husbands and wives, and in our homes, is a walk that is filled with games, while trying to paste a covering of our own version of religious 'love', to hide the truth of what is in our hearts
When our time comes to stand before God and give account for our lives, will it be a reflection of the Word of God, or will our lives reflect the 1969 song?
...she rises while it is yet night and gets [spiritual] food...and the fruit is selfless love...
2 Peter 1:5-8...For this very reason make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ...(New International Version).
A hearts' cry...Father, search my heart. I do not want to play games of love; I choose to walk in love...