Devotions By Jan

Category Archives: The Body of Christ


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Thick Skin

Scripture for Today:  Ephesians 4:32  “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”

This Indian Rhinoceros is quite impressive.  His hide being segmented looks like body armor.  His shoulders and upper legs are covered in wart-like bumps.  And what is really amazing is that his skin is four centimeters thick!  It is understandable that he has very few natural enemies being so large and thick-skinned.

Being thick-skinned is a treasured value in our world today.  If one is thick-skinned then one can avoid emotional hurt.  Insults, name calling, and gossip have no effect.  The thick skin becomes an armor to verbal attack.

All of this sounds good at first glance.  But for the believer following God’s Word, there is a problem.  Our verse for today tells us to be tender-hearted.  If we are tender towards others than we can be kind and we can be compassionate.  But if our hearts are tender for this purpose, than our hearts are also vulnerable to attack.  Thick skin would not be possible.

Thick skin on humans is just a myth anyway.  We are all fragile to one degree or another.  If that were not true, than there would be no need to be told, “Be kind to one another.”  Having a tender heart means we will be hurt, which is why the next words are about forgiveness.  When we are tender towards others than we feel their hurts and we feel our own as well.

But the wonderful part about having a tender heart rather than thick skin is that I can realize Christ’s forgiveness for me!  The uncomfortable conviction of His Spirit can penetrate a soft heart.  My tender heart can experience His complete pardon.  Lord, do not let me grow thick skin!


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Smell

Scripture for Today:  I Corinthians 12:17-18  “If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be?  If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?  But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.”

I am not such a big fan of onions, although my husband is.  I do understand their health benefits and even how they can spice up a dish.  But I am annoyed when their odor makes me tear up or when my hands smell.

When we lived in Germany we helped our German friend cut pounds and pounds of onions for the “flammkuchen” or onion pizza sold at the village fair (Budenfest)  We found that after several hours of cutting, there is no more smell and no more tears!

Our verse for today talks about the sense of smell being important for the body.  In this chapter the Church is likened to a body made of differing parts.  All parts are needed for good health.  Each member of the body has an important role to play.  God is the One who decides what member we are and what role we are to play.

Some members of the body seem to get more recognition than others.  We look at each other and feel it unfair that the role of someone else is more visible.  But in fact, if we all had the same function in the church there would be chaos.  We need each other.

If I am a nose rather than the eye or the hand, than I need to be satisfied with that.  I want to serve Him faithfully in the role He has given.  Lord, keep me from an attitude that would “cut off the nose to spite the face!”


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Brillo

brilloScripture For Today:  Ephesians 4:32  “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ has forgiven you.”

My husband enjoys taking his Mom to different museums and art galleries.  They especially enjoyed the exhibitions at the Huntington Library in California.  Their Modern Art section included this display of Brillo pads.

Brillo pads were invented when the shift was made from cast iron cookware to aluminum.  Their steel wool infused with soap was effective in removing  the black and restoring the shine.  In fact, the word “Brillo” calls to mind the word in French for “shine.”  (briller)  The only way a brillo pad can do its job is to rub, scrub and irritate the blackened residue until it is lifted off.   The result is clean and bright.

There are brothers and sisters in Christ who rub me the wrong way.  I love them better at a distance.  It may be that they have an annoying habit.  Perhaps, I do not appreciate the way they speak to me.  Whatever the reason, it is unavoidable.  Like the brillo pad, they irritate.

Our verse for today talks about what my attitude should be towards brothers and sisters in Christ.  Because of the Lord’s forgiveness and grace to me, I need to be gracious as well.  Tenderness should be what characterizes my demeanor.

I believe the Lord uses other believers to rub and irritate out of me what does not belong.  If I did not have to rub shoulders with difficult people,  opportunities to clean up and shine would be lost!  The Lord reveals the blackened bits in me through my relationships.  I am sure that I unknowingly play the role of that brillo pad in the lives of others as well!

Thank you Lord, that you want to shine through me!


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Love and Light

Scripture for Today:  I John 2:10 “The one who loves his brother abides in the Light and there is no cause for stumbling in him.”

It can seem very dark here in Alsace.  It is not that we live in the country.  But we are in a much less populated area than southern California.  Things are spread out and there just is not as much artificial light.  Sometimes between villages, my husband will turn off the headlights to impress our visitors with how dark it can get.  When walking at night, I always use my small key chain flashlight to avoid tripping.

Today’s verse talks about staying in the light.  Jesus is our light.  He illuminates the path of obedience we are to walk.  Obeying Him allows us to remain within the beam of that light.  It is easier to talk about obedience in general terms, but here the verse is very specific about one particular commandment; loving our brother.  We are at risk of falling when we do not love our brother.  It is like turning off the headlights or forgetting my flashlight.  Loving our brother as God commands keeps us in His light and on the right path.

I never realized before how closely linked are LOVE and LIGHT.  The amount of light I live with is dependent on how much I love my brother.  Quite frankly, I get used to my way being dimly lit.  My eyes adjust to the lack of light due to my lack of love.  I do not think to do anything about it…….until I stumble.  I trip on my lack of love.  How much better it is to make the effort to love.  My walk is so much more pleasant in the light!

Lord, help me to stay in Your light by my brother.


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Ring the Bells

Scripture for Today:  Psalms 122:1  “I was glad when they said to me, Let us go to the house of the Lord.”

The church and bell tower pictured here is what I see from my office window everyday!  It is a beautiful structure and awe-inspiring.  But what is really fun is to hear the bells toll.  The music of the bells differs according to the purpose.  There is the hour, of course.  But a different sound is made for weddings and another for funerals.  Then there is the call, the longest, to invite people to mass.  It must ring for a good ten minutes!  For those who live closer, I cannot imagine how they could sleep through it.

David was glad to hear the invitation to “the house of the Lord.”  In this Psalm, his purpose in going was to give thanks to the Lord, pray for peace, and pray for his brothers and companions.  There was joy for David in the prospect.  He was glad to be going for reasons of praising God and praying for others.

If I am sometimes less than enthusiastic about church, it may be that my attitude is a bit backwards, thinking about what I am going to receive.  If I go to praise God for what He has done, if I go to pray for and encourage others, then I will not be disappointed!  The music may not have been to my taste.  The sermon might have seemed dry.  But in fact, it is not only about what I receive.  The biggest joy in going can be what made David glad: Praising God and praying with and for others!

There is gladness in going to the house of the Lord.  May I have the same heart as David.