My grandson unknowingly exposed a quirk of mine as he’s begun to talk, quite possibly one I’ve unwittingly passed on to his mother. His words come full speed now in groups of two or three, repeating everyone and everything. My daughter noticed that he would not say shoes and when she asked him what they were called, he would answer, “hmm, hmm, hmm.” He did this with other words or phrases on his last visit and as I was pointing it out to my husband, I ended my sentence with a laugh- ha ha ha. Since then I’ve realized I do this quite often.
My sister tells a similar story of her eldest, who loved to play with her keys at the pantry door while she put away groceries. One day she noticed Anna deliberately dropping the keys and stomping her little foot with a grunt. She remembers wondering aloud where she picked up this new charade until she caught herself doing the very same thing on a different occasion.
“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.
Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning:
Don’t think you are better than you really are.
Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.”
Romans 12:2-3 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/rom.12.2-3.NLT
Sarcasm has become the way of the world. Jabs hidden behind jokes are not new however. Comedians have made a living using humor to disguise criticism in a socially acceptable way. Only now, the words are becoming sharper, their intent to wound less shrouded.
“These people are the ones who are creating divisions among you.
They follow their natural instincts because they do not have God’s Spirit in them.”
Jude 1:19 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/jud.1.19.NLT
“These people are grumblers and complainers, living only to satisfy their desires.
They brag loudly about themselves, and they flatter others to get what they want.
But you, my dear friends, must remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ predicted.
They told you that in the last times there would be scoffers whose purpose in life is to satisfy their ungodly desires.
But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life.
In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love.
And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering.
Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment.
Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives.”
Jude 1:16-18, 20-23 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/jud.1.16-23.NLT
We are warned not to give the enemy any wiggle room where our emotions are concerned, particularly anger, but what about our laughter? Whether it is humor at the expense of another human created in God’s image or dry wit designed to leave a lingering distaste or distrust of a politician or authority figure matters not. Both are out of line for the sons and daughters of God. For this reason, choosing wisely what we listen to is equally vital.
“Don’t let any evil talk come out of your mouths.
Say only what will help to build others up and meet their needs.
Then what you say will help those who listen.
Do not make God’s Holy Spirit mourn.
The Holy Spirit is the proof that you belong to God.
And the Spirit is the proof that God will set you completely free.
Get rid of all hard feelings, anger and rage.
Stop all fighting and lying.
Don’t have anything to do with any kind of hatred.
Be kind and tender to one another.
Forgive one another, just as God forgave you because of what Christ has done.”
Ephesians 4:29-32 NIRV
https://bible.com/bible/110/eph.4.29-32.NIRV
“Don’t just pretend to love others.
Really love them.
Hate what is wrong.
Hold tightly to what is good.
Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.”
Romans 12:9-10 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/rom.12.9-10.NLT
“Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.
Stop telling lies.
Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body.
And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.”
Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.
Don’t use foul or abusive language.
Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.
Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.”
Ephesians 4:24-27, 29, 31 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/eph.4.24-31.NLT
“The tongue of the wise makes knowledge appealing, but the mouth of a fool belches out foolishness.”
Proverbs 15:2 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/pro.15.2.NLT
“Gentle words are a tree of life; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.”
Proverbs 15:4 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/pro.15.4.NLT
“God is Love. He displays it every way He knows how.” A friend texted me this sentiment recently as she wrestled with her own frustration in sharing the gospel and having it continually fall on deaf ears. God is omniscient, having all knowledge, so His love is expressed in all its fullness in and through His creation, but most of all in His Only Son, Jesus, the Christ.
“The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
The skies display his craftsmanship.
Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known.
They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard.
Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world.”
Psalms 19:1-4 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/psa.19.1-4.NLT
“But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”
Romans 5:8 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/rom.5.8.NLT
“He was not only the obedient Son who discharged the mission his Father assigned him, but also the eternal Word made flesh who disclosed the Father perfectly to a generation of rebellious image-bearers.”
For The Love Of God: Day 344 • Devotional
https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/786/day/344?segment=0
“Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God.
Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.
But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him.
This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.
Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other.
No one has ever seen God.
But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.
And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us.
Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.
All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God.
We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love.
God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.
And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect.
So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.
Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear.
If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.
We love each other because he loved us first.
If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see?
And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers.”
1 John 4:7-21 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/1jn.4.7-21.NLT
As the day of the Lord’s return approaches, it is increasingly important for followers of Christ, true believers set apart for the glory of God, to stand apart from the world and its ways. We cannot go wrong by following the apostle Paul’s advice to Timothy. Focus on reading the scriptures and encouraging one another.
“Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.”
1 Timothy 4:12 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/1ti.4.12.NLT
“For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people.
And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures.
We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed.
He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.”
Titus 2:11-14 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/tit.2.11-14.NLT
“Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault.
All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord.
All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time!
Amen.”
Jude 1:24-25 NLT
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