You don’t have to look any further than Jesus’ life. Kindness is seen in His compassionate interactions with the poor and needy. He showed kindness by healing the leper (Mark 1:40-42) and forgiving the adulterous woman (John 8:1-11).
Carl Pollard
Kindness, a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22), is a profound expression of God’s character and a cornerstone of Christian living. The Greek word chrēstotēs is best described as goodness, generosity, and a disposition to act with compassion. When we study the idea of kindness in scripture, it is filled with theological depth and practical implications, calling us to embody Christ’s love in a broken world.
Scripture consistently portrays kindness as a reflection of God’s nature. In Titus 3:4, Paul writes of “the kindness and love of God our Savior” appearing through Christ’s redemptive work, emphasizing that divine kindness is the basis for salvation. This is also seen in Ephesians 2:7, where God’s grace is expressed “in his kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” So kindness isn’t just a human virtue but a divine attribute christians are called to imitate! You don’t have to look any further than Jesus’ life. Kindness is seen in His compassionate interactions with the poor and needy. He showed kindness by healing the leper (Mark 1:40-42) and forgiving the adulterous woman (John 8:1-11).
The call to kindness is active and intentional. Colossians 3:12 instructs Christians, as God’s chosen ones, to “put on… kindness,” suggesting a deliberate choice to clothe ourselves in compassionate actions. This is seen with the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), where kindness transcends cultural and social barriers, demonstrating love through sacrificial care. Kindness is not passive; it requires courage to act justly and love mercy (Micah 6:8), even when inconvenient or costly.
In a world marked by division, kindness becomes a powerful tool for the spreading of the gospel. Romans 2:4 says that God’s kindness leads to repentance, suggesting that our acts of kindness can draw others to Christ. A kind word, a generous deed, or a forgiving spirit can soften hearts and reflect God’s love.
Kindness is a daily calling to mirror Christ’s compassion. It challenges us to extend grace to the undeserving, forgive the offender, and serve the overlooked. As we practice kindness, we participate in God’s redemptive work, softening hearts to His love.
Let’s live kindly, reflecting the Savior’s heart in every interaction.
Over 40 times, Scripture directly commands us to defend, protect, and care for orphans and widows. This isn’t a suggestion—it’s a high priority in God’s heart.
Dale Pollard
Over 40 times, Scripture directly commands us to defend, protect, and care for orphans and widows. This isn’t a suggestion—it’s a high priority in God’s heart.
Take a quick look at few of these passages:
Deuteronomy 10:18 – God executes justice for the fatherless and widow.
Isaiah 1:17 – “Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.”
Jeremiah 7:6 – “If you do not oppress the alien, the fatherless or the widow…then I will let you dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers forever.”
Zechariah 7:10 – “Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless…”
And here’s one that we’ll take a closer look at:
In Job 29, Job makes the argument that he’s a righteous man because he,
“rescued the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to assist them.”
Breaking this down in order, notice what the most righteous man of his day knew about righteous living,
In verse 4 he claims, “I was a friend of God…” to explain, this he provides examples of what built this close friendship:
“I delivered the poor who cried for help…” (v.12)
“I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my justice was like a clean & royal garment” (v.14).
This was a lifestyle and not a few occasions that he could recall.
And finally,
“I was a father to the needy, and I searched out the cause of him whom I did not know” (v.16).
See how many aspects of his faithful qualities revolved around caring for and looking for those who were needy? The emphasis is on those who were fatherless, widows, and the most vulnerable. What a great guy, and what a greater God. We can be His friend by doing the same today.
How many sins did you commit last week? Intentional or not, the number’s probably higher than you’d care to admit. Now think about this year—four months in, how many times have you let God down? Sin’s no small thing. It defies God’s holy nature, builds a wall between us and Him, and tears us apart from the inside. We love picturing God as all about love—and He is—but Proverbs 6:16-19 lists seven things He hates: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that spill innocent blood, a scheming heart, feet racing to evil, a false witness, and someone who stirs up division. Done any of those lately? Zoom out to your whole life—how many sins would fill your book? The weight of that debt is crushing and “unpayable.”
Jesus tells a story in Matthew 18:21-35 that hits this hard. Peter asks, “How often should I forgive my brother?” Thinking he’s generous, he suggests seven times—way past the rabbis’ three. Jesus shuts that down: “Not seven, but seventy times seven.” Don’t count—just forgive. Then He goes on to teach about a servant who owes his king 10,000 talents—60 million days’ wages, an impossible debt. The king could’ve sold him and his family, but instead, he forgives it all out of sheer compassion. What does the servant do? He chokes a guy who owes him pocket change—100 denarii—and throws him in prison. Same plea, “Be patient,” but no mercy. The king hears, calls him wicked, and reinstates the debt. Jesus ends it blunt: “So My Father will do to you if you don’t forgive from the heart.”
Our sin debt’s like that 60 million days—”unpayable.” Yet God forgives it through Jesus’ death and resurrection. Ephesians 2 says it’s grace, not our effort. But here’s the point: if we’ve been forgiven that much, how can we not forgive others? That servant’s hypocrisy is ours when we hold grudges or burn bridges. Jesus says the standard we use on others is the one God’ll use on us. If we can’t release someone’s debt against us, our own forgiveness hangs in the balance.
How often do we forgive? Don’t count—God doesn’t count your sins against you. He releases the debt every time we ask. We’ve got to do the same.
With deer/turkey season right around the corner in our area, I thought now would be an appropriate time to look at this question.
The answer is no. Thanks for reading.
The context of the question appears to be hunting, so I’ll approach it from that angle. Hopefully everyone reading this condemns unnecessary cruelty to animals! A person willing to inflict pain on any living thing for no good reason is probably not capable of showing godly love. Hunting (the way most people do it) is not the same thing as animal cruelty.
After the flood humanity was given total control over animals and permission to eat meat. Maybe this was done as a consequence of massive, planet-wide changes. The post-flood environment was nothing like pre-flood, and lifespans were radically shortened. Perhaps eating meat was a way to compensate (through diet) for all of these changes (cf. Gen 9.3). God made it very clear that eating meat (which necessarily means harvesting) was no longer prohibited.
There’s an ethical way to take game and an unethical way. The overwhelming majority of us are very cognizant of this.
Deer meat is a great source of protein and an affordable way to feed a family for several months or more. The same can be said about most of the other forms of game normally harvested in North America. Most hunters I know harvest game for the purpose of providing affordable meat for their families. It’s also a phenomenal time to bond with family and friends!
Hunting is a critical part of conservation, contrary to its usually-negative portrayal in most movies and shows.1
If you have a Christian family member who has strong negative feelings about hunting, maybe don’t strap a deer to your hood and drive to their house (cf. Rom 14.15-17).
I am blessed with a wise woman for a wife. My three sons would tell you that every time they consult her for wisdom, she never disappoints. I think that is because she draws, as the source of her wisdom, on God’s Word. She has filled her heart with it, and that’s what comes out when she interacts. Especially does she want to get that right when offering guidance to her sons.
King Lemuel seems to have had a mother like that. She teaches her son an “oracle” (sayings or inspired utterances) that first deals with how he uses his professional possession (Proverbs 31:1-9). The bulk of the chapter (31:10-31) will deal with who he looks for as a wife. His mother pleads with him emphatically. I’m not sure where I see a more intense plea anywhere in Scripture: “What are you doing, my son? What are you doing, son of my womb? What are you doing, son of my vows?” I don’t know if this is written in reaction or in proaction, but her concern is palpable. Each bit of counsel is followed up with the next, divine wisdom meant to prepare him or repair him. What are they?
DON’T ABUSE AUTHORITY (3). This is written to a man in a position of considerable authority. She warns him not to surrender his influence to physical desires or social vanity. The “women” in verse three are contrasted with the woman of noble character described in the beautiful poem at the end of the chapter (31:10-31). These women would take his strength; the virtuous woman would add to it. “Those who destroy kings” are individuals who don’t have his interests at heart. He is not to allow those people into his circle of influence. Have you ever seen people who ingratiate themselves by positioning themselves close to someone they see as powerful and influential? They flatter them with praise. These deplete rather than distribute strength. Neither of these groups care about Lemuel. They care about themselves.
DON’T ABUSE ALCOHOL (4-7). This admonition is written to warn him against impairment that comes from a different source. Wine and strong drink are the enemies and the contrast to wise decision-making. Why? It causes one to forget the law (5) and the afflicted (5). It is only a temporary escape from their troubles (6) and it actually adds to their troubles (7). Frequently, Proverbs warns against the negative influence of alcohol. “Wine produces mockers; alcohol leads to brawls. Those led astray by drink cannot be wise” (20:1, NLT). “Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaining? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? Those who linger long over wine, Those who go to taste mixed wine” (23:29-30). In three decades of ministry, I’ve encountered a lot of people struggling with addiction to alcohol. Sometimes it was learned from the home they grew up in. Sometimes it was discovered through friendships or on the job. I cannot tell you how many marriages, homes, careers, and lives have been adversely affected (often tragically) through the abuse of alcohol. Perhaps we are wise to heed the rest of Proverbs 23: “Do not look upon it…” (31). If we keep our eyes off of it, our lips won’t touch it.
DON’T ABUSE THE ABUSED (8-9). This passage suggests that one of the cruelest forms of abuse is silence. Lemuel’s mother advised him to “open” his mouth. Some are too powerless to advocate for themselves. They need someone with the power and influence to speak for them. She says to represent the voiceless and penniless (8). She says actively help the poor and needy with righteous judgment and thoughtful defense (9). We all know disenfranchised, marginalized people, people nobody notices, cares about, or helps. That cannot be us. Compassion and sensitivity to the plights of the downtrodden should fill our hearts.
The king’s mother shares three qualities with her son to give him success: discernment of character, self-control, and compassion. But these things can help peons and peasants like you and me. In this way, Lemuel’s lessons are lessons we can learn, too!
Encouragement from the Bible for Those with Chronic Illness
Brent Pollard
I constantly struggle with feeling the sufficiency of the actions that demonstrate my faith (James 2.18). Some days, just getting out of bed feels like an accomplishment. Some of this is due to my physical condition, while others are due to the psychological effects of chronic illness. Chronic illness and depression often go hand in hand. Because I, too, am just one of the clay lumps shaped by the Master’s hand, readers can benefit from their study of these personal issues.
Understanding chronic illness’s profound impact on one’s life is crucial. The daily battle with physical limitations and emotional burdens can leave one feeling isolated and misunderstood. In these moments of struggle, it’s essential to remember that the Bible offers profound comfort and assurance that God is deeply aware of and empathetic toward our pain.
The Bible beautifully portrays God’s compassion for those who are hurting, emphasizing His nearness to the brokenhearted (Psalm 34.18) and His gentle touch in healing their wounds (Psalm 147.3). He is not a cold, heartless god. Instead, He is a compassionate Father who witnesses our suffering and comes close to offer solace and restoration. Knowing that a compassionate Higher Power understands and empathizes with our struggles brings comfort.
God’s strength shines brightest in our moments of vulnerability. In his testimony, Paul said, “For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12.10). Even when dealing with chronic illness, our physical limitations do not diminish our value or the boundless potential that God sees within us. In 2 Corinthians 12.9, He assures us that His grace is more than enough and that we realize His power in moments of vulnerability. Through the divine power given to us, we can echo Paul’s words, which were spoken in the context of Christ seeing us through times of need and plenty: “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13 NASB).
Despite not aligning with the divine’s original plan, chronic illness can catalyze positive transformation in our lives. There is a comforting belief that all events in life unfold with purpose. An often-quoted verse that supports this idea is Romans 8.28. In its original context, this verse speaks to what God has done throughout human events for the benefit of His people, explicitly bringing us Christ and the Church. However, just like the concept of the butterfly effect, the things God does here and there through His providence touch and change our lives in unseen and unexpected ways. Therefore, we find comfort in the steadfast faith that our compassionate Creator carefully arranges every aspect of our lives, even amid our suffering.
In a society that values productivity above all, the existence of chronic illness can lead to feelings of inadequacy and insignificance. However, God’s love for us is not dependent on our productivity or abilities. Jesus extends a heartfelt invitation, saying, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11.28 NASB95). Our true worth lies not in our accomplishments but in the essence of our being as cherished offspring of the divine (Acts 17.28). We tend to look at surface beauty, but the divine gaze penetrates deep into the core of one’s being (1 Samuel 16.7).
Ultimately, we can find comfort by trusting in God’s caring embrace. Peter encourages us to cast our worries and burdens on him since he deeply cares for us (1 Peter 5.7). In moments of weariness, God extends His gentle hand, offering strength to those who seek comfort. He lifts those who trust Him, enabling them to rise above the world’s troubles like majestic eagles in flight (Isaiah 40.29–31). Amid our struggle with chronic illness, we find solace and renewal within the embrace of a merciful and omnipotent God.
In times of trial, the comforting presence of God’s Word reminds us that we are never alone. God understands our struggles and promises to support us with His unwavering love and strength. By embracing the timeless wisdom within it, we can find comfort and stability even in difficult times.
Love and forgiveness, two tenets of our Christian faith. Love and forgiveness, something we all desire and something God commands us to give to others. The New Testament is replete with scriptures on love and forgiveness. In Matthew chapter 5, in the sermon on the mount, Jesus instructs us to love our enemies. He also commands us to forgive others knowing the debt He paid for our forgiveness.
I recently attended a funeral. I did not know Elizabeth well, but I knew a lot about her influence. Tommy did her eulogy; she had asked him to do it.
I need to tell their story. A story the world would think odd but not those that know and understand the love and forgiveness we have in Jesus.
Elizabeth and Frank, her husband, had one son, Ted. Ted was coming home for Christmas break from college when he was killed by a drunk driver. Tommy was that drunk driver.
Tommy received what some may consider a light sentence … minimal jail time and community service to talk at schools about the dangers of drunk driving.
In the eulogy Tommy recalled how he felt as if nobody cared about him and that God had turned away from him. He realized the destruction and pain he caused in Elizabeth and Frank’s life.
As Tommy recalled, “I was walking home to my apartment one late evening and Elizabeth thought she recognized me and pulled over to the side of the road. I was fearful and reluctant when she rolled down the window of her car and asked if she could talk to me. She asked me to get in the car, that she just wanted to talk with me. As I got in, she explained that she did not want to harm me. She was desperately wanting to know who I was, how I felt about what I had done. She also wanted me to understand the great harm I had done. I felt the weight of my crime and I could not bear the sorrow. She asked about my past and alcoholism and why I would do something so careless. After several minutes Elizabeth asked me to promise I would not take a drink that night. We cried together and I promised I would not take that drink. Elizabeth had compassion for she could see a life of waste and a lost soul.”
Through her anger, grief and despair, Elizabeth saw a lost soul…someone in need of Jesus. Elizabeth and Frank fully understood the example Christ left us about love and forgiveness even when it is painful and not easy. The thought of a lost soul was greater than their grief. They began studying the Bible with Tommy and eventually he obeyed the gospel. They became active in Tommy’s life helping to guide him as a young Christian. Tommy is an active faithful Christian some forty years later.
Love and forgiveness – they are choices we decide to give or withhold.
Sometimes it’s loving and forgiving ourselves as Tommy did – sometimes it’s loving and forgiving others as Elizabeth and Frank did … always mindful of what Jesus did for us. HE did not withhold from us.
Love and forgiveness – God has it for each of us – we all need it – and HE freely gives it.
The protagonist in “THX 1138” navigates a dystopian society where the government enforces drug-induced obedience, resulting in a docile population. This society is meticulously regulated, with every aspect weighed against cost efficiency. The government aggressively eliminates overbudget items and even regulates religion.
The Renaissance image of Jesus Christ by Hans Memling serves as the visual representation of the deity OMM-0000, whom the inhabitants of this dystopia worship. THX 1138 engages OMM in a phone booth-like setting, seeking solace by sharing his concerns. However, OMM’s responses are eerily consistent regardless of your problem, providing generic advice that appears disconnected from the protagonist’s circumstances. The impression that THX 1138 is merely interacting with a machine becomes clear.
Here are OMM-0000’s canned responses to THX 1138 in one scene of the movie:
“My time is yours…
Very good, proceed…
Yes, I understand…
Yes fine…
Yes… yes, I understand…
Yes, fine…
Excellent…
Yes…
Could you be more specific?
You are a true believer.
Blessings of the state, blessings of the masses. Thou art a subject of the divine. Created in the image of man, by the masses, for the masses. Let us be thankful that we have an occupation to fill. Work hard, increase production, prevent accidents, and be happy.”
In another interchange between THX 1138 and OMM, OMM’s dialogue is verbatim until the last sentences:
“Let us be thankful we have commerce. Buy more. Buy more now. Buy more and be happy.”
In this part of the movie, THX 1138 is not taking the mandated drugs, and as a result, he experiences withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms exacerbate the harsh and gloomy reality of his dystopian world. Although he has someone in OMM who is supposed to bring comfort, THX 1138 discovers the truth about his god.
I have sought advice from Christian community members who unfortunately ended up as helpful as OMM, providing me with canned answers like “read your Bible” and “pray more.” Although this advice is valuable, it doesn’t always feel enough when faced with specific difficulties. By telling someone their positivity alone can help them overcome adversity, we place an unfair burden as they strive to cope and find solutions. For instance, a brother once told me I could overcome Crohn’s disease simply by thinking myself well since the Bible says our thoughts determine our reality. (“As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” Proverbs 23.7 NKJV). Such viewpoints can be particularly frustrating when one is dealing with complex issues, such as long-term health problems or depression, for which easy solutions do not exist.
The biblical figure Job faced similar frustrations. Initially, his friends offered silent support during his grief. However, they responded with criticism rather than understanding when he expressed his suffering. Job’s desire to argue his case directly with God emphasizes the importance of being heard and understood rather than dismissed with platitudes or unfounded advice (see Job 13.1–5).
The subject matter highlights a more significant issue: the tendency to provide quick fixes rather than empathetic listening. In times of pain or doubt, people often need space to express themselves, even if their words appear exaggerated or contentious. Job’s friends should have silently listened when Job wished he had not been born instead of blaming his alleged sins. The story of Job demonstrates that divine compassion outweighs human judgment, reminding us of the Christian call to love and listen to one another without passing judgment or offering simplistic advice.
Therefore, the next time someone seeks your support, resist the impulse to provide immediate solutions. Instead, listen attentively and allow them to guide the conversation. A listening ear rather than unsolicited advice can provide genuine relief and support, fostering a more compassionate and understanding environment. Prayerfully speak to them when appropriate once someone has fully vented their emotions.
I’ve been studying the nature of Christian love recently. I try to study where my knowledge is insufficient or personal character is lacking. It has been difficult for me to love others the way Jesus loved others. I still have a long way to go. Other people can be unlovable, and threats are to be dealt with! This is the perhaps one of the more common baselines of human thought.
Jesus calls us to transcend these primal dispositions and pursue a truly selfless love. We have many obstacles to overcome in our pursuit of the kind of love Jesus shows. The idea of “love of self” has been perverted by the world. We’ve all seen a saying that goes something like, “You can’t love others unless you love yourself.” While the underlying motive behind that saying may have been pure, it has been used to justify narcissistic tendencies or excuse bad behavior.
But what if I genuinely don’t love myself? How can I love my neighbor like I love myself if I don’t feel anything (or very little) positive about myself? Our understanding of biblical love may need to change a little. In all of scripture (and even in apocryphal and pseudepigraphal writings), love for our neighbors almost always translates to providing for their needs.
A person may not love self, but they will not starve their bodies out of hatred (remember, an exception by its nature is not the rule; a rule is something so often true that it is reliably predictable). They will not neglect the basic functions of being just because their view of self is not completely perfect.
Love does not necessarily have anything to do with how we feel about a person. It is sometimes called “the strongest emotion” but this is not completely accurate. There is an emotional aspect to love, often described as σπλαγχνον (splanknon, compassion) or οικτιρμος (oiktirmos, heartfelt pity), though this is not exhaustive. But αγαπη love is a decision to help another person, despite how we might feel about them.
What does biblical love look like? If we love our neighbor, we’ll feed them when they’re hungry, encourage or give affirmation when they need it, help them financially (anonymously, if we want to avoid God’s judgment), give grace to their weaknesses and mistakes, and overlook hurtful actions done to us.
Who are our neighbors? Our enemies, our friends, and everyone else who lives on this planet. More realistically, any other human in our proximity. If we see a need and have the ability to help, godly love compels us to help. When Jesus comes back he will ask, “Did you take care of my people?” So much more could be said about this, but next week we will look at the kind of love God wants us to have for him.
FILLING IN FOR DALE THIS WEEK AS HE AND JANELLE WERE BUSY WITH THIS:
Jude Mitchell Pollard (born 8/20/23)
Neal Pollard
Luke shows us two demonstrations of Jesus’ power as He traverses the roads and villages of the northern half of Palestine during the early part of His public ministry. These show the diversity of Jesus’ work, even what He did simultaneously. This ultimate example of “multi-tasking” was performed for two situations that were about as opposite of each other as could be. Notice some of these contrasts in Luke 7:1-17:
The Centurion’s Servant
The Widow’s Son
The Centurion reaches out to Jesus (3)
Jesus reaches out to the widow (12-13)
The Centurion was already convinced of His power
The widow was seemingly oblivious to His power
The Centurion was rich and powerful (2,5,8)
A widow with no children had no prospect (12)
The servant is about to die (2)
The son is dead already (12)
Jesus marveled at the man’s faith (9)
Jesus felt compassion for the grieving mother (13)
The Centurion was a Gentile
Nain, a Galilean city, would be Jewish (12)
Jesus healed the servant from afar (6-10)
Jesus touched the coffin and raised the son (14)
Nothing is said of the people’s reaction (10)
The crowd fears and glorifies God (16-17)
Yet, Jesus is the thread that holds them both together. Whether He is responding to the faith of a devout Roman or responding to the grief of an indigent widow, He knew He could help and He was willing. He knew He had something to offer they could not find anywhere else. He is willing and able to transform sorrow into celebration. These events serve to spread good news about Him all around Him (17). People may not yet understand who He is, but these actions let them know He was no ordinary man or rabbi. Those in the funeral procession say, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” And, “God has visited His people!” (16). As glowing a tribute as this was, they didn’t yet grasp the full picture of Jesus. But, they knew He was special.
I think about the diverse people we see and know every day. They are black and white, young and old, male and female, rich and poor, educated and uneducated, natives and transplants. Perhaps you can take two people in your circle of influence and make up a column of contrasts like the one above. Despite their differences, they will be united by one significant thing. They need what only Jesus can give, and He can certainly give it to them. Whether they are actively seeking Him or unaware of their need of Him, you and I can forever change their life and circumstance when we introduce them to Jesus. May God help us to do that for someone today!
One notices how frequently Job dismisses his “friends” as poor comforters when reading Job. This accusation is not surprising, given that Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar were all involved in Satan’s trial of Job. However, the devil took advantage of an all-too-common human flaw: a lack of active listening skills. Job’s companions were more interested in displaying their wisdom than listening to what he said.
The three guests should have listened to Job before passing judgment on him, but they were too full of themselves to do so. Job’s frustration with his friends’ inane chatter is a clear speech and active listening lesson. Active listening, which entails paying attention, demonstrating comprehension, and responding appropriately to the speaker’s emotions and needs, is highly valued in psychological studies.
Here are seven ways Job points out the failings of Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar.
They possessed superficial understanding. Job condemns his companions for their insensitivity and failure to comprehend his predicament. He feels they can’t possibly understand how much pain he’s been through or how complicated his life has been (cf. Job 16.2; 19.2).
They made false assumptions. Job accuses his friends of making incorrect assumptions about his character and actions. They imply that Job’s suffering directly results from some hidden sin or wrongdoing, which Job emphatically denies (cf. Job 11.2-3).
They lacked compassion. Job condemns his friends’ callous behavior. He believes they care more about proving their theological points than comforting him in his suffering (cf. Job 6.14–15).
They offered empty words. Job criticizes his friends’ meaningless and empty speech. He claims that rather than relieving his distress, their words made it worse (cf. Job 16.2-3).
They needed to provide more adequate explanations. When Job’s friends try to explain away his pain, Job questions their motives. He considers their theological justifications flimsy at best (cf. Job 21.34).
They should have offered practical help. Job expresses dissatisfaction with his friends’ lack of helpful assistance or support. He expected them to be there for him in his hour of need, but they fell short (cf. Job 6.14).
They lacked empathy. Job accuses his friends of being uncaring and failing to put themselves in his shoes. He thinks they cannot comprehend his suffering (cf. Job 19.21).
As previously stated, these men took part in Satan’s trial of Job. As a result, he allowed them to show off their flaws. The devil employs three methods of temptation, one of which is boastful pride in one’s own life. Pride indeed compelled Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar to be lousy comforters.
But what about you and me when faced with the trials of a friend? Can’t we also be bad comforters? To make this more concrete, consider the following reasons for failure that do not involve pride or poor active listening skills:
We are uncomfortable. Empathy is the ability to connect with and comprehend the emotions of others, including their pain, sadness, or distress. People may sometimes find it emotionally difficult to confront or experience those intense emotions. This discomfort can make genuine empathy challenging to express.
We need more life experience to be able to assist. It can be difficult to empathize with an experience one has not personally experienced. When there is no direct personal reference point to draw on, understanding and relating to someone’s emotions and struggles may be more difficult.
We are afraid of saying or doing the wrong thing. People may be concerned about saying the wrong thing or causing additional distress. Fear of saying something insensitive or inadequate can lead to a reluctance to express empathy.
We are concerned about cultural, ethnic, or socioeconomic barriers. We are hesitant to lend a helping hand because we do not share common bonds, such as culture, ethnicity, educational attainment, etc., with those needing our understanding. These things indeed impact our interactions with others, for better or worse, but unfortunately, they can and do become obstacles. This fact is especially true in modern society, which goes out of its way to emphasize such differences between people of different backgrounds and experiences for political purposes. Nobody wants to be labeled an “ist” for inadvertently touching culturally sacred cows.
We are unable or unwilling to see things from a different perspective. I am not suggesting that we ignore sin. However, someone may see things differently than we do. How good are we at looking at things from different angles? Empathy necessitates understanding another person’s emotions and experiences from their point of view.
We are exhausted and overwhelmed. If you are already a caregiver for someone else, you may have already expended a lot of emotional energy dealing with their needs. Unfortunately, these personality types attract those needing assistance while being harder on themselves by refusing to say “no” to those in need. As a result, a person wants to help but is emotionally “running on empty.”
We need effective communication skills. Listening entails more than just our ears picking up on the sounds made by others. Indeed, the brain must assign meaning to those sounds. We must allow our minds to process what others say. We call this action active listening. Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar lacked this ability. If we only want to offer advice, we will focus on a few words and practice our response without giving the other person a fair hearing. Or we won’t listen because we’ve already decided what we will say based on what we think we know about the situation. Active listening, like Biblical love (agape), necessitates effort.
The story of Job is one of human connection and communication in the face of adversity. We are encouraged to confront our fears, discomfort, and insecurities to practice active listening, genuine empathy, and love that embraces the other’s pain in shared sorrow and hope. In a superficial world, listening is witnessing another’s soul; the greatest gift we can give in times of suffering is to hear others. This sacred act of listening best expresses our shared humanity and journey through life’s frequently turbulent sea. May we reassure those around us by genuinely listening to their stories instead of offering rash advice or superficial comfort. As Job teaches us, listening is invaluable to someone who is hurting.
Forget, “Don’t be grouchy like a rooster!” These days, we are singing, “Don’t be broody like a hen!” In our flock of Easter-Eggers, as Spring gives way to Summer, we have had one of our female fowl think she’s hatching little ones. While this maternal instinct is God-given, our girl is experiencing these urges because of hormones. She is convinced she’s going to incubate chicks, even though they aren’t fertilized. A brooding hen will remain in such a state to her own detriment, neglecting herself to “hatch” what will never hatch. Weight loss and dehydration are common in hens allowed to stay broody. She will growl and even peck when you try to break her of this behavior. The behavior will even spread to other members of the flock. While she is sure she is hatching chicks, she is totally wrong!
I wonder if God gives us such natural illustrations to paint a picture of greater truths He wants us to understand. Concerning some who did not receive the love of the truth in order to be saved, Paul explains, “For this reason, God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false” (2 Th. 2:10-11). In that context, he is writing about those who are persuading people to believe untruths about the Second Coming of Christ. Those who didn’t love the truth made their minds vulnerable to false ideas. The fruit of exchanging truth for a lie is being given over to impurity, degrading passions, and depraved minds to do improper things, “being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boasters, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful” (Rom. 1:18-31).
We can be totally convinced that wrong is right, right is wrong, up is down, and day is night. Just because we are sincere and totally committed to that idea does not make it right. We may convince others of it. We may fight passionately for that conviction, yet still be dead wrong! This is true whether the matter has to do with God’s plan of salvation, sexual orientation or identity, acceptable worship, or really anything God has clearly revealed in His Word. A world full of people may be persuaded that something is acceptable or unacceptable despite what God has said. Persisting in such a mindset is self-destructive.
When a hen is brooding, it’s incumbent upon the owners to exercise their superior reasoning and strength to help remedy the situation. They must break the brooding, culling them out of the flock and putting them somewhere (a separate pen) away from the dark and exposed to direct sunlight to snap them out of it. This will take time, but it is the most effective and compassionate way to resolve the problem.
Spiritually, the same is true. Personal attention and exposure to the Son is what corrects those with a good and honest heart from fatal ideas. The process may be unpleasant both for the one experiencing the delusion and those trying to help them. We cannot force anyone to give up destructive beliefs. The omnipotent God does not even do that. But, compassion and concern will cause us to do what we can to help those who “oppose themselves” (2 Tim. 2:25, KJV).
These girls are going into a “broody-breaking pen” today!
Dane Entze and his wife were coming back from an anniversary getaway and decided to indulge in a bit of romantic nostalgia. They crossed Johns Hole Bridge in Idaho Falls, Idaho, spanning the Snake River. It was the site where they met for their first date, but on the morning of November 12 it was another sight that caught their attention. Dane’s wife noticed someone was driving their car into the river. They stopped their vehicle, and Dane crossed onto a ramp and began talking to a woman who was in the water, informing him that she was committing suicide. He told her, “I don’t know who you are, but I’m here and I love you and I’m going to help you.” As they talked, she began moving toward shore. But she got to the point where she stopped, saying she did not have the will to live. The air temperature was 19 degrees when Entze jumped into the icy water and brought the distraught woman to shore. He helped her dry off and warm up until first responders arrived. When interviewed, Entze said it was a matter of being at the right place at the right time. He drew on some military training and knowledge of the area, but he gave this advice. “Doing something kind is all it takes. You don’t have to do something dramatic or dangerous to help somebody else. Be vigilant” (Mythil Gubbi, Fox 13 News, Salt Lake City, UT).
Certainly, there is something to be said about suicide prevention. According to the CDC, suicide is the 12th leading cause of death in our nation, and over a million people attempted suicide in 2020. While mental illness can play a role, most often it is driven by despair and hopelessness. Love and support can be vital to encouraging those with such tendencies to find the help they need.
But, I would like us to consider another application. You and I, in traveling down life’s road, encounter so many who are in spiritual danger. They may or may not know it, but they need to be rescued. We benefit greatly from biblical training, but it takes even more than that. It requires us to do something, to be vigilant. They need to know we’re here, we love them, and we want to help them. If there is anything more lasting and impactful than saving a life, it is helping to save a soul.
One who “turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins” (Jas. 5:20). God has given us the life preserver to save them (1 Cor. 1:21; Jas. 1:21). The word of the cross can save the perishing (1 Cor. 1:18), and the Bible makes it clear that God wants no one to perish (2 Pet. 3:9). He saves those drowning in sin through you and me. We need to have our eyes open. We need to appreciate how valuable and necessary that rescue work is. We need to care and be kind. It may require a sacrifice of time, effort, and energy, but nothing is more crucial than rescuing one whom Jesus died to save.
I’ll be repeating the book of I John in present-day terminology. It’s not a true translation of the book, as I am not qualified to do so. It will be based on an exegetical study of the book and will lean heavily on the SBL and UBS Greek New Testaments, as well as comparisons with other translations (ESV, NASB, NIV, ERV, NLT). My goal is to reflect the text accurately, and to highlight the intent of the author using concepts and vocabulary in common use today. This is not an “essentially literal” translation, and should be read as something of a commentary.
This is how we know what love is: Jesus gave up his own life for everyone. We owe each other our lives, too. Let’s say one of you is living life to the fullest, financially comfortable and stress- free. If you notice that one of your brothers or sisters needs basic necessities and you suppress your feelings of compassion, can God’s love exist in you at all? Children, don’t just say you love each other – prove it by how you treat each other.
This is how we know we exist in the truth: we can pacify our guilty consciences in front of God whenever our hearts condemn us. God is more powerful than our hearts and he knows everything! Loved ones, if our hearts don’t condemn us, we can be completely confident when we pray to God. If we ask him for something, he’ll give it to us. This is because we do what he’s asked and we listen to his commands.
These are his commands: believe in his son (Jesus, the king), and selflessly love each other. Everyone who carefully practices those commands is with God, and God is with them.
What if someone were to offer you a thousand dollars for every soul you would earnestly try to lead to Christ? Would you try harder to lead more souls to Him than you are endeavoring to do now? Is it possible that we would attempt to do for money what we sometimes hesitate or shrink from doing now in obedience to God’s command? Is money a stronger motivator than our love for God? What hinders us from thinking about other people? Many times we will make excuses and say, “that person won’t listen,” or “they’re too far gone.” We are called to plant the seed of the gospel, not examine the soil and determine if it’ll take the seed. We share the gospel message no matter what soil it lands on. It may be rocky, it may fall among thorns, it may land on the road and never take root, or it may land on good soil. We love the lost because it is a command (Phil. 2:3; Rom. 13:8-10), it imitates Christ’s example (1 Jn. 4:16,19), and it is our calling as Christians (Jn. 13:34-35, Eph. 4:32). So how can we show our love to the lost? What does it mean for us to love others? It means suffering with those who suffer. Hurting with those who are hurting. Helping those who need a hand. Picking up someone when they are down. Being a friend to the lonely. Writing a card to the grieving. Making a meal for those who are mourning. Bringing the good news of salvation to the lost. As God’s children, let’s show Who we belong to by loving the souls that are around us.
As Christians we are called to love like God (John 13:34). If we are to love each other in the same way that God loved us we need to ask how God shows His love? People claim that there are generally five love languages that every person relates to:
Words of Affirmation
Quality Time
Gift Giving
Acts of Service
Physical touch
Each one of us feels love in different ways. Your love language may be different than mine, and your spouse’s love language may not be the same as yours. God has shown His creation that He loves us by speaking and interacting with us using all five languages.
Words of affirmation. When we use words of affirmation we think of phrases like: “You’re the only one for me baby” or “You mean so much to me” or even “Let’s go get Krispy Kreme.”We use words of affirmation to show our love to our significant others. God has done the same for us. In showing His love God said to us, “For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you” (Isa. 54:10). God uses words of affirmation and has told us that His love will never depart from us. Even when we deserted Him and chose to live a life of sin, God still kept His word. He loved us even when we were corrupted by sin (Rom. 5:8). Words of affirmation are a way to tell someone how you feel. God opened up to us through His word, and He revealed that He loves us more than we will ever be able to understand.
Quality time. God desires nothing more than to spend quality time with His creation. In the beginning God spent quality time in the presence of Adam and Eve. He longs for this to be the case again in heaven. Sin ruined any chance of spending quality time with Him. But God showed that He loved us. And He looks forward to the day when He can dwell with His children for an eternity. 1 John 4:16 says, “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.” I can’t think of a better way to spend quality time with God than by having Him abide in me. He loves us and He desires to spend quality time with you and me.
Gift giving.God has clearly expressed His love to us through gift giving by giving us someone that is invaluable. “God showed His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). Want to see God’s love? Look at what He has sacrificed for you. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” God expressed His love by giving a gift that has the power to eternally change our spiritual outcome. “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 6:23). There is no denying that God has expressed His love to us through gifts.
Acts of service. A person that feels loved through acts of service enjoys acts such as: cleaning out the garage, washing the car, doing the dishes, or folding the laundry. They feel loved because they recognize that their spouse cares enough about them to make their life easier. It’s love that is felt when a spouse sacrifices their time and energy to do something for you. God has shown His love to us through several different acts of service. Christ took on the sin of the world so that we wouldn’t be condemned by it. Christ illustrated this in the flesh when He washed the disciples’ feet (John 13). What does this say about God? It says that He loves you more than you love yourself. It says that the God of the universe is willing to place Himself below His own creation. It says that God’s love is so perfect and strong that He will grab a rag and wash the feet of imperfect men. There’s no denying that someone loves you when they are willing to humble themselves and serve you. This is exactly what God has done for us.
Physical touch. A person that feels loved through physical touch is looking for connection. They feel love when they are close to their spouse, they experience love through the physical side of their relationship. While God doesn’t physically touch us today to show His love, He has done it in the past. Mark 1:40ff, “And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean.” Leprosy was a disease that immediately made you an outcast. If you had this disease you were considered unclean and you were forced to live in isolation from everyone else (Lev. 13:45-46). The leper was forced to live alone because this disease was spread through physical touch. This is what makes what Jesus did even more incredible. Jesus didn’t have to touch the leper, but He went above and beyond by physically touching him. God expressed His love through the physical touch of a compassionate Savior.
We serve a God that has displayed His love to us perfectly. He has shown it to each one of us, and we will never deserve the love that He gives. Thank God for His love!
Tears are a very interesting and important part of the human anatomy. Tears are produced by the tear gland, which are small glands that are in our upper eyelid. Tears keep the surface of your eyeball clean, and help protect your eye from damage. But there’s another function of tears. They appear when we experience heartache and sadness. They form when we encounter joy, heartbreak, and sometimes for no reason with some people.
When we cry because of something emotionally painful, most of the time we wish that the problem never would’ve happened In the first place. Tears are a natural part of life. It’s going to happen, no matter how tough we claim to be. At some point we are going to break under the pressure of this world. That’s why I’d like to spend a few moments in one of the most encouraging passages of scripture in the Bible, Isaiah 25:8-9. In these two verses we will notice three painful types of tears that will be wiped away.
It reads, “He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken. It will be said on that day, “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”
The first type of tears that will be wiped away are tears of death (v. 8). Every human on earth will experience death. Our lives will end in death, and scattered all throughout our days on earth we will lose those we love. Death is terrible. It tears us apart– we feel like we are drowning in heartbreak– that this pain will never end. We have to watch as mothers and fathers lose their children, children lose their parents, and spouses lose each other. Death is inevitable and something none of us ever want to go through. But there will come a day when we will never have to shed a tear over a loved one. We will never stand at a graveside again. God will make sure that his children never have to experience this heartache ever again. I long for heaven because the tears of death will be wiped away.
He will wipe away the tears of disgrace (8b). We can all agree that this world is full of evil. There is murder, rape, liars, gossip, and broken homes. This world is a place full of tears over the pain that comes from evil. Homes are torn apart and hearts are broken over the sin of others. A day will come when Christ will wipe away all tears (Rev. 21:4). A day will come when Christ will mend the hearts of the broken. David spoke of his Joy in God. He says, “Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me! O Lord, be my helper!” You have turned my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness” (Psa. 30:10-11). As Christians we can turn to God with hope, knowing that He is our helper and strength. We don’t have to face the evil of this world on our own. God can turn our heartache into Joy. He can wipe away the tears that sin has placed in our eyes. A time will come when the tears of disgrace will be wiped away.
God will wipe away the tears of distance and discouragement (9). It is common after a tragedy has occurred to hear someone pray, “Jesus come quickly.” We say this because we know that Christ is our way of escape from this world. Christ is our hope. We want Him to come back, to help us escape the sin that is around us. Sometimes this distance from God can cause us to become discouraged and to think that He isn’t coming back to save us. God will wipe away the tears of discouragement.
And on that day we will say, “This is OUR God.” The God that we have placed all hope and faith in. “This is OUR God that we have waited on to save us.” “This is OUR God that has brought us salvation.” The day will come when God will wipe away the tears that have been formed by the distance and discouragement we encounter on earth.
The day will also come when we will be judged for how we lived on earth. Can we say that we have waited on God? Can we rejoice in His return? Can we truthfully say that we have placed our faith and hope in God? On that day our tears will either be wiped away, or they will continue on into eternity. The question we must ask ourselves is this: “Will God wipe away my tears?”
It’s common in the age we live in to get stuck on the “daily grind.” We wake up, drink coffee, get dressed, go to work or school, come home at the end of the day, and start all over again in the morning. It’s repetitive and the days can seem to blend together. On top of this monotony, you have your own problems to solve. We’ve got our own responsibilities to keep up with. For some it’s family and for others it’s homework or any number of other duties. This can cause anxiety or depression. Those thoughts that are familiar to so many can creep into our minds. Thoughts like, “why am I even doing this? What’s the point?” Our shoulders are tired with the burden of life. There’s too much going on and we may just want to shut down or sleep to escape the day. The weight is heavy.
So try something. Wake up! When our minds are full of our problems and our responsibilities and everything that’s wrong with our lives and our circumstance, we miss something precious. We miss out on the lives of everybody else that also share this planet. Solve your problems and shake the daily grind by branching out. Strive to achieve selflessness by loving others and showing compassion. Solve your problems by trying to help others with theirs. If I personally have my own problems as a young adult, I know that there are others with problems much bigger than mine. Their shoulders are killing them and they’ve been carrying the weight longer than me.
There are people all around you struggling with the same things or worse. The next time you Tweet, begin to create a Facebook status, or blog, are you about to be another problem for someone else? Or are you about to ease their aching shoulders?
The book of Jonah is a unique book in the Old Testament. Unlike other prophetic books, God chooses to focus on the prophet himself rather than the message being preached by him. While many lessons can be pulled from this four chapter book, there’s one in particular that we can all benefit from hearing from time to time. That lesson is that in order for true change to occur in our lives there must be a genuine transformation of the heart.
The book begins with God’s call to Jonah to preach to the wicked people of Nineveh and then closes with God’s response to Jonah’s anger at the penitent hearts of the Ninevites. Between these two divine speeches you read about the prophet’s incredible experience in the belly of a great fish. Many artist’s have painted pictures of Jonah desperately trying to keep his head above the waves while a terrifying monster breeches the surface with its mouth wide open preparing to swallow him. While this may be the image that comes to mind, Jonah gives us an interesting detail in his prayer. He recalls how the waters closed over him and he eventually reaches the sea floor where he is helplessly tangled in the weeds. While the murky waters cloud his vision his fate seemed very clear. Jonah admits that he called out to the Lord provoked by his great distress and this mental plea was a desperate attempt to preserve his life. God answers this cry by sending him a slippery savior. Jonah, while known to be a little on the dramatic side, will later recall how it was in the moment when his life was fainting away that he “remembered the Lord.” God saved a blatantly rebellious man who in no way deserved that salvation but He also allowed Jonah to reach great depths and come face to face with his own spiritual reality. Jonah was a long way from God, but not geographically.
Before Jonah became soaked by the stormy seas, he was soaked in a sin problem that had taken root in his heart. God allowed Jonah to physically experience rock bottom so that he could acknowledge some spiritual issues that distanced him from God. While Jonah may have desired to run from God, he came to the conclusion that being away from God was not the relief he thought it would be.
As traumatic as this event was, Jonah seems to emerge from the belly of the fish with lingering spiritual issues. Though he preaches to the city of Nineveh, there is still anger and hatred dominating his heart. The last chapter gives us a glimpse of this as he directs this anger towards the very God that saved him. In order for true change to occur, there must be a genuine change of heart. While low points can help us examine our heart health for a moment, relentless determination to live life differently is the key to success. A hopeful reminder for anyone who may find themselves in the depths of sin, there is no place too dark where God is not able to hear your prayers.
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