Hey, Y’all! I’ve been struggling with the latest post for my Building A Village Series. It’s a deeply personal piece, and I’m having trouble putting what I’d like to say into words. It concerns how we as a society process and contemplate death. I’m sharing several of my personal experiences about losing people that I loved and cared for. In the meantime, here is a devotional I shared last week as part of a 31-day series on the “one another” passages in scripture.
Hebrews 3:13
"13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”
We are part of a family filled with brothers and sisters. Sometimes siblings have long-standing rivalries, and other times, they can be the best of friends. As God's household, sometimes we are more rivals than friends. We must heed the words of the writer of Hebrews to "encourage each other daily, while it is still called today, so that none of you is hardened by sin's deception" (Hebrews 3:13). Sin can be insidious, especially when left unchecked. It can cause our hearts to grow hard; remember the words of Jesus, "Because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will wax cold." We need the warmth of each other's encouragement to keep our hearts from growing and remaining cold. We need the fire of love to keep us burning.
Sin is a liar. It deceives you. You may feel that your ways, thoughts, and desires are correct, but we are warned to "watch out, brothers and sisters, so that there won't be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God" (Hebrews 3:12).
But Jesus loves you so much that He gave you brothers and sisters to come and encourage you. To speak like into you. My wife used to call me Barnabas. She would say this as a compliment because it means "son of encouragement." Then, one day, she called me the son of discouragement. Ouch! Was she attempting to jab me or hurt me? No. She was showing me that my actions and words were coming out of a place of pain and discouragement. She told me that I was coming off judgemental. She pointed me to God's word, "Don't criticize one another, brothers and sisters. Anyone who defames or judges a fellow believer defames and judges the law. If you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge." (James 4:11, CSB)
What did I do with her encouragement to look deeply at my actions? I turned to Jesus and asked for His help, and this is what He said.
"Be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful."
Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you; a good measure– pressed down, shaken together, and running over – will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you." (Luke 6:36-38, CSB).
So give encouragement. Give friendship. Give companionship. Give forgiveness. Give non-judgementalism. Give grace. Let your words to your brother or sister be the words of life daily.
I attended Harvest Community Church on 01.28.24 and Rev. Ron Carter preached one of the best messages that I’ve heard in a long time. Take a listen below. It will be worth it.