Honest Reflections

One minute read.

Daily Reading: 2 Chronicles 29:1-36, Romans 14:1-23, Psalm 24:1-10, Proverbs 20:12

Daily Verse: “The hearing ear and the seeing eye, the Lord has made them both.” Prov. 20:12

Spiritual awareness.

God gave us eyes to see and ears to hear the things around us, but also to use in service to Him.  Jesus came to tell the truth, but often, people can’t see it. The false narratives of this world captivate people and close their eyes to God.

People need God’s guidance, just like I do. Often, I ask the Lord to give me eyes to see and hears to hear what He wants me to do. I pray the same thing for others, both believers and non-believers because we all need God’s intervention.

We use our sight to perceive and understand the things around us. Hearing God’s word means we must obey what He says. Using our senses, we can discern the Lord’s will for our lives and move forward with Him, trusting His direction.

Often, God only gives us the next step in the journey. Rarely, if ever, does the Lord show us our entire itinerary. Following Jesus takes us on our greatest adventure, one step at a time.

Ask God for eyes to see and ears to hear, then marvel at what He reveals to you.

Lord, thank You for giving us senses to use in service to You. Open our eyes and ears to hear what You have for us. Help us follow You well as we gain a clear vision from You. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: 2 Chronicles 26:1-28:27, Romans 13:1-14, Psalm 23:1-6, Proverbs 20:11

Daily Verse: “Even a child makes himself known by his acts, by whether his conduct is pure and upright.” Prov. 20:11

Cultivated righteousness.

Children’s actions, like adults, show their character. Righteous conduct reveals righteous character. Recognizing pure hearts in children because of their actions allows parents to cultivate them. However, when kids show their sinful side, developing a pure heart requires discipline and teaching through personal example.

Teaching tennis camp, I had three siblings: one boy ( the oldest) and two girls. Playing Asteroids, a game like musical chairs, except with balls, the youngest sibling didn’t get a ball and began to cry. Immediately, her older brother handed his ball to her, understanding the situation and her frustration, a pure heart exemplified.

Witnessing that moment tells why I love working with children. Kids don’t have the scars adults do; they haven’t built walls around their hearts and love freely. Working with them reminds me of how God wants us to love Him, like a child, without reserve, trusting completely.

Develop a righteous heart through daily time with the Lord; let Him purify.

Lord, thank You for the children in our lives. Help us develop their righteous hearts by the examples we set for them. Purify us, searching our souls and cleansing them from iniquity. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: 2 Chronicles 24:1-25:28, Romans 12:1-21, Psalm 22:19-31, Proverbs 20:8-10

Daily Verse: “Who can say, “I have made my heart pure; I am clean from my sin”?” Prov. 20:9

Moral perfection.

Only Jesus can claim moral perfection. Anyone else who says they have a clean heart needs to read the ninth commandment about lying. Claiming a pure heart means every decision and motivation has no fault. We wouldn’t need Jesus if we could attain moral perfection ourselves.

Coaching tennis camp, playing Pacman, a game of tag using the lines on the tennis court, the students can’t run; they must walk fast.

“Coach, she only tagged me ’cause she ran.”

“Guess what? You were running too. You’re Pacman.”

Children or adults, we quickly blame others, not looking at our role in the situation. We all have room for improvement because no one has a clean heart. Accepting the uncleanliness within helps us embrace Jesus, allow the Holy Spirit to guide and assist us in making better choices and take responsibility for our actions.

Thank God for Jesus; allowing Him to cleanse our hearts helps us become better people.

Lord, forgive us for claiming moral perfection. As we move through our days, search our hearts and show us our imperfections. Help us become more like Jesus as we pursue You, striving to honor and glorify Christ. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: 2 Chronicles 21:1-23:21, Romans 11:13-36, Psalm 22:1-18, Proverbs 20:7

Daily Verse: “The righteous who walks in his integrity—blessed are his children after him!” Prov. 20:7

Heritage of Integrity

Parents who set an example of honest living pass on their legacy to their children. My siblings and I have reputations for honesty. In our local newspaper, my brothers, self-employed businessmen, have had customer reviews attesting to their truthfulness.

My oldest brother, a retired mechanic, received accolades for telling the truth and not doing unnecessary work to make money. My other brothers’ business partners had reviews for their honest pricing and superb masonry work. 

As for myself, the first year my partner and I established our tennis business, we received the Dr. Herman N. Nielson award from the Peninsula Tennis Patrons Association for our work with children, the first women to receive the reward.

All because our parents, people of integrity, modeled integrity to their children. My coal miner dad lived his life for the Lord and taught us to do the same. Praise God.

Live a life of integrity, modeling it for your children and others. Leave them a heritage of integrity.

Lord, thank You for the gift of honest parents dedicated to You.  Help us model them well for our children and others, leaving behind a legacy of integrity. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: 2 Chronicles 19:1-20:37, Romans 10:14-11:12, Psalm 21:1-13, Proverbs 20:4-6

Daily Verse: “The purpose in a man’s heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out.” Prov. 20:5

Discerning motives.

Good counseling draws out the motives of the heart. Discerning what motivates someone’s actions takes work. Diving deep beneath the surface of a person’s inner world requires insightful questions that draw them out of their shell.

Individuals become masters at living on the surface, diverting attention away from themselves and the inner workings of their minds. Self-defense mechanisms cause us to build walls around emotional injuries, protecting us from further harm. But healing only comes when we learn to work through the pain instead of trying to avoid it.

Like an abused puppy, only with time will they begin to trust. Our dog Sophia suffered unspeakable abuse for the first two years. When we first adopted her, she hid from us. But now, after a decade of love, she follows us everywhere.

Patience, love, and kindness will draw out an individual’s hurt and help them heal. Shower people with love, show them you genuinely care, and give them time to learn to trust you, asking insightful questions to help them heal.

Lord, help us love others well, creating safe environments for them to freely talk about what lies deep in their hearts. Give us insight and wisdom to ask the right questions, helping them heal from past pains. May You receive all the honor and glory. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: 2 Chronicles 17:1-18:34, Romans 9:25-10:13, Psalm 20:1-9, Proverbs 20:2-3

Daily Verse: “It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife, but every fool will be quarreling.” Prov. 20:2

Avoiding Strife.

Not engaging in “in-house debates” helps me avoid strife. I define these arguments as theological arguments that don’t have conclusive scriptural answers.

For instance, eschatology, end times debates have four distinctive perspectives: Amillennialism, Postmillennialism, Historic Premillennialism, and Dispensationalism. People spend a lot of time arguing over these different viewpoints, but I don’t because of Matthew 24:36:

“But no one knows the day or the hour. No! Not even the angels in heaven know. The Son does not know. Only the Father knows.”

Only God knows the answer to the end times debate. The Great Commandment calls us to love God and others, not argue over when Jesus will return. And so, I choose to avoid strife by focusing on obeying the Lord’s commandment and not engaging in debates that have no answers.

Obeying the Great Commandment focuses our attention on God, helps us honor Him, and avoid strife by putting love first.

Lord, thank You for giving us clear direction on what we should do with our lives. Help us love You and others well, avoiding strife and fulfilling our life mission. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: 2 Chronicles 14:1-16:14, Romans 9:1-24, Psalm 19:1-14, Proverbs 20:1

Daily Verse: “Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.” Prov. 20:1

Effects of Alcohol.

Drinking alcohol in moderation doesn’t cause the problems excessive drinking does. Jesus’ first miracle turned water into wine. But the problem begins when we lose control of the amount of alcohol consumed, which happens way too quickly.

Moderating alcohol in my life started in high school after my dad died. Senior year, while on crutches, I got drunk for the first time. My college years included many drunken nights and lost memories. Thankfully, when I became a Flight Attendant, random drug and alcohol tests curbed my use. But I still managed to overindulge on occasion.

At this point in life, I only drink occasionally, preferring the sober lifestyle because it comes with no regrets, nasty hangover headaches, or forgotten words and actions.

Alcohol’s deceitful nature makes it easy for anyone to overindulge. Having one more drink doesn’t seem like a problem, but it has significant repercussions.

Only you and God know the effects of alcohol in your life. Talk to Him about your relationship with alcohol and how it affects your life.

Lord, thank You for giving us guidelines on how to live. Help us evaluate the effects of alcohol in our life and take the necessary steps to honor You with our actions. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: 2 Chronicles 11:1-13:22, Romans 8:26-39, Psalm 18:37-50. Proverbs 19:27-29

Daily Verse: “Condemnation is ready for scoffers and beating for the backs of fools.” Prov. 19:29

Certainty of retribution.

“What goes around comes around,” Mom said whenever I came home with a relational hurt. Unfortunately, we don’t always see the “come around” part of that saying. Often, the offender seems to get off without any penalty. But according to Solomon, scoffers get what they deserve.

In sixth grade, Mr. Morgan paddled my behind for tilting my chair back on two legs and acting like a clown. My lack of respect for his authority caused judgment to fall upon me, one I deserved.

People who turn their back on God, not respecting His authority, and scoff at Him will receive judgment. As Mr. Morgan punished me for my poor behavior, fools will receive their just dues. How, when, where, and what I don’t know; the Lord handles those details.

As followers of Christ, Jesus took the beating for us. He received the punishment we deserve. Living a life of submission to the Lord starts with gratitude for what He did for us. Sharing God’s grace and mercy with people helps others find the same gift we’ve received.   

Lord, thank You for taking on our sins and giving us freedom with Your death and resurrection. Help us not take offense but instead share the grace and mercy You’ve given us with others. May our actions help Your Kingdom grow. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: 2 Chronicles 8:11-10:19, Romans 8:9-25, Psalm 18:16-36, Proverbs 19:26

Daily Verse: “He who does violence to his father and chases away his mother is a son who brings shame and reproach.” Prov. 19:26

Shame and reproach.

Reading today’s verse made me think of Lyle and Erik Menendez, two brothers who brutally murdered their parents in 1989. Housed together in RJ Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego, they received life sentences for their crimes. Netflix’s “Monster,” tells their story.

“Honor thy father and mother” (Deut.20:12) has a promise attached to it. The fifth commandment in the Big Ten promises long life to those who obey it. Our parents gave us life; God wants their sacrifice honored.

Having children does come with sacrifice. I don’t have children, yet I know this truth. Having coffee with a young mom of five, I saw the exhaustion on her face, the energy she used to address each of her child’s demands patiently, and the unconditional love she poured into each of them.

Honor parents. We don’t have to agree with them to respect their authority in our life. Without them and the good Lord, we wouldn’t have a life to live.

Lord, forgive us for not honoring our parents. Thank You for giving us life through them. Show us how You want us to serve them today. Let us honor them well. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: 2 Chronicles 6:12-8:10, Romans 7:14-8:8, Psalm 18:1-15. Proverbs 19:24-25

Daily Verse: “The sluggard buries his hand in the dish and will not even bring it back to his mouth.” Prov. 19:24

Nature of laziness.

According to Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Solomon refers to people who start projects but don’t have the energy to finish them. As a writer and crafter, I have multiple projects happening at once.   When I worked for a corporation, management gave me the projects and the due dates to complete them. But now, I set the pace for my work, and some days, I don’t feel like doing it.

Setting deadlines helps me finish projects. If I don’t give myself a timeline, I become a sluggard who doesn’t have the energy to finish. Something else always pops up.

“I have to say no to fun things,” I told the associate at Trader Joe’s. When she asked me about my day, we talked about the challenges of self-employment. No one’s holding me accountable for getting my work done but me. And sometimes, I’m a more demanding boss than others.

Finishing well and completing projects takes energy. Sluggards don’t pass the finish line because of their laziness. Don’t give up; keep going. One day at a time, you can finish any project you start.

Lord, thank You for giving us work to do. Help us complete the tasks You assign us well. Don’t let laziness stop us from doing the divine tasks at hand. Let our work glorify and honor You. IJNIP. Amen