A WORD FOR TODAY, December 22, 2020

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Peggy Hoppes

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Dec 22, 2020, 10:43:14 AM12/22/20
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We pray you have been blessed by this daily devotion. If you received it from a friend, you can see other devotions and studies by visiting our website at www.awordfortoday.org.

 

Blessings. Peg

www.awordfortoday.org

 

A WORD FOR TODAY, December 22, 2020

 

“Then little children were brought to him that he should lay his hands on them and pray; and the disciples rebuked them. 14 But Jesus said, “Allow the little children, and don’t forbid them to come to me; for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to ones like these.” 15 He laid his hands on them, and departed from there.” Matthew 19:13-15, WEB

 

Scribble snowmen is a fun activity to do with children. You begin by scribbling with a white crayon or piece of chalk on to a sheet of colored paper. Then find what looks like a head, glue some eyes and a nose, and then add decorations to make it look Christmassy. This is an unusual activity because we normally expect people to color neatly in the lines, but a scribbling snowman gives you the freedom to just play with color and line. It is interesting to note that those who are more advanced with their drawing ability have more difficulty dealing with the free form of that type of project. Some people want to automatically draw circles for the head and body; they do not like scribbling. Many people would rather it be a clear picture of a snowman. People of different gifts and abilities are able to succeed at different times and in different ways.

 

This is very true of our spiritual journeys. We do not all have to be in the same place at the same time. And we certainly all do not have the same gifts. There are some Christians that are mature in their faith and others that are just getting started. There are those who have discovered their gifts and are using them daily to glorify God and others who are just beginning to see how abundantly God blesses His children. We need to understand these differences and learn how to love one another despite them. A mature Christian should never consider him or herself better than another Christian based on these differences. We are brought together by the power of the Holy Spirit to guide and encourage one another. The lesson we can learn from that scribbling activity is that sometimes the things we can do make it difficult to do the things we should be doing.

 

I’ve heard it said that new Christians make better witnesses than age old Christians. The reason for this is the fact that the new Christian has a passionate heart for evangelism and they aren’t stuck on the details. Mature Christians often trip over his or her knowledge, concerning themselves more with getting the doctrines of faith right and perfect rather than speaking the simple word of God into the lives of those who will hear. It is necessary to grow and mature, but we have to remember that all children of God have gifts, even when they are just tiny babies. And sometimes the babies can do things better than the adults.

 

Even young children have something to add to the Kingdom. We need to recognize that God has work for every believer, no matter where they are on their journey with Christ. The young in age and in faith are as important as the most educated theologians. We need to look at those who are in a different place and find something to encourage them. Rather than finding fault with a young Christian’s understanding of God, we should be finding their gifts and encouraging them so that they too will use their gifts to the glory of God. I think all too often we squelch the fire that burns in the hearts of new Christians because we try to force them to be at the same place on a faith journey others instead of helping them to grow from where they are.

 

 

A WORD FOR TODAY is posted five days a week – Monday through Friday.  The devotional on Wednesday takes a look at the scripture from the Revised Common Lectionary for the upcoming Sunday.  A WORD FOR TODAY is posted on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Word-for-Today-Devotional/339428839418276. Like the page to receive the devotion through Facebook. For information and to access our archives, visit http://www.awordfortoday.org.

 


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