| Topic: |
Religions > Bible |
| User: |
"Peter G. Chase" |
| Date: |
17 Aug 2007 11:01:00 PM |
| Object: |
DN Treating Others with Consideration 8/18/2007 |
DRAWING NEAR
August 18
Treating Others with Consideration
"[Love] does not act unbecomingly" (1 Cor. 13:5).
Considerate behavior demonstrates godly love and adds credibility to
your witness.
When I was a young child, I loved to slurp my soup. I didn't see any
harm in it even though my parents constantly objected. Then one
evening I ate with someone who slurped his soup. He was having a
great time but I didn't enjoy my meal very much. Then I realized that
proper table manners are one way of showing consideration for others.
It says, "I care about you and don't want to do anything that might
disrupt your enjoyment of this meal."
On a more serious note, I know a couple who got an annulment on the
grounds that the husband was rude to his wife. She claimed that his
incessant burping proved that he didn't really love her. The judge
ruled in her favor, stating that if the husband truly loved her, he
would have been more considerate. That's a strange story but true,
and it illustrates the point that love is not rude.
"Unbecomingly" in 1 Corinthians 13:5 includes any behavior that
violates acceptable biblical or social standards. We could paraphrase
it, "Love is considerate of others." That would have been in stark
contrast to the inconsiderate behavior of the Corinthians--many of
whom were overindulging at their love feasts and getting drunk on the
Communion wine (1 Cor. 11:20-22). Some women were overstepping bounds
by removing their veils and usurping the role of men in the church (1
Cor. 11:3-16; 14:34-35). Both men and women were corrupting the
worship services by trying to outdo one another's spiritual gifts (1
Cor. 14:26).
Undoubtedly the Corinthians justified their rude behavior--just as we
often justify ours. But rudeness betrays a lack of love and is always
detrimental to effective ministry. For example, I've seen Christians
behave so rudely toward non-Christians who smoke that they destroyed
any opportunity to tell them about Christ.
Be aware of how you treat others--whether believers or unbelievers.
Even the smallest of courtesies can make a profound impression.
Suggestions for Prayer:
Ask the Holy Spirit to monitor your behavior and convict you of any
loveless actions. As He does, be sure to confess and forsake them.
For Further Study:
Read Luke 7:36-50. How did Jesus protect the repentant woman from the
Pharisee's rudeness?
Drawing Near, Copyright 1993 John F. MacArthur, Jr.
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
http://www.gty.org
~~~
1 Corinthians 11:20-22
20 Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not to eat
the Lord's Supper.
21 For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others; and
one is hungry and another is drunk.
22 What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you
despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What
shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise you.
1 Corinthians 11:3-16
3 But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the
head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.
4 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered,
dishonors his head.
5 But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered
dishonors her head, for that is one and the same as if her head were
shaved.
6 For if a woman is not covered, let her also be shorn. But if it is
shameful for a woman to be shorn or shaved, let her be covered.
7 For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, since he is the
image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man.
8 For man is not from woman, but woman from man.
9 Nor was man created for the woman, but woman for the man.
10 For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on
her head, because of the angels.
11 Nevertheless, neither is man independent of woman, nor woman
independent of man, in the Lord.
12 For as woman came from man, even so man also comes through woman;
but all things are from God.
13 Judge among yourselves. Is it proper for a woman to pray to God
with her head uncovered?
14 Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long
hair, it is a dishonor to him?
15 But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair
is given to her for a covering.
16 But if anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom,
nor do the churches of God.
1 Corinthians 14:34-35
34 Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not
permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also
says.
35 And if they want to learn something, let them ask their own
husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church.
1 Corinthians 14:26
26 How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you
has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an
interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.
Luke 7:36-50
36 Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went
to the Pharisee's house, and sat down to eat.
37 And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew
that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee's house, brought an
alabaster flask of fragrant oil,
38 and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash
His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head;
and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil.
39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to
himself, saying, "This man, if He were a prophet, would know who and
what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a
sinner."
40 And Jesus answered and said to him, "Simon, I have something to
say to you." So he said, "Teacher, say it."
41 "There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five
hundred denarii, and the other fifty.
42 "And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave
them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?"
43 Simon answered and said, "I suppose the one whom he forgave
more." And He said to him, "You have rightly judged."
44 Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this
woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but
she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of
her head.
45 "You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My
feet since the time I came in.
46 "You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed
My feet with fragrant oil.
47 "Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven,
for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves
little."
48 Then He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."
49 And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to
themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?"
50 Then He said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you. Go in
peace."
These devotions are posted with permission from John MacArthur's
first (1993) devotional work, _Drawing Near_, and they are also sent
out daily for free to several folks via e-mail.
In addition, John's second (1997) devotional, _Strength for Today_,
is also available free via e-mail only. _Strength for Today_ follows
the same format as what you have seen here from _Drawing Near_, but
with different monthly themes.
If you would like to receive daily devotions via e-mail from either
of these series, just let me know (via e-mail), and I will gladly add
you to the list(s) of your choice.
You can hear John MacArthur daily via the Internet by visiting:
http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/Grace_to_You/
and
http://www.gty.org.uk/
You may email John MacArthur in care of Grace to You at:
letters@gty.org
NOTE for those of you reading via newsgroups: If you wish to reach
me, please contact me via e-mail for quickest results.
In Christ,
Peter
Peter G. Chase :: Columbus, Ohio, USA
pchase@wowway.com
STOP! Who do you think Jesus is?
http://www.gty.org/Gospel
http://www.gty.org/
http://www.nwbible.org/
There is a living God. He has spoken in His word. He means just what he says, and will do all that He has promised. - Hudson Taylor
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