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A Citizen's Duties
Read Ecclesiastes 8:1-5
“I counsel thee to keep the king's commandment, and that in regard of the oath of God” (v. 2).
“Oh, I don't get involved in politics,” she said to me, punctuated with an attitude that this somehow made her holier. But God's Word is clear regarding our duties of citizenship. Foremost is the responsibility to intercede to the Father on our country's behalf. But there are also practical duties of a citizen. Do you know what they are? The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website lists the responsibilities of all citizens, including the following:
- Support and defend the Constitution;
- Stay informed of the issues affecting your community;
- Respect and obey federal, state, and local laws;
- Respect the rights, beliefs, and opinions of others;
- Pay required taxes honestly, and on time;
- Serve on a jury or as a witness when summoned;
- Defend the country, if the need should arise;
- Participate in the democratic process by voting and/or running for office.
It would be well for those of us who live in America to express our gratefulness for the opportunity to live in a free and prosperous nation by enthusiastically embracing the responsibilities of our citizenship to this country. If you do not live in the USA, check to see what responsibilities your immigration service outlines for new citizens. (Faith Trussel)
Thy Name we bless, Almighty God, for all the kindness Thou hast shown To this fair land, the pilgrims trod, this land we fondly call our own. — Alfred Woodhull
This devotional is the Monday, May 22, 2017 entry of Opening the Word.
Variety is the spice of life
There is an old saying, “Variety is the spice of life.” Throughout this quarter, these “Tips for Teachers” have suggested various techniques and methods to create variety in your class. Some of these techniques are not very new, even if they are not used often enough. Some suggestions may be considered a bit radical. The suggestions given are truly just a sample of the ideas that could be used to help your class learn God’s Word.
The point has been to give you ways to create variety in the classroom. Even the best-tasting meal gets old after eating it for a week. And so, regardless of the style of teaching you employ, always using the same pattern may lead to boredom.
How can you introduce even a small change to your technique this next week, in order to capture your students’ attention and help them to internalize God’s Word?
Christians and Their Government
Lesson 13 - May 28, 2017
Focus Text: Ezra 7:23-26; 1 Peter 2:11-17
Central Truth: God ordained government to provide order for society.
Objective: By the end of this lesson my students should be able to list several ways they can be a better citizen of the country in which they live.
Lesson Outline:
- Obey the Laws (Ezra 7:23-26)
- Maintain an Honest Witness (1 Peter 2:11, 12)
- Submit to Instituted Authority (1 Peter 2:13-17)
How to Love Your Neighbor
In "Doctrinal Discussion" Jason Lindahl writes:
To love your neighbor as yourself, the second-highest commandment according to Jesus, is highly practical. It looks like Proverbs 25, where we read, “Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbor hath put thee to shame” (v. 8). In other words, when you find canine excrement in your front yard, do not automatically assume your neighbor's poodle is to blame and fling the offensive substance over the bordering fence into his property. Perhaps a friendly discussion of the problem is in order, as the next couple of verses state: “Debate thy cause with thy neigh-bor himself; and discover not a secret to another: lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, and thine infamy turn not away.” That is, don't go blabbing to all the other neighbors that Joe next door lets his poodle run wild, instead of going and talking the matter over with Joe himself. When you find out that Joe's dog got run over by a car six months ago and that some other animal was responsible for the deposit in your yard, you are going to feel pretty ashamed. Furthermore, the town gossip becomes the subject of scornful gossip himself. Also, when we go to talk to Joe about the problem, our speech should be gracious and non-accusing, as verse 11 says: “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.” Of course, upon further reflection, we may decide, probably correctly, that it is not worth making a big deal over the situation, and simply toss the refuse in the garbage can. The command to love our neighbors as ourselves comes from the Book of Leviticus and in context it reads, “Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy peo-ple, but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: I am the LORD” (19:18). Perhaps Joe's dog is to blame; perhaps Joe is careless and inconsiderate. Consider forgiveness. Take Joe a loaf of bread. Back to Proverbs 25: “If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: for thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee” (vs. 21, 22). On the other hand, perhaps Joe is a great guy, friendly, generous, and helpful. Perhaps you enjoy talking to him and find it convenient to run over every so often and borrow his hedge trimmer. Keep in mind verse 17 of our chapter: “Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbor's house; lest he be weary of thee, and so hate thee.” And certainly, whatever you do, don't let your dog run loose in Joe's yard!
Source: Building Christian Relationships: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 74.
What is the "low estate" of Romans 12:16?
In "Word Focus" Glenn McClure writes:
In lesson 11 we looked at the message Paul conveyed when he spoke about being of one mind. In Romans 12:16 of today's lesson that phrase is encountered again. Only here Paul went on to discuss what must be done to keep that unity alive. One of the specific exhortations was to “condescend to men of low estate.” In its various forms the word translated low estate occurs thirty-four times in the New Testament. It is the normal word for humility, being translated that way in approximately half of its occurrences. Historically the literal meaning referred to something that was “low-lying.” But metaphorical meanings soon developed. In that way the word could refer to a person's social status or his emotional state. Mary used it in the Magnificat (Luke 1:48) to describe her social status. Paul described God as comforting “those that are cast down” (2 Cor. 7:6), a reference that at least includes the emotional aspect of the word. But most of the time the word has an ethical meaning that makes it the opposite of pride and arrogance.
Source: Building Christian Relationships: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 70.