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Book of Hosea (May 12)
Ever studied the OT book of Hosea? It’s sure to bring up some questions. Talk about it…
Ever studied the OT book of Hosea? It’s sure to bring up some questions. Talk about it…
Devotional for Today
Do Not Judge
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Phil. 2:3, NIV.
My husband and I were on a summer road trip. One morning we sat in the breakfast room of a hotel, and while I enjoyed my breakfast, I observed the people around me.
There were thick ones and thin ones, younger and older ones, and I started evaluating them all. The sleeves of his blazer are too long. Her shoes are too big. And that lady is wearing too much jewelry. That person is as stiff as a stick. I continued in this vein until I stopped and asked myself, What on earth am I doing? And what is my motive? My self-analysis showed me that the real reason was to make myself look better. I am perfect; I’m dressed just right for traveling, and so on. But am I so insecure that my self–esteem is dependent on how other people look? Must I measure my worth against the scale of others? Am I not valuable on my own?
Of course I know that my worth does not depend on anything: not my position, my profession, nor that I’m a particularly good mother or grandmother. And yet it seems that inherent in us is the wish to be better than others. We think we need this affirmation for our self esteem.
But we don’t. We have a Father in heaven who, again and again, tells us through the Bible how valuable we are in His eyes. We are so precious that He died for us and did not want to leave us here on earth alone. It was, and is, His desire to be together with us and to enable us to live in liberty. A part of this freedom is the consciousness of the worth of every person in themselves. Thus we are valuable from the moment we are born, and we keep this worth independently of what we do or don’t do.
I often forget that I am of value just because God made me. Maybe I should stick a big note on my mirror: “You are valuable even though you might not like your looks just now.”
After breakfast I asked my heavenly Father to forgive me for my arrogance toward the other hotel guests, and I prayed for a new attitude and behavior toward my neighbors and myself.
Dear Lord Jesus, help me to realize that in Your eyes I am always valuable, and forgive me if I try to find my worth at the expense of others.
Claudia DeJong
During moments of joy and seasons of heartache, you can still see and hear God’s love in action—His love “out loud.” Listen in as women from around the world shout His praise.
More Information
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Phil. 2:3, NIV.
My husband and I were on a summer road trip. One morning we sat in the breakfast room of a hotel, and while I enjoyed my breakfast, I observed the people around me.
There were thick ones and thin ones, younger and older ones, and I started evaluating them all. The sleeves of his blazer are too long. Her shoes are too big. And that lady is wearing too much jewelry. That person is as stiff as a stick. I continued in this vein until I stopped and asked myself, What on earth am I doing? And what is my motive? My self-analysis showed me that the real reason was to make myself look better. I am perfect; I’m dressed just right for traveling, and so on. But am I so insecure that my self–esteem is dependent on how other people look? Must I measure my worth against the scale of others? Am I not valuable on my own?
Of course I know that my worth does not depend on anything: not my position, my profession, nor that I’m a particularly good mother or grandmother. And yet it seems that inherent in us is the wish to be better than others. We think we need this affirmation for our self esteem.
But we don’t. We have a Father in heaven who, again and again, tells us through the Bible how valuable we are in His eyes. We are so precious that He died for us and did not want to leave us here on earth alone. It was, and is, His desire to be together with us and to enable us to live in liberty. A part of this freedom is the consciousness of the worth of every person in themselves. Thus we are valuable from the moment we are born, and we keep this worth independently of what we do or don’t do.
I often forget that I am of value just because God made me. Maybe I should stick a big note on my mirror: “You are valuable even though you might not like your looks just now.”
After breakfast I asked my heavenly Father to forgive me for my arrogance toward the other hotel guests, and I prayed for a new attitude and behavior toward my neighbors and myself.
Dear Lord Jesus, help me to realize that in Your eyes I am always valuable, and forgive me if I try to find my worth at the expense of others.
Claudia DeJong
From the Devotional: Love Out Loud
During moments of joy and seasons of heartache, you can still see and hear God’s love in action—His love “out loud.” Listen in as women from around the world shout His praise. More Information
