DEVOTION:
Proverbs 17:22 — “A cheerful heart is good medicine.”
THOUGHT: (Reminder)
Have you ever noticed how families, people, can disagree about almost anything? Politics, money, how to raise children, what temperature the thermostat should be set at—and, of course, where everyone is going to eat! Sometimes we can disagree pretty strongly.
But hopefully, when the disagreement is over, we remember something important: we are still family. Some by blood and others by love and faith.
We can disagree with someone we love without allowing that disagreement to become everything we see in them. I can think you are completely wrong about something and still know you to be kind, generous, faithful, and someone I am blessed to have in my life. We can disagree at one end of the table and still laugh together when we get up from the table.
Proverbs tells us, “A cheerful heart is good medicine.” Maybe sometimes the medicine we need is remembering that relationships are bigger than disagreements.
And shouldn't that also be true of our church family, our co-workers, our neighbors, and the many other people God places in our lives? We aren't going to agree on every decision, every judgment call, political view, or even every understanding of our faith. But disagreement doesn't have to erase everything else we know to be true and good about a person. We can work beside one another, live beside one another, share a meal, laugh together, worship together, pray for one another, and still disagree. Perhaps part of loving our neighbor is refusing to allow one disagreement to become the only thing we see when we look at them.
Maybe that's one of the beautiful things about being family—in our homes, in our church and neighborhoods. We don't have to agree about everything to love one another through anything.
So today, enjoy your family. Laugh together. Give a little grace. And if there has been a disagreement lately, perhaps remember all the other things that are true and good about that person. After all, sometimes a little laughter, a little grace, and remembering that we belong to one another really is good medicine.
PRAYER:
Almighty and Holy God, thank You for this Sunday morning and for the blessing of gathering together as Your family. Thank You for the much-needed rain, for the changing seasons, and for the countless ways You provide for us each day.
Lord, we come carrying many different things. Some of us are joyful, some are tired, some are grieving, some are worried about what tomorrow may bring, and some bringing a mixture of them all. Meet each of us where we are and remind us that we do not carry these things alone.
We lift before You our church family, especially those who are sick, hurting, grieving, or facing uncertainty. Be especially near the Bailey family as we prepare to celebrate Marion's life and give thanks for her faithful witness among us.
We pray for our community, our nation and its leaders, and for a world desperately needing peace. Where there is hatred, teach us to love. Where there is division, help us listen. And where we disagree, remind us never to lose sight of the person You have called us to love.
As we worship this morning, quiet the distractions within us. Open our hearts to Your Word, fill us with Your Spirit, and send us into the coming week ready to love, serve, forgive, and bring a little more of Christ's light wherever we go. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.
DEVOTION:
Proverbs 17:22 — “A cheerful heart is good medicine.”
THOUGHT: (Reminder)
Have you ever noticed how families, people, can disagree about almost anything? Politics, money, how to raise children, what temperature the thermostat should be set at—and, of course, where everyone is going to eat! Sometimes we can disagree pretty strongly.
But hopefully, when the disagreement is over, we remember something important: we are still family. Some by blood and others by love and faith.
We can disagree with someone we love without allowing that disagreement to become everything we see in them. I can think you are completely wrong about something and still know you to be kind, generous, faithful, and someone I am blessed to have in my life. We can disagree at one end of the table and still laugh together when we get up from the table.
Proverbs tells us, “A cheerful heart is good medicine.” Maybe sometimes the medicine we need is remembering that relationships are bigger than disagreements.
And shouldn't that also be true of our church family, our co-workers, our neighbors, and the many other people God places in our lives? We aren't going to agree on every decision, every judgment call, political view, or even every understanding of our faith. But disagreement doesn't have to erase everything else we know to be true and good about a person. We can work beside one another, live beside one another, share a meal, laugh together, worship together, pray for one another, and still disagree. Perhaps part of loving our neighbor is refusing to allow one disagreement to become the only thing we see when we look at them.
Maybe that's one of the beautiful things about being family—in our homes, in our church and neighborhoods. We don't have to agree about everything to love one another through anything.
So today, enjoy your family. Laugh together. Give a little grace. And if there has been a disagreement lately, perhaps remember all the other things that are true and good about that person. After all, sometimes a little laughter, a little grace, and remembering that we belong to one another really is good medicine.
PRAYER:
Almighty and Holy God, thank You for this Sunday morning and for the blessing of gathering together as Your family. Thank You for the much-needed rain, for the changing seasons, and for the countless ways You provide for us each day.
Lord, we come carrying many different things. Some of us are joyful, some are tired, some are grieving, some are worried about what tomorrow may bring, and some bringing a mixture of them all. Meet each of us where we are and remind us that we do not carry these things alone.
We lift before You our church family, especially those who are sick, hurting, grieving, or facing uncertainty. Be especially near the Bailey family as we prepare to celebrate Marion's life and give thanks for her faithful witness among us.
We pray for our community, our nation and its leaders, and for a world desperately needing peace. Where there is hatred, teach us to love. Where there is division, help us listen. And where we disagree, remind us never to lose sight of the person You have called us to love.
As we worship this morning, quiet the distractions within us. Open our hearts to Your Word, fill us with Your Spirit, and send us into the coming week ready to love, serve, forgive, and bring a little more of Christ's light wherever we go. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.