Tree of Life

Read Proverbs 15:1-4

There are nothing more horrible than the feeling of regret for saying something wrong to someone. Verse 2 says that the mouth of the fool gushes folly. How true that often we speak before we think, and making a fool of ourselves later.

We need to examine our words before we burst them out to others. We need to ask whether they bring healing (v4) and build others up or crushing and tearing them apart. Are we expressing them with gentleness (v1) or heartless sarcasm and criticism that hurt and bring others down.

Dear Father, thank You for reminding me to watch my words in speech and also in writing. Guide me to think about how others may feel and respond to the things I say. May my tongue be a tree of life bringing healing and comfort to others. In Jesus' Name I pray, Amen.

Bold Persistence

Matthew 15:21-28

21Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession."

23Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, "Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us."

24He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel."

25The woman came and knelt before him. "Lord, help me!" she said.

26He replied, "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs."

27"Yes, Lord," she said, "but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table."

28Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

Reflection of Tommy:

We can sometimes become so occupied with our spiritual matters than we miss or ignore the needs of others around us. Like the disciples in today’s passage, we can miss the opportunity to show true compassion and sensitivity to those with real needs. We have prejudice against them and afraid of the hassle they might bring to us.

Be aware next time for any opportunity that God may be bringing to us through these needy people. Remember always that God’s message of love and grace is for all people, making every effort not to keep off those who are different from us.

Dear Father, thank You for the lesson today of be kind and generous to those around me. Forgive me of my ignorance and prejudice towards others; even looking down on those who are different from me. Teach me not to be like that anymore but instead be willing to reach out and to show true compassion and concern to those You bring before me. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

The Giving Kind

Ruth 2:14-20

14 At mealtime Boaz said to her, "Come over here. Have some bread and dip it in the wine vinegar."
When she sat down with the harvesters, he offered her some roasted grain. She ate all she wanted and had some left over. 15 As she got up to glean, Boaz gave orders to his men, "Even if she gathers among the sheaves, don't embarrass her. 16 Rather, pull out some stalks for her from the bundles and leave them for her to pick up, and don't rebuke her."

17 So Ruth gleaned in the field until evening. Then she threshed the barley she had gathered, and it amounted to about an ephah. [a] 18 She carried it back to town, and her mother-in-law saw how much she had gathered. Ruth also brought out and gave her what she had left over after she had eaten enough.

19 Her mother-in-law asked her, "Where did you glean today? Where did you work? Blessed be the man who took notice of you!"
Then Ruth told her mother-in-law about the one at whose place she had been working. "The name of the man I worked with today is Boaz," she said.

20 "The LORD bless him!" Naomi said to her daughter-in-law. "He has not stopped showing his kindness to the living and the dead." She added, "That man is our close relative; he is one of our kinsman-redeemers."

Reflection of Bee:

Kindness doesn't always beget kindness. In fact very frequently kindness may be taken for granted, or worse still being rewarded with hurts or abuses. In times like these there is a tendency to stop being kind and mind one's own business. When one is cheated for being kind, one may become hard hearted in order not to be cheated again.

Yet the bible said in Ephesians 4:1-3, 32:

1As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

32Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Kindness is expressed in our being humble, gentle, patient and forgiving towards each other in the Lord first, and extend it towards those who are not. Kindness is one of the attributes of love in a practical way.


Dear Lord,
Thank You that Your loving kindness never cease and Your compassion never fail. I pray that I will show Your kindness to others that they may know You.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.


Reflection of Tommy:

There are those who feel agitated and bothered when their peaceful and comfortable daily lives being disrupted by someone who came to seek for help. It is easy to do the bare minimum to provide for their needs and move on with our lives. We need to learn to respond to God’s kindness and generosity to us similarly to those who are less fortunate around us. Like Boaz, we can always do more than the minimum for the needy.

Dear Father, thank You for all the blessings You have been showering into my life that I always took for granted. Forgive me Lord and teach me instead to respond to Your love and kindness by displaying likewise towards others. Guide me that I will not be self-centered but to make my best effort to provide to those around me who are in need. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.