As you provide for your children’s basic needs – food, clothing, and shelter – so God provides for His children day after day. However, other gifts of God are reserved for those who ask. Jesus once said, “Keep asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives. Everyone who seeks finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened” (Matthew 7:7-8).

Bring your requests to God, whether for your family, spouse, or yourself.

Take some time to pray individually or as a couple. Spend a few minutes praising Him for the awe-inspiring beauty of His creation. Thank Him for the gifts He gives to everyone – especially those He gives specifically to you.

If you have more time…

Discuss together or reflect on these questions:

Which gifts of God in creation mean the most to you? Why?

How can you help each other recognize God’s gifts?

What gifts have you specifically requested from God? What were the results?

Consider these passages for further study of God’s Gifts:

Luke 11:11-13 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for^[a] a fish, will give him a snake instead? ¹² Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? ¹³ If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

John 4:4-10 Now he had to go through Samaria. ⁵ So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. ⁶ Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired from the journey, sat by the well. It was about noon.

⁷ When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” ⁸ (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)

⁹ The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.^[a])

¹⁰ Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”

Romans 5:12-21 Death Through Adam, Life Through Christ

¹² Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people because all sinned—

¹³ To be sure, sin existed before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law. ¹⁴ Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come.

¹⁵ But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! ¹⁶ Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. ¹⁷ For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!

¹⁸ Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. ¹⁹ For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

²⁰ The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, ²¹ so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Psalm 19:1-14 For the director of music. A psalm of David.

¹ The heavens declare the glory of God;
    the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
² Day after day they pour forth speech;
    night after night they reveal knowledge.
³ They have no speech, they use no words;
    no sound is heard from them.
⁴ Yet their voice^[b] goes out into all the earth,
    their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.
⁵     It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
    like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
⁶ It rises at one end of the heavens
    and makes its circuit to the other;
    nothing is deprived of its warmth.

⁷ The law of the Lord is perfect,
    refreshing the soul.
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,
    making wise the simple.
⁸ The precepts of the Lord are right,
    giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant,
    giving light to the eyes.
⁹ The fear of the Lord is pure,
    enduring forever.
The decrees of the Lord are firm,
    and all of them are righteous.

¹⁰ They are more precious than gold,
    than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
    than honey from the honeycomb.
¹¹ By them your servant is warned;
    in keeping them there is great reward.
¹² But who can discern their own errors?
    Forgive my hidden faults.
¹³ Keep your servant also from willful sins;
    may they not rule over me.
Then I will be blameless,
    innocent of great transgression.

¹⁴ May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
    be pleasing in your sight,
    Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

When we see the beautiful things around us, we know they are gifts from God—even our relationships and the people around us. We should be thankful for everything. Those who make us the most happy would mean the most to us. Recognize and find ways to let others know what makes you happy and how blessed we are with God’s gifts.

The book of Job gives illustrations of poor listening. As Job suffered with illness, grief, and loss, he maintained his good standing before God. But his “friends” brushed him off and insisted that he must have committed some great sin for God to allow him to suffer so much. Finally, after enduring many speeches, Job became fed up. We can hear his frustration in Job 31:35; “If only someone would listen to me!”

God listeners will never share their ideas until they are sure that they understand what the other person is.. In marriage, this is extremely important. Ask questions, repeat what you think your spouse is saying, and ask, “Am I understanding you?” If your spouse says yes, then and only then are you ready to move on. You might say, “I really appreciate your being open with me. Now that I understand where you’re coming from, may I share what I was thinking?” At this point, your spouse will hear your perspective, because you have first taken the time to really hear what he or she was saying.

Take time to pray.

Emphasize to the Lord that you want to be a good and thoughtful listener. Ask Him to help you retain from expressing your opinions too soon or too strongly. Ask Him to give you ears to listen well.

Discuss and reflect on these questions:

How would you rate yourself as a listener? Why?

How would your spouse rate you as a listener? Why?

Describe the effect that an interruption has on a conversation – from the listener’s perspective as well as the speaker’s.

Consider these passages for further study on listening:

Proverbs 15:2 The tongue of the wise makes knowledge appealing, but the mouth of a fool belches out foolishness.

Ecclesiastes 5:2 Don’t make rush promises, and don’t be hasty in bringing matters before God, After all, God is in heaven, and you are here on earth. So let your words be few.

James 1:19 Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.

Job 31:35 “If only someone would listen to me! Look, I will sign my name to my defense. Let the Almighty answer me. Let my accuser write out the charges against me.

When you don’t feel heard, trust in the Lord. When you don’t know what to do, trust in the Lord. He may not directly tell you what to do, yet he hears that you are trying to make the right decision. Great thoughts of Gary Chapman and helped me realize we don

The next step is confessing your failures to your loved one and asking for forgiveness. Try this: “I know my actions have hurt you deeply. My words have been unkind and unfair. I have neglected you. I cannot undo what I have done, but if you forgive me, I would like to show you that I indeed love, respect, and appreciate you. I believe we can build a healthy marriage together, and that is what I want.

Your spouse may not reciprocate right away. Allow time for him or her to see that you are genuinely seeking to build a new relationship.

Take time to pray and ask God to…

Remind you of harsh, critical, or condemning words you’ve spoken to your loved one.

Forgive you for your hurtful words and actions.

Give you the strength to seek your loved one’s forgiveness.

Take time to discuss and reflect on these questions:

How have you contributed to the lack of intimacy in your marriage?

How would you respond if your loved one said something like the apology quoted in the devotion?

What would it take for you to say something like that to your loved one?

Consider these passages for further study on Intimacy:

Proverbs 5:15- 19 Drink water from your own well – share your love only with your wife. Why spill the water of your springs in the streets, having sex with just anyone? You should reserve it for yourselves. Never share it with strangers. Let your wife be a fountain of blessing for you. Rejoice in the wife of your youth. She is a loving deer, a graceful doe. Let her breasts satisfy you always. May you always be captivated by her love.

1 Corinthians 7:2-5

But because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband. The husband should fulfill his wife’s sexual needs, and the wife should fulfill her husband’s needs. The wife gives authority over her body to her husband, and the husband gives authority over his body to his wife. Do not deprive each other of sexual relations unless you both agree to refrain from sexual intimacy for a limited time so you can give yourselves more completely to prayer. Afterward, you should come together again so that Satan won’t be able to tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

1 Thessalonians 4:3- 7 God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin. Then, each of you will control his own body and live in holiness and honor- not in lustful passion like the pagans who do not know God and his ways. Never harm or cheat a Christian brother in this matter by violating his wife, for the Lord avenges all such sins, as we have solemnly warned you before. God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives.

Nehemiah 4:10 The people of Judah began to complain, “The workers are getting tired, and there is so much rubble to be moved. We will never be able to build the wall by ourselves.

When you keep love first, everything aligns. Thanks to Gary Chapman for this devotional. Build the intimacy of your relationships to keep them strong.

One of their most profound commemorations is Passover. It’s fitting, then, that the events of Ezra 6:19-22 occurred during Passover. God saw His people’s needs and acted by changing the king’s heart. The king not only allowed them to begin rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem, but he also gave them the materials they needed.

God’s past acts of service should give us comfort and hope today. If we will pray to Him, He will respond with acts of love. God knows how to take care of His own.

Take time to pray and thank God for the acts of service He has shown us. Ask Him to help you trust in His continued acts of love, especially in circumstances that are causing you stress or concern right now.

Reflect on these questions:

Name three acts of service God has performed on your behalf – or on behalf of your family.

How often do you commemorate God’s acts of service? Do you think it’s often enough?

How can you help your children fully appreciate God’s acts of service?

Consider these passages for further study of God’s love.

Psalm 86:15 But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God,
    slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.

Zephaniah 3:17 The Lord your God is with you,
    the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
    in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
    but will rejoice over you with singing.”

Romans 8:37-39 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^[a] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Ezra 6:19-22 On the fourteenth day of the first month, the exiles celebrated the Passover. ²⁰ The priests and Levites had purified themselves and were all ceremonially clean. The Levites slaughtered the Passover lamb for all the exiles, for their relatives the priests, and for themselves. ²¹ So the Israelites who had returned from exile ate it, together with all who had separated themselves from the unclean practices of their Gentile neighbors to seek the Lord, the God of Israel. ²² For seven days they celebrated with joy the Festival of Unleavened Bread because the Lord had filled them with joy by changing the attitude of the king of Assyria so that he assisted them in the work on the house of God, the God of Israel.

Great direction by Gary Chapman. A way to focus on your servant attitude and think about ways you can serve the Lord and others.

A similar question may be asked of every parent. What keeps you from giving your children the instruction they need? You have plenty of valuable skills to teach, whether you realize it or not. Think of the skills you apply in your vocation and your professional relationships. Why not apply them for the sake of your family?

You may use multimedia presentations in your vocation. Have you ever used PowerPoint to explain something to your children? You have learned that treating other people’s ideas as worthy of consideration is a sign of wisdom in the workplace. Is that any less true in family relationships?

With your loved one, make a list of the skills each of you has learned in how to communicate information, how to lead people in decision-making, how to train people in skills, and so forth. Decide which ones you might use this week with your children.

Take time to pray to thank God for the knowledge, wisdom, and skills He has given you and your loved one. Ask Him to help you work together to pass them along to your children.

Reflect on these questions:

What beneficial skills, abilities, and knowledge do you recognize in your loved one?

What beneficial skills, abilities and knowledge does your loved one see in you?

When is a good teachable time for you to pass along what you know to your children?

Consider these passages for further study on parenting:

Deuteronomy 6:6-7 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. ⁷ Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home, when you walk along the road when you lie down, and when you get up.

Proverbs 22:6 Start children off on the way they should go,
and even when they are old they will not turn from it.

Ephesians 6:4 Fathers,^[a] do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

2 Chronicles 10:1-19

”Rehoboam went to Shechem, where all the Israelites had gone to make him king. Jeroboam son of Nebat was in Egypt, where he had gone to escape from King Solomon. When Jeroboam heard about Rehoboam being made king, he returned from Egypt. After the people sent for him, he and the people went to Rehoboam and said to him, “Your father forced us to work very hard. Now, make it easier for us, and don’t make us work as he did. Then we will serve you.” Rehoboam answered, “Come back to me in three days.” So the people left. King Rehoboam asked the elders who had advised Solomon during his lifetime, “How do you think I should answer these people?” They answered, “Be kind to these people. If you please them and give them a kind answer, they will serve you always.” But Rehoboam rejected this advice. Instead, he asked the young men who had grown up with him and who served as his advisers. Rehoboam asked them, “What is your advice? How should we answer these people who said, ‘Don’t make us work as hard as your father did’?” The young men who had grown up with him answered, “The people said to you, ‘Your father forced us to work very hard. Now make our work easier.’ You should tell them, ‘My little finger is bigger than my father’s legs. He forced you to work hard, but I will make you work even harder. My father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with whips that have sharp points.’ ” Rehoboam had told the people, “Come back to me in three days.” So after three days Jeroboam and all the people returned to Rehoboam. King Rehoboam spoke cruel words to them because he had rejected the advice of the elders. He followed the advice of the young men and said, “My father forced you to work hard, but I will make you work even harder. My father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with whips that have sharp points.” So the king did not listen to the people. God caused this to happen so that the Lord could keep the promise he had made to Jeroboam son of Nebat through Ahijah, a prophet from Shiloh. When all the Israelites saw that the king refused to listen to them, they said to the king, “We have no share in David! We have no part in the son of Jesse! People of Israel, let’s go to our own homes! Let David’s son rule his people.” So all the Israelites went home. But Rehoboam still ruled over the Israelites who lived in the towns of Judah. Adoniram was in charge of the forced labor. When Rehoboam sent him to the people, they threw stones at him until he died. But King Rehoboam ran to his chariot and escaped to Jerusalem. Since then, Israel has been against the family of David.“
‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭10‬:‭1‬-‭19‬ ‭NCV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/105/2ch.10.1-19.NCV

Great thoughts of Gary Chapman. Keep praying you grow together.

From a biblical perspective, the purpose of life is not to accomplish our objectives. We were given life so that we could know God and bring Him glory. Marriage is a gift that can help us achieve that purpose.

Yet in the routine struggles of life, we spend more energy maintaining our jobs, completing household chores, and raising children than we do bringing glory to God. However, these very things, if done with the right spirit, do honor God. No matter how mundane a task seems, it can be an act of worship if you allow it to be. As you serve your family, you are serving God.

Take time to pray and spend time in worship. Praise God for His perfection, holiness, grace, and countless other attributes. Thank Him for the blessings He’s given your family. Ask Him to help you maintain a sense of worship in everything you do.

Reflect on these questions:

Why do you often put your needs and wants ahead of honoring God?

How can you tell if you are truly bringing honor to God?

What are specific ways you can bring glory to God this week at home, in your workplace, or your community?

Consider these passages for further study on Priorities:

Deuteronomy 6:5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

I Corinthians 6:20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

I Corinthians 10:31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

I Chronicles 28:8-10

“So now I charge you in the sight of all Israel and of the assembly of the Lord, and in the hearing of our God: Be careful to follow all the commands of the Lord your God, that you may possess this good land and pass it on as an inheritance to your descendants forever.

⁹ “And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. ¹⁰ Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house as the sanctuary. Be strong and do the work.”

Great thoughts of Gary Chapman. One to always check to see if your priorities are straight in all you do.

All of us are in the process of leaving a spiritual legacy for our children. Some parents leave a negative spiritual legacy. One young man said, “My father said he was a Christian, but I never saw any evidence of it. I never saw him read the Bible and never heard him pray. He didn’t go to church. He often cursed, and when he lost his temper, he was anything but a Christian. My poor mother put up with more junk than any woman should have to endure. If my father was a Christian, then I don’t want to be one.”

Sadly, this father left a spiritual legacy, but it was negative. The spiritual legacy we leave depends on how closely our walk matches our talk. If there is a discrepancy between the two, we must ask the Holy Spirit to help us correct it. Today is the day to confess our past failures and turn our lives in a new direction.

Confess your past failures and acknowledge the fact that occasionally your legacy has been less than inspirational. Ask God to help you build a positive legacy for your children.

Take time to reflect on these questions:

What would a negative spiritual legacy look like?

What might cause a person to leave (inadvertently) a negative spiritual legacy?

What steps can you take to make sure that your spiritual legacy is a positive one?

Consider these passages for further study on Spiritual Legacies:

Deuteronomy 6:1-3 These are the commands, decrees, and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, ² so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy a long life. ³ Hear, Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you.

Proverbs 1:8 Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction
    and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.

Ephesians 6:1-2 Children obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ² “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise—

Great thoughts of Gary Chapman. One would remember overall if they are a good person leaving a positive legacy for others around them. People remember not what they say, but how they make you feel. How do you want to be remembered? It makes us think about how we present ourselves to others daily and keep stepping up to a higher standard.

In grappling with this difficult question, sincere Christians have come to different conclusions. Some propose that all sickness and suffering is from Satan and that it is never God’s will for His people to experience disease. Therefore, if Satan inflicts sickness then the prayer of faith should bring healing. Although there are legitimate testimonies of divine healing, thousands of people prayed “in faith” (James 5:15), yet God has not categorically committed Himself to healing every person who expresses faith. Healing rests solidly in the hands of the sovereign God, who chooses to heal or not to heal, always acting for His glory, our good, and the good of others.

We cannot see the big picture. Hezekiah begged God to extend his life, and God granted him fifteen bonus years. Yet during those fifteen years, Hezekiah fathered a son named Manasseh, who became an evil king (see 2 Kings 21:1-18). His vile acts included genocide, leading the people into sin sacrificing his own son (Hezekiah’s grandson), and securing God’s judgment on the people. If Hezekiah had known the cost of those fifteen extra years, would he have changed his prayer? The painful realm of physical suffering stretches our faith; we can only trust the all-good, all-wise Healer.

Take time to pray to ask God to give you the grace to endure suffering; to strengthen your faith to prepare you for suffering, deepen your roots so that you know that come what may, He is good and He loves you; to help you pray in faith, not just for healing but for His will.

Discuss on these questions:

How does Hezekiah’s story show that physical suffering shows that physical suffering and death may not be the worst outcome?

How does the Bible frame sickness and death so differently than our own perceptions of them?

See Isaiah 57:1-2; Good people pass away;
    the godly often die before their time.
    But no one seems to care or wonder why.
No one seems to understand
    that God is protecting them from the evil to come.
² For those who follow godly paths
    will rest in peace when they die.

Luke 22:42; Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”

2 Corinthians 12:7-10

⁷ even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud.

⁸ Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. ⁹ Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses so that the power of Christ can work through me. ¹⁰ That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

How do you answer the classic question of the skeptics and the cry of suffering hearts: If God is loving, then why does He allow us to suffer horrible pain?

Consider these passages for further study on suffering:

Psalm 55:22 Give your burdens to the Lord,
    and he will take care of you.
    He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.

Romans 5:3-5 ³ We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. ⁴ And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. ⁵ And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

Revelation 21:4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.

Great thoughts to focus our perspective on the pain and suffering of Gary Chapman. It makes us learn how to focus more on healing and let God take care of us.

We face the same dilemma in our own little kingdoms. Do we listen to the advice of older Christians, our parents, our in-laws, our mentors? Or do we stubbornly plow ahead on our own? If, for example, your father-in-law gave you an excellent suggestion that would save you time and make your life easier, would you accept it? Or would you reject it simply because it came from your father-in-law? If you follow Moses’ lead, you will accept it (Exodus 18:13-27). Let’s face it: with increased age, older Christians may have increased wisdom.

Why not take advantage of their wisdom? That does not mean that you must always do what they advise, but why not give them a good hearing and then consider the merits of their ideas? If it seems wise to you and your spouse, then go with it, remembering that it is your decision.

Take time to pray and ask God… to grow you in humility and wisdom so that you are open to good advice;

Ask God to show you older people in your life whose counsel could guide you, and to help you appreciate them.

Take time to reflect:

Who are the older Christians in your life whose advice you can solicit?

How open are you to others’ perspectives? When an older person offers advice, do you find yourself listening open-mindedly or chafing inwardly? Why do you think you tend to respond that way?

In the decisions you are currently facing who might have a fresh perspective for you to consider?

Consider these passages for further study on Wise Counsel:

Proverbs 13:10 Where there is strife, there is pride,
    but wisdom is found in those who take advice.

Proverbs 20:1 Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler;
    whoever is led astray by them is not wise.

Colossians 3:16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

I Kings 12:1-24

Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone there to make him king. ² When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard this (he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon), he returned from^[a] Egypt. ³ So they sent for Jeroboam, and he and the whole assembly of Israel went to Rehoboam and said to him: ⁴ “Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but now lighten the harsh labor and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.”

⁵ Rehoboam answered, “Go away for three days and then come back to me.” So the people went away.

⁶ Then King Rehoboam consulted the elders who had served his father Solomon during his lifetime. “How would you advise me to answer these people?” he asked.

⁷ They replied, “If today you will be a servant to these people and serve them and give them a favorable answer, they will always be your servants.”

⁸ But Rehoboam rejected the advice the elders gave him and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and were serving him. ⁹ He asked them, “What is your advice? How should we answer these people who say to me, ‘Lighten the yoke your father put on us’?”

¹⁰ The young men who had grown up with him replied, “These people have said to you, ‘Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but make our yoke lighter.’ Now tell them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist. ¹¹ My father laid on you a heavy yoke; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.’”

¹² Three days later Jeroboam and all the people returned to Rehoboam, as the king had said, “Come back to me in three days.” ¹³ The king answered the people harshly. Rejecting the advice given him by the elders, ¹⁴ he followed the advice of the young men and said, “My father made your yoke heavy; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.” ¹⁵ So the king did not listen to the people, for this turn of events was from the Lord, to fulfill the word the Lord had spoken to Jeroboam son of Nebat through Ahijah the Shilonite.

¹⁶ When all Israel saw that the king refused to listen to them, they answered the king:

“What share do we have in David,
    what part in Jesse’s son?
To your tents, Israel!
    Look after your own house, David!”

So the Israelites went home. ¹⁷ But as for the Israelites who were living in the towns of Judah, Rehoboam still ruled over them.

¹⁸ King Rehoboam sent out Adoniram,^[b] who was in charge of forced labor, but all Israel stoned him to death. King Rehoboam, however, managed to get into his chariot and escape to Jerusalem. ¹⁹ So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.

²⁰ When all the Israelites heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent and called him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. Only the tribe of Judah remained loyal to the house of David.

²¹ When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he mustered all Judah and the tribe of Benjamin—a hundred and eighty thousand able young men—to go to war against Israel and to regain the kingdom for Rehoboam son of Solomon.

²² But this word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God: ²³ “Say to Rehoboam the son of Solomon king of Judah, to all Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people, ²⁴ ‘This is what the Lord says: Do not go up to fight against your brothers, the Israelites. Go home, every one of you, for this is my doing.’” So they obeyed the word of the Lord and went home again, as the Lord had ordered.

Listening is a challenge when taking advice. Don’t just be lazy and rely on others when taking advice. Listen to yourself and make your own wise decisions. It helps you learn to be more of yourself and take others as a whole. Great thoughts of Gary Chapman.

We hear a lot about “random acts of kindness, “ but what if kindness is seeing the needs of others and reaching out to help? The first step in developing kindness is to recognize the acts of kindness that surround us each day.

The wife or husband who fixes coffee for the other has performed an act of kindness. The person who makes up the bed, cleans the commode, mows the grass, or changes the baby’s diaper is expressing kindness. The coworker who offers to help in getting your computer to function is being kind. If we could rediscover kindness as a way of life, we would enrich the lives of all we encounter.

Take time to pray to ask God to open your eyes to the kindness all around you. When He does, give thanks for it. Ask to help you become a source of kindness for your spouse, your family, your coworkers, your neighbors, as well as casual acquaintances and perfect strangers.

Take time to reflect on these questions:

How many random acts of kindness have you experienced today?

How many of those acts did you acknowledge or give thanks for?

What will be your first step in making kindness a way of life?

Consider these passages for further study on kindness.

Proverbs 11:17 Your kindness will reward you, but your cruelty will destroy you.

Luke 6:35 Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked.

Ephesians 4:32 Instead, be kind to each other, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, just as God though Christ has forgiven you.

Your kindness will show with your love for Christ. Sometimes it takes courage to show and do kind things to others. Follow examples and live a lifestyle of Why not? Be a blessing to others.

1 Peter 3:8-12. To sum up, app of you be harmonious, tender-hearted, and keep a humbling attitude. Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will bless you for it. For the Scriptures say, “If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies. Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it. The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers. But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil.

2 Samuel 9:1-13

“David asked, “Is anyone still left in Saul’s family? I want to show kindness to that person for Jonathan’s sake!” Now there was a servant named Ziba from Saul’s family. So David’s servants called Ziba to him. King David said to him, “Are you Ziba?” He answered, “Yes, I am your servant.” The king asked, “Is anyone left in Saul’s family? I want to show God’s kindness to that person.” Ziba answered the king, “Jonathan has a son still living who is crippled in both feet.” The king asked Ziba, “Where is this son?” Ziba answered, “He is at the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar.” Then King David had servants bring Jonathan’s son from the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar. Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son, came before David and bowed facedown on the floor. David said, “Mephibosheth!” Mephibosheth said, “I am your servant.” David said to him, “Don’t be afraid. I will be kind to you for your father Jonathan’s sake. I will give you back all the land of your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table.” Mephibosheth bowed to David again and said, “You are being very kind to me, your servant! And I am no better than a dead dog!” Then King David called Saul’s servant Ziba. David said to him, “I have given your master’s grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family. You, your sons, and your servants will farm the land and harvest the crops. Then your family will have food to eat. But Mephibosheth, your master’s grandson, will always eat at my table.” (Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.) Ziba said to King David, “I, your servant, will do everything my master, the king, commands me.” So Mephibosheth ate at David’s table as if he were one of the king’s sons. Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica. Everyone in Ziba’s family became Mephibosheth’s servants. Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king’s table. And he was crippled in both feet.”
‭‭2 Samuel‬ ‭9‬:‭1‬-‭13‬ ‭NCV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/105/2sa.9.1-13.NCV

Great thoughts of Gary Chapman with more verses and inspiration from John Kilgore.