Day 22 – Live humbly
Morning prayer
Start you day with this prayer
Lord, thank you for this new day
filled with oppportunities to live your love.
Remind us that we can show love to each other
by staying humble
by keeping each other in mind
and by considering each other’s needs.
(Silence)
Amen.
Prayer station
Use this symbol to lead you in prayer for the day.
Symbol: Teaspoon
We pray for our neighbours, whom we perhaps know very well or not well at all.
We pray for their safety and protection from illness and harm. We give thanks for communities of care.
Reflection
Read this reflection on the text for the day.
In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble” – 1 Peter 5:5.
In God’s family, says Peter, everyone should be humble. No one may think that they are more important than someone else. He also reminds us that God gives his grace especially to those who need it – the humble. Therefore, all believers should be humble.
Peter also gives us a practical example of what it means to be humble by referring to younger believers’ relationship with older believers. He asks that younger believers will be submissive to older believers. Note that he is not asking children to be submissive only to their own parents, but that all young believers should be submissive to all older people. Practically this means that believers should provide for the needs of older people who cannot always provide for their own needs.
An important indication of whether a congregation as a faith community is healthy, is that the older people in the congregation are cared for spiritually, physically and emotionally. We can, therefore, not only ask them how they are doing; we should also practically provide for their needs.
Lord, thank you for the generations that went before us. May You care for them through us and may our love remind them of your love and faithfulness to them. Amen.
Liturgy for life
See the ordinary things you do in and around the house as signs of God’s care.
Be humble and help each other
With the lengthening of lockdown our households and the people who share our living spaces will have to help each other. We need the people around us to stay on track in this difficult time and get through it.
One of the ways in which we can help each other, is to stay humble towards each other. In other words: We will have to work softly with each other. Being humble means that I don’t always have to be right. When someone else makes a mistake, I am humble enough to know that I also make mistakes and therefore I can correct or help them with compassion. We can also be humble by helping each other with tasks that are not fun for anyone to do. Jesus washed his disciples’ feet and in that way He showed them (and us) what being humble really is.
In our house, for example, I really do not like to mop the floors. But someone has to do the mopping! Luckily my wife does not mind doing it. She, on the other hand, does not like it at all to let the dirty dishwater run out and I don’t mind doing that. Help each other humbly to do all these cleaning tasks in the home in this time of isolation.
Children’s activity
Play with your children.
Wow! 21 Days of isolation. 21 Days in which we’re only allowed to be in our homes (or gardens) and can only go out for the most essential things like food and medicine. It can be a little rough! All the things we usually do during the day, like school, sport, church … are not happening anymore. It can really confuse you and maybe even bore you a little. These daily readings will help you to spend some time with Jesus every day in a creative and fun way. You can do these readings and activities by yourself, with your siblings, or with your entire family. Ask one of the grownups to post your activity on Facebook so that others can enjoy it with you. Tag it with #solitudecalendar #churchtogether
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What makes someone important? As Christians we know that no one is more important than someone else. That is why we should always be ready to help and serve one another. We find one example of this in today’s verse: We should care for older people who may not be able to provide for themselves. This is how we show respect for them.
What does it mean to be humble?
How can we care for older people?
Activity
Contact your local home for the elderly and find out how you can support them in this time.
Make cards for the older people in the congregation that you can give to them after lockdown.
Picture this
Look at today’s illustration.
– What do you see?
– What colours strike you and why?
– Do you see any correlation between today’s illustration and today’s verse?
Now it’s your turn! Use today’s Scripture as inspiration for an illustration of your own.
Use any medium: draw, sketch, paint, dance, write poetry, take a picture, write a short story, music – anything!
Share it on social media if you feel comfortable doing so by using the hashtag #countdowndoodles
Thank you’s and testimonies
Share your testimony with us! Use the online form below.
This has been true food for the soul for our family during this lockdown. Every day’s message touched our hearts. We could identify with each day’s message.
– Rika Mouton
This piece is a big blessing to me. Thank you for preparing it. I am very grateful!
– Estelle Ackerman
Bedtime story
Bedtime story by storyteller Ewald van Rensburg