A Year of Prayer: Season One Weekday Devotionalsنموونە

Have you ever heard of the concept of a ‘golden child’? Surely! A golden child is the offspring who can ‘do no wrong’ in their parents’ eyes. Maybe they have natural talent or ability or favour their parents’ in looks or manner. But for whatever reason, they have an unfair amount of attention and positive regard while the rest of their siblings fade into the background.

The outcome of this imbalance can sometimes result in the golden child growing into an insufferable adult and the other siblings becoming adults who suffered from the lack of attention as a child. If unchecked, a golden child-adult can become someone who is sure they are always right, that their ideas are best, that they should win, and that they should never be corrected, questioned, or disciplined. It’s terrible to encounter a person with so little self-awareness and self-reflection. But how are they to know?

This week’s scripture examines the idea of prideful, unrepentant self-indulgence. Pure, but only in their own eyes. Uncleansed of their own filth. Eyes: superior. The way they see the world and relate to others is arrogant. The way they speak is cutting and dismissive. In this scripture in Proverbs, the writer urges us not to be like those ‘whose jaws are set with knives to devour the poor from the earth and the needy from among mankind.’ (Proverbs 30:14 NIV)

It is not only the golden-children who become this. That is only an example of what unbalanced free reign allows. All of us are called to be quick to self-examine, asking God for wisdom and grace. All of us must look to our sisters and brothers in need around us and around the world. There are no ‘golden children’ in the world, only the children of God who are equally loved, consider others better than themselves, do not seek to lord their position over others, and are bound together as one in the Body and Bride of Christ.

Now is the time for us to show God’s love to the world so that they, too, may be seated and celebrated with us at Jesus's table!

Let us truly be good news to our family of humanity again.

Prayer: Jesus, help me hear your words of warning and encouragement. Let me hear others and the spaces and voices in need of our ministry's response.

Action: Look up this scripture in different translations. What do you notice?