DAY 10: COME AND WALK BESIDE ME - 13 September 2019

By Benescke Janse van Rensburg

Recently I read a saying that made me think:

“When someone is broken, don't try to fix them. You can’t.

When someone is hurting, don’t attempt to take away their pain. You can't.

Instead, love them by walking beside them in the hurt. You can.

Because sometimes what people need is simply to know that they aren’t alone.”

Paul compares our believers to a body. In 1 Corinthians 12: 26-27 we read: “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.”

With our fast-paced lives, we easily fall into the enemy's trap of becoming so focused on our own lives and challenges that we no longer are available to listen to the prompting of the Holy Spirit to help someone else in their difficult situation. Think for a moment. When last did you reach out to the single mom who is struggling financially? Or to your friend who is going through a rough divorce? Or when last did you do something for your friend who was diagnosed with an illness and is currently receiving treatment? When was the last time you walked in love next to someone just to remind him or her that they are not alone?

Why don’t you pick up your phone after reading this and send that SMS? Or stop at the hospital and pray for that sick friend? Or better yet, surprise that single mom who is struggling with a financial blessing if you were recently blessed. Let's become Jesus' hands and feet on earth. If one member of the body suffers, we all suffer. Similarly, if one member is honored, all members can celebrate together. We are the body of Christ. Let's each take up our rightful place. God bless.

Father God, thank you for Your grace and love for me every day. Guide me through Your Holy Spirit to be an instrument in Your hand. Show me where there is an emergency and guide me with wisdom to know how to relieve it. I ask this in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

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DAY 9: PUT DOWN THAT ROCK - 12 September 2019

By Benescke Janse van Rensburg

The court proceedings in Vanderbijlpark on Monday had the country talking again. For the first time, photos of the blonde school teacher was published after her arrest. She was identified as the mastermind behind the abduction of 6-year-old Amy-Leigh.

There were tears inside and outside the court. On social media, the condemnations, gossip and even uninformed conclusions shocked me. However, what touched me deeply was a photo of Amy-Leigh's grandfather who embraced the arrested teacher's sobbing father, 66, on the steps outside the court. This photo was taken minutes after the teacher's father apologized to Amy-Leigh's family, the community and even the country for what happened.

I couldn't help but put myself in the man's shoes for a moment - an elderly man whose life changed radically without having any hand in it. How would I want people around me to handle the situation? Would the insensitive comments hurt me? How would I feel if I had to look at my child being the accused in court?

In Matthew 7: 5, Jesus says, “First take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” In John 8: 7, we read of the woman who was caught in adultery and brought to Jesus. By law, she had to be killed, but they wanted to test Jesus and asked for His opinion on the matter. He replied, "Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”

The kidnapping was wrong and justice must be served, but let us remind ourselves that God is the Righteous Judge, not us. The next time we are tempted to engage in gossip stories or jump to a conclusion about the difficult colleague at work, the moody neighbour or sloppy man in line in front of us, let us think twice by putting ourselves in their shoes.

Let's put down the stones and remove the plank from our eyes first. Let us as believers bring light and salt to the world around us who desperately needs it. God bless.

Father God, thank you so much for Your grace You have shown to me. Help me to put a guard in front of my mouth rather than engaging in gossip or condemning conversations. I ask this in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

• See a photo of Amy-Leigh's grandfather embracing the arrested teacher's father at www.benescke.co.za or on Stories van Hoop on Facebook.

Feedback: For feedback on the series or if you would like to share your testimony about something God has done in your life, please send me an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

DAG 10: KOM LOOP LANGS MY - 13 September 2019

Deur Benescke Janse van Rensburg

Onlangs lees ek ’n gesegde raak wat my diep laat dink het:

“Wanneer iemand gebroke is, moenie probeer om hulle heel te maak nie. Jy kan nie.

Wanneer iemand hartseer is, moenie probeer om hul pyn weg te neem nie. Jy kan nie.

Probeer eerder om in die pyn in liefde langs daardie persoon te kom stap. Dít kan jy doen.

Soms het mense in hul moeilike seisoen net nodig om te weet dat hulle nie alleen is nie.”

Paulus vergelyk ons gelowiges as ’n liggaam. In 1 Korintiërs 12:26-27 lees ons: “As een lid ly, ly al die lede saam; en as een lid geëer word, is al die lede saam bly. Julle is die liggaam van Christus, en afsonderlik is elkeen 'n lid daarvan.”

Met ons gejaagde lewens trap ons maklik in die vyand se strik deur só gefokus te raak op ons eie lewens dat ons nie meer die influistering van die Heilige Gees hoor wat ons bewus maak van iemand anders se nood rondom ons. Dink vir ’n oomblik na. Wanneer laas het jy uitgereik na daardie enkelma wat jy weet finansieel swaarkry? Of jou vriend wat deur ’n rowwe egskeiding gaan? Of daardie kennis wat ’n tydjie gelede met ’n ernstige siekte gediagnoseer is en tans behandeling ontvang? Wanneer laas het jy in liefde langs iemand kom stap om hulle te herinner dat hulle nie alleen is nie?

Tel gerus jou telefoon op en stuur daardie Whatsapp. Stop by die hospitaal en gaan bid saam met daardie gesin wat swaarkry. Of beter nog, verras die enkelma met ’n geldjie as jy buitengewone seëning beleef het. Kom ons word Jesus se hande en voete op aarde. As een lid ly, ly ons almal. Net so, as een lid geëer word, kan al die lede saam feesvier. Ons is die liggaam van Christus. Kom ons elkeen neem ons regmatige plek in. Sterkte.

Vader God, baie dankie vir U genade en liefde vir my elke dag. Lei my deur u Heilige Gees om ’n instrument in U hand te wees. Wys my waar daar ’n nood is en lei my met wysheid om te weet hoe ek dit kan verlig. Ek vra dit in die Naam van Jesus Christus. Amen.

Terugvoer: Jy as leser kan saamgesels. Gee terugvoer oor die reeks of deel jou getuienis van waar jy God se grootheid beleef het by This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

DAG 9: SIT NEER DAAI KLIPPE - 12 September 2019

Deur Benescke Janse van Rensburg

Die hofverrigtinge op Vanderbijlpark die afgelope Maandag het weer die land aan die praat gehad. Vir die eerste keer is foto’s van die blonde skooljuffrou gepubliseer. Sy is gearresteer en as die baasbrein agter die ontvoering van die 6-jarige Amy-Leigh uitgewys.

Binne en buite die hof was daar trane. Op sosiale media het die veroordelings, skinderpraatjies en selfs oningeligte gevolgtrekkings my nogal geskok. Wat my egter diep geraak, is die foto van Amy-Leigh se oupa wat die gearresteerde juffrou se snikkende pa (66) op die trappe buite die hof omhels. Dié foto is geneem minute nadat die juffrou se pa Amy-Leigh se familie, die gemeenskap en selfs die land om verskoning gevra het oor wat gebeur het.

Ek kon nie help om myself vir ’n oomblik in die man se skoene te plaas nie - ‘n bejaarde man wie se lewe ingrypend verander het sonder dat hy enige hand daarin gehad het. Hoe sou ek wou hê moes mense om my die situasie hanteer? Sou die onsensitiewe veroordelings my seergemaak het? Hoe sou ek voel as ek na my eie kind in die beskuldigde bank moes kyk?

In Matteus 7:5 sê Jesus: “Haal eers die balk uit jou eie oog uit, dan sal jy goed kan sien om die splinter uit jou broer se oog uit te haal.” Ook in Johannes 8:7 lees ons van die vrou wat in owerspel betrap is wat na Jesus gebring word. Volgens die wet moes sy doodgemaak word, maar hulle wou Jesus se opinie oor die saak toets. Sy reaksie skok hulle wanneer Hy sê: “Laat dié een van julle wat sonder sonde is, die eerste 'n klip op haar gooi.” Een na die ander Fariseër het die klippe neergegooi en weggestap.

Die ontvoering was verkeerd en geregtigheid moet geskied. Tog, mag ons onthou dat God die Regverdige Regter is en nie ons nie. Mag ons die volgende keer wanneer ons weer verlei word om deel te neem aan skinderpraatjies of ‘n oordeel wil fel oor die moeilike kollega by die werk, die humerige buurvrou of slordige man in die ry voor ons, onsself ‘n slag in die betrokke persoon se skoene plaas.

Kom ons los die klippe en verwyder die balk eers uit ons eie oë. Kom ons as gelowiges bring lig en sout na die wêreld rondom ons wat dit so geweldig nodig het. Sterkte.

Vader God, baie dankie vir U genade wat U aan my bewys. Help my om dieselfde aan ander rondom my te bewys deur ’n wag voor my mond te plaas eerder as om deel te neem aan skinderpraatjies of afbrekende gesprekke. Ek vra dit in die Naam van Jesus Christus. Amen.

• Sien foto van Amy-Leigh se oupa wat die gearresteerde juffrou se pa omhels by www.benescke.co.za of op Stories van Hoop op Facebook.

• Terugvoer: Jy as leser kan saamgesels deur vir my 'n e-pos te stuur en sommer ook te getuig oor hoe jy God se genade in jou lewe ervaar het (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.). 

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