Episode 911
The Ripple Effect of Good: Understanding Galatians 6
The "Daily Bible Refresh" is presented each day by Rev. Dr. Brad Miller who has a goal of speaking a bit of the bible into two million ears (one million people) in three years (2025-2028).
He is the author of "The A, B, C-1,2,3 Bible Study Guide" Free to you by clicking HERE.
Brad served as a local church pastor for forty years and has a background in radio and podcasting. Moreover, he is a life-long student of The Bible.
He believes in the words of Jesus that “scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21)
The "Daily Bible Refresh" is available seven days a week by 6:00 am ET. The episodes are no longer than ten minutes long and are...
- Understandable: A reading from the New Testament (usually the Gospel) selected from the Revised Common Lectionary using "The Message" translation.
- Relatable: You will have a couple of "points to ponder" from the text which will relate to your life
- Applicable: Every episode includes a way you can take action based on the reading
- A recommended resource to help you go deeper in biblical study and spiritual direction.
- A prayer for your day.
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Remember… “All scripture is God-breathed and useful”(2 Timothy 3:16)
In the profound examination of Galatians 6:7-10, the speaker articulates a compelling narrative centered on the agricultural metaphor employed by the Apostle Paul. This metaphor serves as a pivotal reminder that our actions—akin to seeds—yield specific outcomes, thereby shaping the fabric of our lives and communities. The speaker presents the essential truth that engaging in selfish behaviors results in detrimental consequences, whereas acts of kindness and social justice cultivate a harvest of life and fulfillment. This reflection invites listeners to contemplate their own contributions to the communal landscape and challenges them to be mindful of the legacy they are creating through their daily choices.
The discussion further delves into the theme of sustainable activism, addressing the prevalent issue of fatigue that often afflicts those dedicated to justice work. The speaker emphasizes that the call to do good must be balanced with the necessity of self-care and rejuvenation. This approach fosters a more effective and enduring commitment to activism, wherein individuals are encouraged to identify manageable actions that align with their passions and capacities. By promoting a sustainable model of engagement, the speaker provides practical guidance for integrating justice work into everyday life, thus empowering listeners to remain active participants in their communities without experiencing burnout.
Concluding this insightful episode, the speaker advocates for an expanding circle of care that transcends conventional boundaries of faith and community. Paul’s exhortation to start with those closest to us serves as a foundation for broader engagement with the world. The speaker challenges listeners to embrace a vision of community that includes all individuals striving for justice, regardless of their beliefs. This inclusive perspective fosters collaboration among diverse groups, reinforcing the idea that collective action is essential for meaningful change. Ultimately, the episode underscores the importance of recognizing and nurturing the seeds of justice within ourselves and our communities, encouraging a lifelong commitment to making a positive impact.
Takeaways:
- The podcast emphasizes the importance of understanding the interconnected nature of justice in our daily actions.
- We explore the metaphor of sowing and reaping, which illustrates the consequences of our choices.
- Sustainable activism is crucial to avoid burnout, advocating for manageable actions towards justice issues.
- The podcast encourages expanding our circles of care beyond our immediate communities to encompass all who strive for justice.
Links referenced in this episode:
Transcript
Sowing Seeds of Justice the Ripple Effect of Good A Study of Galatians 6, 7, 10 on the Daily Bible Refresh with Dr.
Speaker A:Brad Miller hello my good friends.
Speaker A:Dr.
Speaker A:Brad Miller here with Daily Bible Refresh.
Speaker A:This is the place you come for a daily reading of the New Testament.
Speaker A:We use the message version to help make it understandable.
Speaker A:We give you some points to ponder to make it relatable.
Speaker A:And we have an action step you can take to make it actionable and applicable to you, to your life.
Speaker A:We use the Revised Common Lectionary, Year C, and we do all this in under 10 minutes or so.
Speaker A: on years, a million people by: Speaker A:This is the home of the voice of voiceofgoddaily.com it's the home of the ABC 1, 2, 3 Bible study method let's get into our reading for today from Galatians 6, 7, 10 Reading from the message don't be misled.
Speaker A:No one makes a fool of God.
Speaker A:What a person plants, he will harvest.
Speaker A:The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others, ignoring God harvests a crop of weeds and he'll have to show for his life.
Speaker A:And all he'll have to show for his life is weeds.
Speaker A:But the one who plants in response to God, letting God's spirit do the growth work in him, harvest a crop of real life, eternal life.
Speaker A:So let's not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good at the right time.
Speaker A:We will harvest a good crop if we don't give up or quit right now.
Speaker A:Therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith.
Speaker A:Well, in today's reflection of this incredible scripture, we explore Paul's agricultural metaphor about sowing and reaping.
Speaker A:And it brings to us profound insights about our lives and our social justice in our communities and our houses of worship and community care.
Speaker A:Here's some points to ponder.
Speaker A:One of them is about interconnected justice.
Speaker A:Paul's farming metaphor reminds us that everything we do is has consequences beyond ourselves.
Speaker A:In our interconnected world, individual actions, whether supporting ethical businesses, reducing carbon footprints, or challenging systematic injustice, create ripple effects that impact entire communities.
Speaker A:We're all gardeners in the collective field of human experience.
Speaker A:A second point to ponder is about sustainable activism.
Speaker A:The warning against growing fatigued doing good speaks directly to activist burnout.
Speaker A:Progressive faith isn't about exhausting ourselves with constant action, but about sustainable engagement in justice work.
Speaker A:Sometimes the most radical act is knowing when to rest, recharge and return to the work with renewed energy.
Speaker A:A third point is about expanding circles of care.
Speaker A:Paul suggests here that we start with our immediate faith community, but implies an expanding circle of care.
Speaker A:Progressive Christianity calls us to move beyond church walls and see our community of faith as including all who work for justice and healing in the world, regardless of their religious beliefs or lack thereof.
Speaker A:Here's your action step.
Speaker A:Practice sustainable activism by identifying a justice issue that you care about and are committed to some sort of regular, manageable action.
Speaker A:Rather than trying to solve everything at once, choose a specific plot garden plot, if you can use the metaphor to tend, whether it's food security, climate, justice, racial equality, and whatever it is, set up some sort of a sustainable routine like a monthly volunteering at a food bank or some other attending some advocacy groups on a regular basis.
Speaker A:Remember, steady, consistent care yields better results than sporadic, exhausting effort.
Speaker A:We'll come back with a closing prayer here in just a minute, but I always want you to know that we have a really a wonderful resource for you.
Speaker A:It's called the ABC 123 Bible Study Method.
Speaker A:It's just a point by point way that you can study the Bible at home in coordination with what we do here at the Daily Bible Refresh.
Speaker A:You need your own daily individual Bible study.
Speaker A:It'll help you.
Speaker A:You go over to our website, voiceofgoddaily.com and you can pick up that free resource let's pray God, you are the source of life and help us see the seeds we're planting through our daily choices and actions.
Speaker A:When we grow weary of working for justice, remind us that growth takes time and that rest is a part of the process.
Speaker A:Guide us to find sustainable ways to serve our communities and without burning ourselves out.
Speaker A:Show us how to expand our circles of care while staying grounded in meaningful action.
Speaker A:And help us to trust that even small acts of love and justice, faithfully tended, can grow into powerful forces of transformation.
Speaker A:Amen.
Speaker A:It's always a joy to be with you here on Daily Bible Refresh.
Speaker A:We hope that you'll follow us in Jesus.
Speaker A: ion ears, a million people by: Speaker A:The best way to do that is to subscribe to this podcast and to tell someone else to join us and to subscribe as well.
Speaker A:You can find everything you need@voiceofgoddaily.com and we hope that you'll join us again tomorrow here on the Daily Bible Refresh with Dr.
Speaker A:Brad Miller.
Speaker A:Until then please remember that God's loyal love doesn't run out.
Speaker A:His merciful love hasn't dried up, is created new every morning.
