Annatjie responded as follows on a Crossroads message:

It is really wonderful to share love like this. I’ve been working at a day-care in Australia for five years now. I wear a cross around my neck to remind me of the Lord’s love all the time. And that is why I can treat every little one with so much love. The love that I receive from these small children is wonderful.

My motto is to live the way the Word teaches us: Do everything you do as if for the Lord and not for people.

I can just mention that I’m 74 old and that I enjoy my work enormously. Blessings and love from Brisbane, Australia.

Annatjie is driven by love. She doesn’t have a choice. When you run into Jesus’ love, it is too much to keep it all to yourself. It must overflow to others. Annatjie has no choice but to do what the Word of God says. In a way, she brings this verse to life for you and me: ¹⁴ He offered himself as a sacrifice to free us from a dark, rebellious life into this good, pure life, making us a people he can be proud of, energetic in goodness.

I was so curious about the expression “energetic in goodness” that I e-mailed Stephan Joubert, one of the authors of The Message, asking about this.

His response was: I see that the last part of verse 14 reads as follows in the original Greek (like the old pastor said):  “zelōtēn kalōn ergōn” – literally being zealous or enthusiastic about good works! Therefore, The Message – energetic in goodness. It is uppermost in our hearts.

What a beautiful way to put it, “uppermost in our hearts”. First to come out. It cannot be stopped. It simply flows out. Like the story Susan tells about her friend:

My friend is on his way to Cape Town and, as usual, at the toll gate on the other side of the Du Toitskloof Tunnel, he starts chatting to the woman in the toll booth. Obviously to the great frustration of the taxi behind him. 

Our friend calmly continued his conversation – which I believe, was about Kingdom work. Before leaving, he hands over some extra money and said she should use it to pay for the taxi’s toll fee.

He went on his way and later the taxi caught up with him and indicated he should pull over. When he stopped, the driver walked over to him. I don’t know everything that was said, but “Sir, you’re different,” came through clearly.

I think it’s time that we become “different”.

Yes! All of us must become different. We must be energetic in doing good, because the love of Jesus, which is uppermost, wants to overflow. Let’s go and find places where we can live it. Let’s go and be different in the world and make a big difference wherever we go.

Scripture
Titus 2:11-14

Reflection
Is Jesus’ love uppermost in your life?
Where can you go and live it today?

Prayer
Lord, please fill me to the brim with Your love so that it can overflow. I cannot do it on my own. Sometimes it feels too hard to put myself aside and love others. Please fill me with Your power and Your Spirit and show me how to let go and allow You to work through me. In Jesus’ Name, amen.