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Saturday, January 8, 2011
Our Grace Toward Others Flows From God's Grace Toward Us
We are only willing to extend grace to others if our hearts have been captured by the realization that we are RECIPIENTS of love and forgiveness and mercy and goodness that we do not deserve. Search your heart. Do you REALLY understand that God loves you and that He has forgiven you? Do you REALLY understand that God extends goodness to you every day? Our grace toward others will flow from that reality.
Friday, January 7, 2011
A Brief Moment With Rachel
Today, while we were driving in the car, Rachel told me she didn’t want to go to work anymore. (Rachel is 21 years old.)
I said, “Wait a minute, you want to continue to get your paycheck, don’t you?”
Rachel paused for just a moment and then earnestly replied, “I don’t like the work part. I just like the paycheck.”
I laughed and thought…hmm, I wonder how many people would say, “I’m with you on that one, Rachel!”
Eternal Life...NOW!
The eternal life that is promised to those who trust in Christ is not meant to begin when we die, actually, it begins the moment we come to KNOW Him.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
It's Good To Recognize Who REALLY Loves You
Sometimes people don’t recognize what real love looks like. So, they mistakenly think that the people who are leading them down a dead end path care about them. And they think the people who genuinely love them are boring. This seems to happen often with young people. Wisdom would tell us: Open your eyes. Do yourself a favor, open your eyes and RECOGNIZE who really loves you.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Our Brothers and Sisters In Christ Help Us Love
There is a certain amount of “effort” that is required to truly love others. This is part of the reason why we need support and help and love and encouragement from the body of Christ because there may be some days when we don’t have the energy to make the effort that love requires. So—if we are willing—God works through our brothers and sisters in Christ to help us love.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Wisdom: Recognizing That There's A Lot We Don't Know
It’s very helpful for us to realize that no matter how smart we are, there is MUCH that we do not know and understand. In fact, it’s said that one very important aspect of wisdom is simply to recognize the limits of our own knowledge and capabilities. In other words, ironically, it’s the really, really, really wise man or woman who recognizes this: Wow, there’s a whole lot I don’t know!
Sunday, January 2, 2011
The Wrong Place, The Wrong Time, The Wrong Line
I was standing in line at Taco Bell and a man with some physical handicaps was standing in front of me. As I noticed the man’s physical challenges, I felt compassion. I didn’t just look at him and basically ignore his condition while I examined the menu on the wall, something really did stir in my heart. I thought, “What is it like to live with these kinds of challenges?”
While I was caught up in my personal moment of compassion on behalf of another one of God’s beloved creatures, the man turned his head and burped right in my face. Really. He did. And it was one of those big, robust burps that shakes a person’s entire body. Right in my face! I could actually feel a slight breeze from his breath.
And then! He looked at me as if I had done something wrong!!! He gave me one of those, “Hey-pal-what-are-you-looking-at?” kind of looks.
“WHAT AM I LOOKING AT?!?” I thought, as I wiped the steam from my glasses.
What do you do in a situation like that?!?
Do you say, “Hey buddy, what’s wrong with you?” And shake your fist, menacingly, at him? I don’t know, that just doesn’t seem right.
Do you look him square in the eye and say an exaggerated and sarcastic, “Excuse me, oh Gassy One!!!” Hmm, maybe it’s just me, but that doesn’t seem right, either.
Well, I merely frowned and shook my head and looked in another direction.
I know. That’s not much of a response. I thought about this for the remainder of the day. I wish I had a different story to report. One that involved witty dialogue, a few moments of swordplay, and then heartfelt expressions of forgiveness and grace, culminating in tearful hugs and pats on the back.
But that was another time, when a similar incident happened at Burger King.
There are two lessons to be learned: First, sad but true, I guess people won’t always recognize, acknowledge and appreciate our feelings of compassion toward them. Second, when standing in line…? It’s not a bad idea to wear a helmet that has one of those plastic face shields.
P.S. I was going to post a picture of the guy here—you know, for informational purposes—but I realized that would not be a very compassionate thing to do. (The kid in line, in the posted picture, is not the guy who burped. He’s just an innocent bystander.)
Approaching God On Behalf Of Our Enemy
Jesus instructed us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote that we should “PLEAD” for our enemy to God. Wow. There is something in that comment that impacted me powerfully. I have never done this on behalf of an enemy. Clearly, there is a much deeper, fuller work of love that God has, yet, to be realized in me. How about you?
Saturday, January 1, 2011
God Is Able...Happy New Year
I was going to post a thought about “what we should do” in the New Year. But you know what? Most of us will be getting plenty of those words of advice. Instead of “what we should do”, how about this reminder: God is sufficient. Whatever you and I face this year—even those matters that are beyond our abilities—remember that we have a mighty God…and HE IS ABLE!!! Happy New Year!
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