Loving Others
Matthew 22:36-40
36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[c] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[d] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
It all comes down to loving God and loving others. Loving God, I can do. There are moments when it is hard, for sure. But deep down He has given me the faith that I need to trust Him even when I can't see. Loving others is so hard. At least with God, I know He is perfect--that everything He does is with perfect motivation. Loving others is not the case.
I have been fried by others. I'm just guessing, so have you. It makes me want to say "ok, that's it--no more 'others' in my life." I want to close the door and just forget it. I'm tired of being hurt. I'm tired of being misunderstood. I'm tired of not knowing the right way to interact with each person I meet. I'm tired of making a mess when I was just trying to help. I'm tired of getting close and getting stung. I'm tired of being rejected. I'm tired of "not being good enough".
But I love God. And He told me to love others. And his motives for me to love others are perfect. And I trust Him. This pain I feel is for a purpose I don't see.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Friday, August 12, 2011
Read an interesting post today about "Fair Trade"---check it out!
The Apparent Project Blog: Fair Trade? How about B.E.A.N. trade?#c6636295564364922998#c6636295564364922998
The Apparent Project Blog: Fair Trade? How about B.E.A.N. trade?#c6636295564364922998#c6636295564364922998
Friday, June 17, 2011
The Power of Community....
Thursday nights we have a group of people who come over and we talk about our faith and God and pray for each other and eat snacks and laugh at our children who run around enjoying each other's company. My last couple of posts have been downers--just struggling/sloshing through some stuff in my life right now.
I just wanted to take a moment to post about the power of community. With how I've been feeling, last night I did not want to have a group of people in my home, much less LEAD said group of people in a discussion about God. Had I been an "attendee" of the group instead of the "leader", I honestly would have skipped. And man, I would have missed out on the power of community.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 "Two are better than one....If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!"
I fell down this week and my friends, they lifted me up. I didn't even really discuss what was going on inside of me--just BEING there with them, listening to them talk about God, what He was doing in their life--lifted me up too. It helped to remind me of who HE is and what HE is about. And how much He loves me.
Listening to each of them pray. Thanking God for each other, for answering prayer, for being there--boldly asking Him to meet the needs of their friends and family. Healing took place in my soul.
Lord, thank you so much. I can be such a whiny brat and yet You still take the time to console me--thank you. thank you. thank you.
Thursday nights we have a group of people who come over and we talk about our faith and God and pray for each other and eat snacks and laugh at our children who run around enjoying each other's company. My last couple of posts have been downers--just struggling/sloshing through some stuff in my life right now.
I just wanted to take a moment to post about the power of community. With how I've been feeling, last night I did not want to have a group of people in my home, much less LEAD said group of people in a discussion about God. Had I been an "attendee" of the group instead of the "leader", I honestly would have skipped. And man, I would have missed out on the power of community.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 "Two are better than one....If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!"
I fell down this week and my friends, they lifted me up. I didn't even really discuss what was going on inside of me--just BEING there with them, listening to them talk about God, what He was doing in their life--lifted me up too. It helped to remind me of who HE is and what HE is about. And how much He loves me.
Listening to each of them pray. Thanking God for each other, for answering prayer, for being there--boldly asking Him to meet the needs of their friends and family. Healing took place in my soul.
Lord, thank you so much. I can be such a whiny brat and yet You still take the time to console me--thank you. thank you. thank you.
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