Skip to main content

Love God by Loving Others

            I have realized lately how easy it is for me to get my ‘butt on my shoulders.’  The littlest things can irritate me anymore.  Normally it deals with other people and their actions.  For instance, if I see someone who is, in my mind, doing something I deem as inappropriate or for lack of a better term; stupid, then I tend to get pompous and preach on why they are wrong.  Mind you, the person I am talking about is never around.  To be honest, the only person who hears my unnecessary rants on the actions of others is either my wife or the pixeled image coming across my television screen.
            I find it so easy to point out the flaws in others and play a game of “if that were me I would have…” with myself.  My wife, being the sane one in the family during these fits I throw, politely responds with a simple, “honey, perhaps you don’t know the full story” or something else that almost sounds as if she is defending the person I am chastising.  Although she means well, since I am in my fit of anger, I take it as if she is supporting the other person and not me.  I know this not to be true afterwards.
            Today, I opened up my Bible to a random page and read 1 John 4: 19-21, “We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.”

            SMACK!  That was the sound of God hitting me upside the back of my head.  God has called me (us) to love those he has put around us.  By getting angry and cynical with the people placed around me isn't showing the love of Christ.  It would be easy for me to point the finger and chastise someone, but God has called me to treat these people as myself and to show them love.  And taking a piece from my last blog, truly praying for them.  I pray that you will join me in showing our neighbors and brothers and sisters the true love of Christ.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Judgey von Holierthanthou

Anyone close to me knows my love for the old TV show, Friends.  For the longest time and still in a few circles people refer to me as Chandler.  Anyways, there is this one scene in Friends where Ross is telling his student of a girlfriend his nicknames for kids in his class; Sleepy Sleeperson, Smelly von Brownshirt, and Cutie McPretty (yes it is a gift and a curse being able to remember that, it is my “special power” I guess.)  Then a colleague of Ross’s sees him from a distance and calls to him.  Ross, knowing that he shouldn’t be dating a student, pushes her into an alley.  Later on as he describes the events to his friends he describes the other professor as Judgey von Holierthanthou. Although that particular situation is not the focus of this post, I really like the name “Judgey von Holierthanthou.”  I feel that it sums up how many people feel about Christians in general.  And maybe it’s not just Christians; obviously we ALL can be pretty “judge...
Post a Comment
Read more

Sarcasm

            I love sarcasm!  Almost any conversation I am a part of, I will incorporate sarcasm.  I’m always the first to point out the sarcastic tones and phrases of the Bible as well.  Like in Job 38 when God answers Job about all the awful things that have happened to him, “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?  Tell me, if you have understanding.”  God himself asks a rhetorical, sarcastic question to Job.  My favorite writer and person in the Bible is Paul.  Just read through Galatians and you will see what I mean.  He  doesn't  shy away from sarcasm.             It  wasn't  until just recently that I realized that it’s not wise to try and be the “funny” and “sarcastic” guy ALL the time.  Even looking at the examples above, it appears that God and Paul were acting sarcastically to convey a point to fellow beli...
Post a Comment
Read more

God WILL Provide

            I’m sitting here on a firm hospital couch staring over at my wife.  She is passed out from the events that have taken place over the last 24 hours.  She has been in excruciating pain due to fluid on her hip.  Although the morphine has helped, it has left her with a migraine.  I honestly can’t imagine how people cope with grave illnesses to loved ones.  I can barely stand seeing Bri like this let alone having to fight cancer or some other extreme medical issue. Through tears and frustration, my wife has continued to stay strong.  As a matter of fact, the only thing she has been concerned about is the medical bills that this hospital stay will cause on our finances.  It amazes me that through the pain, this is her only worry.  Although this is not my main concern, I would be lying if I said I  didn't  dwell on them too.  Late last night prior to falling asleep by her side I was thinking t...
Post a Comment
Read more