August 16, 2018

Who Do You Talk About?

Therefore confess your sins to each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. – James 5:16

Who have you talked about today? Oh, come on. Be honest. It’s only between you and God and He knows the truth anyway.

We love to talk about people, don’t we? We love to pass on the “news” and hear all the details that are really none of our business. Does it make us feel better about ourselves? Does it help us avoid focusing on our own problems?

We’re all guilty. We are. We’d rather talk about someone than spend time in prayer about them and for them. In fact, oftentimes gossip masquerades as a “prayer request.” It’s a common way of talking about others in a small-group church gathering. Stop it! God knows the details so you don’t have to repeat them. Simply ask your group to pray for someone and leave it at that.

We often consider ourselves justified. We get angry at someone and we go around telling “our side” to anyone and everyone who will listen. We stir up trouble. We tear apart relationships. We wallow in sin.

Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. – James 4:11

We like to justify ourselves, don’t we? We claim a faith we don’t live but we don’t have a clue we aren’t living it. We stay so focused on fixing others, judging them, telling others about their “sins” that we miss our own sins.

Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.

– James 1:26

What would happen if Christians started praying for people instead of talking about them? How would your life change, how would your heart change, if every time you thought badly of someone you prayed for them instead? How would your words change if you stopped sharing anything except what would build someone else up? How would our world change if we stopped fighting about our differences and prayed for unity?

Some of the most hateful people I know are “prayerful” Christians. They are so busy pointing fingers and commenting on the flaws of others that they miss the point. They miss Jesus’ words about loving others. Or, if they “heard” them, they mistakenly think He meant to love only people exactly like themselves.

Our pastor reminded us Sunday that John Wesley had three rules of faith. The first was to do no harm. That means never sharing a falsehood about someone else. It means not airing your personal grievances about someone to everyone who will listen. It means learning to control your loose tongue.

The second rule was to do good. If someone harms you, treat them with kindness. If you can help someone who can never repay you, do so with a smile and with gracious words. Go the extra step. Be kind. Be merciful.

And abide in fellowship with God. In all things and at all times, seek Him. Words can never be recovered once they are spoken. They carry a lasting impact long after the fuss has disappeared. They destroy far more than we realize.

Pray for people. Don’t talk about it. Just go into a quiet room and pray. Focus on fixing yourself and trust God with the outcome of all the rest.

May 8, 2016

Shine His Light

14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. -- Matthew 5:14-17

There are three lights on the ceiling fan where I live. The socket for one of them has a few issues. Periodically the light bulb flickers, sometimes it is completely out, and other times it shines brightly.

I’m a lot like that light bulb. Sometimes I am a dark, cloudy mess. Other times I’m struggling but still managing to get it all done. And then there are times when others can see Jesus clearly in all I do.

How about you? Do you have good days and bad? Are there times when you don’t live up to your own expectations? We’ve probably all been there.

I want to be like the Apostle Paul and be content in all circumstances. The truth is I’m not. I’m impatient more than I like to admit. I’m tired most of the time. And I’ve become the most undependable person I know. (Caregiving will do that to your life.)

Some days people will compliment me and, honestly, I just don’t see it. I see all that I do wrong and they see what I do right. I’m blessed to have wonderful friends like that, who build me up when I need it. I hope you have that same support system.

We aren’t meant to stay within ourselves, never shining out into the world. That means we have to step out and take risks, sometimes getting our feelings hurt, but always seeking to be Jesus in this hurting world.

It’s a choice. If I relied totally on those feelings, I’d hibernate. Or, at least, I’d stay surrounded by people I know and love. But that’s not what Jesus has called us to do.

If we only help ourselves, what’s that to Him? And if we only do good to those we know, how does that reflect on Him?

Sometimes we have to do good whether we feel like it or not. Sometimes we have to give someone another chance whether we want to or not. Sometimes we have to help someone who may not deserve it because we didn’t deserve what Jesus did for us.

We show the world His love when we do what is unexpected and what doesn’t always feel natural. We reach out, like Jesus did, to those the world neglects and in so doing we become His light of hope to those who need it.

January 10, 2016

Choose To Do Good

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. -- Galatians 6:7-10

“A man reaps what he sows.” How many times have you heard that phrase thrown out? It usually comes when someone (maybe us?) is judging someone else and that person is getting what we believe he deserves. We forget that others could say the same of us.

It’s what happens when we lose focus on what’s really important in life. It’s what happens when we forget about mercy and kindness and love.

Who has never made a mistake? No one. Just Jesus. That’s it. But we like to categorize things. We value ourselves more than others and we show that by cutting them down in a vain effort to build ourselves up.

We become that proud couple bragging on their new son-in-law. They go on and on about his money as though it’s really important. Does he know Jesus? Does he attend church? Volunteer? Is he kind? Compassionate? None of that seems to matter. It’s his bank account they look at. They are not alone.

“God cannot be mocked.” That phrase keeps echoing in my mind. It always seems to come back to the heart. What does your heart tell you? Do you choose to gossip and spread lies and put others down? Or do you choose to do good despite the costs? God knows. You can’t hide your heart from Him.

We all reap what we sow. Choose to sow kindness and compassion. Choose to sow God’s love in this dark, dark, world. Choose to do good despite the costs.