Carefully choosing my words
I've been kind of playing around with a blog topic along these lines all week, and if you could peek into my electronic filing cabinet, you'd see several drafts of this post saved. You can't though so you'll just have to take my word for it.
In the Bible, Jesus in Matthew 7:12 pretty much spells out what is probably better known as the "Golden Rule"; the verse itself from the NIV reads this way: "So in everything, do unto others as you would have them do unto you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." You've heard this a lot in your life, to be sure, in some variation. I remember hearing that most major religions in the world have a variation of the Golden Rule.
The verse says a lot. It also doesn't say a lot. For instance, it doesn't say that you'll be treated in a likewise manner. Quite frankly, the opposite happens a lot these days. My most vivid lesson in this is something my ex (no not the Mrs., the ex-Mrs) did to me. It was a costly lesson in trusting someone. But I did to her what I'd expect her to do to me. And it didn't work out, well, yet anyway, but I have hope. The verse further does not say it's only to be done to those who you like, who you trust, who are your friends. Or just to do this sometimes. To be blunt, sometimes, folks are going to make living by this scripture hard to do. It happens to all of us and you, I'm sure, can instantly put at least one face to the difficulty of living this scripture verse out.
What I find interesting is that as popular and well known as this verse is, that the explanation that follows isn't as popular. Verses 13 & 14 continue; Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow is the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
So, when you're feeling like you've been beaten down, what do you do? My pastor had great advice last week. Worship God. We're instructed to give thanks in all circumstances. Not just when life is easy. I know this doesn't make too much sense, but in the chaos and confusion of my little paradox, I find joy. I try to employ kindness and forgiveness. I'm out of understanding, so I give that to God. I'm trying to live out the golden rule and it's by far and away one of the hardest things I've ever done. I was talking to a friend at work and I reminded him that nobody ever told me being a Christian was going to be easy.
Here's where I find hope, from Romans 5:3-5 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance character, and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.
God gives us what we need to get through our trials. He brings us closer to Him through prayer (ask me sometime why I had to wake up last night at whatever time it was to hear a sermon on this very topic on the radio). I will never understand why bad things happen to good people. I do know, at least in my own personal case, what God has done with those circumstances. The grace and glory are His, and I'm getting in the habit of praying this prayer on a regular basis: "God, please use me to glorify you at my expense."
To my friends, who are growing in number, who have had encounters with God recently, my prayer, my petition for you is to think about these and take some time for God. Get to know Jesus; at least pick up a Bible and read a little of it. It won't hurt and I'd be willing to bet you'd find something you could use to apply to your life to make it better. And if you don't know Jesus as Savior, or you've wandered away for a while, it's a great time to recommit or commit, as the case may be, your life to Christ.
God Bless,
Coop
In the Bible, Jesus in Matthew 7:12 pretty much spells out what is probably better known as the "Golden Rule"; the verse itself from the NIV reads this way: "So in everything, do unto others as you would have them do unto you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." You've heard this a lot in your life, to be sure, in some variation. I remember hearing that most major religions in the world have a variation of the Golden Rule.
The verse says a lot. It also doesn't say a lot. For instance, it doesn't say that you'll be treated in a likewise manner. Quite frankly, the opposite happens a lot these days. My most vivid lesson in this is something my ex (no not the Mrs., the ex-Mrs) did to me. It was a costly lesson in trusting someone. But I did to her what I'd expect her to do to me. And it didn't work out, well, yet anyway, but I have hope. The verse further does not say it's only to be done to those who you like, who you trust, who are your friends. Or just to do this sometimes. To be blunt, sometimes, folks are going to make living by this scripture hard to do. It happens to all of us and you, I'm sure, can instantly put at least one face to the difficulty of living this scripture verse out.
What I find interesting is that as popular and well known as this verse is, that the explanation that follows isn't as popular. Verses 13 & 14 continue; Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow is the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
So, when you're feeling like you've been beaten down, what do you do? My pastor had great advice last week. Worship God. We're instructed to give thanks in all circumstances. Not just when life is easy. I know this doesn't make too much sense, but in the chaos and confusion of my little paradox, I find joy. I try to employ kindness and forgiveness. I'm out of understanding, so I give that to God. I'm trying to live out the golden rule and it's by far and away one of the hardest things I've ever done. I was talking to a friend at work and I reminded him that nobody ever told me being a Christian was going to be easy.
Here's where I find hope, from Romans 5:3-5 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance character, and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.
God gives us what we need to get through our trials. He brings us closer to Him through prayer (ask me sometime why I had to wake up last night at whatever time it was to hear a sermon on this very topic on the radio). I will never understand why bad things happen to good people. I do know, at least in my own personal case, what God has done with those circumstances. The grace and glory are His, and I'm getting in the habit of praying this prayer on a regular basis: "God, please use me to glorify you at my expense."
To my friends, who are growing in number, who have had encounters with God recently, my prayer, my petition for you is to think about these and take some time for God. Get to know Jesus; at least pick up a Bible and read a little of it. It won't hurt and I'd be willing to bet you'd find something you could use to apply to your life to make it better. And if you don't know Jesus as Savior, or you've wandered away for a while, it's a great time to recommit or commit, as the case may be, your life to Christ.
God Bless,
Coop
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