I was re-reading a few Facebook posts and found myself
deleting a few things because I posted them based on a “feeling” or momentary
sentiment; you know, those ever so brief moments in time and emotions that
often lead to a major lapse in judgment. Which leads me to my point,
self-censoring may be one of the hardest things we’ll ever have to learn in
this lifetime.
I once heard someone say that they prayed that their first
response would be the “right” Christ-like response. I can only hope to attain
such a lofty goal; I know I am a work in progress and I am in a state of
constant flux – even when at rest I’m a mental whirlwind. I know I can be a
hothead. I know I can get people told in such a way they’ll have to think about
what I said to them and then get mad later or I can be the exact opposite and
say some things that will go for the immediate kill shot…neither of which is
beneficial to me, the other party, my faith walk or my honor and respect for
the Lord.
Humility is hard when the world continues to hold it up as a
fault, failing or character defect…..here’s how I manage the conflict:
1 Corinthians 13 If I speak in the tongues of men and of
angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And
if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all
knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have
not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I
deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient
and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or
rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or
resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices
with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes
all things, endures all things.
8 Love never
ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease;
as for knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and
we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial
will pass away.11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like
a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 12 For now
we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then
I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
13 So now faith,
hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
IF I HAVE NOT LOVE – because I have love I’m not required to
respond back…I don’t have to belittle others, I don’t have to brag, I don’t have
to keep tabs, I don’t have to hold on to pain….whatever I lose in a translation
or transaction I know Jehovah Jireh… (amen)
Romans 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this
world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able
to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.
What is your line of thinking? Do you love enough to “walk away”? Please note
that walking away is not as much literal as it is figurative…walk away
literally not to engage in conflict but you have an obligation to pray for that
brother/sister/ situation that took your eyes off the Lord…..call that thing
out and bring it under the authority of God.
How ya’ livin’?
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