Monday's Blessing
Genesis 50:20
“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.”
If someone is not treating you well today, go out of your way to be kinder than usual to that person. If your mate, friends, or children are not presently serving God as you are, stop beating them over the head with your Bible. Let go of that preaching, nagging, and coercing them to attend church with you or follow what you feel is the divine path. Instead, start being extra kind to them. Start loving each of them in a fresh way. The Bible teaches, "It is the goodness of God that leads people to repentance" (Romans 2:4) God's goodness expressed through you will overcome evil. My friend, love never fails but a good nag will make one stay clear forever.
Why do we feel consistent nagging will eventually bring that individual to the Lord? After all, many of us are subjected to certain religious groups who feel they are "spreading the good word." Have you ever had your door knocked on and opened it to find another Christian faith attesting their spirituality to you? We're you busy? Unable to listen to testament at the moment, thinking, "Gosh, I've told them a hundred times that I'm from a different faith, but they still don't care." Yet, you keep opening that door to be a good Christian feeling they are doing God's work? Did it make you want to turn over to their way of thinking? Change your point of view? Of course not! Yet, you hold stoutly trying to press the meeting onward so that you can get back to your own business.
Believe it or not, these same people feel as you do. That is taking the good word that works for them and pushing it upon you regardless of your discontentment. Does this approach help you turn over a new leaf? Then why would you expect it to do the same for your loved ones? At times the act of reaching out to others from these groups seems selfish causing me to wonder, "If I was in a jam, would they run out and help me? Or would they just hand me another pamphlet insisting I join their congregation BEFORE they lift a hand in my favor? Sadly, I've never seen a soup kitchen opened for the poor, food pantry, or job core to help those in need. Yet, everyone pays a sizable amount of money to hand out these pamphlets that proclaim the good Lord's name but don't emphasize aiding those in need.
So how can you expect that beating someone over the head with you religious virtues will cause them to sway your way?
Let's look at Joseph. His brothers hated him so much, they threw him to a deep pit and were going to kill him, but "out of the kindness of their hearts" they decided instead to sell him into slavery. Years went by, and Joseph experienced all sorts of troubles and heartaches. But Joseph kept a good attitude, and God continued to bless him. After thirteen years of being in prison for a crime he didn't commit, God supernaturally promoted him to the second highest position in Egypt.
Joseph was in charge of the food supply when a famine struck the land, and his brothers traveled to Egypt, hoping to buy provisions for their families. At first they didn't recognize their long lost brother. Joseph finally said, "Don't you know who I am? I am Joseph, your brother. I'm the one you threw into the pit. I'm the one your tried to kill, the brother you sold into slavery."
Joseph could have ordered them killed. Or, preached a lengthily Biblical lesson imposing they come clean. Instead, he said, "Don't be afraid. I'm not going to harm you. I'm going to give you all the food you need."
And, yet wasn't this how Christ lived? Did he go door to door imposing his will on others? Did he berate and nag his friends and family forcing them to follow his lead? No, he preached on mountains, countrysides and seas for those who embraced his message. He used teachable moments when situations arose. Most importantly, he shared his Christ message of love. For it is love that draws followers of faith and hope just like bees are drawn to honey.
So lay down your nag rant. Instead, embrace those you want to spiritually touch with love.
This Week's Meditation:
Let me not forget my function.
Meditate on this for several minutes a day. Allow various thoughts to come into your mind. If you are especially upset state:
Let me not use my ego to hide my function from me.
I will use these as an opportunity to fulfill my function for God.
this may threaten my ego, but cannot change my function in any way.
Remind yourself of healing each moment. God has you in his arms always.
Genesis 50:20
“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.”
If someone is not treating you well today, go out of your way to be kinder than usual to that person. If your mate, friends, or children are not presently serving God as you are, stop beating them over the head with your Bible. Let go of that preaching, nagging, and coercing them to attend church with you or follow what you feel is the divine path. Instead, start being extra kind to them. Start loving each of them in a fresh way. The Bible teaches, "It is the goodness of God that leads people to repentance" (Romans 2:4) God's goodness expressed through you will overcome evil. My friend, love never fails but a good nag will make one stay clear forever.
Why do we feel consistent nagging will eventually bring that individual to the Lord? After all, many of us are subjected to certain religious groups who feel they are "spreading the good word." Have you ever had your door knocked on and opened it to find another Christian faith attesting their spirituality to you? We're you busy? Unable to listen to testament at the moment, thinking, "Gosh, I've told them a hundred times that I'm from a different faith, but they still don't care." Yet, you keep opening that door to be a good Christian feeling they are doing God's work? Did it make you want to turn over to their way of thinking? Change your point of view? Of course not! Yet, you hold stoutly trying to press the meeting onward so that you can get back to your own business.
Believe it or not, these same people feel as you do. That is taking the good word that works for them and pushing it upon you regardless of your discontentment. Does this approach help you turn over a new leaf? Then why would you expect it to do the same for your loved ones? At times the act of reaching out to others from these groups seems selfish causing me to wonder, "If I was in a jam, would they run out and help me? Or would they just hand me another pamphlet insisting I join their congregation BEFORE they lift a hand in my favor? Sadly, I've never seen a soup kitchen opened for the poor, food pantry, or job core to help those in need. Yet, everyone pays a sizable amount of money to hand out these pamphlets that proclaim the good Lord's name but don't emphasize aiding those in need.
So how can you expect that beating someone over the head with you religious virtues will cause them to sway your way?
Let's look at Joseph. His brothers hated him so much, they threw him to a deep pit and were going to kill him, but "out of the kindness of their hearts" they decided instead to sell him into slavery. Years went by, and Joseph experienced all sorts of troubles and heartaches. But Joseph kept a good attitude, and God continued to bless him. After thirteen years of being in prison for a crime he didn't commit, God supernaturally promoted him to the second highest position in Egypt.
Joseph was in charge of the food supply when a famine struck the land, and his brothers traveled to Egypt, hoping to buy provisions for their families. At first they didn't recognize their long lost brother. Joseph finally said, "Don't you know who I am? I am Joseph, your brother. I'm the one you threw into the pit. I'm the one your tried to kill, the brother you sold into slavery."
Joseph could have ordered them killed. Or, preached a lengthily Biblical lesson imposing they come clean. Instead, he said, "Don't be afraid. I'm not going to harm you. I'm going to give you all the food you need."
And, yet wasn't this how Christ lived? Did he go door to door imposing his will on others? Did he berate and nag his friends and family forcing them to follow his lead? No, he preached on mountains, countrysides and seas for those who embraced his message. He used teachable moments when situations arose. Most importantly, he shared his Christ message of love. For it is love that draws followers of faith and hope just like bees are drawn to honey.
So lay down your nag rant. Instead, embrace those you want to spiritually touch with love.
This Week's Meditation:
Let me not forget my function.
Meditate on this for several minutes a day. Allow various thoughts to come into your mind. If you are especially upset state:
Let me not use my ego to hide my function from me.
I will use these as an opportunity to fulfill my function for God.
this may threaten my ego, but cannot change my function in any way.
Remind yourself of healing each moment. God has you in his arms always.
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