Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same treatment. Don't condemn those who are down; that hardness can boomerang. Be easy on people; you'll find life a lot easier. Give away your life; you'll find life given back, but not merely given back—given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity. ~ Luke 6:37-18 (The Message)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I feel like these verses are Jesus' quick-reference guide on the principle that governs His kingdom---that is, love.
Judging other people is so easy. We can do it in a split second when we see someone who doesn't look or act like us! If they are disheveled or lacking in some way in our eyes, the judgment lenses can be leveled in a heartbeat. We look at them condescendingly through our shades of judgment and think disparaging thoughts -- you know it's true. God says, That isn't love...that isn't Me.
We might say, "Yeah, God, but I never said anything to them directly. I wasn't being unloving to them..." Oh, how we deceive ourselves! If our heart has junk in it, eventually it's gonna come out...
The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. ~ Luke 6:45
The bottom line is that God is concerned with our heart, because what's in there will come out, sooner or later. And just because we keep a smile on our face and don't speak our judgment and condemnation out loud, that doesn't give us the right to harbor it in our heart. God's spirit will not let you rest with that, if His spirit lives in you. God's kingdom principle is love, and His love needs to be our modus operandi!
God says that the flip side of judging and condemning is to forgive and give. That these are the attitudes of our heart we need to be cultivating and practicing. A forgiving and giving heart models God to others, letting them see who He is and what He's really about. God loves people, so we need to love people. Bottom line.
So practice forgiving and giving today. Take off the judgment shades and look at people, in whatever state they're in, and let your heart love them. Ask God to change your heart from a heart of stone to a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 11:19) for people. Ask God to help you really care about others and find ways to show that love and care in tangible ways. 'Cuz it's hard to judge someone when you're knee-deep in loving them. :-)
Love,
Joelene
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment