Three ways to live today

1 Peter: 4: ⁸ Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. ⁹ Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.

¹⁰ Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.

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“Why do I have to be the one who does all the work” I said to myself. Look at everyone, just sitting there while I work my fingers to the bone. Some of these people are mean and nasty anyway so they probably can’t serve I surmised. From now on, I will hold back and watch everything fall apart.

• When I serve without love and compassion I get burnt out quickly.
• When I am trying to put on a goody, goody front I may begin to grumble when I have to serve.
• When I think higher of myself than I should I “hold back” my gifts as to punish those people.

It’s ashamed that GOD has to actually tell me to love people instead of it just naturally being that way. I actually have to get rid of my grumbling and complaining about others in order to serve them the way GOD wants me to serve them. HE doesn’t want my phony smile or fake behavior.

• GOD wants me to truly care about those who are difficult to love.
• GOD desires that I show hospitality with excitement rather than saying “why me again?”
• GOD prepares me with gifts and talents that HE expects me to use to serve others.

It’s simple… I should love, serve and grow people the way GOD wants me to because grace has covered mu multitude of sins.

• Are you complaining?
• Do you see yourself grumbling about serving?
• Can you stop thinking more highly about yourself and serve “that” person?
• Won’t you examine your heart to see if it is too stony to have “love” in it?