Is my life respectful?

1 Thessalonians 4: ¹⁰ And in fact, you do love all of God’s family throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more, ¹¹ and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you,

¹² so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.

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Feeling light headed I ordered another pitcher of beer. It was after work and we were blowing off steam. We stayed there for hours and we were blessed to make it back to our hotel. The desk manager said to us… “They have been trying to reach you for hours, the emergency system is not working correctly and they need you to come in.”

Again, we were blessed to make it there safely. It was hard to think but we managed to fix the problem. The county personnel could see us struggle. I vowed never to drink another drop of liquor again but I wonder what kind of impression I left.

• Whether I like it or not, someone is always watching what I do.
• Whether I like it or not, someone is paying attention to how I conduct myself.
• Whether I like it or not, someone is seeing how I act and react in difficult situations.

If I were to just withdraw from society, people would take note and if I were to make a spectacle of myself, someone would be right there soaking it in. This seems like a lot of pressure to live for other people. I mean can’t I just live for me?

• GOD allows me to make my own decisions but loves when I choose to follow HIS way.
• GOD allows me to choose to be HIS example or to be my own example outside of HIM.
• GOD allows me to be involved with others and it’s up to me to choose if I am going to show HIS way or my way.

Love is what GOD wants me to demonstrate.  HE wants me to add love more and more each day. When I show love it means I am going to get close to people. HE wants me to stay out of their “business” yet remain an example to them while demonstrating acts of kindness.

GOD wants me to work so that I won’t have to depend on others and HE desires that I set my goals on a “quiet” life that points at HIM instead of me. The purpose of my life is to be HIS example as much as I can even when I mess up.

• Is your life a good example of CHRIST?
• Are you judging others or loving others?
• Can you add a little love (action word) to your life today?

Increase my love

1 Thessalonians 3: ¹² May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. ¹³ May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.

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Sunny days and peaceful nights were the majority of times when I grew up in the city but when our lawn mower went missing, we knew who had it. When a stolen car “appeared” in the alley behind our block, we knew who was involved. Finally, when the police chased a car onto our mostly peaceful block we knew who it was.

We had no “love lost” as the police removed this scoundrel from our block. As the mother cried over her “baby” being ripped from her, we applauded, well at least I did. I mean how can anyone love this guy?

• Many times I see the wrong in people and it blinds me to see what GOD sees in them.
• Many times I see the sin “they” are doing and I forget the sins I am doing.
• Many times I see the mistakes people make and I am critical but I want grace when I goof.

It’s so easy to love those who show me love and it’s so hard to do the same for those who obviously don’t have my best interest in mind. From thugs, to bullies, to corporate oppressors with political slants, I wrote these people off as “deserving” their fall whenever one of them got caught. No love lost. BUT GOD loves them, how can I?

• GOD wants me to look beyond someone’s selfishness and give them what they need in order to see HIM.
• GOD wants me to look beyond someone’s sin and give them compassion, just like the compassion HE shows me.
• GOD wants me to look beyond someone’s passive aggressive ways or political affiliation or pleasure seeking plots so that I can truly show “love.”

Love is hard because I am selfish. I mean GOD wants the best for these people and I want them to feel pain so they can at least apologize for their “wrong” actions. GOD wants me to give the best to those who don’t deserve it so they can one day turn to HIM. I need an extra dose of love from GOD.

• Do you have someone in your life who is difficult to love?
• Are you busy pointing your finger at “those” people who are slanderous and scandalous?
• Do you have compassion for “that” person who constantly messes up?
• Can you ask GOD for an extra dose of love?

My hearing goes away during trouble

1 Thessalonians 1: ⁶ You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.

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Crouched behind the couch I could hear my name being called. I was already on punishment and I had breached my sentence by going outside when I wasn’t supposed to. I snuck back into the house and hid behind the couch.

Hours later I could hear many people on the block calling my name. Now the mess was getting bigger. I thought to myself “I’m really in trouble now! I better stay in my hiding place.” When it got late I emerged from my hiding place and tried to go to my room without anyone seeing me. Maybe they will think I magically appeared. I actually was wrong about being in more hot water.

• When I’m in trouble I cannot hear well.
• When I panic I cannot hear well.
• When I am in despair I cannot hear well.

No matter how much a person talks, screams or yells I cannot hear them when I feel I’m suffering. I wallow in my situation and cannot move forward. It’s like being crouched behind a couch, hiding from the world. BUT GOD wants me to hear HIM in the middle of my trouble.

• In the middle of my trouble GOD wants me to be still and listen to HIS direction.
• In the middle of my trouble GOD wants me to have peace that only comes from HIM.
• In the middle of my trouble GOD wants me to remain calm so I can see HIS love, grace and mercy even during the trial.

It’s hard to see and hear GOD when I’m suffering, but GOD takes me through the trial to strengthen me, not beat me up like a bully. GOD’s love is incredible and that’s what I need to focus on during my difficult time.

• Are you going through a difficult time?
• Are you wondering when will GOD save you?
• Can you praise HIM in the middle of your suffering?
• Won’t you be an example to others by praising GOD even before HE delivers you?

Please do not mistake my kindness for weakness

Colossians 3: ¹² Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. ¹³ Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

¹⁴ And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

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With their arms folded I knew I had no support from the other departments. Somehow my new found revelation of being kind and compassionate was mistaken for weakness. It seemed as though the other departments wanted me to be stark and curt rather than agreeable and cooperative. Maybe I should have gone back to being pushy!

• Being sneaky doesn’t make me a better businessman.
• Being cold and focused on the bottom line doesn’t make me a better leader.
• Being maleficent doesn’t make me closer to GOD but I may get my way and I have to deal with HIS consequences.

Human success was a driving force that seemed to take on a mind of its own. I mean at first I wanted to just do an excellent job, then I wanted to manage, then I wanted to get rid of dead weight, then I wanted to crush those who were in the way of my goals.

Before long I was in a place where people were nothing more than a statistic and those who couldn’t cut it should have been fired anyway. BUT GOD “cut me” from that world and I had to face what I had put others through. Talk about a revelation! “Who will help me?” I wondered in anguish.

• GOD taught me compassion by making me “empathize” with people I once had contempt for.
• GOD taught me kindness by having people treat me poorly the way I treated others.
• GOD taught me humility by stripping away my human titles I once endeared.
• GOD taught me gentleness by delivering people to me who were grieving yet contemptuous.
• GOD taught me patience by placing me in situations where I had to depend on others rather than having them respond to my title.

GOD says “forgive” and HE truly means it. HE wants me to forgive my enemies simply because HE forgave me. I still have the cold, tough dexterity BUT GOD wants me to purposefully show unity, peace and love as an act of strength, not weakness.

• Do you have someone who is against you?
• Do you feel they do not deserve compassion?
• Are you strong enough to show them kindness and gentleness?
• Won’t you forgive “that” person today?

A drastic change

Colossians 3: ⁵ Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. ⁶ Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.

⁷ You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. ⁸ But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.

⁹ Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices

¹⁰ and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

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Our discussion centered on women, cars, money and positions. We had our futures ahead of us and the lusts for all these things were prominent. There was a magic number for a salary when I graduated that would set fire to my life for a while.  I mean what’s wrong with having stuff and with “dating” a few folks? I’m still a believer right?

• When I am greedy it is difficult for me to be generous.
• When I am lustful it is difficult for me to relate to someone in a deeper way.
• When I am angry it is difficult for me to show GOD’s peace.
• When I am slanderous it is difficult for me to show grace to someone who may not know CHRIST.
• When I am foul in my language it is difficult for GODLY words to cross the same lips.

Lust, lying and language are all things GOD can easily forgive. HE knows I sin but forgives me anyway. Yet when I act upon these things there is an empty feeling.  The hole in my heart just grows bigger and bigger. What can fill it?

• GOD wants me to look forward to HIS kingdom and lose focus on the earth little by little.
• GOD wants me to walk on HIS path which includes fruit not destruction.
• GOD wants me to be new each day dropping a little sin off here and there.

It’s a process.  I am not going to be changed right away but little by little I am becoming what GOD wants me to become.

• Are you caught up in a lifestyle that is not pleasing to GOD?
• Do you feel you should make a change?
• Have you tried to seek HIS face?
• Won’t you let HIM guide your path?

I have a new goal

Colossians 2: ² My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, ³ in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

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Achievement was my staple as I won another award. When I surveyed the plaques, trophies and medals I had won I felt proud of where I had climbed. I was so proud of myself that I couldn’t get enough of hearing how well I was doing from others. I would set lofty goals and climb high to achieve them and wait for the applause. “I wonder if anyone is in pain” never crossed my mind.

• When I focus on self-achievement I can lose focus on others.
• When I focus on “me” getting ahead I can forget to serve people in pain.
• When I focus on gaining treasures on earth I can get caught up in lusts that derail me from seeing GOD.

Many times I sought power, position and payment as my goal of success. Once I achieved my goal, it never seemed like it was enough. My monetary goal had to become greater and I had to have a bigger title. This left little time for me to see who was hurting or in pain. BUT GOD saw them and wanted me to act different.

• GOD sees people in pain and wants me to open my eyes to them as well.
• GOD sees people who are discouraged and wants me to encourage them to believe in HIM.
• GOD sees people who are thrown away and wants me to show united love as an example of how much GOD loves all.

Many times I get so caught up in trying to get people to stop doing a certain sin that I never look at how much compassion GOD wants me to have on others.  I think I can solve their problems by making more money and fighting a cause so my goals are geared towards sin eradication and wealth. BUT GOD wants me to have new goals of encouragement, compassion and united love to draw those who really need HIM.

GOD wants me to point at HIS SON instead of pointing at me.

• What are you trying to achieve?
• Are you feeling discouraged that you have not achieved what you think you should have achieved?
• Won’t you set goals to be more compassionate for someone today?
• Can you take a moment to encourage someone today?

I was lost

Colossians 1: ²¹ Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. ²² But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—

²³ if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel.

This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

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A quick glance at my watch raised panic in my mind. The meeting was going to start in minutes and I couldn’t find the building. I started devising a plan that seemed to be futile and time was running out. I thought “If I could look at the buildings then maybe I could see something familiar.” Finally after looking at maps and driving in circles I found someone to give me directions. I felt peace easing my mind.

• Whenever life gets tough I try to develop plans that don’t include GOD.
• Whenever life gets difficult I try to create my own way excluding GOD.
• Whenever life gets painful I try to generate my own destiny, thinking I don’t need GOD for this situation, I can handle it myself.

In my mind, GOD was cramping my style. I mean HE wanted me to be “good” and to “trust HIM” yet HE didn’t seem to care because HE wasn’t handling the situation the way “I” wanted HIM to. At least that’s what my mind was telling me. BUT GOD acts and reacts much higher than I do.

• GOD saw I would not choose HIM yet HE allowed HIS SON to die for me to save me.
• GOD saw I would walk away from HIM many times yet HE chose to forgive me.
• GOD saw I would fight with HIS plans yet HE continues with HIS plans of love for me.

Whenever I fight with GOD and HIS mighty plan, I seem to get lost. Don’t get me wrong, I may seem to be doing fine from a humans’ perspective but I stop serving, praying and soon believing. I start believing I know better than GOD and after a while I leave HIM out of the picture completely. Then when life gets difficult I run back to HIM like a little baby.

GOD wants me to remain in HIM placing my faith and hope in HIS marvelous ways. Only HIS SON can remove my sins and declare me free from blemishes.

• Are you lost?
• Do you think you have a plan to get you out of your mess?
• Can you turn your life over to GOD and focus on HIS way?
• Won’t you believe in HIS SON who is the only one who can save you?