Loving

Beloved readers,

If you are older than 6 or 7 years you've found out that there is pain and loss in this life, and you've heard far too much negative chatter for a healthy mind.

Take one day, listen carefully to everything that is said around you. Make a mental tally board with two columns, one that is negative, ugly and unkind, the other for positive, uplifting and forgiving statements. At the end of the day you're likely to find that the positive side is virtually empty.

Jesus spoke a lot on attitudes towards others. Parables against judging others, being sure to lend to those who have need, and to give outright to the poor, etc. There was an especially powerful, very short story about the two men praying at the altar. One, a religious man saying "Thank you Lord that I am not like this filthy sinner beside me." The humble man beside him prayed "Lord forgive me!" He illustrated strongly that God's heart will be with the humble man who makes no pretenses, but looks to the Lord for help.

Sweethearts, there are only two ways to go through life. You can choose to be angry and short tempered, blaming others, finding every fault that exists in them, jumping to anger as other drivers do foolish things around you (sometimes they are justified in their actions but we don't wait to see it from their point of view before we get mad), hurrying everyone up and rarely taking your mind off of your own plans of action, your needs and wants, so that you never consider the situations of others.

Or, you can choose peace. Make a conscious choice to remain child-like in your heart, not presuming to know whether everything everyone else does is good or bad. Not expecting cruelty or deceit in others, and even when cheated, just ask God to forgive the cheaters and trust in Him to replace what you've lost. You can get up in the morning with peace and if not joy, at least calm. You can choose to hold back slightly in grocery store lines and when driving, considering the needs and actions of others around you, anticipating that someone might be moving in to your line. You can choose to give room for others, and know that you'll still get to your destination, with only a moment or so delay. The benefit of peace and good will is mental and physical health to you, and will help to heal the world as you go. (If everyone lived like this, there would be few problems.)

I don't want to hear the excuse that the world won't live like this so why should you. You should, because you're intelligent and you know who your creator is. You should, because you've been forgiven and GIVEN the status of child of the King. You have no lack, because everything that God owns, you own.

For some, this knowledge will make you greedy and high minded, trying to be Lord over others. The funny thing about this behavior is that it sets you outside of God's kingdom, and you really don't own a thing if you try to be highest.

For the true child of God, this knowledge will only be proof that they can afford to be kind, patient, loving and giving, and will secure peace in their hearts and patience in their lives. These are the people who walk as Jesus walked. He washed the feet of his disciples, He served the lonely, lost and downtrodden. He died for a wretched, worthless world that deserved only death.

Jesus didn't stop in at Walmart as He travelled from town to town, to buy Himself new hunting equipment, gold and diamond jewelry,