What kind of a grade would I receive as a human being, as a child of God.
Remember those old report cards...they did tell it like it was didn't they...and how one hated to see the words "need for improvement" and how the word "excellence" was like emotional chocolate candy.
Did you ever have a dog? When it comes to loyal love they grade out at EXCELLENT on a regular basis.
And that is why when most of say the word "dog" we have a warm and cozy feeling. The very thought of love does that.
We all know the attributes of love as St Paul describes them. The kind of love that does not pout at the drop of a negative thought, or promote jealousy as if it were part of some holy ritual or play the part oif the opera singer singing "me, me, me."
When we do not love as we should we live in the midst of a perpetual pity party.
We ask people to read our minds and then agree with us.
And if they have not read your mind and thereby do not act as you expect them to...you them serve them a stew of silence. We've all done it. Some more. Some less. But we have all done it.
Random acts of kindness and senseless acts of beauty. Most everyone has seen the bumper sticker hundreds of times but the words never fail to spread a wider smile across the face of our soul.
And some...reading these words...have already argued at me...but you don't know my world...there is no place in my world for the kind of love you are talking about. I hope this hasn't been your reaction but then...all of us have waked up one morning and been overwhelmed by how mean and thoughtless our fellowman can be.
Which gets back to square one again. If the kind of love our Jesus talked about were easy it wouldn't mean much.
Earl Weaver was manager of the Baltimore Orioles and his reputation as a notorious umpire baiter was legend.
They all carried extra pilosec with them before a game with the Orioles.
When he disagreed, which was often, he would come charging out of the dugout screaming "Are you gonna get any better or is this it?"
And I guess this is what this old thought piece is about. Are we going to get any better at loving and forgiving or are we stuck with who we've become? And those around us stuck with who we've become.
How does that song go "What the world needs now is love, sweet love."
How?1. Sympathy "Be sympathetic...""Be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry."
James 1:19; Romans 15:2
2. Loyalty "...have brotherly love..."Romans 12:10; 1 Corinthians 13:7; Romans 15:7
3. Generosity or Compassion "...be compassionate beyonhd compare..."Ephesians 4:29; 1 John 3:18
Remember those old report cards...they did tell it like it was didn't they...and how one hated to see the words "need for improvement" and how the word "excellence" was like emotional chocolate candy.
Did you ever have a dog? When it comes to loyal love they grade out at EXCELLENT on a regular basis.
And that is why when most of say the word "dog" we have a warm and cozy feeling. The very thought of love does that.
We all know the attributes of love as St Paul describes them. The kind of love that does not pout at the drop of a negative thought, or promote jealousy as if it were part of some holy ritual or play the part oif the opera singer singing "me, me, me."
When we do not love as we should we live in the midst of a perpetual pity party.
We ask people to read our minds and then agree with us.
And if they have not read your mind and thereby do not act as you expect them to...you them serve them a stew of silence. We've all done it. Some more. Some less. But we have all done it.
Random acts of kindness and senseless acts of beauty. Most everyone has seen the bumper sticker hundreds of times but the words never fail to spread a wider smile across the face of our soul.
And some...reading these words...have already argued at me...but you don't know my world...there is no place in my world for the kind of love you are talking about. I hope this hasn't been your reaction but then...all of us have waked up one morning and been overwhelmed by how mean and thoughtless our fellowman can be.
Which gets back to square one again. If the kind of love our Jesus talked about were easy it wouldn't mean much.
Earl Weaver was manager of the Baltimore Orioles and his reputation as a notorious umpire baiter was legend.
They all carried extra pilosec with them before a game with the Orioles.
When he disagreed, which was often, he would come charging out of the dugout screaming "Are you gonna get any better or is this it?"
And I guess this is what this old thought piece is about. Are we going to get any better at loving and forgiving or are we stuck with who we've become? And those around us stuck with who we've become.
How does that song go "What the world needs now is love, sweet love."
How?1. Sympathy "Be sympathetic...""Be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry."
James 1:19; Romans 15:2
2. Loyalty "...have brotherly love..."Romans 12:10; 1 Corinthians 13:7; Romans 15:7
3. Generosity or Compassion "...be compassionate beyonhd compare..."Ephesians 4:29; 1 John 3:18
4. Humility "...be humble...""Pride only leads to arguments"
Proverbs 13:10; Proverbs 28:13
Proverbs 13:10; Proverbs 28:13
5. Promote Mercy in your heart"Never
pay back one wrong with another, or pay an angry word with another one;
instead, pay back with a blessing... so that you inherit a blessing
yourself." vs.9 (JB)
Colossians 3:13; 1 Corinthians 13:5
Colossians 3:13; 1 Corinthians 13:5
6. Make Maturity a vital part of your being"If
you want a happy, good life, keep control of your tongue, and guard
your lips from telling lies... live in peace." vs. 10 (LB)
Proverbs 12:18
"Now you can have real love for everyone because your souls have been cleansed from selfishness and hatred when you trusted Christ to save you; so see to it that you really do love each other warmly, with all your hearts." 1 Peter 1:22
Proverbs 12:18
"Now you can have real love for everyone because your souls have been cleansed from selfishness and hatred when you trusted Christ to save you; so see to it that you really do love each other warmly, with all your hearts." 1 Peter 1:22
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