Love all, trust a few. Do wrong to none. - William Shakespeare
Is this a true picture of what we have been asked to do? Is "love all, trust a few..." truly the God kind of love?
I was discussing this subject just the other day. Well...not exactly this conversation but it was a conversation about both live and forgiveness.
The question was asked about people who have hurt you in the past, "How close do you let them get again? Do you open yourself up to get hurt again?" It is not something I have a clear answer on and I left that conversation with the agreement that it is a case by case situation.
We agreed that you have to forgive them, which means you can not hold what they did against them. You have to look at them as if they had never done anything wrong and never bring what they did in the past back up against them.
The tough part (as if that was "easy") was how close do you let them get again. If they pursue a relationship with you, do you allow it to happen even though they hurt you before? This is where we said you would have to look at the situation and see. Can you truly love and forgive someone from a distance...even if they want to get closer?
That is what is going through my head tonight. I need to go to sleep. I will come back to this subject at another time.
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Monday, May 31, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
It is time to write...
I was trying to go to bed early. That normally doesn't work out very well for me and once again tonight I failed. I am laying here thinking...so it is time to write.
What do you think of when you think of being successful? What is success to you? I think that a lot of people have a lot of different ideas about what true success really means.
I know that people have hinted to me that my success is based on how many people I get to show up to my singles events. They ask how many came to whatever my last event or service was and when I tell them they are normally very supportive. They tell me how good it is and that it is growing...but that is really not the point of what I do.
Of course I want as many people to come to the events and services as possible...but not because I care about impressing anyone with the attendance. It is about relationships with the people that are there and it is really about pointing them back to a closer relationship with Jesus! I want to help as many people as I possibly can build a relationship with Jesus. That is success to me.
Not everyone is a preacher. Not everyone is a "minister" in the sense of earning a paycheck from preaching. I know that...but aren't we all called to love? Aren't we all called to be Christ's body on the earth? Are you doing your part? Is doing your part to spread the gospel part of your definition of success?
Maybe you are. Maybe you are really doing all you have been called by God to do...but if you aren't, you have just been reminded. That's all.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
What do you think of when you think of being successful? What is success to you? I think that a lot of people have a lot of different ideas about what true success really means.
I know that people have hinted to me that my success is based on how many people I get to show up to my singles events. They ask how many came to whatever my last event or service was and when I tell them they are normally very supportive. They tell me how good it is and that it is growing...but that is really not the point of what I do.
Of course I want as many people to come to the events and services as possible...but not because I care about impressing anyone with the attendance. It is about relationships with the people that are there and it is really about pointing them back to a closer relationship with Jesus! I want to help as many people as I possibly can build a relationship with Jesus. That is success to me.
Not everyone is a preacher. Not everyone is a "minister" in the sense of earning a paycheck from preaching. I know that...but aren't we all called to love? Aren't we all called to be Christ's body on the earth? Are you doing your part? Is doing your part to spread the gospel part of your definition of success?
Maybe you are. Maybe you are really doing all you have been called by God to do...but if you aren't, you have just been reminded. That's all.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Sobering news...
I got a text message that shocked me and has made tonight a bit rough. I am not going to go into what it was because those involved probably don't want me writing about it.
What I am struggling with at this moment is if there is more I can be doing. People are hurting all around us. Every day we see, talk to, work with and walk right past people who are hurting. I say it is more than that, I say not only people that are hurting but people that we could help!
I say we because I want to do more too! I am not shoving the responsibility of helping people off onto you. I am saying WE all need to do more.
Take the time to listen. People will tell you what is going on in their lives quick if you just ask the questions and actually listen instead of wait for a chance to talk! Say a kind word, smile at someone, hold a door, pay a compliment, do a little more than you did yesterday for someone.
Watch for people who normally talk but today they are quiet. Look for people who are always on time and then they start showing up late. Look for the changes. Reach out to them. Find out what you can do and do it. Don't let your life get so busy that you miss out on what matters. People matter. Your stuff, your car, your computer, your full hour by yourself at lunch...those aren't the things that matter. No one is going to say after they die, "I sure wish I had put in a few more hours at the office."
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
What I am struggling with at this moment is if there is more I can be doing. People are hurting all around us. Every day we see, talk to, work with and walk right past people who are hurting. I say it is more than that, I say not only people that are hurting but people that we could help!
I say we because I want to do more too! I am not shoving the responsibility of helping people off onto you. I am saying WE all need to do more.
Take the time to listen. People will tell you what is going on in their lives quick if you just ask the questions and actually listen instead of wait for a chance to talk! Say a kind word, smile at someone, hold a door, pay a compliment, do a little more than you did yesterday for someone.
Watch for people who normally talk but today they are quiet. Look for people who are always on time and then they start showing up late. Look for the changes. Reach out to them. Find out what you can do and do it. Don't let your life get so busy that you miss out on what matters. People matter. Your stuff, your car, your computer, your full hour by yourself at lunch...those aren't the things that matter. No one is going to say after they die, "I sure wish I had put in a few more hours at the office."
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
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