I get discouraged sometimes with all of us as humans. I get discouraged when I see our weaknesses. Social media brings me more awareness than other aspects. I scroll Facebook to see 'funny' photographs that poke fun at someone else's expense. I see rantings and judgments from people about politics, the weak in our society, the immigrant, the poor, the disenfranchised. Somehow the voice and anonymity of being in cyberspace allows us to reveal the essence of our core.
Like drivers on the road, hidden in our cars, express all-too-quickly our rage, frustration, irritation and lack of mercy with others. We snuggle in behind a steering wheel and shake fists at strangers, unknowing what emergency or consuming trouble may be overwhelming their mind as they drive.
We judge.
Quickly.
Harshly.
Mercilessly.
I love the Casting Crowns song, "City on a Hill." The message is simple: the more we listen to one another, the more we understand, the more we become the people God intended us to be.
It's always the simple declarations that Jesus gives, which are so simple that we learn and forget in the same moment -- always attempting to learn again. Love one another. Three simple words that shake the foundation of who we are and how we live each moment.
Love one another as I'm driving to work in rush hour traffic and I'm going to be late because I'm stuck behind this person going below the speed limit. Love one another as I'm sitting in church and they're asking us again for money for some other group of people in another part of the world who are starving, but I just gave my tithe, and I just gave for my kids' school yearbooks and I just got new tires on the car. Love one another when gun laws change, or healthcare changes, or a new president comes into office. Love one another when my neighbor trims my bushes touching his yard. Love one another when the referees aren't calling the game right ---
You get the idea.
We learn and forget.
But what happens if we don't forget?
What happens if we find a way to see people the way that God sees people. Each moment we walk through life and all we see is another broken soul who might one day be a worshiper of Jesus -- just might be, if we speak kindly, and love whole-heartedly, outside of ourselves.
How do we get to that place?
How do we begin to see others the way Jesus does?
How do we look past our disagreements, our personal frustrations and see the world from God's perspective?
Prayer is my only answer. Not a little prayer. Constant, daily, walking and talking with your best friend prayer. On your knees or jumping for joy prayer. Praying while we drive to work, praying while we cook our family's dinner, praying while we vacuum, while we get the mail, while we dry our hair. But prayer is the answer.
We always need more.
More connection with our heart's love.
That is what will save us all.
Like drivers on the road, hidden in our cars, express all-too-quickly our rage, frustration, irritation and lack of mercy with others. We snuggle in behind a steering wheel and shake fists at strangers, unknowing what emergency or consuming trouble may be overwhelming their mind as they drive.
We judge.
Quickly.
Harshly.
Mercilessly.
I love the Casting Crowns song, "City on a Hill." The message is simple: the more we listen to one another, the more we understand, the more we become the people God intended us to be.
It's always the simple declarations that Jesus gives, which are so simple that we learn and forget in the same moment -- always attempting to learn again. Love one another. Three simple words that shake the foundation of who we are and how we live each moment.
Love one another as I'm driving to work in rush hour traffic and I'm going to be late because I'm stuck behind this person going below the speed limit. Love one another as I'm sitting in church and they're asking us again for money for some other group of people in another part of the world who are starving, but I just gave my tithe, and I just gave for my kids' school yearbooks and I just got new tires on the car. Love one another when gun laws change, or healthcare changes, or a new president comes into office. Love one another when my neighbor trims my bushes touching his yard. Love one another when the referees aren't calling the game right ---
You get the idea.
We learn and forget.
But what happens if we don't forget?
What happens if we find a way to see people the way that God sees people. Each moment we walk through life and all we see is another broken soul who might one day be a worshiper of Jesus -- just might be, if we speak kindly, and love whole-heartedly, outside of ourselves.
How do we get to that place?
How do we begin to see others the way Jesus does?
How do we look past our disagreements, our personal frustrations and see the world from God's perspective?
Prayer is my only answer. Not a little prayer. Constant, daily, walking and talking with your best friend prayer. On your knees or jumping for joy prayer. Praying while we drive to work, praying while we cook our family's dinner, praying while we vacuum, while we get the mail, while we dry our hair. But prayer is the answer.
We always need more.
More connection with our heart's love.
That is what will save us all.
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