Please let me pass...

Valentine’s Day…the day that is set aside to let our loved ones know just how much we love them.  What a wonderful day it is for so many people.  Love is in the air!

On my way to the gym this morning, I was reminded by an unfriendly driver, that there are so many hurting people who just need to know that they are loved.

Hurting people hurt people…let’s never forget that.  You never know what others may be going through.  Let’s do our best to treat others with compassion.

Enjoy what’s left of your Valentine’s Day and let’s do our best as followers of Christ to show His love to those who are hurting…even those who may have hurt us…not just Valentine’s Day, but everyday.  With the love of Christ Jesus, our world can be changed. 

Where's your compassion?

You know, I don't claim to be perfect which is exactly the reason why I need a Savior.  I don't expect you to be perfect, either.  But…why is it that when I'm honest about the hurts in my life, you then choose not to meet my eyes any longer and conversation is next to nothing?(Not everyone, but many!!)  Is it because I'm not good enough for you? Probably not.  Is it because you don't know how to continue to be a friend to me in spite of my hurts? Maybe.  I'm not any different before your knowledge of my hurt than after the knowledge of it.  Why then, do you avoid me?  I don't know the answer to that, but I choose to love you anyway.  I do know this, though.  The church...the Body of Christ...is lacking in compassion towards those who are hurting…those who come from highly dysfunctional families.  I can honestly tell you that I have extensive experience in this at multiple churches throughout the past 20+ years.  My life has not been easy at all!!  And, I don’t make that statement to say that I’m special, either…because I’m not.  All too often, folks are pushed aside due to lack of compassion from fellow Christians.  "You need counseling!" "You need this program or that program!"  Those are just a few of the things that I've heard throughout the years.

I cannot change who I am within the Body of Christ.  God created me, placed me in the family that He deemed perfect for me, saved me, justified me and has placed me in the Body of Christ exactly where He wants me.  I know who I am in Christ.  Why is it that you cannot accept me for who I am...warts and all?  I accept you for who you are…warts and all.  My question is this; I wonder if that's how Jesus treated his disciples when He said for them to follow Him?  I won't speculate on that.  I'll let the Holy Spirit answer that.

You see, program or no program, I choose to go by the leading of the Holy Spirit.  I find that He has the answers to my questions.  He has the healing for my hurts…sometimes conventional…sometimes not so much.  I find that much of the Body of Christ not only lacks compassion, but they tend to believe that there is only “one” way to get the healing that is needed.  My God has infinite ways to help His children.  Each church is different.  They all have different programs that I believe can be helpful to folks.  But I also believe that the choice of each individual is just that…they’re. own. choice.  We shouldn’t judge someone because they don’t choose the same thing that we choose.  We should rejoice because we actually have the freedom to choose!!

As I close, I’ll say this.  Jesus came to supply our every need…every need. Philippians 4:19  What are the needs that you have today?  Is it healing…emotional or physical, clarity in any aspect, monetary needs, relief from addictions…perhaps compassion?  I implore you to search your heart.  Ask the Holy Spirit to show you, because He will, if you allow Him to do so.  Let’s do what we can to be Christians who are better at loving the hurting.  We need to be there for each other, not shun each other…shunning is the world’s way of doing things.

Please know that I do realize that I am very blunt and to the point in this blog…but know that every word is spoken in Love…from the bottom of my heart.  1 Corinthians 13:4-8  We need a revolution of love within the Body of Christ.  Isn’t that why Jesus came in the first place?

Have a heart for...

Today, my heart cries out for those who do not know the Lord.  Everyday, I see folks who don’t know Him…some assume that they are so smart that they have life figured out, but don’t realize that He is the center, some choose not to know the Creator at all, some…many…have been introduced, but have refused a relationship with Him, etc. 

Whether these folks ever get in a relationship with God or not, the fact remains that they have made the choice to reject the Creator of the Universe…God Almighty.

At times, while crossing paths with non-believers, it could be so easy to just walk away and not have anything to do with them, mainly because so many are mean and arrogant, etc.  But what I choose to remember is that they have no reason to be joyous.  They have no reason to be nice.  They have no reason to be meek or humble.  You see Jesus is the reason that we choose to have those characteristics as a follower of Christ. (And let’s hope that as a follower of Christ, we are choosing to be like Him!  We are His ambassadors here on this earth!)  If they don’t have Jesus, there is a huge hole in their life and Jesus is needed to fill it to make them whole.  Instead they fill it with whatever suits them at the moment…until they figure out that it’s not working and then they move on to something else.  That cycle will continue until, hopefully, they choose a relationship with Jesus…the same way that you and I discovered that we need Him!  Have a heart for the lost!

When dealing with folks like this, choose to take the high road.  Be kind, be considerate, be loving...be Jesus to them.  You never know, you may be the only person who will ever be Jesus to them.  Remember Heaven and Hell are real and we are all going to end up in one place or the other by our own choice.  Look at things eternally instead of momentarily.  Winning souls to our Lord, saving souls from eternal damnation is the goal.  Choose eyes, ears and a heart of compassion because that’s how Jesus chooses to care for us.  Keep praying and never give up hope of salvation for the lost.