Just One

A friend of mine shared this poem with me, and I thought I'd share it with you.

Just One
Unknown

One song can spark a moment,
One flower can wake the dream
One tree can start a forest,
One bird can herald spring.

One smile begins a friendship,
One handclasp lifts a soul.
One star can guide a ship at sea,
One word can frame the goal.

One vote can change a nation,
One sunbeam lights a room
One candle wipes out darkness,
One laugh will conquer gloom.

One step must start each journey.
One word must start each prayer.
One hope will raise our spirits,
One touch can show you care.

One voice can speak with wisdom,
One heart can know what's true,

One life can make a difference,
You see, it's up to you!

I am inspired by this poem.  It serves as a reminder to me of the difference one person can make.  Jesus calls Christians to be salt and light.  Jesus instructs us to treat others as we wish to be treated.  We can be that "just one" and make such a difference in the lives of others.

Sometimes we allow our shyness, busyness, or other things stand in the way of reaching out.  When you are tempted to stop, remember the difference that "just one" can make.  You will be making the world a better place, one small thing at a time.

Doing the "hard" things ...

Wow, it's been a while since I've blogged! Life's been busy, and I had a nasty bug not once, but twice! But, I'm back :)

I often come upon devotional ideas or an idea for writing an article by hearing or reading something that sticks with me. I’ll often toss around something said or a scripture for quite a while before I can move on to the next thing! I’m sure many of us are like that as well. In reading the book of Titus, I came upon a verse that really made me think! 

I’m not going to tell you what it is just yet. I’ll get there in a minute.

Psalm 37:3

    Trust in the Lord, and do good;

Isaiah 1:17

    Learn to do good;

Hebrews 13:16

  But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. 

1 Peter 3:17

  For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

2 Thessalonians 3:13

  But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good.

Galatians 6:9

   And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 


We can see in these verses that we are to do good, we are to learn to do good and that we’re not to grow weary of doing good. So here’s my first question of the day! 


What have you done this week that could be considered GOOD?

Okay – now some more verses …

Luke 6:33

    And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.
 
Galatians 6:9 & 10

   And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Hmmm, so it’s not just enough to do good to those who do good to you … and we’re especially supposed to do good to our fellow Christians.

So, here’s another question for you …

What good thing have you done this week, specifically for another Christian?
Here’s some more food for thought …

John 15:12

  This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

John 13:34-35

    A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. [35] By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

1 John 4:7

    Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.

Okay – now for that verse in Titus that has stuck in my mind!

Titus 2:15

   Speak these things, exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you. 

Okay, let’s talk this through. I’m supposed to be doing good – to all people, but especially to my fellow Christians. I’m also supposed to love – especially my fellow Christians. I’m supposed to speak, exhort & rebuke AND let no one despise me? 

But what if I do all of these things? What if I’m doing good, loving as I should, and someone still despises me? What if I’m doing good, loving as I should, and a fellow Christian despises me? I know that I have fellow Christians who despise me … do you? Isn’t this sad?

Luke 6:35

    But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.

Matthew 5:44 

    But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.

We don't like the idea of someone not liking us, but we can't control them. We can control ourselves, and our responses to them.  If we are focusing on the golden rule and our behaviors we can learn to do all of these things commanded of us. 

I want each of us to consider these scriptures this coming week. Study them and apply them to our lives. Make the changes necessary and be going about doing good to all but especially to our brother’s & sisters in Christ. Let’s show our love to everyone, but especially to our brother’s & sisters in Christ. Let’s be the church Christ wants us to be.

Busy December

Life is busy, but that can be good.  It just depends what we're being busy doing! 

As we go about our day, at home, work, shopping, volunteering, whatever we are doing, are we spreading sunshine and living by the golden rule?  Do we smile and speak to others?  Do we treat the sales clerk with kindness? 

December is one of those months where we typically see the best of people, and the worst of people.  Sounds like a Dicken's novel.  Be one of the best.  "So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith."  Galatians 6:10.  This doesn't mean when it is convenient to do good, but all the time.  Let's show love to each other, even when we don't feel like it. 

Be a ray of sunshine to others today, but especially to your family and church family.

Live on purpose!

The 9 previous posts have all been actions for us to live by the golden rule.  If you haven't read them, go back and take a few minutes to do so.  As you can see, these are things we have to be on purpose with.  Kids will often say "she did that on purpose" or "he hit me on purpose."  As we go about our lives, we can say - "YES!  I did that on purpose!"  I'm living an on-purpose, golden-rule lead life.

Colossians 3:12-17 is one of my favorite passages.  The apostle Paul says here for us to "put on" certain things.  He's telling us that we have to do things on purpose! 

"Put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.  But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.  And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grade in your hearts to the Lord.  And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."  (Col. 3:12-17)

Each of these items are things that we do to others.  When we put on kindness, we are being kind to someone else, when we put on love, we behave in a loving way towards others.  These things don't just happen like a light coming from above and a chorus singing behind us, but we have to do them on purpose. 

Choose today to be on purpose with your behavior, and choose to live by the golden rule. 

Forgiveness - the really hard one

Moments will occur in our lives when we struggle with forgiveness, whether it is forgiving someone who has wronged us or allowing us to forgive ourselves for things we've done in our past.

Matthew 6:14, 15 "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

That is a scary verse - if I hold a grudge, and am unwilling to forgive someone for years or for one day ... God is unwilling to forgive me as well.

I read one time that when we are forgiven, God forgets it.  In Philippians 3:13, Paul said "but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead."  We have so much to look forward to, and to press onward towards ... it would be (dare I say silly?) unwise to let forgiveness towards others trip us up.

When someone hurts us, the sting will still be there, but when we are practicing golden rule Christianity, forgiving will for the most part be quick and easy.  Remember that we are to treat others, as you want them to treat you.  (Matthew 7:12)  We may be more cautious in the future, but we will be willing to offer the forgiveness and show effort to be more Christ-like.