Friday, March 16, 2012
Our Attitudes
“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:”
Philippians 2:5 (NIV)
How we act and react to the people and events that enter our lives should reflect Jesus. We have to shed ourselves of ‘us’ and take on His way of dealing with events, even if tend to upset us.
Jesus showed compassion on the crowds who met Him as he traveled. He tenderly healed the woman who was ill for twelve years. Christ took pity on the 5,000 men and their families and fed them.
I had a worry growing in my mind. This concern dealt with my husband of 41 years. When I went to do business at my bank and mail some letters, mostly bills. I decided to go on over to the church office and take care of something there.
As I finished the actual business there, I shared with one of the secretaries what I had heard from Hubby. As I shared with her, I told her that several years ago a friend his had problems of the same kind. But I couldn’t finish the thought. She understood. I felt better after I talked to her. She showed compassion.
Jesus showed mercy and forgiveness. When the angry men brought the adulterous woman to Him, He bent down and wrote something in the dirt. This caused the men to wander away from the scene. He looked at the woman and asked if any of her accusers were still hanging around. She replied that they were gone. His answer showed mercy along with forgiveness. When He saw those who came to Him to be healed, he looked on them with compassion. He might have been worn out from a day’s journey or from dealing with strong-willed people but He chose to display compassion to those who came to Him seeking help.
Shouldn’t we emulate Jesus when people approach us, seeking help of whatever kind?
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Interests
Each of you should look not only to your interests
but also to the interests of others.
Philippians 2:4 (NIV)
Paul spoke to a diverse church. Some were converts from Judaism. Others were from other areas, Rome, Greece, and who knows where else. There could have been a Roman jailer who worked in this colony for the empire. Each believer had a different background.
Even today, we see people from different backgrounds come together to form a body of worship. In our protestant church, we have several people who have a Roman Catholic background. We have a family where the husband/father grew up in a home where his parent’s native language was spoken. He is first generation American. I have heard that he can speak that native language of his parents.
We have people who come to the Lord as adults and have no Christian heritage to guide them. They learn of the Lord each day of their walk. Some people return to the Lord after they realize their need of a Savior and King.
Sometimes, people working in a church encounter people who have been accused of transgressing the law of the land. Some of those we encounter are relatives of those who are paying a debt to society.
We have to show Jesus to all we meet and with whom we work. As we strive together we learn to keep God uppermost in our lives. If those who are different from us have needs, we are to try to bring that need to a resolution. When the body of Christ works together, it works together not caring who amongst them gets the credit. They give that credit to Jesus.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Not from Conceit
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit,
but in humility consider others better than yourself.”
Philippians 2:3 (NIV)
Paul told the Philippian believers to forget self and remember they were not number one. He tells them to put others and their needs before the needs they had. This flies in the face of the “me” generation. Also, Paul’s guidance would cause people to deal with the mindset of recent years that ‘it’s all about me.’
Over 25 years ago, I started worshipping at a small church about a half mile from where we live. One of the older ladies of the church once told a group of us a way to handle ministering to others and basically how to live our lives; she used the word JOY. She said it meant *J*esus, *O*thers, *Y*ourself.
As we travel through this season of Lent, let us all prayerfully reflect on what it means to follow and to emulate Jesus as we walk in this world.
Dear God:
Please show us how to show Jesus’ love to those we meet as we walk this earth. Help us to put others before ourselves in our daily business. Let us worship and follow You as we prepare ourselves for the time we will be with You in Your home. In the name of Jesus, we pray. AMEN
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