After reading Michelle's post on being a Good Samaritan, I thought I'd post about my experience with this.
When I was in the checkout line at Wal-Mart on Tuesday, the lady in front of my did not have enough money to pay for her total. She started to look around for something to take off. She was only short $0.86. I then handed her four quarters. She was able to pay for the her stuff and she left with the change. She was very grateful and kept saying, "God bless you."
I again saw her when I was leaving Wal-Mart she was driving in her car smiling and waving at me.
Where have we come from in our country when these incidents are so rare? I mean I know the Bible says in Matthew 24:12, "And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold." I know this is all because of sin. So many people are hardened.
I've seen people so frustrated in line because the person in front of them doesn't have enough money. They sigh and shift their weight. I mean do you really think the person without enough money feels great about making everyone wait. I'm sure they don't.
Michelle's post and my experience this week are just a great reminder to me and hopefully those reading to be a little kinder and maybe show God's love to someone. It could lead to a great opportunity to talk to someone about Christ's love. Think about it.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
He's Still Workin' on Me
It seems like this little song keeps coming to my head. I don't even know all the words or all of the tune. Today I looked it up. I assume it's okay to post on my blog. Here's what I've found.
I know that I won't be "perfect" until my Savior takes me home, but I'm so glad that He hasn't given up on me and that He is so gracious.
HE'S STILL WORKING ON ME
By: Joel Hemphill
CHORUS:
He's still working on me to make me what I ought to be.It took Him just a week to make the moon and stars,The sun and the earth and Jupiter and Mars.How loving and patient He must be, He's still working on me.
1. There really ought to be a sign upon the heart,Don't judge her yet, there's an unfinished part.But I'll be perfect just according to His planFashioned by the Master's loving hands.
CHORUS:
2. In the mirror of His Word reflections that I seeMake me wonder why He never gave up on me.He loves me as I am and helps me when I prayRemember He's the Potter, I'm the clay.
CHORUS:
He's still working on me to make me what I ought to be.It took Him just a week to make the moon and stars,The sun and the earth and Jupiter and Mars.How loving and patient He must be, He's still working on me.
1. There really ought to be a sign upon the heart,Don't judge her yet, there's an unfinished part.But I'll be perfect just according to His planFashioned by the Master's loving hands.
CHORUS:
2. In the mirror of His Word reflections that I seeMake me wonder why He never gave up on me.He loves me as I am and helps me when I prayRemember He's the Potter, I'm the clay.
CHORUS:
Here's the link to the site I found it on. You can even listen to the tune.
I know that I won't be "perfect" until my Savior takes me home, but I'm so glad that He hasn't given up on me and that He is so gracious.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Are you a Friend?
Today I'm sure my post is going to be scattered in some of what I'm going to say. I'm really using this as a way to get out some of my thoughts lately and hopefully in some small way it will be a blessing to those who read it. I know that there's the possibility that when I put so much of my weaknesses out there that people can use them against me. I know I need not worry about it, but there's still part of me that is concerned when I write this that people will say, "Oh, you just worry too much." My response is yeah I know I do, but He's still working on me. Amen! Plus I know the Lord can use my struggles to be a blessing to others. So here goes.
Have you ever thought much about your relationships with other people? I mean sometimes everything seems really good and you feel like you have a close bond. I would say for me personally, I tend to worry too much over this situation. I worry, do they like me? Do I annoy them? Did I say something to offend them? I know all this worrying is just of the Devil and my own flesh. I know I need to just give it to the Lord. To be honest that's easier said than done sometimes for me.
Do you ever feel like you wouldn't have a relationship with so and so if you didn't do all the work? Do you feel like you're invisible sometimes? Do you feel like no one would care if you ever showed up at church again? Do you always feel self-conscious like your butting in? Again, these are just lies, lies, lies. Isn't it amazing how the Devil wants to deceive us, get us off track?
Now you all have seen a glimpse into the real me. Not very pretty. Huh? What I've realized though is although that person over there seems so happy, so content, they're probably feeling the same things I am. They're feeling insecure about how I feel about them. I'm sure some don't, but this seems like an issue that we as women deal with. My husband assures me that men don't think this way, that they're just friends. He says they're not concerned if so and so doesn't shake their hand and talk to them. What freedom!!
Why have I said all this? If you feel someone doesn't like you, don't pull away from that person. Sometimes this is easier said than done too. It's a natural human response to not want to put yourself out there and be rejected. Is this true love? Not at all. I know I want God's love not love for myself. I want to have God's response, not the natural human response. John 15:13 says, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." I should be willing to be rejected to try and be a blessing to someone else. It doesn't matter how they respond. It matters that I do the right thing.
It's amazing to me how so many people feel alone in this world. We don't even know it. We just go on feeling like we're the only ones feeling that way. Why? Why do we keep on this type of behavior?
I just want to encourage you, encourage myself to cast aside what we "think" other people actually think about us. Let's worry about what God thinks about us as individuals. Let's remember, Proverbs 18:24, " A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. "
Ultimately people all around us are going through things that we can't even fathom. I know I go through things that others have no idea about. Sometimes it's the people around us who we think are the strongest in their faith that are the ones who are really struggling. What are we doing to be a blessing to those individuals?
My prayer: "O Lord, help me not be consumed with what others think. Let me not be deceived by my emotions and feelings or the Devil's lies. Let me obey what Your Word says. Help me be a friend even when others aren't a friend to me. Help your love to shine through me, that I may bless the one who is lonely. God help me to put others before myself for that's where true JOY comes from."
Ultimately the question really isn't,"Are you a friend?" It really doesn't matter what you or I think. The ultimate question is, "Does God think I'm a good friend?" Now that's convicting.
Have you ever thought much about your relationships with other people? I mean sometimes everything seems really good and you feel like you have a close bond. I would say for me personally, I tend to worry too much over this situation. I worry, do they like me? Do I annoy them? Did I say something to offend them? I know all this worrying is just of the Devil and my own flesh. I know I need to just give it to the Lord. To be honest that's easier said than done sometimes for me.
Do you ever feel like you wouldn't have a relationship with so and so if you didn't do all the work? Do you feel like you're invisible sometimes? Do you feel like no one would care if you ever showed up at church again? Do you always feel self-conscious like your butting in? Again, these are just lies, lies, lies. Isn't it amazing how the Devil wants to deceive us, get us off track?
Now you all have seen a glimpse into the real me. Not very pretty. Huh? What I've realized though is although that person over there seems so happy, so content, they're probably feeling the same things I am. They're feeling insecure about how I feel about them. I'm sure some don't, but this seems like an issue that we as women deal with. My husband assures me that men don't think this way, that they're just friends. He says they're not concerned if so and so doesn't shake their hand and talk to them. What freedom!!
Why have I said all this? If you feel someone doesn't like you, don't pull away from that person. Sometimes this is easier said than done too. It's a natural human response to not want to put yourself out there and be rejected. Is this true love? Not at all. I know I want God's love not love for myself. I want to have God's response, not the natural human response. John 15:13 says, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." I should be willing to be rejected to try and be a blessing to someone else. It doesn't matter how they respond. It matters that I do the right thing.
It's amazing to me how so many people feel alone in this world. We don't even know it. We just go on feeling like we're the only ones feeling that way. Why? Why do we keep on this type of behavior?
I just want to encourage you, encourage myself to cast aside what we "think" other people actually think about us. Let's worry about what God thinks about us as individuals. Let's remember, Proverbs 18:24, " A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. "
Ultimately people all around us are going through things that we can't even fathom. I know I go through things that others have no idea about. Sometimes it's the people around us who we think are the strongest in their faith that are the ones who are really struggling. What are we doing to be a blessing to those individuals?
My prayer: "O Lord, help me not be consumed with what others think. Let me not be deceived by my emotions and feelings or the Devil's lies. Let me obey what Your Word says. Help me be a friend even when others aren't a friend to me. Help your love to shine through me, that I may bless the one who is lonely. God help me to put others before myself for that's where true JOY comes from."
Ultimately the question really isn't,"Are you a friend?" It really doesn't matter what you or I think. The ultimate question is, "Does God think I'm a good friend?" Now that's convicting.
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