"Love everyone. I'll sort them all out later. ~God"
Message on a church reader board
This message hit home with me this morning when I had a pre-dawn visit with my neighbors as we headed downstairs. I had so many judgments about these folks from the time they moved in. I had vivid assumptions about them, based on stuff I'd noticed, but still never meeting them. It's the same with others in my building, too. They do this and that, they have an offensive bumper sticker, they BBQ on the balcony, therefore they are this or that. Argh, all of it! In conversing with these folks, I realized they are nice. They like my dog. They are just people living their lives in Boise, USA and yada, yada, yada. What if the message I am to learn this Advent season and the whole time I am living here, is to just try to love everyone and let God sort them out later? I'm not the one who needs to sort them out! My job is to just be friendly and nice, smile at people in the parking lot, pick up trash when I see it, thank the staff whenever I see them...just be the kind lady on the third floor. Wouldn't that be easier than judging everyone? One would think, but alas, it's easier to making sweeping harsh judgments. Maybe just for today, I'll try to love everyone and let God sort them all out later...and then I can try again tomorrow too! Love, heidi
Wednesday, December 19, 2018
Monday, December 17, 2018
A voice crying out...
"Now the people were filled with expectation, and all were asking in their hearts whether John might be the Christ."
Luke 3:15
John the Baptist captivated the people, telling them what they must do: share what they have with the poor, be honest in their dealings with others, and be satisfied with their wages. The people thought this advice so rich and wise that they wondered if John may be the promised Messiah. The people recognized that what John was saying was godly and good. It makes me wonder how, if the people of the first century got it, how can we miss it now that we've enjoyed the Messiah (giving us the same message) for two thousand years? Why does it seem greed and selfishness have seeped into our culture? It seems dirty dealings are acceptable, even lauded, if power and wealth are achieved and one doesn't get caught. Maybe, good as it sounds, the advice to share and care for others is still hard to accept. Jesus said the same things and they killed him as they killed John and many voices in the wilderness since. But, as followers of Jesus, we need to listen to John as well as Jesus. We are not to follow the culture by selling out to power, prestige and possessions! We are to live simply, generously, and compassionately; for others need our help--not our judgment. A voice cried out in the wilderness and some of the people got it. Do we? Love, heidi
Luke 3:15
John the Baptist captivated the people, telling them what they must do: share what they have with the poor, be honest in their dealings with others, and be satisfied with their wages. The people thought this advice so rich and wise that they wondered if John may be the promised Messiah. The people recognized that what John was saying was godly and good. It makes me wonder how, if the people of the first century got it, how can we miss it now that we've enjoyed the Messiah (giving us the same message) for two thousand years? Why does it seem greed and selfishness have seeped into our culture? It seems dirty dealings are acceptable, even lauded, if power and wealth are achieved and one doesn't get caught. Maybe, good as it sounds, the advice to share and care for others is still hard to accept. Jesus said the same things and they killed him as they killed John and many voices in the wilderness since. But, as followers of Jesus, we need to listen to John as well as Jesus. We are not to follow the culture by selling out to power, prestige and possessions! We are to live simply, generously, and compassionately; for others need our help--not our judgment. A voice cried out in the wilderness and some of the people got it. Do we? Love, heidi
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