Believers are set apart. The Greek word for “church” is ekclesia—ek meaning “out of” and clesia meaning “called ones.” While we live, work, and play in human society, our allegiance and devotion is directed correctly toward Jesus Christ instead of the ruler of this world, Satan.
It’s important to know what our separation doesn’t mean. First, the church must not isolate itself.
As Christians, we are to be like light in our dark communities (Matt. 5:14). Light reveals the safe way to go; without it, we feel cut off and fearful. Second, believers cannot rely on their own efforts to overcome the world. Following a list of spiritual dos and fleshly don’ts will wear a person out—and usually results in failure anyway. We are victorious through faith in Jesus Christ. God takes the newly saved out of Satan’s realm and places them in His own kingdom.
Although God and Christ have done the hard work, their followers cannot continue to do what comes naturally. We must live in this world without conforming to it. Instead, we’re to be transformed through the renewing of our minds (Rom. 12:2). If our mind is still camped in the world order, our body cannot help but follow it—then we end up dirtied by corrupt choices, and our relationships and testimony suffer.
Learn what it means to be set apart. Others should notice a difference in our character and conduct when comparing us to the rest of the world. What they ought to see are biblical principles at work. But we can look like kingdom dwellers only when we are training our minds to think like the King.
READ Romans 12:1-2
Be Blessed and Be a Blessing to One Another!
Dawn
Friday, July 31, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Nowhere to Hide
"God would surely have known it, for he knows the secrets of every heart."
Psalm 44:21 (NLT)
Devotion:
Recently my friend Amy was telling me that when her daughter Caroline was three years old, she believed that if she closed her eyes tightly, nobody could see her. This especially came in handy when she wanted to hide. For example, when she had to eat her peas at dinner. Since she did not like peas, she would sit very quietly at the table and squeeze her eyes tightly shut, assuming since she could no longer see her parents, they couldn't see her and therefore didn't know that she wasn't eating her peas!
She tried to hide behind her eyelids, unaware that it was a completely futile effort!
While chuckling over this story, I thought about how we are often times so much like little Caroline. We think that we can keep our sins a secret, but the truth is, God sees all, and knows all. There are certain sins in our lives that we may feel are justified and therefore we are not worried about who "sees" them - such as gossip, anger, revenge, jealousy, slander, envy, impatience. We know in our hearts those are not behaviors that please God, but they don't seem to be the "big sins," so we continue doing them.
While chuckling over this story, I thought about how we are often times so much like little Caroline. We think that we can keep our sins a secret, but the truth is, God sees all, and knows all. There are certain sins in our lives that we may feel are justified and therefore we are not worried about who "sees" them - such as gossip, anger, revenge, jealousy, slander, envy, impatience. We know in our hearts those are not behaviors that please God, but they don't seem to be the "big sins," so we continue doing them.
On the other hand, there may be truly secret sins that we don't want anyone to know about. Sins that if made public, could result in serious negative consequences, broken relationships, personal problems, or embarrassment. The only difference between secret sins and public sins is that they result in even more sinning as lies and deception take place to cover them up, giving Satan an even deeper stronghold on our hearts.
Regardless of whether we view our sins as big or small, public or secret - sin is sin, and God sees. Although we may be able to keep secrets from others, we cannot keep secrets from God. He is omnipotent, meaning "all knowing," and there is nowhere to hide from God.
This acceptance that God knows everything can make us feel weak in the knees. Understanding that He sees all of our sinful thoughts and behaviors can even make us feel broken, worthless, ashamed and hopeless; however, that is not God's desire, but instead, the enemy's ultimate goal.
Satan wants us to feel broken and worthless because of our sin; God wants us to feel convicted to change. Satan wants us to feel ashamed; God wants us to feel redeemed. Satan wants us to feel hopeless;
God wants us to see the grace and mercy that He offers. In fact, although God despises our sin, He takes great joy when we recognize our sin, and seek His cleansing forgiveness. He is pleased when we ask for His supernatural power to enter our hearts and help us overcome those private and public sins in our lives. He is proud of us when He sees that we tremble at His Word, and recognize our need for His omnipotence. Yes we are sinners, but God loves us unconditionally, and His forgiveness is infinite and always available.
Trying to hide our sins from God is as futile of an effort as Caroline trying to hide behind closed eyelids. God desires that we open our eyes and see our sin through His eyes, repent in prayer, and thirst for healing forgiveness that only He can provide.
"Dear Lord, I praise you for loving me despite my sin, and for forgiving me time and time again. Thank You for dying on the cross so that I could have eternal life, even when I don't deserve it. Please fill me with hope and strength to overcome, and continue to bless me with Your grace and mercy. Help me to have a heart that longs to think and behave in ways that please You. In Jesus' Name, Amen."
Application Steps:
Have a heart to heart conversation with God today.
Reflections:
If I were to consider what God sees me doing and thinking, would He be pleased with me?
Are there any sins that I have yet to confess to God, that are keeping me from being who God wants me to be?
Power Verses:
Romans 3:23-24, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." (NIV)
Jeremiah 23:24, "'Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?' declares the LORD. 'Do not I fill heaven and earth?' declares the LORD." (NIV)
Proverbs 15:3, "The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good." (NIV)
Be Blessed and Be a Blessing to One Another!
Dawn
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Freedom Isn't Free
Freedom Isn't Free
By: Milan Ford
Two weeks ago, I had the opportunity to hear Ravi Zacharias, a renown Christian apologist, speak at an event located right outside of Atlanta, Georgia. The purpose of the event was to discuss the power and influence today's media has on popular culture.
During his 30-40 minute presentation, he made this one incredible statement; one that will remain with me for quite a while:
"...without TRUTH, education is moved to the skeptical, spirituality is moved to the mystical, and art is moved to the sensual." Now more than ever before, we are living in an age where matters of faith and morality differ from person to person. What has long been considered true is now (in the eyes of many) debatable, while those things that we have always believed to be false or in contrast to our faith, are now being adopted and accepted as cultural norms.
This reversal of truth unfortunately exists within today's Body of Christ as well. As a result of our individual and collective life pursuits (money, relationships, position, etc.), many of us at times have thrown aside the principles of our faith to pursue a sense of FREEDOM that is completely void of His truth. For some odd reason, we have bought into the lie that the freedoms we want to experience in Christ as believers, can come about without certain rules and boundaries.
We have created a generation of believers who now have a longing for the mystical to occur in their life, rather than embracing the truths behind sowing and reaping. We want to gain, but refuse any pain associated with it. We want to earn, but refuse to learn what is necessary to do so.
As believers, we really have this FREEDOM thing all messed up. Isn't it interesting that the very first time the word "free" is mentioned in the Bible, God follows it up with a boundary for that freedom to occur:
Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die. -
Genesis 2:15-17.
Here we see God from the very beginning, providing mankind with instructions on how he can flourish FREELY within the garden He provided, along with the BOUNDARIES he needed to observe in order to live and succeed. While the Bible is full of these kinds of examples, we can learn even more about how God wants us to properly balance our freedoms as believers by looking at His creation.
Take a river for example. A river is a body of water that is in constant movement, capable of sustaining life because of a flow of fresh water. Isn't it ironic that free flowing rivers are typically surrounding by a variety of boundaries.
Whether they consist of rocks or dry land, these boundaries help keep the water focused and flowing productively. However, whenever a river exists without any boundaries, it is no longer a river. It becomes a swamp.
Today, if you are confused or at times find yourself upset with God because your life has begun to look like a swampland, rather than a river of living water, remember this one undeniable TRUTH: God will never answer prayers that would enable us to live more independently of Him. The freedom God provides us as believers to walk in is in fact not free at all. It requires boundaries. May we all commit to establishing some today.
Be Blessed and Be a Blessing to One Another!
Dawn
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Directionally Challenged
Sometimes Christians are directionally challenged. They focus either on their horizontal or their vertical relationships, not connecting on how these relate to each other. Maybe you have some horizontal stuff (with people) that you need to deal with before you can get the vertical thing with God right. Isaiah 58:3-4 says, "Behold, you fast" (you seek God in a worshipful way) "for contention and strife and to strike with a wicked fist." In other words, you fight and fume with people all week and then you come to worship.
Instead of leaving church determined to get right with people and be an instrument of reconciliation in this world, you walk out and before you get 100 yards, you pound the steering wheel over a traffic jam in the parking lot. You fuss at the kids all of the way home. In the middle of all of that, you try to fold in some genuine, personal relationship with God. God is like, "You're kidding, right? You want Me to be part of that?" God doesn't meet with us when our lives are filled with strife.
God has taught me the hard way that you can't have the vertical thing right with Him if you haven't at least done your part to make the horizontal relationships right. Romans 12:18 says, "As much as it is possible, as much as it lies within you, be at peace with all men."
Jesus said in Matthew 5:23 that if you come to worship God and, while you're at the altar, you remember that you have a problem with somebody, you should leave your sacrifice and go make the relationship right. Just get up and walk out and get on the phone or write the letter or get in your car and get over to that house and humble yourself before that person and say, "I'm just so sorry for what's happened. Please forgive me." Or "I want to tell you that I forgive you." "As much as it lies within you, be at peace with all men."
Sometimes you can't control it. I've learned that, too. But if you haven't done your best to be right with people, don't come and expect to be right with God. God doesn't involve Himself in that kind of worship.
Why have we fasted, and you see it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?' Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers. Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with a wicked fist.
Be Blessed and Be A Blessing to One Another
Dawn
Instead of leaving church determined to get right with people and be an instrument of reconciliation in this world, you walk out and before you get 100 yards, you pound the steering wheel over a traffic jam in the parking lot. You fuss at the kids all of the way home. In the middle of all of that, you try to fold in some genuine, personal relationship with God. God is like, "You're kidding, right? You want Me to be part of that?" God doesn't meet with us when our lives are filled with strife.
God has taught me the hard way that you can't have the vertical thing right with Him if you haven't at least done your part to make the horizontal relationships right. Romans 12:18 says, "As much as it is possible, as much as it lies within you, be at peace with all men."
Jesus said in Matthew 5:23 that if you come to worship God and, while you're at the altar, you remember that you have a problem with somebody, you should leave your sacrifice and go make the relationship right. Just get up and walk out and get on the phone or write the letter or get in your car and get over to that house and humble yourself before that person and say, "I'm just so sorry for what's happened. Please forgive me." Or "I want to tell you that I forgive you." "As much as it lies within you, be at peace with all men."
Sometimes you can't control it. I've learned that, too. But if you haven't done your best to be right with people, don't come and expect to be right with God. God doesn't involve Himself in that kind of worship.
Why have we fasted, and you see it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?' Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers. Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with a wicked fist.
Isaiah 58:3-4
Be Blessed and Be A Blessing to One Another
Dawn
Monday, July 27, 2009
Bold Belief
On February 1, 2003, our nation was shocked and deeply saddened by the tragedy of Space Shuttle Columbia as the spacecraft disintegrated just 16 minutes away from home, killing all seven of its crewmembers.
In the days following, as we learned more about the crew and its mission, I was particularly struck by the life of the commander, Rick Husband.
Commander Husband was a very integral part of his church in Houston, Texas. Despite his busy schedule, he attended a midweek Bible study and prayer meeting for fathers. He had a tremendous love for his family, as evidenced by his taking the time to leave behind videotaped devotionals for his family, because he could not be there to lead them in those devotions.
He said during an interview, "If I had ended up at the end of my life having been an astronaut, but having sacrificed my family along the way or living my life in a way that did not glorify God, then I would look back on my life with great regret and having been an astronaut would not have mattered all that much."
Here was a man who glorified God with his life. We, too, need to think about the direction our lives are taking, because we never know when life is going to stop. In the Book of Genesis, we find this principle well-illustrated in the lives of two people who stand in interesting contrast: Abraham and Lot.
Abraham walked by faith, while Lot walked by sight. Abraham was a committed believer, and we read three times in Scripture that he was uniquely called the friend of God. Lot, on the other hand, was a compromising believer.
Abraham and Lot both had acquired many possessions, and friction between uncle and nephew was growing. It was time for Abraham and Lot to part company, so in great generosity, Abraham said to Lot, "Wherever you want to go, I will go the other way. You go to the right and I will go to the left. You go to the left and I will go to the right."
So Lot said, "I was checking out this sweet little spot called Sodom." And that is the way that Lot went. Genesis 13:12 tells us that Lot pitched his tent toward Sodom, which means that he got a little closer than he was before.
Then a curious chain of events unfolded for Lot. As he was in this place of vulnerability, a war broke out. Chedorlaomer, a king who had controlled the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, attacked because they rebelled. He combined forces with three other rulers who swept across the desert. Poor Lot was in the wrong place at the wrong time and wound up a prisoner of war.
When word got back to Abraham that Lot had been taken prisoner, Abraham could have said, "It serves him right." But instead, Abraham took action. He gathered 318 of his servants, armed them, and went and attacked this king and freed all of the captives.
When Abraham returned from this great battle, he was met by two kings—Bera, the king of Sodom and Melchizedek, the king of Salem. Bera offered Abraham all of the spoils of war in return for the people, while Melchizedek gave Abraham bread and wine. Interestingly, Abraham rejected Bera's offer, but accepted the bread and wine from Melchizedek and gave him tithes of all of his spoils.
Essentially Abraham had two kings to choose from, which represent two ways of living: the way of Sodom and the way of Melchizedek. Lot had been drawn to the things of the world, while Abraham turned down everything the world had to offer.
The question one might ask is was it worth it? We find the answer in Genesis 15:1: "After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, 'Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward' " (NKJV).
Maybe Abraham was thinking, "What if Chedorlaomer comes after me? What am I going to do?" God was saying, "Abraham, I am your shield. I am your reward. I will protect you. I will take care of you. I will watch over you as long as you stay close to Me."
Scripture goes on to say that Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. When God came to Abraham and brought him a word of encouragement, Abraham believed. And we should do the same.
Be Blessed & Be a Blessing to One Another!
Dawn
In the days following, as we learned more about the crew and its mission, I was particularly struck by the life of the commander, Rick Husband.
Commander Husband was a very integral part of his church in Houston, Texas. Despite his busy schedule, he attended a midweek Bible study and prayer meeting for fathers. He had a tremendous love for his family, as evidenced by his taking the time to leave behind videotaped devotionals for his family, because he could not be there to lead them in those devotions.
He said during an interview, "If I had ended up at the end of my life having been an astronaut, but having sacrificed my family along the way or living my life in a way that did not glorify God, then I would look back on my life with great regret and having been an astronaut would not have mattered all that much."
Here was a man who glorified God with his life. We, too, need to think about the direction our lives are taking, because we never know when life is going to stop. In the Book of Genesis, we find this principle well-illustrated in the lives of two people who stand in interesting contrast: Abraham and Lot.
Abraham walked by faith, while Lot walked by sight. Abraham was a committed believer, and we read three times in Scripture that he was uniquely called the friend of God. Lot, on the other hand, was a compromising believer.
Abraham and Lot both had acquired many possessions, and friction between uncle and nephew was growing. It was time for Abraham and Lot to part company, so in great generosity, Abraham said to Lot, "Wherever you want to go, I will go the other way. You go to the right and I will go to the left. You go to the left and I will go to the right."
So Lot said, "I was checking out this sweet little spot called Sodom." And that is the way that Lot went. Genesis 13:12 tells us that Lot pitched his tent toward Sodom, which means that he got a little closer than he was before.
Then a curious chain of events unfolded for Lot. As he was in this place of vulnerability, a war broke out. Chedorlaomer, a king who had controlled the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, attacked because they rebelled. He combined forces with three other rulers who swept across the desert. Poor Lot was in the wrong place at the wrong time and wound up a prisoner of war.
When word got back to Abraham that Lot had been taken prisoner, Abraham could have said, "It serves him right." But instead, Abraham took action. He gathered 318 of his servants, armed them, and went and attacked this king and freed all of the captives.
When Abraham returned from this great battle, he was met by two kings—Bera, the king of Sodom and Melchizedek, the king of Salem. Bera offered Abraham all of the spoils of war in return for the people, while Melchizedek gave Abraham bread and wine. Interestingly, Abraham rejected Bera's offer, but accepted the bread and wine from Melchizedek and gave him tithes of all of his spoils.
Essentially Abraham had two kings to choose from, which represent two ways of living: the way of Sodom and the way of Melchizedek. Lot had been drawn to the things of the world, while Abraham turned down everything the world had to offer.
The question one might ask is was it worth it? We find the answer in Genesis 15:1: "After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, 'Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward' " (NKJV).
Maybe Abraham was thinking, "What if Chedorlaomer comes after me? What am I going to do?" God was saying, "Abraham, I am your shield. I am your reward. I will protect you. I will take care of you. I will watch over you as long as you stay close to Me."
Scripture goes on to say that Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. When God came to Abraham and brought him a word of encouragement, Abraham believed. And we should do the same.
Be Blessed & Be a Blessing to One Another!
Dawn
Sunday, July 26, 2009
God’s Scriptural “Benefit Package”
This world offers a variety of financial plans, weight loss programs, and a host of other opportunities which all claim to yield beneficial results. But nothing is as profitable to us as Scripture.
God’s plans for you do not stop at salvation. His goal is that you become conformed to the likeness of His Son, and the tool He uses to achieve His purpose is the Bible. Today’s passage outlines His comprehensive program for your spiritual transformation.
The foundation is laid with the teaching of Scripture’s basic truths. These fundamental doctrines about God’s character and work anchor our souls during the storms of life and protect us from deception. Since we all have certain flesh patterns, perfection is impossible, and we at times fall into sin. Then Scripture offers reproof, and we sense conviction about our wrongdoing.
This is followed by correction. The Lord never convicts us and leaves us in the mess we have made. He provides the instruction that we need to make things right.
The final step is training in righteousness. Think of this as a one-on-one discipleship course with the Word of God. If we heed the instruction and discipline of Scripture, we’ll grow in obedience and godliness and eventually will find that we need less reproof and correction.
Full participation in the Lord’s scriptural benefit package involves three steps: 1) read the Bible each day; 2) believe everything God says in His Word (Heb. 4:2)—not just the parts that appeal to you; and 3) do what God says. You will become equipped and qualified to fulfill His purpose for you.
Be Blessed & Be a Blessing to One Another!
Dawn
God’s plans for you do not stop at salvation. His goal is that you become conformed to the likeness of His Son, and the tool He uses to achieve His purpose is the Bible. Today’s passage outlines His comprehensive program for your spiritual transformation.
The foundation is laid with the teaching of Scripture’s basic truths. These fundamental doctrines about God’s character and work anchor our souls during the storms of life and protect us from deception. Since we all have certain flesh patterns, perfection is impossible, and we at times fall into sin. Then Scripture offers reproof, and we sense conviction about our wrongdoing.
This is followed by correction. The Lord never convicts us and leaves us in the mess we have made. He provides the instruction that we need to make things right.
The final step is training in righteousness. Think of this as a one-on-one discipleship course with the Word of God. If we heed the instruction and discipline of Scripture, we’ll grow in obedience and godliness and eventually will find that we need less reproof and correction.
Full participation in the Lord’s scriptural benefit package involves three steps: 1) read the Bible each day; 2) believe everything God says in His Word (Heb. 4:2)—not just the parts that appeal to you; and 3) do what God says. You will become equipped and qualified to fulfill His purpose for you.
Be Blessed & Be a Blessing to One Another!
Dawn
Saturday, July 25, 2009
How to Be a Better Neighbor- Part 1
In October 2006 the Omaha World Herald ran a story titled “Alone Far Too Long in Omaha.” A woman named Karen Freelin had died in her upscale home on 90th street in the west end of the city.
No one had seen the 59-year-old woman since May the year before. In July 2006, a neighbor complained about the lack of upkeep at the vacant house, a nice ranch home with several trees and shrubs to shield it from the busy street.
The city sent a letter. In October, when there was no response, a housing inspector was sent to visit the home. He found Freelin’s body. An autopsy determined she’d died sometime after she left a hospital in March 2005, more than half a year before the discovery.
The news story said she had been living without heat or lights. While I cut out the story, I wondered, What happened to her mail? What about family? Why didn’t the neighbors notice sooner? What about me?
I’d driven past that home on my way to work every day for years. Although I spent a lot of my commute time praying, I never prayed for the residents of that neighborhood.
The article started me questioning who looked out for my neighbors, my family in a distant state, and even my co-workers. I started asking the biblical question of myself and others: “Who is my neighbor?”
In 2007 I interviewed Louisville Christian Church teens about their mission trip to serve the Yakima Indian Reservation in Washington. The three 15-year-old teens returned home inspired to ask, “What about our own neighbors in Louisville?”
“I do some community service here in Louisville—a little bit,” Trista said. “But after the workshops at the reservation, I know I need to be more involved here at home. Like, care about others more and just listen.” Moved to tears more than once while she worked in the Yakima daycare, she added, “The lunches were such small portions, I couldn’t see how the kids had enough food. When they left for the afternoon, I had a snack before the evening meal—they didn’t receive one. It makes me realize there are families in my community that might be hungry, and I want to do something about it.”
Jessie worked in the daycare also. By noticing the children’s demeanor, she realized the impact of verbal putdowns. “Some of these little kids have it in their head that they are dumb and useless. It really hit me—how if you say something even one time, it can affect the other person. Even if you are kidding around, someone might not take it as a joke. I know it happens at my school—it needs to change.”
Building a compost heap spoke to Kevin. When he arrived home, he spent two hours telling his grandmother about the work he had done and how rural communities need to be more aware of their responsibility. He learned a lot about the need to recycle.
It’s great to return from a mission trip with ideas of how to help a needy neighbor, or—like me—a wish to blanket the community with protection. But what about the person who doesn’t want your help, the one that can’t seem to hold a job, or the recluse next door? What about neighbors who wonder if you are someone they can trust?
We may not be able to make a huge difference. But Jesus gave us a simple rule to apply to our everyday lives, whether at school, on the job, or in our neighborhood. In Matthew 19:19, He said, “Honor your father and mother; and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” In other words, do what you can.
Be Blessed and Be a Blessing to One Another!
Dawn
No one had seen the 59-year-old woman since May the year before. In July 2006, a neighbor complained about the lack of upkeep at the vacant house, a nice ranch home with several trees and shrubs to shield it from the busy street.
The city sent a letter. In October, when there was no response, a housing inspector was sent to visit the home. He found Freelin’s body. An autopsy determined she’d died sometime after she left a hospital in March 2005, more than half a year before the discovery.
The news story said she had been living without heat or lights. While I cut out the story, I wondered, What happened to her mail? What about family? Why didn’t the neighbors notice sooner? What about me?
I’d driven past that home on my way to work every day for years. Although I spent a lot of my commute time praying, I never prayed for the residents of that neighborhood.
The article started me questioning who looked out for my neighbors, my family in a distant state, and even my co-workers. I started asking the biblical question of myself and others: “Who is my neighbor?”
In 2007 I interviewed Louisville Christian Church teens about their mission trip to serve the Yakima Indian Reservation in Washington. The three 15-year-old teens returned home inspired to ask, “What about our own neighbors in Louisville?”
“I do some community service here in Louisville—a little bit,” Trista said. “But after the workshops at the reservation, I know I need to be more involved here at home. Like, care about others more and just listen.” Moved to tears more than once while she worked in the Yakima daycare, she added, “The lunches were such small portions, I couldn’t see how the kids had enough food. When they left for the afternoon, I had a snack before the evening meal—they didn’t receive one. It makes me realize there are families in my community that might be hungry, and I want to do something about it.”
Jessie worked in the daycare also. By noticing the children’s demeanor, she realized the impact of verbal putdowns. “Some of these little kids have it in their head that they are dumb and useless. It really hit me—how if you say something even one time, it can affect the other person. Even if you are kidding around, someone might not take it as a joke. I know it happens at my school—it needs to change.”
Building a compost heap spoke to Kevin. When he arrived home, he spent two hours telling his grandmother about the work he had done and how rural communities need to be more aware of their responsibility. He learned a lot about the need to recycle.
It’s great to return from a mission trip with ideas of how to help a needy neighbor, or—like me—a wish to blanket the community with protection. But what about the person who doesn’t want your help, the one that can’t seem to hold a job, or the recluse next door? What about neighbors who wonder if you are someone they can trust?
We may not be able to make a huge difference. But Jesus gave us a simple rule to apply to our everyday lives, whether at school, on the job, or in our neighborhood. In Matthew 19:19, He said, “Honor your father and mother; and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” In other words, do what you can.
Be Blessed and Be a Blessing to One Another!
Dawn
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