Good morning! How are we faithing? Have you ever thought about how your life has touched others? If you reflect about your own life and how you are who you are, you will realize how you became who you are. I know in my life I have struggled with things that I can trace back as far as my great grandparents and I'll bet if it were possible to see further back than that, the same issues would be present, at least the reactions would be the same. We are indeed a product of our environment to the point of learned behavior is hard to overcome. I've talked to some people as of late that conveyed harrowing things in their lives that have led to where they are. Some of these things have led to a sinful lifestyle and some have not. Let me relate an example; I can remember dirt poor people who stole without thought and some who did not. Why the difference? I'm not sure why particular responses are what they are but I am sure some are learned and some are the sinful man giving in. Maybe they were poor because of the wrong attitude or the sin? Maybe they grew up around this as normal behavior. I see some of my responses as the same I saw my folks do. I've seen my kids respond like I do. Recognising behavior patterns that are unhealthy so you can modify them is prudent. As a fallen species we are prone to be sinful. Our only way of improving is through Jesus the Christ. Look at this;
Proverbs 14:13
Even in laughter the heart may be in pain, And the end of joy may be grief.
NAS
That is quite poignant. We all can relate to that at some times in our lives. By thinking on these things we can see that our actions too can affect others and they in turn pass these things on. I've met bitter people and joyous people. I've met angry people and jubilant people. I've endured boring people and laughed with funny people. I've cursed evil people and forgotten to praise friends that are always near. These are actions we need to watch carefully. Our actions and reactions can produce love or hatred. We can drive people away from God or gather them to reveal his love for us.
2 Corinthians 5:16-21
So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
NIV
Think before we speak. Observe and analyse. We all sin so is what's coming at us a reaction or a deliberate action? We all are sinners so this is where we apply, "hate the sin and not the sinner" because you don't know the background of that person. We can't judge the person because we don't know the whole story. Can we rebuke the sin? Of course but don't make it a personal attack. Do we pay for sins committed against society? Yep, we are here and that's part of it but we must still show Jesus because salvation is for all who believe, regardless of the sin.
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for the wisdom of your Word. Lord help us have wisdom to spot others plagues and demons. Lord we wish to show your love and let you handle the changes in their lives. Lord we know we are not to try to change people but that if we introduce them to you, you will change them. Help us remember that we too cannot change without you. Lord reveal to us where we need improvement. Help us recognise your lessons and rebuke condemnation from satan. Lord give us clean, joyous hearts. Lord forgive us when we fail and thank you for loving us as we are, in Jesus name, Amen
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