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Thursday, December 23, 2010
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Everyone Needs Compassion
One of my favorite worship songs, is Mighty to Save, by Hillsong. One of the lines gets me every time: Everyone Needs Compassion, Love that's Never failing. As I consider those words, I realize how far I am from offering these two gifts to people in my everyday life. I, often times, find myself so self-absorbed that I miss the opportunities to meet a need that's right in front of me. I miss the opportunity to extend compassion and give a love that's never failing. Yet as I strive to be more like Jesus, I realize just how important these are in my pursuit to mirror the Savior. Time and time again in scripture, Jesus demonstrates compassion; healing the sick, feeding the hungry and giving sight to those blinded and He's calling us to do the same.
I have to admit, I truly struggle in this area. So much so, that I made a goal for 2010 that centered around this very thing. I have challenged myself to be compassionate when at times I felt as though I had none to give and I have sought to develop a heart that genuinely loves. Through my struggles, I have found that this challenge becomes easier when I choose to walk in the Spirit and not in my flesh. Galatians 5:22-23 says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. When I walk with the Lord and allow Him to move in my life, these things become more evident and it becomes easier for me to be compassionate to those that God has given me to love. I have also found that dwelling in the Word brings about true transformation which results in my life looking a little bit more like His each day. Another place I have found the strength to live a life filled with compassion is in the authentic fellowship of other believers. In times of community, I have experienced unselfish loving, honest sharing, practical serving, sacrificial giving, sympathy and comfort from others. I have experienced mercy, people who resolve conflict quickly and real relationships whereby people belong and are loved. These times have encouraged me to extend this to others as often as it has been extended to me.
Over the past few years, I have sought ways to demonstrate compassion in real, tangible ways so that others know they're cared for, loved and even more deeply loved by the Savior. As I commit to imitating Christ by choosing to love, when I frequently clothe myself in compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience lives can be changed. And when I decide to forgive and live in harmony with others lives will be impacted.
For 2011, in my pursuit to love and be compassionate, I am committing to resolving conflict and refusing to listen to gossip or being the gossiper. I will daily choose to encourage rather than criticize, I will commit to unity over discord and I will love in spite of imperfections. Jesus said that by this (love) the world would know (they can tell because they see) that we are His disciples. I will choose not to let cruelty, harshness, indifference, meaness and callousness to be the norm in my life. Instead, I will seek a life that puts others before myself, I will actively pursue opportunities to be an encouragement whether it be through a phone call, a card in the mail, a meal or a bag of groceries and I will be a light and a breath of fresh air even when the alternative would be easier.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I would be delighted to have you share your thoughts so that we might be challenged and encouraged by one another. As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17
What is one step that you can take today to connect with someone and show them compassion and love that's never failing?
Consider what relationships need healing, forgiveness, restoration, compassion. Do what you can to heal those relationships.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Matthew 15:32~Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion on the crowd because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way."
Galatians 6:2~Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Galatians 5:22-23~But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Colossians 3:12-14~Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
I Peter 3:8~Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.
I have to admit, I truly struggle in this area. So much so, that I made a goal for 2010 that centered around this very thing. I have challenged myself to be compassionate when at times I felt as though I had none to give and I have sought to develop a heart that genuinely loves. Through my struggles, I have found that this challenge becomes easier when I choose to walk in the Spirit and not in my flesh. Galatians 5:22-23 says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. When I walk with the Lord and allow Him to move in my life, these things become more evident and it becomes easier for me to be compassionate to those that God has given me to love. I have also found that dwelling in the Word brings about true transformation which results in my life looking a little bit more like His each day. Another place I have found the strength to live a life filled with compassion is in the authentic fellowship of other believers. In times of community, I have experienced unselfish loving, honest sharing, practical serving, sacrificial giving, sympathy and comfort from others. I have experienced mercy, people who resolve conflict quickly and real relationships whereby people belong and are loved. These times have encouraged me to extend this to others as often as it has been extended to me.
Over the past few years, I have sought ways to demonstrate compassion in real, tangible ways so that others know they're cared for, loved and even more deeply loved by the Savior. As I commit to imitating Christ by choosing to love, when I frequently clothe myself in compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience lives can be changed. And when I decide to forgive and live in harmony with others lives will be impacted.
For 2011, in my pursuit to love and be compassionate, I am committing to resolving conflict and refusing to listen to gossip or being the gossiper. I will daily choose to encourage rather than criticize, I will commit to unity over discord and I will love in spite of imperfections. Jesus said that by this (love) the world would know (they can tell because they see) that we are His disciples. I will choose not to let cruelty, harshness, indifference, meaness and callousness to be the norm in my life. Instead, I will seek a life that puts others before myself, I will actively pursue opportunities to be an encouragement whether it be through a phone call, a card in the mail, a meal or a bag of groceries and I will be a light and a breath of fresh air even when the alternative would be easier.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I would be delighted to have you share your thoughts so that we might be challenged and encouraged by one another. As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17
What is one step that you can take today to connect with someone and show them compassion and love that's never failing?
Consider what relationships need healing, forgiveness, restoration, compassion. Do what you can to heal those relationships.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Matthew 15:32~Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion on the crowd because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way."
Galatians 6:2~Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Galatians 5:22-23~But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Colossians 3:12-14~Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
I Peter 3:8~Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Revolutionary Love
A little over a year ago, Shad and I embarked on a new life journey. A journey that moved us across the country to become church launchers. We had no idea what to expect as we left our home in the Midwest to launch a church in the San Francisco Bay Area. We were just excited by God's leading and confident in the path that He had chosen for us! As we settled in, our team met to determine what was essential for true life transformation to occur. This determination would be the foundational core upon which our church was built. After times of discussion, prayer, and seeking God's wisdom through His spirit and that of other believers, we resolved that true life transformation occurs in love.
As a church, we committed to become revolutionary in the way that we showed love. We would love beyond the limits, we would go beyond what was comfortable, we would go to the 'least of these' and love. We would love, not with the motive or expectation to 'save' people, but simply love because Jesus loved and loves us still today. I was excited; perhaps to many, this is nothing new, but for me it was like the light had finally turned on. I was slowly starting to understand the purpose that God has called believers to.
I began to feel challenged. I knew that the Lord had called us here for greater service, to share His love, and to be a light to those hurting and broken. What I didn't know is the work that God planned to do in my own life that would allow me to begin to scratch the surface of becoming a Revolutionary Lover. In the months that followed, God began convicting me of my lofty attitude, the critical spirit that resided within me for all the years I've known Jesus, my insincere attempts to love those around me and my tendency to close myself off to others to keep myself safe. I knew in my heart all of these would be detrimental to me truly loving people. I would need to begin purging myself of these sinful attitudes and behaviors and allow the Lord to refine me, to change me to become more like Him.
For me, becoming more like Jesus and loving others as He has commanded is a process that has not been not easy. It is a daily challenge that requires me to check my motives, to ask the Lord to search my heart, to reveal the offensive ways within me. It requires me to diligently seek opportunities to encourage those around me and to actively pursue ways to be Jesus. It requires that I be engaged and completely present in my relationships. It requires sacrifice and the sometimes painful reminder that this life is really not about me. Most importantly, it requires that I choose daily to draw close to and draw from the source of true Revolutionary Love; Jesus.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I would be delighted to have you share your thoughts so that we might be challenged and encouraged by one another. As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17
What are some tangible ways that we can love those that God has given to us?
What are some of the challenges that you face in loving people like Jesus?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Romans 12:9
The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' Matthew 25:40
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails...And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
I Corinthians 13:4-8,13
...and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5:2
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Romans 12:10
Keep on loving each other as brothers. Hebrews 13:1
Search me, O God, and know my heart;test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me,and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24
As a church, we committed to become revolutionary in the way that we showed love. We would love beyond the limits, we would go beyond what was comfortable, we would go to the 'least of these' and love. We would love, not with the motive or expectation to 'save' people, but simply love because Jesus loved and loves us still today. I was excited; perhaps to many, this is nothing new, but for me it was like the light had finally turned on. I was slowly starting to understand the purpose that God has called believers to.
I began to feel challenged. I knew that the Lord had called us here for greater service, to share His love, and to be a light to those hurting and broken. What I didn't know is the work that God planned to do in my own life that would allow me to begin to scratch the surface of becoming a Revolutionary Lover. In the months that followed, God began convicting me of my lofty attitude, the critical spirit that resided within me for all the years I've known Jesus, my insincere attempts to love those around me and my tendency to close myself off to others to keep myself safe. I knew in my heart all of these would be detrimental to me truly loving people. I would need to begin purging myself of these sinful attitudes and behaviors and allow the Lord to refine me, to change me to become more like Him.
For me, becoming more like Jesus and loving others as He has commanded is a process that has not been not easy. It is a daily challenge that requires me to check my motives, to ask the Lord to search my heart, to reveal the offensive ways within me. It requires me to diligently seek opportunities to encourage those around me and to actively pursue ways to be Jesus. It requires that I be engaged and completely present in my relationships. It requires sacrifice and the sometimes painful reminder that this life is really not about me. Most importantly, it requires that I choose daily to draw close to and draw from the source of true Revolutionary Love; Jesus.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I would be delighted to have you share your thoughts so that we might be challenged and encouraged by one another. As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17
What are some tangible ways that we can love those that God has given to us?
What are some of the challenges that you face in loving people like Jesus?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Romans 12:9
The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' Matthew 25:40
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails...And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
I Corinthians 13:4-8,13
...and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5:2
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Romans 12:10
Keep on loving each other as brothers. Hebrews 13:1
Search me, O God, and know my heart;test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me,and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24
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