Jesus did and said things that people didn’t like. At all. They killed him for some of it. That is dislike at another level!! I want to be more and more like Jesus every day. That means doing and saying things people don’t like, simply because obeying God to say them is more important than what any other person thinks. They didn’t trust that he was who he said he was, and he was perfect! Why should they trust me in who I am, when I’m not perfect? They didn’t believe him, why should I expect them to believe me?
Forgiveness is a hard concept. It’s easy to forgive some people and much harder for others. Some actions are easier to forgive than others. I believe each person forgives differently and to various degrees. Jesus isn’t like that. To him, sin is sin. It all need to be forgiven at the same level. One little sin keeps us from spending eternity with him, and the only way to forgive sin was to die. Death isn’t something of which there are varying degrees. Once I am dead, I am dead. It’s the same with forgiveness. Jesus forgave every person equally at the same level in death, so that no one is kept from him.
Am I willing to forgive the hardest situations as quickly and easily as the small situations?
About the dying thing, that is the AGAPE love that I’ve referenced in previous blogs. Completely unconditional, offered in all situations, regardless of results or feelings, Jesus gives out this love. He fills his children up with it every day, and it’s our choice whether or not to use it.
Am I willing to use and extend agape love, no matter what?
Something else on my heart lately is the “Extra Mile” idea. That’s when someone asks you to do something, and you do extra just because you can. That is a challenging idea, especially in a world of “me first”, selfish ambitions and personal agendas. As World Racers, it’s kind of expected we will go above and beyond expectations, but then the expectations are heightened even more. Quite frankly, it’s impossible to live up to those expectations (and more) for the entire race. It just is. It’s the same in life. The extra mile is not always easy, but that is what we are supposed to do if we want to be like Christ.
Will I go the extra mile?
#GodIsInControl #redefiningdisciple
#THIRD
