“Never miss a good chance to shut up.”
― Will Rogers
2 CHRONICLES 10-12
8But Rehoboam rejected the advice the elders gave him and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and were serving him. 9He asked them, “What is your advice? How should we answer these people who say to me, ‘Lighten the yoke your father put on us’?”10The young men who had grown up with him replied, “The people have said to you, ‘Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but make our yoke lighter.’ Now tell them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist. 11My father laid on you a heavy yoke; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.’ ”
34“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”36Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?”Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.”37Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”38Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!JOHN 13:18-38
JOURNAL
The path of Christ is one of humility, love and amazing power. That power never seeks it's own redemption but trusts redemption to God. Rehoboam sought the path that would glorify him...Jesus sought the path that would glorify God.
It's so obvious and easy to see the mistakes that others make. Sitting in the comfort of my home, reading about other people's misfortune and especially those in the Bible. I am not only in a completely different world than what they lived, but also thousands of years removed from their lives. I have no clue as to the complexity and difficulty of their circumstances. Reality is that it's just as true for the people I come across each day, I cannot walk in their shoes, so passing judgement is really pretty foolish.
What I can do though is realize that by honestly looking at my own heart and life, I can see the same arrogance of Rehoboam and Peter lodged in my own heart. It happens when I assume, pass judgement and seek my own path instead of God's. It happens when I wake up and plow into the day without first acknowledging God and seeking his direction. It happens when I allow fears and frustrations to discolor my focus on the moments right in front of me. It happens when I let the end goal distract me from the life and opportunties that exist today, right here, right now.
Father forgive me for my arrogance, blindness and stupidity. Help me to see the glory of your love and the amazing life that exists today.
~ PHILIPPIANS 2:1-4
It's so obvious and easy to see the mistakes that others make. Sitting in the comfort of my home, reading about other people's misfortune and especially those in the Bible. I am not only in a completely different world than what they lived, but also thousands of years removed from their lives. I have no clue as to the complexity and difficulty of their circumstances. Reality is that it's just as true for the people I come across each day, I cannot walk in their shoes, so passing judgement is really pretty foolish.
What I can do though is realize that by honestly looking at my own heart and life, I can see the same arrogance of Rehoboam and Peter lodged in my own heart. It happens when I assume, pass judgement and seek my own path instead of God's. It happens when I wake up and plow into the day without first acknowledging God and seeking his direction. It happens when I allow fears and frustrations to discolor my focus on the moments right in front of me. It happens when I let the end goal distract me from the life and opportunties that exist today, right here, right now.
Father forgive me for my arrogance, blindness and stupidity. Help me to see the glory of your love and the amazing life that exists today.
1Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
~ PHILIPPIANS 2:1-4
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