Boo! Here comes the "CAPS LOCK entry" again.. lol !
Hmm.. I would say today's reading is the most challenging one, in comparison to the other 2.
Saying no to hypocrisy is doable - you stand back and think twice before pinpointing at others and looking first at yourself. (no risk there)
Saying yes to integrity is also doable - you choosing in advance to do the right thing - to ACT with integrity - dealing with your own fault first. (again, not much of a risk there)
BUT! Saying NOW to MERCY - HERE comes the challenge. This involves a lot of risks! Because now, we have to go BEYOND ourselves to speak into other people's lives! With the right heart and right attitude of course.
"Genuine mercy takes the most courage."
That is so true. Because as much as we desire to help our brother/sister in love by speaking the truth, very often, we fear what their response might be. Will they hold a grudge against us after that or will they accept what we have to say? Will they simply nod and give us a smile to brush off the awkwardness, but knowing very well that he/she is boiling to the maximum point inside? Or will they snort at you, sending the message to "mind your own business"..or.."what a proud-ass you are".. or.."who do you think you are to come and tell me what to do or how to live my life" ?
All these thoughts have shied us away from HELPING our friend get the speck out of his or her eye. HELPING - thats the key word. I believe it is impossible to show genuine mercy or concern if we have any other motives other than to HELP our friend IN LOVE. We cannot speak to our friend in the hope to change him/her, we cannot just aim to get our message across and let them see our point, or simply to act with mercy just to feel-good and because thats what we are taught to do. These are very self-centred/selfish intentions. But to truly show mercy is to first inject this notion in you: "ok, im here for no other reason than to HELP my brother/sister to rise up to a whole new level, to genuinely help bring out the BEST in him/her, all because......I LOVE him/her." Not to get that person to be who we see him/her to be, but to be a child of God who walks in the right path. Jesus mentioned in Jn 7:24 "stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly". Let's get our judgments right. Is it a constructive one or a destructive one? Is it a constructive one or a selfish one? Hmm..
I guess I am speaking more of the ACT of helping our brother/sister to remove the speck from his/her eye. It means actually DOING something about the speck that we see. Not brushing it off or just forcing yourself to tolerate with it. Let's not ignore each others' faults/areas that need or can be changed. Because that's really not acting in love. True love will move you to bring the best out of that person. We do everything that we can to lift them up higher.
So why fear? Why fear when we know at the very core of our heart, we have the right attitude, right intention and right heart for our fellow brother/sister? why hold back? Approaching the person or getting along with the person may be a scary thing to do, but let your love for him/her motivate you. because we know that " there is no fear in love. PERFECT LOVE drives out fear" (1 Jn 4:18). Let's not fear what comes after as well (i.e their reaction or response to us). Leave that to God. Thats beyond our control. But let Him amaze you with the response. :)
So, let's MOVE! let's be a church that aims to build each other up and not bring each other down with judgments after judgments. There's already enough destructive judgments we have to face in the world, as if there's already not enough condemnation/judgment outside.. let's not do the same in this House of God. Let's offer love and acceptance to EVERYONE who comes in the door.
GUYS and girls... "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful" (Lk 6:36) =P
love,
Let
Random addition: (I saw it at work..lol) Enjoy! =)
Hmm.. I would say today's reading is the most challenging one, in comparison to the other 2.
Saying no to hypocrisy is doable - you stand back and think twice before pinpointing at others and looking first at yourself. (no risk there)
Saying yes to integrity is also doable - you choosing in advance to do the right thing - to ACT with integrity - dealing with your own fault first. (again, not much of a risk there)
BUT! Saying NOW to MERCY - HERE comes the challenge. This involves a lot of risks! Because now, we have to go BEYOND ourselves to speak into other people's lives! With the right heart and right attitude of course.
"Genuine mercy takes the most courage."
That is so true. Because as much as we desire to help our brother/sister in love by speaking the truth, very often, we fear what their response might be. Will they hold a grudge against us after that or will they accept what we have to say? Will they simply nod and give us a smile to brush off the awkwardness, but knowing very well that he/she is boiling to the maximum point inside? Or will they snort at you, sending the message to "mind your own business"..or.."what a proud-ass you are".. or.."who do you think you are to come and tell me what to do or how to live my life" ?
All these thoughts have shied us away from HELPING our friend get the speck out of his or her eye. HELPING - thats the key word. I believe it is impossible to show genuine mercy or concern if we have any other motives other than to HELP our friend IN LOVE. We cannot speak to our friend in the hope to change him/her, we cannot just aim to get our message across and let them see our point, or simply to act with mercy just to feel-good and because thats what we are taught to do. These are very self-centred/selfish intentions. But to truly show mercy is to first inject this notion in you: "ok, im here for no other reason than to HELP my brother/sister to rise up to a whole new level, to genuinely help bring out the BEST in him/her, all because......I LOVE him/her." Not to get that person to be who we see him/her to be, but to be a child of God who walks in the right path. Jesus mentioned in Jn 7:24 "stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly". Let's get our judgments right. Is it a constructive one or a destructive one? Is it a constructive one or a selfish one? Hmm..
I guess I am speaking more of the ACT of helping our brother/sister to remove the speck from his/her eye. It means actually DOING something about the speck that we see. Not brushing it off or just forcing yourself to tolerate with it. Let's not ignore each others' faults/areas that need or can be changed. Because that's really not acting in love. True love will move you to bring the best out of that person. We do everything that we can to lift them up higher.
So why fear? Why fear when we know at the very core of our heart, we have the right attitude, right intention and right heart for our fellow brother/sister? why hold back? Approaching the person or getting along with the person may be a scary thing to do, but let your love for him/her motivate you. because we know that " there is no fear in love. PERFECT LOVE drives out fear" (1 Jn 4:18). Let's not fear what comes after as well (i.e their reaction or response to us). Leave that to God. Thats beyond our control. But let Him amaze you with the response. :)
So, let's MOVE! let's be a church that aims to build each other up and not bring each other down with judgments after judgments. There's already enough destructive judgments we have to face in the world, as if there's already not enough condemnation/judgment outside.. let's not do the same in this House of God. Let's offer love and acceptance to EVERYONE who comes in the door.
GUYS and girls... "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful" (Lk 6:36) =P
love,
Let
Random addition: (I saw it at work..lol) Enjoy! =)
RECIPE FOR LOVE
Preheat the oven of love
with plenty of secrets and hugs.
Mix in giggles and laughs,
that make your sides split in half.
Bake with lots of love and care,
and all the things you both should share.
Decorate it with the icing of trust,
this really is a must!
Enjoy the cake and do not eat it fast,
just like your friendship, make it last!
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