Monday, July 20, 2009

Copyright 2009 Michael D. Waters

Be Kind To Goats -Luke 6:35 130 of 130   Jesus teaches to show love and kindness to our neighbor, even if your neighbor treats us unkindly in return. July 19, 2009

Good Morning Beloved!

Happy Monday!

Talk about something that goes against everything ‘natural’ within us.  There are exceptions of course, but for most of us, when we’re mistreated our first inclination is NOT to bless them real good.  ‘Bless them out’ maybe, but when somes really hurts us, I mean really hurts us we want revenge or at least justice.  I remember when Tyler Perry’s ‘Diary of a Mad Black Woman’ came out, there was a lot of debate.  People were stuck on the “Mad Black Woman” part.  They could’nt understand why she was mad. Unfortunately this story could have portrayed a woman of any ethnicity.  You marry a man of very little means and stick by his side during extremely lean times.  You work to put him through college and law school, and after he becomes successful and wealthy, he, his mistress and their kids callously kick you out of your house after 18 years.  That would make anyone angry.  My grandmother would have called him an ‘old goat’.  I love the picture in the scripture verse.  The sheep showed kindness, and fed the goat even though the goat mistreated him.  God called us to live peaceably with each other.  He called us to love…especially the ‘unlovely’.  He did it and because He did it, He knows that we can do it.  We have an advantage… His Spirit which enables us to do what we can’t in our strength.  We should never be afraid to ask for help from the One from which all blessings flow.  Great is our reward in heaven (and Praise God we get some stuff here too). People will try to take advantage of your kindness, but there is nothing wrong with setting boundaries.  One of the most over-used phrases ever is “I thought they was a Christian”.  It’s amazing how quick people are to throw that one out.  A good reminder — being a Christian does not exempt us from trouble, but we have a hope in the midst of trouble.  A promise and a peace that it will not last forever.  Picture the three Hebrew boys in the fiery furnace … God did not stop the people from throwing them in the fire, but He walked with them in the middle of the fire and when they came out, the smell of smoke was not even on them. Some of us have been through some things that people don’t believe because we don’t carry the ‘smell’ of where we’ve been on us.  Christians get angry and the bible tells us to ‘sin not’, but sometimes we do.  When we miss the mark, we have an advocate with the Father in Christ Jesus and we can ask for and receive forgiveness.  We experience pain, suffering, sickness and loss like everybody else, but we have a God who still heals.  He still mends broken hearts.  He still blesses.  He still makes ways where there seem to be no ways.  So whether we’re dealing with sheep, goats or sheep who act like goats… we need to love ‘em … keep pressing toward the mark, with our eyes on Jesus and live!

… that Beloved of God is Good News!

U Blessed,

Have A Fabulous Day

Regina

“A Heart That Forgives”, Kevin LeVar and One Sound

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3VT2bMpoYY

“Let It Go”, Kirk Franklin & Toby Mac

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ4uWwZMq5M

“Awesome God”, Kirk Franklin & Papa San

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=co3N3LCU-ck

“I Have A Friend (“JESUS”)”, Clint Brown

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7i3GMSY6Dp4

King James Version view cartoons in Biblical order Copyright 2009 Michael D. Waters