Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Spring! and St George's Day

I think.. maybe.. wait! .. no.. yes! Yes, Spring is here :)  And that means clothes on the line, clearing the garden, branches out to the curb from their current beaver-dam like pile by the back fence, and fixing the fence.  It's also St George's Day, which you would probably know - if you have English blood in you.


I'm not sure why I mentioned St George: I am not thrilled with the canonization of humans.. all people who have chosen to follow Jesus are designated as saints according to the Bible.  God is no respecter of persons- He counts us all equal. Sainthood falls in too closely with idolization of superstars. Ridiculous. These are just humans, some of whom are blessed with a gift (some I have no idea why people think they are wonderful). We all bleed red, are born naked, and pass wind. Just the wrapper is different. We all have needs, desires, and feelings.

Everybody love everybody.  It's an anti-bullying slogan I first heard on youtube.com, and I am doing my best to spread it around the world. Everybody has gifts. Let's encourage others .. instead of saying, 'you can't do.. (whatever)', let's say, "I enjoy it when you.." or "I think you're good at ..... ".  

Why can't we do that? Build people up instead of ripping them down.  Some kid in my friend's class is telling my friend.. 'just kill yourself'.  Why??? Who came up with this horrific idea? What must that child's home life be like to think it's okay to tell people to kill themselves?

We need to forgive those who hurt us. No, I know they don't deserve it. You don't forgive others because they deserve it. You couldn't, because nobody deserves it.  You forgive others because you suffer inside when you don't. You don't have peace, your health degrades.. really, it aint worf it. If you're a Christian, like me, you forgive because God forgave you and has asked you to do the same for others.


So, as a Christian, what are my options to counter bullying? Before I was committed to Jesus, I told my kid to fight back.. don't start the fight, but counter every attack. Sooner or later the bullies will give up as you are not easy prey.  But what can I say now? If you are a Christian, you are given the task of representing Jesus on the earth. Admittedly some have not done the best job of this, but that is the task.  We can pray for our tormentors.. pray that God will not punish them for hurting us (we belong to God, you really wanna mess with our Daddy?) so that they will get the opportunity to know our Friend Jesus as well. We can be kind whenever we have an opportunity. This doesn't mean we have to deliberately get in harm's way (although sometimes that is what it means), but if someone has been mean to us and we offer to help when they need it, it points out that there is something different in our attitude.  As a Christian, we want everyone to be reconciled to God. We want everyone to spend eternity receiving blessings from God. "for eye has not seen and ear has not heard what God has prepared for those that love Him"   God loves each person and wants them to choose life, not death.  He hates sin, but loves the sinner.  And if there was any other way to save us, do you think God would have sacrificed His Son? Would you?

We are not promised tomorrow, and yesterday is long gone.  Today is the day to make your decision to turn from the way you've been living and ask God to lead you. He has a great plan for your life, and He wants to help you, love you, comfort you, protect you, and bless you. Why are you running from that? He's the only trustworthy friend. Humans will fail you, but God does not fail us. He is right beside us, waiting for us to turn to Him. He wants us to give Him our hearts, and He will give us a new heart - one capable of loving those that hurt us. Even while we hated Him, He loved us and sent His Son to save us. He came to save us.


Just ask God to take your life and do something with it.. you will be amazed.


1 comment:

  1. Just read "Single Dad Laughing" with a story about how a senior handled some bullies. Read it here: http://www.danoah.com/2013/04/why-i-love-people-the-bullied-old-man.html

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