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Watch out for the pricklies

Mattew 7:12 (MEV) Therefore, everything you would like men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

While in prayer yesterday, I was praying for our church to seek God first. The word ‘seek’ kept going over and over in my mind and I turned to Isaiah 55:6 (MEV), “Seek the Lord while He may be found, call you upon Him while He is near” and Matthew 7:7 (MEV), “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you.” Then I kept reading in Matthew, “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks, it will be opened. What man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a snake? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!“

I have learned with a “Therefore” that I better pay attention to what is going on before and after. We love the verses about when we ask it will be given to us but check out what He tells us to do. Do you know that the way you view people is important? How many of us are disappointed at people, but most of it is our own doing. Matthew 7:12 in the Amplified says this, “So then, in everything treat others the same way you want them to treat you, for this is [the essence of] the Law and the [writings of the] Prophets.” What did Jesus say were the greatest two commandments? To put it simply, to love God and to love people. It is a self-centered mindset for wanting people to do for you but for you not to seek out opportunities to do for others.

Matthew 7:13-14 (AMP) Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad and easy to travel is the path that leads the way to destruction and eternal loss, and there are many who enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow and difficult to travel is the path that leads the way to [everlasting] life, and there are few who find it.

Be mindful of the temptation to seek the best for yourself only. Seeking God takes a surrender of self. When we are positioned to love God, we should have the fruit of loving people. Jesus tells us that anything we would like for people to do for us, we should do for them. It is not when people do for you, you do the same in return. You start the process, even if they never do in return. When we lose peace and start keeping score is when we have done things without love. Love does not keep a record and does not keep score.

Matthew 7:15-20 (AMP) Beware of the false prophets, [teachers] who come to you dressed as sheep [appearing gentle and innocent], but inwardly are ravenous wolves.  By their fruit you will recognize them [that is, by their contrived doctrine and self-focus]. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the unhealthy tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore, by their fruit you will recognize them [as false prophets].

Eating from a tree that is dripping with bitterness can turn you sour. It can make you distrust God and the body of Christ. Watch out that you do not become prickly yourself. This is not to do good to the prickly people, but do not become one yourself. Set boundaries but always do good.

So, who does the initiation in seeking, asking and knocking? We do. Who does the start of the good works? We do. Can we expect others to do for us, and we are not willing to do for them? Absolutely not. Check our motives and keep our hearts pure, because self-focus and self-centeredness may seem like a path to take but it does not lead to growth in Christ. It may just lead to a life of prickly. So next time you are in your feelings about people not doing for you, get out of yourself and into the love of Christ. Seek out an opportunity to do for others, like you would want done for you.

Abba, Father, our Creator, You are worthy of our Praise and Honor. You are Marvelous and full of Majesty. You are Holy. Thank You for Your Son, our Prince of Peace. Thank You for the Holy Spirit, our Teacher and Comforter. Thank You for the revelation of Your Word to bring us to know You more. We want to know Your heart as we seek Your face. We repent for taking score and keeping records of when we feel like we have been disappointed by people. People are not our problem. Sometimes we have created our own problems, and we are sorry for that. Give us a heart that sees, hands eager to help, and the courage to move forward without pause. May our actions mirror Your compassion, bringing light to dark places, hope to the weary, and love to the lonely. Seach our hearts Lord, let us surrender our will and our ways to Yours. We choose forgiveness today. We choose hope today. We choose joy today. We choose love today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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Avoidance does not make it invisible

2 Corinthians 4:18 (AMP) So we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are unseen; for the things which are visible are temporal [just brief and fleeting], but the things which are invisible are everlasting and imperishable.

Have you ever met a person that their personality rubbed you the wrong way? Then instead of trying to get to know them, you avoid them. We can be like that in the body of Christ also. I know I am guilty of doing this myself. Instead of having compassion, that there may be a root issue, we look for ways to avoid people. Here is the thing, we are called to the ministry of reconciliation, even to the people that rub us the wrong way. I looked at the verses preceding this statement by Paul.

2 Corinthians 4:8-12 (AMP) We are pressured in every way [hedged in], but not crushed; perplexed [unsure of finding a way out], but not driven to despair; hunted down and persecuted, but not deserted [to stand alone]; struck down, but never destroyed; always carrying around in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the [resurrection] life of Jesus also may be shown in our body. For we who live are constantly [experiencing the threat of] being handed over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the [resurrection] life of Jesus also may be evidenced in our mortal body [which is subject to death]. So physical death is [actively] at work in us, but [spiritual] life [is actively at work] in you.

Focus on this: “spiritual life is actively at work in you.” Our flesh does not have to win. Our mindset can be overcome and we can grow in love. The love that says that we want the best for others. I have to remind myself of that when I get around people that they are going to knock the rough edges off of me. I also have to realize that I may be just that person to someone else. I would like to think that I have grown in areas, but I would be foolish to think that I do not need to grow more. Avoidance is not growth. Thinking that we are avoiding something just puts the focus on that, rather than our purpose.

2 Corinthians 4:16-17 (AMP) Therefore we do not become discouraged [spiritless, disappointed, or afraid]. Though our outer self is [progressively] wasting away, yet our inner self is being [progressively] renewed day by day. For our momentary, light distress [this passing trouble] is producing for us an eternal weight of glory [a fullness] beyond all measure [surpassing all comparisons, a transcendent splendor and an endless blessedness]!

When we become discouraged we can often describe it as “losing heart.” The natural tendency for us is to quit, or avoid, so that we no longer feel the discomfort of frustration. We want to set up a boundary, and end of falling out love, with what we once enjoyed due to our frustrations with those involved. Sounds like we are focused on the temporal, the seen, the felt, ultimately ourselves. There is hope. Your spiritual life is actively at work in you. Recognize that part of your life and surrender it. Surrender your thoughts. Surrender your reasoning. The enemy loves discord between us. The devil loves it when we cannot get along and work together. The devil wants us to withhold our gifts from the body because we did not like how someone treated us. I have to remind myself, it is not about me, someone needs freedom today.

Philippians 4:8 (AMP) Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart].

Instead of focusing on what you do not like about someone, find one thing that you do like. Instead of avoiding someone, get to know them. Just like you, they have a life that is filled with back stories of what they may be responding to, and not even know it. Love each other enough to see each other grow in Christ. Your spiritual life is actively at work in you, and so it is in them. Instead of looking at the seen, look at the unseen. Love always hopes. Love does not keep an account of a suffered wrong. Love bears all, regardless at what comes. Love remains steadfast. Love looks for the best in each other. Love endures even in the difficult times (paraphrase from 1 Corinthians 13:4-8).

Elohim, our all sufficient One, we honor You will our praise and thanksgiving. You are Marvelous. You are Wonderful. Thank You for sending Your Son to be the Light of the World to bring us out of darkness. He overcame so that we can overcome. Thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit that now dwells in us. Thank you that our spiritual lives are actively at work within us. We repent for not taking an active role in our growth and focusing on the temporary in each other. We not only desire to see growth in ourselves, but in the body of Christ. We are choosing to be more committed to the ministry of reconciliation that you have called us to. You created us with a purpose and avoidance is not a part of that purpose. We are sorry for making it about us when we chose that path. Give us opportunities to be a part of Your restoration plan. We choose hope today. We choose forgiveness today. We choose joy today. We choose love today. In Jesus Name, Amen.