When I first started studying the Bible, I found I was always picking out things I thought I was pretty much in line with, or was already applying to my own life and I would see the faults of other people who weren't where I was morally. I thought "Gee, It so easy. Why don't people just live like me".
It's not just Chistians. Many folks think they have all the "real" righteous ways figured out and if you should, say, smoke,or drink, or do something politically incorrect, well, you're just bad, stupid or both.
It's always so easy to see the shortcomings of others.
At some point I came across Luke18:9-14
"To some who are confident and look down at everybody else,Jesus told this parable:"Two men went up to the temple to pray one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God I thank you that I am not like other men--robbers, evildoers, adulterers-or-- even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give ten percent of all I get'.
But the tax collector stood at a distance, He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said 'God have mercy on me, a sinner'.
"I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted".
Sure, there are times in life when we need to defend what's right or refuse to except what is considered by others to be OK, but is wrong in the eyes of God. However I believe God gave us His Word not to show others their errors and mistakes as much as to show us how sinful we are so that we will realize our need for a savior.
Perhaps often our best response or rebuke would be to lead by example and live in obedience and love. Instead of criticizing others or waiting for things to change lets do what we can in our little corner of the world.
Wishing
Do you wish the world were better?
Let me tell you what to do.
Set a watch upon your actions,
Keep them always straight and true.
Rid your mind of selfish motives,
Let your thoughts be clean and high.
You can make a little Eden
Of the sphere you occupy.
Do you wish the world were wiser?
Well,suppose you make a start,
By accumulating wisdom
In the scapbook of your heart;
Do not waste one page on folly;
Live to learn and learn to live.
If you want to give men knowledge
You must get it, ere you give.
Do you wish the world were happy?
Then remember day by day
Just to scatter seeds of kindness
as you pass along the way
For the pleasures of the many
May be ofttimes traced to one.
As the hand that plants an acorn
Shelters armies from the sun.
Ella Wheller Wilcox
We'll never know how God has used us till our time on earth is done.
(hey that rhymes)
Thom
It's not just Chistians. Many folks think they have all the "real" righteous ways figured out and if you should, say, smoke,or drink, or do something politically incorrect, well, you're just bad, stupid or both.
It's always so easy to see the shortcomings of others.
At some point I came across Luke18:9-14
"To some who are confident and look down at everybody else,Jesus told this parable:"Two men went up to the temple to pray one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God I thank you that I am not like other men--robbers, evildoers, adulterers-or-- even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give ten percent of all I get'.
But the tax collector stood at a distance, He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said 'God have mercy on me, a sinner'.
"I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted".
Sure, there are times in life when we need to defend what's right or refuse to except what is considered by others to be OK, but is wrong in the eyes of God. However I believe God gave us His Word not to show others their errors and mistakes as much as to show us how sinful we are so that we will realize our need for a savior.
Perhaps often our best response or rebuke would be to lead by example and live in obedience and love. Instead of criticizing others or waiting for things to change lets do what we can in our little corner of the world.
Wishing
Do you wish the world were better?
Let me tell you what to do.
Set a watch upon your actions,
Keep them always straight and true.
Rid your mind of selfish motives,
Let your thoughts be clean and high.
You can make a little Eden
Of the sphere you occupy.
Do you wish the world were wiser?
Well,suppose you make a start,
By accumulating wisdom
In the scapbook of your heart;
Do not waste one page on folly;
Live to learn and learn to live.
If you want to give men knowledge
You must get it, ere you give.
Do you wish the world were happy?
Then remember day by day
Just to scatter seeds of kindness
as you pass along the way
For the pleasures of the many
May be ofttimes traced to one.
As the hand that plants an acorn
Shelters armies from the sun.
Ella Wheller Wilcox
We'll never know how God has used us till our time on earth is done.
(hey that rhymes)
Thom
Comments
Thank-you.
Great poem! Good blogging :)