I’m taken by a recent surge of affection for the faith-based community, of which I am a part. Yes, like it or not, I’m one of you guys!
We show up at our churches week after week, needing to be fed, hoping to apply what we’ve learned, praying for a breakthrough in some troubled area, wanting to be all we can for Jesus and others.
Sure, we fail at times. Of course we make mistakes, some of them big ones. Some of them we may never even know about until we get to glorious eternity.
But I love the fact there are people all around us who love Jesus and are making it their mission to help others and let Him shine. They’re not hard to find, especially in East Texas.
There are loud ones, quiet ones, active ones and passive ones. Extroverts and introverts, intellectuals and common folks, rich and poor, every color and size, are all in the same boat doing their best to trust Him. This so often creates some wonderfully healthy moments, ministries and relationships.
Unfortunately, it’s also easy to find fault and shortcomings. Jesus ran into these scenarios by the truckload. But He was so about grace, particularly for the humble.
We know we should love everybody. Few would disagree. But when it hits home, and you personally are offended, it’s much more difficult to apply.
We know nobody’s perfect. It’s a very popular generality. But when we’ve been hurt or overlooked, now for some reason it feels different.
The cool thing about following Christ, is we have a model to follow. Who among us hasn’t inadvertently offended, overlooked, or misspoken to someone? You meant no harm, but when you’re on the receiving end, it seems little solace.
We have a go-to in Christ on how to forgive. We have a template in Him on how to love. We have a model by which we can put others before ourselves. It can be difficult at first, even painful. But with daily practice, little by little, it’s achievable, and it’s always the best way.
The more we love Him, the more He can love others through us!
What a great community! God bless you as you use your gifts to serve Him today!