People, people

One of the biggest reasons that I enjoy writing was inescapably apparent in getting this post together: Especially in the midst of noisy media, and the daily blow-by-blow, it would seem easy to just keep talking about what everybody is talking about, but no.
After a few false starts, I had to keep coming back and asking myself; Is this where my heart is? That wrestling, to shake away frivolous ideas and finally come away with something Biblically true, applicable and hopefully ‘connecting’ is a process that continues to challenge my thinking and well worth it if it produces help and encouragement for anyone who reads these posts.

Although I don’t spend much time watching the news or involving myself in many of the cultures’ debates, it’s obvious that there’s a lot going on. Well, a whole lot of talking, but there doesn’t seem to be as much listening.
It reminds me of a quote by the late Stephen R. Covey, Author of the best-selling ‘The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People’. He said - “Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.”

How often do we consider the motivations for our approach? And along that same line, how often do we justify our choice as being the right one?

It doesn’t take much to realize how ‘bothered’ we’ve become with people lately? People are no longer seen as people, they’re seen as labels: Liberal, Conservative, Bigot, Intolerant, Fascists, Socialists, etc. Seeing people as labels means seeing them as problems that we’d rather not deal with – unless it’s in the vein of forcefully trying to argue and convert them from their distorted views, or then as little as possible, if at all.

Here’s the Word;

Matthew 4:18 – 20 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow Me, Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” And at once they left their nets and followed Him

Here’s where we switch gears a bit:

Jesus picked fishermen to start the idea of discipling to spread the message of The Kingdom of God. He knew how to use what they were comfortable with, to take them places they would’ve never gone on their own. We all have the same journey before us: To look to Christ to help us leave our comfort zones, give us understanding and use our testimonies to the advantage of His Kingdom.

Tying these two ideas together in our current situation, we first have to realize a very important truth: Labels are labels, but people are people. You can’t let a label remove someone’s personhood. They’re still considered to be a creation in the very image of God, just as we all are. We have to be conscious and protective of the value intrinsically deserved by people. Remember, God is in the people business and what He's called us to can easily be described as customer service, even to the point of praying and providing for people who mistreat us. I’m glad that the KJV doesn’t use the word love in explaining this effort, because words tend to get abused, so hopefully going back to this, contextually rare usage, will shed some light.

Here’s The Word;

1 Corinthians 8:1(b) we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth

1 Corinthians 13:4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

It’s easy these days to be puffed up about what we believe – even if we’re correct and our belief is true, charity still goes one better and seeks for the other’s benefit rather than being dismissive or calling attention to your own ‘rightness’.

2 Timothy 2:24 – 26 And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.

I like writing. The idea of having a voice is somehow liberating, but I also like it because rather than treat it as my own soapbox, I’m constantly brought face to face with a poignant question, “Seekest thou great things for thyself? (Jeremiah 45:5). I’m reminded and settled into the simplicity of the job description. We may all have very different professional occupations, but at the end of the day, The Lord, Who will eventually bring every rioting debate to a screeching halt, calls to be people, people.

Seek truth In Him,
Cros