Good morning! I hope you had a great weekend.
1 Corinthians 16:19-20 (NASB)
19 The churches of Asia greet you. Aquila and Prisca greet you heartily in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.
20 All the brethren greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss.
Today I was answering emails from some of my greatest friends in the world. I realize that some of the most cherished treasures I have are the rich friendships that I have been blessed with. Today I was corresponding with a friend in India about the upcoming birth of her first child in a week and half. In another email I was talking with a friend in Uganda about seeing him again in April. I recently corresponded with a friend in Canada about his upcoming ministry schedule. Every week via Facebook, I correspond with friends who were a part of my journey at different stages in my life.
It is no wonder that the Apostle Paul referred to those who were so dear to him in his letters. God used these friendships as a means of encouraging and sustaining the apostle through some of the darkest days of his life. These friendships continued on in spite of geography and time. In them was a lasting bond that moved far beyond the realm of mere acquaintance, but instead moved deep into the realm of sharing the fullness of life, knit together by the bond of Christ.
As I have traveled throughout the world, I have been amazed at how deep these friendships have become in my own life. I have mourned the death of loved ones with friends a half a world away. I have rejoiced over the marriage of daughters, the return of sons and the move of God in families and ministries.
At the same time I have received notes of encouragement at just the right time from places like India and Africa. I have shared laughs with friends I haven’t seen in a quarter of a century. Although time changes us in many ways, friendships forged into the bedrock of our faith have a staying power that is unmatched.
Today I would encourage you to count the relationships you have been given as treasures in your own life. Perhaps its time to send a greeting out to someone you haven’t heard from in a while. Your contact may be just the thing that is needed in their life today.
Until next Monday, may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.
Carl
Showing posts with label relationships. Show all posts
Showing posts with label relationships. Show all posts
Monday, March 01, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010
Seventy x Seven
Good morning! I hope you had a great weekend.
Throughout our lives we face times and circumstances in which we feel we have been wronged by someone else. Our natural responses can run the emotional spectrum from resentment to hatred, but for the follower of Jesus, the example of forgiveness has been clearly given. Even as He was being put to death, Jesus cried out for the forgiveness of those putting Him to death.
Forgiveness is never easy, particularly when we have been wounded deeply. Our desire to never be wounded by an individual again, leads to a vast array of defenses being erected in our lives. We simply do not want to give those who have offended us the opportunity to do it again.
Peter was wrestling with the need to extend forgiveness as he posed this question to Jesus:
Matthew 18:21-22 (HCSB)
Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how many times could my brother sin against me and I forgive him? As many as seven times?”
“I tell you, not as many as seven,” Jesus said to him, “but 70 times seven.”
Peter was looking for that justification to hold a grudge. His question was simple, surely there must be a limit to the amount of forgiveness that should have to be offered to someone who has wrong us? Peter gave a number that to him seemed generous. After forgiving someone seven times already, there should be no obligation to forgive again, if they wrong him again. Jesus instead responded that forgiveness needed to offered exponentially more.
This standard of forgiveness is in play in our lives each and every day. What if God placed an arbitrary number on His forgiveness? Suppose God's forgiveness was no longer available to you and I after our 500th offense, even our 1,000th offense. Most of us would have exhausted God's forgiveness before we were even out of primary school. The simple disobedience of childhood and the rebellion of youth would have exhausted that forgiveness supply. God continues to forgive us time and time again, that is the example we have been called to follow even though it is difficult at times.
When we refuse to forgive, we allow unforgiveness to control us. Rarely is the person who has offended us, affected by our resentment. That area of our lives is robbed of the peace that is rightfully ours and that lack of peace reflects in our actions and words.
Today, there may be someone who needs your forgiveness. Their actions may not warrant forgiveness, but true forgiveness is not based on the actions of the other person, true forgiveness is birthed within you, it is your act of mercy and grace towards them. As difficult as this step may be, it will be very freeing for you in the long run. By taking this step, you will be releasing the hold that unforgiveness has on your life.
Until next Monday, may God's richest blessings be yours this week.
Carl
Throughout our lives we face times and circumstances in which we feel we have been wronged by someone else. Our natural responses can run the emotional spectrum from resentment to hatred, but for the follower of Jesus, the example of forgiveness has been clearly given. Even as He was being put to death, Jesus cried out for the forgiveness of those putting Him to death.
Forgiveness is never easy, particularly when we have been wounded deeply. Our desire to never be wounded by an individual again, leads to a vast array of defenses being erected in our lives. We simply do not want to give those who have offended us the opportunity to do it again.
Peter was wrestling with the need to extend forgiveness as he posed this question to Jesus:
Matthew 18:21-22 (HCSB)
Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how many times could my brother sin against me and I forgive him? As many as seven times?”
“I tell you, not as many as seven,” Jesus said to him, “but 70 times seven.”
Peter was looking for that justification to hold a grudge. His question was simple, surely there must be a limit to the amount of forgiveness that should have to be offered to someone who has wrong us? Peter gave a number that to him seemed generous. After forgiving someone seven times already, there should be no obligation to forgive again, if they wrong him again. Jesus instead responded that forgiveness needed to offered exponentially more.
This standard of forgiveness is in play in our lives each and every day. What if God placed an arbitrary number on His forgiveness? Suppose God's forgiveness was no longer available to you and I after our 500th offense, even our 1,000th offense. Most of us would have exhausted God's forgiveness before we were even out of primary school. The simple disobedience of childhood and the rebellion of youth would have exhausted that forgiveness supply. God continues to forgive us time and time again, that is the example we have been called to follow even though it is difficult at times.
When we refuse to forgive, we allow unforgiveness to control us. Rarely is the person who has offended us, affected by our resentment. That area of our lives is robbed of the peace that is rightfully ours and that lack of peace reflects in our actions and words.
Today, there may be someone who needs your forgiveness. Their actions may not warrant forgiveness, but true forgiveness is not based on the actions of the other person, true forgiveness is birthed within you, it is your act of mercy and grace towards them. As difficult as this step may be, it will be very freeing for you in the long run. By taking this step, you will be releasing the hold that unforgiveness has on your life.
Until next Monday, may God's richest blessings be yours this week.
Carl
Monday, November 16, 2009
Quick to Hear
Good morning! I hope you had a terrific weekend.
James 1:19 (NASB)
19 This you know, my beloved brethren. But let everyone be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger;
As I was growing up, I had many a teacher say to a class: “God gave you 2 ears and 1 mouth, use them in that proportion.” The point of this admonition echoed the teaching of James 1:19 to listen more than you speak.
Good communication is critical to healthy relationships. When we stop listening to one another, the quality of our relationship begins to erode as misunderstanding gains a foot hold. Sadly when this erosion begins to happen, our relationships begin to deteriorate into places hurt, animosity, resentment and deep rooted anger. So many times we only hear, but don’t allow ourselves to truly understand what we are hearing, and by doing so we have opened the doorway to anger. Often times our hearing becomes skewed as it comes through the lens of our perception of what was said, not truly reflecting what was said.
This counsel of the Scripture is practical to everyday life. This truly is a formula for not only resolving conflict, but many times avoiding conflict all together. It is imperative that we learn to truly listen to those around us. Salesmen are taught to clarify their dialogue with prospects by repeating what was said. I think this is a great principle not only for salesmen, but for all of us. When we listen, we need to listen with understanding, going the extra mile to clarify whether or not we have heard correctly what is being said. By doing this we avoid defensive and often hostile reactions that arise because of misunderstanding. By actively listening we are less likely to jump to conclusions, making erroneous assumptions about what has been spoken.
Today you will have many interactions with others. I encourage you to have fun with this. In places where you would normally dominate a conversation, make a choice to listen intently. You’ll be surprised at what you learn about those around you, and others will see you as someone who truly takes an interest in them.
Until next Monday, may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.
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