God taught me a powerful lesson earlier this year. One of my goals this year was to not talk about politics. I really get into it and needed a break from it. I am talking about a yearly break. You could call it a sabbatical from politics so to speak. Although I have fallen a few times on this issue, I have done a pretty good job at keeping myself political free.
Well I was sitting out in the car at Walmart waiting on Sandy to grab a few things when I saw a friend of mine. I waved him over to me. I got out and we started talking. I think as we got deep into our conversation, I was about to ask him what does he think about the direction of our country politically but before I got the chance a guy comes up to us and asks us for help.
So my friend because he had a little cash on him was able to help him. I never carry cash on me so maybe that is telling me something. But here is what is awesome, we also were able to minister to him together. He was going through a tough time in life and he just needed someone to listen to him.
This also gave us a chance to invite him to our church and he said he would come. Do I know if he did or not? I have no idea but that is between him and God. I hope he did because God can help change his life and as we talked, he realized that.
I am thankful that my friend and I were ready to be used by God when the time came. See not everyone is ready or willing because they feel like they have their own problems but that isn’t what we are called from God to do. We are supposed to be there for each other.
So what this taught me is not only to be ready because at any moment God can and will use you if you allow him to. But it also taught me to keep the main thing the main thing because in reality it is all about Christ. If we lose that focus then it doesn’t matter what we are doing. Only Christ matters.
So what if our political system is all messed up on both sides when we have a loving God who wants only the best for us no matter where we stand on the political scale. So what if our world isn’t perfect because we have a God who is perfect. So what if our lives aren’t perfect because we have a God who sent his perfect son for our sins.
So the next time you look at life and want to complain remember that we have a God who wants your full heart and that there are always others who are worse off than you are.
Keep your life focused on Christ and nothing else will matter because this is the kind of love that transcends what people think. Show the love of Christ and watch God work in and through you. I don’t believe that God put us here to be selfish but to be generous with what we have whether that is with money or our time. We need each other and we can minister to each other through Christ.
When we treat God’s children with the utmost respect then God will treat us with the same respect. But if we look down on people because of their situation then don’t expect God to come to your rescue unless you are ready to change your attitude. I am sure many people will disagree with that statement because they say God is all love but that is exactly why I made that statement because God is love and he loves ALL his children not just the ones who think they are better than others. Sorry to ruffle your feathers but it is true. God loves all his children despite the situation that they may have caused on themselves.
I could be wrong even though I know I am not and one day when I am in Heaven, God will let me know but I just don’t believe God is happy when you look down on others especially the ones in need. God is ready for you when you are ready for him. God is not going to make you come to him. He may nudge you some but it is always your free will.
Ask God to change your attitude about life and people in general. Ask him for guidance on whether your attitude needs a little adjusting. Ask God to give you the wisdom to know when you are wrong and also to say I am sorry when it happens. Ask God to use you in whatever way he wants so that you can experience the fullness of God.
Be Inspired or Be Left Behind!
Chris Benton