Today, we are attending lunch at Washington school. There is a little boy that God has laid upon our hearts, and we will be surprising him for his Thanksgiving meal.
I am thankful that God has given me the ability to love, to love deeply. The problem I encounter though is that sometimes I become self-righteous in my loving. I begin to measure other people against my measuring standards on how they are living, how they are loving or not. He is so helping me with this. To use Christ' measuring stick - not my own. For when I utilize mine - I shut out people. I tend to focus more on what they do, say, act - rather than that they are His child too.
And more often than not - a lost child - no matter their age.
It has always been a struggle being around bullies when little children are present. There are some that enjoy being mean towards them until they cry or even physically shake from fear. Some of them stand on the sidelines and laugh at the reactions. And some just stand and pray.
That would be me. I am coming to a place where I know I am to speak up, stand up for these little ones. Just haven't figured out what words He wants me to use that are healing rather than cause defensiveness. I know that anger and self-righteousness on my part needs to be gone from my heart. Only love for them needs to be present.
That is where I struggle. "Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly in all situations." Towards all people. He is bigger than any bully. He is in control. And I have asked, am asking, that He will use me in whatever way possible for His glory.
He is also showing me that I am just as much as sinner as they are. That when I don't love as Christ does, I am nothing. I get in the way.
His measuring stick is the only one that works in all situations - all situations:
"Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
Love doesn’t strut,
Doesn’t have a swelled head,
Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always “me first,”
Doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.
Love never dies." (5-8)
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