The Golden Rule...?

"Do to others as you would have them do to you." Luke 6:31 NIV Ah, The Golden Rule... This raises several questions in my mind--do we really treat people the way we ourselves would like to be treated? Are we fair? Non-judgmental? Consistent in our dealings with others? Do we forgive? Do we slander & gossip? Do we befriend the friendless? Feed the hungry? Clothe the naked? Care for widows & orphans? Are we the type of people others can come to in a time of need? And lastly, do we follow the example of Jesus? I find that in my own life, it is easy to like the likable people and especially those who are similar to us. Birds of a feather, you know. It is easy to befriend those who are the outgoing, life of the party types. It is convenient to have friends who have resources--money and material possessions that we can utilize and benefit from ourselves because they are made available to us by our friends. It is nice to have friends who are known & in high-profile positions. After all, it's not what you know but who you know that is important. Really? Is that what being a Christian is all about? I don't think so. Jesus Himself said He was the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy, "The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor" Luke 4:18-19 NIV As Christians, are we not to imitate Jesus? Did Jesus not minister to the needs of the poor, heal the sick, preach to all who would listen to His message? Didn't Jesus befriend the lowly, the outcasts, the prostitutes, and thieves? Wasn't it Jesus who said it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter Heaven? Now, am I saying that we can't have money, that we can't have possessions, that to be a Christian means we have to take a vow of poverty? No, not at all. My interpretation is simply that we should treat all people the same, regardless of their social class, etc. I don't think GOD is opposed to us having things. I think He is opposed to those things having us because even seemingly good things can become an idol in our lives and interfere with our relationship with GOD. I don't think we should be friends with someone simply for what we can gain from the relationship--that makes us shallow. I also do not subscribe to the name it and claim it/prosperity teachings. I do believe GOD wants us to prosper, but I think He knows what we can handle and what will trip us up. Didn't Jesus tell us that if we are first faithful in the small things, then we'll be faithful in the larger things? (my paraphrase here) If He cannot trust us with little, He will never bless us with much. Did I take a major rabbit trail here, or what? Getting back on topic, my conclusion is that we should treat ALL people the way we ourselves would like to be treated. We cannot be the hands & feet of Jesus if we are selective in who we share Him with. We need to be inclusive rather than exclusive. We cannot show favoritism to those who have more and bypass those who have less. After all, we are all sinners on an earthly journey and heavenward bound--and we are all commissioned to bring as many with us as possible. That includes the poor, the blind, the maimed, etc. Something to think about... Blessings! Tony

The Snapshots in my Mind...

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11 NKJV I haven't written in my blog for some time, so I decided it was time to do it again. I've had a challenging life--one where everything that could go wrong seems to have done just that. Much has plagued me lately--thoughts of all the bad choices I made along the way, thoughts of all the pain & loss in my life, things I wish I could go back & do differently--but I know that isn't possible. So, I have to accept what is in the past & live each day expecting GOD to do something great for, with or through me. Thankfully, I know that this is just a time of testing & if I remain faithful, GOD will honor my faithfulness and reward me accordingly. Still, it is as if I go through a mental photo album of my life. I have memories of my youth, which was mostly happy until I reached my teen years & began doing some seriously stupid things and making a multitude of bad choices. I have memories of my parents & grandparents, aunts & uncles, siblings, cousins, nephews & nieces, and especially of my own children as they grew up. Then of course, there's the various jobs I've held and the different homes I've lived in along the way. There are memories & regrets of a miserable failure of a marriage & memories of a wonderfully loving wife that I lost prematurely to death. There are memories of trips I've taken, places & things I've seen, people I've met along the way, experiences--both good & bad. Do I have hopes & dreams still? Yes, without a doubt! I don't profess to see into the future in any way, so that leaves me wondering at times as to what the future holds in store. I am very much a planner by nature & that trait challenges my faith at times. While I trust GOD and know that He will take care of me, that He will open and/or close doors along the way, that He will not allow anything to touch my life that is not first filtered through His hands--it is still a struggle to recite The Serenity Prayer and accept the things I cannot change and find the courage to change the things I can. Yes, along the path of my life I have attended many an AA meeting because of my past alcohol problems. Growing up, my dad always told me that hard-headed people learn things the hard-headed way. I sure worked hard to prove that because the only way I seemed to learn was by messing up & falling flat on my face. Sadly, I knew at an early age that GOD had a plan, a purpose and a calling on my life--but I refused to surrender to His way. Had I only done things His way from the start, my life would have turned out so much differently. However (and thankfully!), GOD allows detours and U-turns on the road of life and somehow, He has used even my worst failures to bring glory to Him, to shape & mold me and as a means to minister to others. He is just good like that! So, I choose to look forward instead of backward, I choose to praise rather than complain, and I choose to be used by GOD in any & all possible ways. How about you? Blessings! Tony