Love Conquers Hate ...Everytime

 

Daryl Davis was once an aspiring and successful musician. He had played with Chuck Berry, B.B. King, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Muddy Waters. However, his true claim to fame, the legacy he has forged, came in a very different way. He went out of his way to befriend KKK Grand Wizard, Roger Kelly. He spent years building trust between them and laying the foundation of what became a friendship. They broke bread at each other’s tables. 

 

They welcomed each other into their homes. Davis even went as far as attending Klan rallies as a guest of Kelly. Most importantly, Davis cultivated an atmosphere of listening. He didn’t hate Kelly because Kelly hated him. Instead, he listened to Roger Kelly. Eventually, Kelly started listening to him. This led to the two realizing they had far more in common than not.

 

In the end, Kelly denounced his ties to the KKK. So much so that he handed his hood and robe to Daryl Davis. In total, Davis has seen over 200 Klan members walk away from the KKK and hand over their robes and hoods to Daryl. Daryl Davis is a world changer. Replacing hate with love. Because love conquers hate... Every time

Need a little validation?

 

Are you ready to SMILE today? Here is a 16 minute movie that is a parable about VALIDATION. It is worth the time to watch.

Validation" is a fable about the magic of free parking. Starring TJ Thyne & Vicki Davis. Writer/Director/Composer - Kurt Kuenne.

Winner - Best Narrative Short, Cleveland Int'l Film Festival,
Winner - Jury Award, Gen Art Chicago Film Festival,
Winner - Audience Award, Hawaii Int'l Film Festival,
Winner - Best Short Comedy, Breckenridge Festival of Film,
Winner - Crystal Heart Award, Best Short Film & Audience Award, Heartland Film Festival,
Winner - Christopher & Dana Reeve Audience Award, Williamstown Film Festival,
Winner - Best Comedy, Dam Short Film Festival, Winner - Best Short Film, Sedona Int'l Film Festival.

How old is old?

 

I have discovered that seeking pastoral employment at age 67 is much more difficult than seeking employment when I was 32. But one truth remains, God is faithful. I am trusting God for my future, my calling, my provisions of life. I retired from pastoral ministry three years ago, but questions that decision often. 

 

I heard recently that a church was seeking a new pastor.  As the resumes were being reviewed and it was growing time to begin the interviews. A resume was presented of a seasoned pastor with multiple ministries that reflect a mighty work of God. This seasoned pastor had recently celebrated his 52nd birthday. A church board member said to the board, "Why should we consider this resume? Do we want a man who's tank is almost empty instead of seeking a young, vibrant man?"

 

Maybe he should read this article:

Monday Quotes: 9 Pixar Quotes to Warm Your Heart

 

From semi-anthropomorphic desk lamps to talking toys and personified emotions, Pixar Animation Studios has never shied away from creativity and the awesome power of the imagination. As Pixar’s co-founder Ed Catmull said, “You’ll never stumble upon the unexpected if you stick only to the familiar.”

 

Through 24 feature films made to date, the studio has introduced us to a huge variety of colorful and lovable characters — including Woody and Buzz, WALL-E and EVE, Mike and Sulley, and Marlin and Dory, to name just a few. These characters have also given us their fair share of catchphrases and memorable lines, none more famous than Buzz Lightyear’s “To infinity and beyond!”

 

Pixar movies cover many themes, but growth is key to all of them. Whether the protagonists are cars, bugs, monsters, or fish, they have an arc that sees them grow to become kinder, wiser, and stronger. Even the antagonists often end up as better versions of themselves by the end of the movie. This gives Pixar films the heart to go along with the laughs, and provides many inspirational moments that stick with us long after the credits roll. These nine quotes capture some of the best moments. (Warning: Spoilers ahead.)

 

When life gets you down, do you know what you've gotta do? Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming.
— Dory, "Finding Nemo"

Dory (voiced by Ellen DeGeneres) is a regal blue tang and — according to Disney — the friendliest fish in the ocean. So when life gets tough, Dory is always a good fish to turn to.

 

 

You must be imaginative, strong-hearted. You must try things that may not work, and you must not let anyone define your limits because of where you come from. Your only limit is your soul.
— Auguste Gusteau, "Ratatouille"

Auguste Gusteau was the renowned chef who inspired the movie’s hero, Remy, to take up cooking. Remy took Gusteau's motto, “Anyone can cook,” to heart, despite the slightly problematic issue of being a rat.

 

 

Sometimes you got to get through your fear to see the beauty on the other side.
— Poppa Henry, "The Good Dinosaur"

There are many good dinosaurs in Pixar’s 2015 movie, and Poppa certainly ranks among the best of them. A devoted husband and father, he takes particular care of his small and fearful son, Arlo.

 

 

There are those who say fate is something beyond our command. That destiny is not our own. But I know better. Our fate lives within us; you only have to be brave enough to see it.
— Princess Merida, "Brave"

When we first meet Merida, she’s a headstrong and free-spirited Scottish princess who wants to control her own destiny. By the end of the film, well, she’s still headstrong and free-spirited, but she has realized that her destiny really is in her own hands.

 

 

You and I are a team. Nothing is more important than our friendship.
— Mike Wazowski, "Monsters, Inc."

Mike and Sulley, the two monster protagonists in Monsters, Inc., get themselves into all kinds of trouble during the course of the movie. But they manage to pull through thanks to their unshakable friendship.

 

 

Don't fear failure. Be afraid of not having the chance. You have the chance!
— Sally Carrera, "Cars 3"

Only in a Pixar movie could such excellent advice come from the mouth of a Porsche 911 Carrera. Sally is charming, intelligent, and witty, making her the perfect girlfriend for the movie’s main character, Lightning McQueen.

 

I don't want to survive. I want to live!
— Captain B. McCrea, "Wall-E"

Like all of the humans in Wall-E, Captain B. McCrea is not quite operating at 100% for most of the movie. But when he does start to get a grasp on things, he finds his inner strength with this impassioned cry.

 

Take her to the moon for me. OK?
— Bing Bong, "Inside Out"

Pixar movies often deal with loss, whether it’s the loss of childhood innocence or the loss of a loved one. When Bing Bong fades away in the Memory Dump, his last thoughts are for Riley, the girl who first created him as her imaginary friend. Not a dry eye in the house…

 

Now, you might not feel like you can do much now, but that's just because, well, you're not a tree yet. You just have to give yourself some time. You're still a seed.
— Flik, "A Bug's Life"

When Flik tries to tell his young friend Dot — one of the few people who listens to his ideas — about patience and growth, his metaphors don’t quite get the message across. Dot doesn’t really understand what he’s on about, but nonetheless concludes, “You're weird, but I like you.”

 

 

My name is Malchus ...

My name is Malchus and I am a servant of the Jewish high priest. I was there. It was probably the most important night of my life. Along with some soldiers and others from the chief priests and Pharisees, I had gone to a garden on the Mount of Olives. We went at night to find a troublesome teacher from Galilee and arrest him.

My name is Malchus and I was there. We were prepared or so we thought. We had weapons and lanterns to see where we were going, but, more importantly, one of his closest supporters had agreed to help us find the man when he was not surrounded by crowds of people. We found him alright; our guide, a disciple by the name of Judas, identified him by giving him a kiss. He seemed to be expecting us and did not try to flee.

My name is Malchus and I saw what happened next. We were there in force to arrest him, but there was a boldness about him, a presence which shook us all. At one point, he stepped forward and identified himself and we all drew back and fell to the ground as though he had physically struck us. He asked us to let his disciples who were with him depart unharmed.

My name is Malchus and I will never forget what happened that night. I had worked my way to the front of the crowd and I saw his disciples. They seemed unsure of what was going on or what to do. Maybe the fact that Judas was with us had unsettled them a bit. Suddenly one of them drew a sword (most were not armed) and swung it at my head! If I had not managed to duck, he would have perhaps beheaded me! As it was, his sword sliced off my right ear. Immediately, the side of my head was covered with blood and the pain was intense.

What happened next took me by surprise. We were there to arrest him, to take him to the authorities who surely wished to do him harm. I had made myself this man’s enemy, but he gently reached and touched my ear where I was bleeding and he healed me. As I stood there in amazement, he turned and challenged those of us who had come to arrest him. "Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs?" His disciples scattered and ran. The rest of the multitude took hold of him and bound him and in moments they were leading him away to the chief priests and scribes.

My name is Malchus and I was there. He healed me and I will never forget.

(This account is fictional. We don’t have anything written by Malchus, nor do we know what his reaction to being healed truly was. However, the details of this letter are taken from the following passages: Matthew 26:47-56; Mark 14:43-50; Luke 22:47-53 and John 18:1-12.)

  

HOMEMADE GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE - SOUTHERN STYLE

 

FOR ALL THE VISUAL LEARNERS :

Friday Funny - Keep your church fun!

Usually on Fridays I like to bring a Friday Fun post. Today I thought you would appreciate a little background on the important on laughter from the Scriptures and the importance of having fun in church!

When God led us to start New Vintage Church, we resolved to keep it fun. We wanted laughter to be commonplace. Our staff meetings are characterized by laughter–lots of it. We love to make fun of one another and be made fun of. We regularly enjoy watching/listening to comedy and tend to find what’s funny in nearly every situation. We love to make humorous videos to illustrate message concepts or make announcements. We. Love. To. Laugh. Mission? That is always to be taken seriously–and we do at NVC. In fact, we can take it so seriously we need laughter all the more. Mission is better pursued with laughter. It keeps us from taking ourselves too seriously–while we take God’s mission seriously. Without fail, whenever I’ve traveled as a speaker/consultant outside of my church home, I’ve noticed a correlation between laughter and church health. Churches that don’t laugh much (or where laughter is discouraged) tend to have more conflict and more fragile community than those comfortable with laughter.

 Here are four reasons to keep church fun: 

 1. Having fun together builds community. Praying together, serving together, mourning together, worshiping together–all of these help bond Christians to one another. So does laughter. Having fun together connects people in a way nothing else can.

 2. It enhances your church’s “friendliness.” People like flying Southwest because they are obviously having fun as they go about their job. Here’s a question: Do people who visit your church leave sensing your people like each other? They will grant you love each other for a while because they assume Christians love one another. Like? That’s another matter. Who wants to join a community that doesn’t like each other? 

 3. Providing opportunities for laughter is a form of pastoral care. Have you ever heard someone say, after laughing, “Oh…I needed that”? Life is extremely heavy these days. We need to remember that, “A cheerful heart is good medicine; a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” (Prov. 17:22) In its own way, laughter feeds cheerfulness of heart. If joy (a prominent theme in Scripture) is a Fruit of the Spirit, perhaps laughter can be thought of as a fruit of joy.

 4. Laughter as witness. Wouldn’t it be something if we could say: “Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.” The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.” (Psalms 126:2-3) 

 I know the humor police may be nearby, exclaiming, “What about lament?” “Worship isn’t about entertainment,” and other things. So let’s add our caveats here. Obviously, lament has its place, and of course, worship isn’t about ‘entertainment’ (whatever one means by that). However, having been to hundreds of churches, I’ve never seen one where laughter had an inappropriate place. I’ve been to many in which it had virtually none. Laughter is a good thing. It’s a godly thing. It will bless your church. 

 By: Dr. Tim Spivey

 Dr. Tim Spivey is Lead Planter of New Vintage Church in San Diego, California--a fast-growing plant launched in 2011. Tim is also the purveyor of New Vintage Leadership - a blog offering cutting edge insights on leadership and theology and the author of numerous articles and one book: Jesus, the Powerful Servant.

Don’t Compartmentalize Your Christianity

The next time you’re standing in your kitchen, bedroom, or at your desk, I want you to look at drawers. Yes, drawers. The place where you store cutlery, clothes, or staplers and pens.

 

Sadly, many people who call themselves Christians live functionally compartmentalized lives. Whether they realize it or not, they have divided their lives neatly into two drawers: real life and spiritual life.

 

The real-life drawer is the one they dig into frequently and are most comfortable with. It contains all the stuff of everyday life, like their job, physical health, friends and family, leisure, money, possessions, and daily routine.

 

This drawer dominates their thinking and their doing. It’s where they expend most of their emotional and physical energy, and where most dreams will be realized or dashed. The contents of this drawer are the location of their highs and lows, their joys and sorrows.

 

Then they have a second drawer—the spiritual life drawer. All the “God” stuff goes here. It’s the drawer for Sunday worship, small group, tithes and offerings, short-term missions trips, and the evangelistic conversations with neighbors or extended family members.

 

Yes, they believe in Jesus, his forgiveness, and the eternity to come, but these beliefs don’t have a radical impact on the way they think about themselves and life in general. Their faith is an aspect of their life, but not something that shapes everything in their life

 

I think I am describing many Christians. Could I potentially be representing you?

 

I wish Paul Tripp could claim innocence from this two-drawer verdict, but I can’t.

 

Ask yourself: on any given day, what most influences the way that I think about myself and my life? What is the driving factor for the majority of what I think, say, and do?

 

The biblical narrative and worldview only has one drawer—it’s called the gospel in everyday life. Everything goes in that drawer! Scripture asserts that you were bought with a price (the life and death of Jesus), so you don’t belong to you anymore. (Actually, because of creation, you never did belong to you!)

 

God has a radical, single-drawer purpose for your life. The best word for that purpose is ambassador (see 2 Corinthians 5:20). The only thing an ambassador does is represent the ruler who sent them—every day, all the time, in everything you do.

 

Presence of Jesus

Therefore, your purpose in life is to make the invisible presence of Jesus visible in the lives of others. You are the look on Christ’s face. You are the tone of his voice. You are the touch of his hands. You are the physical representation of his grace.

 

This is your mission in every situation, location, and relationship of your life—to make the grace of the invisible King visible.

 

When, by God’s grace, you live an as ambassador, compartmentalized Christianity and two-drawer living become impossible!

 

Ask God for that grace once more today, and again and again every day for the rest of your life!

 

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

1. In what ways have you compartmentalized your Christian faith? What are some of the “items” that are exclusive to the real-life drawer and spiritual life drawer?

 

2. Yesterday, what most influenced the way that you thought about yourself and your life?

 

3. Today, what will be the driving factor for the majority of what you think, say, and do?

 

4. This week, where is God calling you to be an ambassador in a particularly difficult or intimidating situation or relationship?

 

5. How can you practically make the invisible presence of Jesus visible that area? Be specific in how you prepare regarding the way you interact and speak.

 

 Source:  

By    Paul David Tripp

 - 

February 16, 2022

This article originally appeared here. 

Fortune favors the brave

 

In ancient Roman religion, Fortuna was the goddess of fortune and the personification of luck. Her name was used in various proverbs including, fortis Fortuna adiuvat  —Fortune favors the brave. 

 

The phrase was used in Terence’s 151 BC comedy play Phomio, line 203. Ovid further parodies the phrase at I.608 of his didactic work, Are Amatoria, writing “audentem Forsque Venusque iuvat” or “Venus, like Fortune, favors the bold.”

 

Elon Musk (who was Time magazine’s 2021 Person of the Year) is the personification of this proverb. He has impacted the world and made a fortune through courageous and brave acts. Here’s part of his story.

 

When Musk was 28 years old he sold his first company (Zip2) for $22 million. Instead of coasting on his success, he invested his money in two incredibly risky startups in industries with high costs, long development timelines, and massive barriers to entry: the automobile and space industries.

 

His car company, Tesla, is now worth over a trillion dollars and produces two thirds of all electric cars. His company SpaceX is the global leader in building and flying rockets and crews. It was recently chosen by NASA to build the ship that will put astronauts back on the moon. Musk predicts that his company will land a person on Mars within five years. He recently became the world’s richest person with a net worth above $300 billion.

 

The term fortune should not be limited to financial prosperity. Financial reward is not what drives Musk; vision and the challenge-of-the-hunt does. Sometimes fortune describes the accomplishment of a high ideal. In the same week that Musk was announced as Time’s Person of the Year, the great Desmond Tutu died. His brave and courageous life led to the abolition of apartheid in South Africa. His fortune was freedom for his people.

 

But how might this proverb apply to us mere mortals? Elon Musk is an extreme example of this proverb. And for every Musk, Tutu, Jobs, and Gates, there are millions of people who acted bravely and ended up fortune-less. What is the fine line between bravery and stupidity? Quite frankly, if I suddenly had $22 million I would simply invest it and live off the growth.

 

In my own life, the few times that I have been brave and stepped into unfamiliar territory have ended well. Some financial risks I took have been beneficial and some risky professional moves paid off. 

 

Sometimes, it doesn’t take giant leaps of faith and risky decisions for life to proceed well. Do you remember Aesop’s fable about the tortoise and the hare? The moral lesson of the story is that you can be more successful by doing things slowly and steadily than by acting quickly and carelessly.

 

So should we all be brave? Are we lacking if we’re not? Perhaps the key is knowing yourself and living an authentic life. Some people have an abundance of the “brave gene” and others don’t.

 

Or perhaps we should reinterpret what fortune means. If you are shy and bashful and feel uncomfortable in social settings, an act of bravery might be attending a party or initiating a meal with someone. If you’re reluctant to get out of your comfort zone, an act of bravery might be pursuing a new hobby in which you feel out of control and intimidated. 

 

What do you think about this topic?

Source: 

Copyright © 2022 Don McMinn, All rights reserved.

A simple truth to live by: Amos 5:24

 

But let justice run down like water, And righteousness like a mighty stream.                               - Amos 5:24

 

Today's scripture is a difficult subject matter but one that remains vitally important even in our modern era. We are blessed to currently live in what's called the dispensation of grace.

 

Simply put the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ has given all of us a spiritual time out from God's full righteous judgment.

 

The character of God has never changed, but the difference for today is he has allowed his great love for us to take the forefront so that more people can be reconciled to him with respect and pure thanksgiving instead of fear alone.

 

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction              - Proverbs 1:7

 

The fear of the Lord is still relevant and remains intact. The heart of this matter is all about our character.

 

If we are honest some of us talk a good game at times to those around us. God sees everything and nothing is hidden from his sight. We learn from Amos how Isreal was more concerned about being religious rather than pursuing a pure relationship with God.

 

God wants no part in this act of deception. His great love for us embraces our shortcomings and brokenness so that he can transform them into strength and godly character. If we truly desire to serve him we must abandon everything and allow him to work on us from within.

 

He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?                 - Micah 6:8

 

We all get discouraged and even angry as we see so much evil and injustice going on all around us and wonder why has God allowed it to continue.

 

We must remember that he has given everyone a free will to choose who we will serve. That does not mean he has lost control but it shows patience and resolve to give us the greatest opportunity to be reconciled back to him before time as we know it will run out.

 

As always it's my hope you will examine your own heart and consider his words in the scriptures as his personal love letter written to you.

For we walk by faith, not by sight.          - 2 Corinthians 5:7

 

 

Will you choose by faith to place your trust in them and experience for yourself the greatest love ever known?

 

 

 Source: Keith McGivern

 

Developing a desire to pursue the life of a servant.

 

But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant.                                     - Matthew 23: 11

 

Greatness is sought after and celebrated in the world. Leaders, artists, musicians, and athletes to name a few have all been figures we have come to admire during our lifetime.

 

Their talents have encouraged and sometimes inspired              us to achieve greatness of our own. And yet some of the greatest people that have ever lived will never be known           to the general public.

 

These average everyday people are the real heroes. They seek not to be recognized and humbly go about their day seeking to encourage, enrich and invest in those around them without any recognition.

 

For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.                    - Romans 12:3

This is what the heart of a servant appears as described in the Bible. We all have an opportunity to be transformed as an example to those around us.

 

For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.                            - Galatians 5:13

 

Everyone's been gifted with special and unique gifts and talents that we're intended to help others. We should seek to know the author who created them and us who already knows the path we should travel.

 

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.                      - Philippians 3:12

The word of God is our "owner's manual" given to specifically guide us on this journey.

 

Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.                                                               Psalm 119:105

 

We will face many challenges and difficulties but we also have an assurance that we can overcome them by allowing his power to work in and through us. Humbly we must recognize our need for forgiveness and redemption. We are powerless to change apart from the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for our sins.

 

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” - Mark 10:45

 

 

This invitation has been made available to all who so desire to pursue a life of a servant.

 Have you by faith embraced this truth for yourself?

MONDAY QUOTES: ODE TO SPRING

 

Nothing says new beginnings and second chances quite like spring. Spring, that season of warmer weather, flowers blooming, birds returning, and longer days (at least in the Northern Hemisphere). The new season brings a revival of the body and spirit and proof that Mother Nature has this four season’s shtick on lock. Writers have long waxed poetic about the bountiful nature of spring, and how its arrival signals everything from new life (think: baby chicks and bunnies for Easter) to the dutiful purging of our personal belongings (see: spring cleaning). Shakespeare has paid homage to the season, as have Virginia Woolf, Pablo Neruda, Langston Hughes, and others.

 

Our positive associations with the season might seem obvious — more daylight, a reprieve from the long winter months, an embarrassment of holidays — but humans’ long love affair with spring actually has roots in a number of different cultures and belief systems. The English name itself is believed to have replaced the word “Lent,” an Old English way to describe the season prior to the 14th century. “Lent” is derived from “lencten,” or “lengthen”; the season’s original name referred to how days begin to lengthen with the arrival of spring.

 

In Iranian and Chinese cultures, spring marks the real beginning of the new year, according to their respective calendars, and is commemorated with a thorough home cleansing to get rid of negativity and lingering spirits. Hence, some believe, the advent of spring cleaning. (Other historians believe spring cleaning is tied to the soot left in 19th-century houses at the end of a winter of kerosene lamps and coal fireplaces.) In the Jewish tradition, spring marks the annual celebration of Passover, the occasion when persecuted Jews were liberated from slavery in Egypt. It is therefore a time of rebirth and a chance at new ways of being. In the Bible, spring symbolizes a time for growth and renewal; there is an undercurrent of awakening and revival that is tied to Easter and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

 

There’s also the philosophical take on spring as a metaphor for life on a grander scale — spring is when new life emerges from the cold of winter, when new ideas and projects begin to take root, when we’re allowed to stretch our limbs and turn our faces toward the sun. The seasons have been used to describe the stage of growing older: Summer is a time of youth and movement and languishing in sensual delights; autumn turns folks inward as a symbol of maturity and transition; and winter is of course a time for reflection and dormancy, of preparing for deep sleep. As a result, then, quotes about spring — as opposed to the other three seasons — are largely upbeat, hopeful, and bursting with the language of possibility and vivacity. Philosophers have heralded the return of spring as proof that there really is light at the end of even the darkest tunnel, and that there is much to learn from nature’s unwavering adherence to the four seasons.

 

Here, we’ve rounded up some particularly resonant quotes about spring, gathered from a wide range of cultural and generational sources — proving that our obsession with clean slates and new beginnings, while universal and deeply felt, is definitely nothing new.

Earth laughs in flowers.
– Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Hamatreya”

 

When spring came, even the false spring, there were no problems except where to be happiest. The only thing that could spoil a day was people, and if you keep from making engagements, each day had no limits. People were always the limiters of happiness except for the very few that were as good as spring itself.
– Ernest Hemingway, "A Moveable Feast"

 

Nobody can keep spring out of Harlem. I stuck my head out the window this morning and spring kissed me bang in the face. Sunshine patted me all over the head.
– Langston Hughes, "The Early Simple Stories"

 

If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.         – Poet Anne Bradstreet

 

Everything is blooming most recklessly; if it were voices instead of colors, there would be an unbelievable shrieking into the heart of the night.     – Poet Rainer Maria Rilke

 

Flowers don’t worry about how they’re going to bloom. They just open up and turn toward the light and that makes them beautiful.                              – Jim Carrey

 

Here comes the sun, and I say, it’s alright.
– George Harrison, “Here Comes the Sun”

 

If people did not love one another, I really don’t see what use there would be in having any spring.
– Victor Hugo, "Les Miserables"

 

The beautiful spring came; and when Nature resumes her loveliness, the human soul is apt to revive also.
– Author Harriet Ann Jacobs, "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl"

 

You can cut all the flowers but you cannot keep spring from coming.                      – Poet Pablo Neruda

 

In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.
– Margaret Atwood, "Bluebeard’s Egg"

 

Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.
– Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu

 

Where flowers bloom so does hope.
– Former First Lady Lady Bird Johnson

What a strange thing! / to be alive / beneath cherry blossoms.
– Japanese poet Kobayashi Issa

 

I enjoy the spring more than the autumn now. One does, I think, as one gets older.   – Virginia Woolf, "Jacob’s Room"

 

Sunday Thoughts from Galatians 6: 1-2

This scripture reminded me of an old Steven Curtis Chapman song called remember your chains. The chorus of this song reflects the true heart of this scripture passage.

"Remember your chains
Remember the prison that once held you
Before the love of God broke through

Remember the place you were without grace
When you see where you are now
Remember your chains
And remember your chains are gone"

 

This song is clearly about salvation but we can also learn from the display of godly character that should remain intact even when assisting wayward believers.

 

It's so easy for us to think we have arrived spiritually at a place of completeness and maturity.

 

In reality, we sometimes subconsciously lose or trade our humility for pride because of the mighty works God has chosen to work through us. We begin to believe the lie of the enemy that it was a work of our flesh that brought about such change. God deserves the glory.

 

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.      Philippians 2:3

 

We all struggle with sin and need assistance and support from our local community of faith. Paul the apostle challenged the body of believers to react in a manner of respect and humility that's consistent with the gospel that Jesus personally taught them.

 

And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”                      Luke 18:13-14

 

Everyone is capable of falling into various temptations that can cause damage to ourselves and those around us. Our responses to help others regain their spiritual composure must be carried out in love and humility and not judgment.

 

It's possible to be firm and scripturally sound but still, carry out this commandment with gentleness and compassion because the next time we might be the one on the receiving end of this process.

 

My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.                  I John 3:18