Wednesday Writing #1 by Diane Sutton...2/1/17

Good Morning,

Today's writing is by Diane Sutton and is titled, "Living the Way of Jesus." Diane writes about the annoyance that the ugliness of  people as they demonstrate against everything that is going on in today's news. She is having a hard time dealing with the ugliness that is going on. She realizes that we need to react with Godly behaviors of love and caring. Diane wrote, "Let us respond to hatefulness with godly love. Let us respond to disrespect with grace. Let us respond to lies with godly truth." 

This devotional is one of two posts that will be posted for Feb. 1 The second post will be the writing of Cathy Friberg who is a writer of our Monthly Writing Staff who has a writing about angels.

God bless

Corinne, Diane, & Cathy

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Today's Devotional
"Living the Way of Jesus"

It is tough today to “walk the walk” and “talk the talk” in the way of the Christian spiritual life. Images of people protesting are becoming the norm as a way to loudly vocalize dissatisfaction and anger against a group of people, governments and lack of rights. The world seems to be getting angrier and increasingly discontented.  

I work in one of the most liberal cities in the world where people seem to be always protesting for or against something or someone. I confess there have been many times when I feel overcome by the negative and hateful attitudes surrounding me that I want to lash out in negativity as well. It is hard to hold my tongue sometimes.

But we are reminded that we are not to let the world affect us but we are to affect the world through the love of God. I don’t know about you but that is often very hard for me to do. I hear myself saying to God, “did you hear how that person spoke to me?” or “did you see how I was treated?” Then to God, “what am I supposed to do?”

I believe the answer to how we should respond is found in Ephesians 4:2 which states we are to... 

“Be completely humble and gentle; 

be patient, bearing with one another in love.” 

Regardless of how people react or act toward us, scripture says we are to respond in humbleness, gentleness and love.

Scripture tells us that Peter asked Jesus how many times should he forgive his brother or sister who sins against him – “up to seven times?”  Jesus responded...

“not seven times, but seventy-seven times.”
(Matthew 18:21-22)

Matthew 6:14-15 says... 

“For if you forgive other people when they sin against you,
your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
But if you do not forgive others their sins,
your Father will not forgive your sins.”

We are called to continually forgive those who treat us with disrespect, hatefulness and anger with no exceptions.

Let us respond to hatefulness with godly love. Let us respond to disrespect with grace. Let us respond to lies with godly truth. Let us respond to anger with peace. Let us respond to unfairness with godly righteousness.  Let us pray for mercy and forgiveness for those who walk in the ignorance and darkness of this world, that they may see the light of salvation and receive redemption.