Flunking the Sermon
Today’s sermon at our daughter’s church was great and made the church’s mission to “Love the ‘Ville” very practical. The pastoral care pastor told of Jabez in 1 Chronicles who prayed for his sphere of influence to spread and that he would be a blessing to others. She provided three ways to help reach those within our circle of life. Whether at work, play, shopping, or other random places, we can make a great difference in other people’s lives, blessing them sometimes for eternity.
I knew I was in trouble at the first point.
Be Present. W e can make others feel at ease by showing accepting body language, focusing on listening, and assuming the best of others. I squeaked by on this point. I am a pretty good listener unless I am thinking about something else. C to C-.
Be Proactive I understood the Bible verses she used. 1 John 3:16-20 NIV This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.
The truth is, I’m better with words. I always said I have the gift of encouragement. I’m too lazy for much action. C- to D.
Be Responsive. Here’s where I fell completely off the cliff. F to F- for sure!
Welcome Interruptions. I will say I do love drop in company and planned company, so I gave myself a big, fat A. I’ll even offer you a glass of iced tea and some cookies! A+++!
Know What’s Available. I’m pretty good at finding resources to meet people’s needs. B- to C.
Show Empathy. That one killed me! As she spoke, I wrote my typical responses to the woes of the world.
- Suck it up, Buttercup!
- It’s too hot to be such a Snowflake!
- If it’s not broken or bleeding, stop your whining.
- I’ve had worse than that on my eyeball! Get over your own sweet self!
Bless my heart! Total fail there! F- Sigh.
I’ve got a LOT of work to do to follow God’s Truth in Colossians 3:12. NLT
Since God chose you to be the holy people He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body, you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom He gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
Blessings,
KB
