How do we walk in love?

The other day I was talking to a Marine who’d recently returned to faith after many years of living without. He was concerned that he’d made so many mistakes in his life, and would keep on making them. I told him to stop beating up on himself. Christianity is all about forgiveness, and faith that our transgressions are forgiven.

Rev Lock Mackay himself has remarked that forgiving yourself is the first step toward clearing up mental ills and discomfiture.

We live in a world that is far more complex than that of Biblical times. Then, people pretty much concerned themselves with tending their crops and animals, cooking their food, and raising their children. Some people could go years without seeing anyone outside their own families. They could reasonably be assured that their work and relationships with other people were honest and loving, if they made the effort to do so.

Today it is impossible to keep track of the people you affect. Through our blogs, Rev. Trudy and I communicate with thousands of people every day. We can’t know how our words sit with them. Some take courage and inspiration; others might disagree. Even if you don’t have a blog, the simple act of going to town and walking in a store puts you in a situation beyond your own control. You are seldom seen as you see yourself.

There is nothing you can do about this without the Lord’s help.

I am of the opinion that faith is like a muscle. It must be exercised, if only in a small way, to keep it in shape and functioning properly. So, as often as I remember, my first thought when I wake up is to tell the Lord I’d like to walk with Him through my day. This is something you can track and see some proof. Each day you remember to invite the Lord to be with you, make a little dot on a calendar somewhere. After a week or two, you can look back and see which days went better than others.

Walking in love is not so much about what you do, but about what you allow the Lord to do for you.

-- commentary from TW Schuett

Comments

[Michael Owen]

I recently got the following Godly email.

TO: U-no-who-ur@aol.com
FROM: God@earthlink.net*

Dear Friend:

For reasons that are mysterious to me I feel compelled to violate an important rule of our relationship. I am offering advice that you have not asked for.

You and I both know that you have not sought my opinion about anything important in a very long time. In fact, we have really lost touch with each other over the past few years. We just sort of “check in” with each other every week or so. But these “check ins” have become so ritualized that they no longer have much meaning for me. I suspect they have lost meaning for you, too.

I feel like I have been trying for ages to send you subtle, indirect messages. These signals have been trying to let you know that I feel like we should start paying more attention to each other. Some of these signals have been very dramatic and temporarily gotten your attention. Yet, I continue to feel like I have not captured your attention long enough to make a significant impact.

Therefore, I am taking a more direct approach. I am emailing this candid appraisal of how I think things are going. Even though you have not asked, I am offering advice that I believe will be helpful. Of course, I accept the fact that you may continue to ignore me as usual.

Here goes.

1) Your priorities have gotten completely out of whack. I think it is time for you to reconsider what is important in your life. Here is a clue.

Relationships are everything.

Sales training programs have made this into a cliché. Still it remains true. No amount of success, achievement, money, prestige, or recognition can match the value of positive, supportive relationships between people. Nothing is more important. I know that you are aware of this. You just don’t act like it.

2) Stop trying so hard. You appear to be running as fast as you can to get someplace you don’t want to go. Slow down and remember the clue above.

3) You are not getting wiser with age. I think you had a better sense of what you were doing about 25 years ago. Reconnect with the energy that is around you and remember what you used to know about living life in the moment. If you need help with this, consult with your children. They have not had as much time to forget what they know.

I hope this is helpful. As you know I am always available if you want to discuss any of this.

My business consultants tell me that emails are supposed to be shorter than this. Sorry. Maybe I will send you another email soon. Thanks for your attention.

Love,

Your Constant Companion

*I think my wife may really have sent this email. I’ll check into it.