I haven’t been receiving many responses to Words for the Day over the holidays; I suppose many of my subscribers are busy enjoying the holidays with their families and aren’t reading it, (or maybe it’s just boring of late).
Last night a reader from half way around the world in Hong Kong did send me a moving one sentence summary of what I tried to convey in yesterday’s WFTD. She wrote: I pray for patience and compassion and love in Christ so I can be thankful and love those in need.
It must have been my day for letters from faraway places because I also received an e-mail from a lady in Italy who some time ago decided to exchange her successful career and material wealth for the privilege of becoming a missionary. She wrote in part: “I am so blessed here in my one room…more than in my 6 bath, 7 fireplaces home”. She went on to thank me for the “blessings” derived from WFTD.
Yikes!
When I sit down to write WFTD I often fail to consider that people from all over the world and from all walks of life will read it. Too often I’m almost flippant in my approach to writing it. I’m all alone in my study at an ungodly hour just typing away about whatever comes to mind.
As I read and reread the summary from the lady in China I thought about the many times this year that I failed to demonstrate the patience, compassion, and love of Christ when writing WFTD (and for that matter in living my life and being an example to others).
While it is true that I’ve attempted to glorify God and have tried to lead others to His peace and salvation through 12 ½ years of writing WFTD, writing my book, Miracle on Luckie Street, going to speaking engagements, and offering my personal testimony one on one, sometimes I seem to get off on a nasty tangent, (and that is putting it mildly). God does not get glorified by my actions and I fear He sometimes even gets the bad rap for my misdeeds.
I don’t know why I do it, but sometimes I just seem to get a mean streak going, or get frustrated and fed up with someone writing a nasty letter to me, Congress, President Obama and his Socialist agenda, or whatever, and I launch into a rant that is not at all representative of Jesus Christ and His message of love and compassion.
At one time or the other I think we all fail in this regard. My wife was making some uncomplimentary remarks about something the other day and I noticed one of my twin granddaughters staring intently at her and soaking in every sentence. I told my wife, “Little pictures have big ears”, and nodded to my little granddaughter. She was embarrassed and immediately stopped with her rant.
It is the same with non-Christian friends who too often witness anything but Christian behavior coming from a believer caught up in a moment of rage, or demonstrating some other fleshly weakness. Yes we are saved but still fallen and we are weak, but we must be more careful of our witness because we are what we live. Words are just so much talk; it is our walk that is our real testimony. Even a momentary lapse can defeat our noble undertaking.
The Bible instructs us to take our Christian witness all over the world. I pray that mine becomes more representative of Jesus Christ and His love for those who are in need. The answer is to always keep Christ as the center of our lives.
The lady from Hong Kong expressed the solution to our dilemma so beautifully, “I pray for patience and compassion and love in Christ so I can be thankful and love those in need”.
Christ loves those of us in need (in spite of our shortcomings). How much more so should we do likewise. He told us to forgive others their shortcomings as He has forgiven ours. We should look to Him to give us the strength, patience, compassion, and most of all the love that is His glory in order that we might live that same love and transmit it to others. Please read the verse below SLOWLY and weigh each word. It is a very meaningful passage…Listen to the Spirit…
1 Peter 4:11
If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.