Climb into my skin

 

"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view ...until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it."

When Atticus Finch spoke these words in Harper Lee's classic novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, they resonated with many of us. How often have others spoken about us as if we didn't exist, or their unkind words have left us feeling wounded? 

When someone wants to truly understand our pain, or our unique circumstances, they are simply saying: "I am willing to climb into skin and live your life for one day! Then I will truly understand what you are going through!"

This is truly a gift - to have someone who is willing to do this, is a great blessing.

On the other hand, for us NOT to be willing to do this for others is very tragic. We imply that their lives don't matter and that we have not got the time of day for them.

Thankfully Jesus showed us a different road to walk.

"If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing right. " - James 2:8

Thought: Have you walked around in anyone's skin lately?

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Loving a Cow

“Some people want to see God with their eyes as they see a cow, and to love Him as they love a cow - for the milk and cheese and profit it brings them. This is how it is with people who love God for the sake of outward wealth or inward comfort. They do not rightly love God, when they love Him for their own advantage." - Meister Eckhart

These words of Meister Eckhart really hit home as they challenge us to reflect on the real reasons why we love God. Do we just love God because we expect something in return or out of fear? If this is the starting point of our worship and love, then we will surely be disappointed. 

The same applies with our children - if they loved us only because of what we could give them or buy for them, we would eventually feel used and unloved. 

Question: Is it possible to love someone (or God) just because of who they are? If yes, then what stops us from loving in this way?

1 John 4:7 - Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Loving the unloved

"When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved, he enabled her to conceive..." - Genesis 29:31

"The text says that when the Lord saw that Leah was not loved, he loved her. God was saying, 'I am the real bridegroom. I am the husband of the husbandless. I am the father of the fatherless.' This is the God who saves by grace. The Gods of moralistic religions favour the successful and the overachievers. They are the ones who climb the moral ladder up to heaven. But the God of the Bible is the one who comes down into this world to accomplish a salvation and give us a grace we could never attain ourselves." - Tim Keller

What do you think and feel about this quote? It may lead us to ask a whole lot of other questions, but on a simple level I am drawn to the idea that God loves those who feel unloved. This is the underlying message of the gospel too - that Jesus came to seek and save the lost. Those who are written off by the rest of society are loved by Jesus.

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Sound advice for living in today's world

As a young Jesuit priest, John O'Malley was given this insightful, down to earth advice, about living in a Christian community. I think this advice is great for everyone to hear today - if we can put this into practise, then that will be even better!

First, you are NOT God.
Second, this is NOT heaven.
Third, DON'T be an ass!

Can you imagine how much heartache we may be able to save ourselves if we understand these 3 things. This is my version of the 3 points:

We depend on the Grace of our loving Saviour, 
as we look towards Heaven, while daily serving in this world.
The more we love our neighbour, the less our actions make us look selfish and foolish.

"...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." - Hebrews 12:2


Living in Grace
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God is ...

When David was going through a tough time he reminded himself, as well as the people of Israel, what God was really like. He used some delightful word pictures in Psalm 144 to describe Yahweh.

"He is my loving ally
and my fortress,
my tower of safety,
my deliverer.
He stands before me as a shield,
and I will take refuge in him." - Psalm 144:2

Pcik one of this images of God and dwell on this today.
May God bless you and keep you.

Living in Grace
D3LM3

People make noises, but don't follow through with action

"Many will say they are loyal friends,    but who can find one who is truly reliable?" - Proverbs 20:6

Jesus experienced this first hand. There were many who proclaimed they were his friends, but one by one, the abandoned him, betrayed him and deserted him. It is easy to say you are a loyal and trustworthy person, but the proof is really in the follow through!

In another translation the word loyal is actually rendered 'loving':
"Many claim to have unfailing love,    but a faithful person who can find?" (NIV)

Either way, there are a number people who claim to be loyal and loving, but in the end they aren't reliable.

Prayer: Thank you Jesus that you are loyal and loving to us, despite the fact that we are often very unreliable. May we learn to respond to love with greater loyalty. Amen.

Living in Grace
D3LM3