This whole weekend, the only thing that I wanted was a friend. I had too much to do, too much drama to handle, and too few people I felt I could count on. I would have given almost anything for a friendly note, an encouraging hug, a kind smile. I started much of the weekend by having a pity party for myself. "Why does life have to be so hard?" I whined to myself. What have I done to deserve this?? I was really in a very grumpy and un-charitable mood for the end of the week.
But then I realized that complaining about life will never make me happy, nor will it make anything any better. God has called us to love others, no matter how they treat us. His word says to "do unto others as you would have them do unto you." And what I really wanted was a friendly note. So I sat down and wrote a friendly note to everyone in my program....all 96 of them. It took me several days, writing several hours every day. It wore me out; I wanted to stop wayyyy before I got to 96. But I really felt like I needed to do this, so I did.
The response that I got was overwhelming. By the time I got back from putting them on everyone's doors, I had 2 hand-written thank-you notes on my own door. Since then I've gotten another one, plus a grand total of approximately 25 email messages, all saying basically the same thing - that I was stressed and tired and worn out, and this note was just the pick-me-up I needed. It's been so amazingly encouraging. I'm near tears....but this time in a good way :).
So often we want others to give us the benefit of the doubt, but we judge them by their actions. We know that stresses in our lives will affect how we treat others; but we forget that it will do the same with others. Be merciful to people around you. When you want to do anything in the world but love them, do exactly what you want done to you....and love them anyway.
9 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
But then I realized that complaining about life will never make me happy, nor will it make anything any better. God has called us to love others, no matter how they treat us. His word says to "do unto others as you would have them do unto you." And what I really wanted was a friendly note. So I sat down and wrote a friendly note to everyone in my program....all 96 of them. It took me several days, writing several hours every day. It wore me out; I wanted to stop wayyyy before I got to 96. But I really felt like I needed to do this, so I did.
The response that I got was overwhelming. By the time I got back from putting them on everyone's doors, I had 2 hand-written thank-you notes on my own door. Since then I've gotten another one, plus a grand total of approximately 25 email messages, all saying basically the same thing - that I was stressed and tired and worn out, and this note was just the pick-me-up I needed. It's been so amazingly encouraging. I'm near tears....but this time in a good way :).
So often we want others to give us the benefit of the doubt, but we judge them by their actions. We know that stresses in our lives will affect how we treat others; but we forget that it will do the same with others. Be merciful to people around you. When you want to do anything in the world but love them, do exactly what you want done to you....and love them anyway.
Matthew 7:7-12
7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 9 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
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