Love is always the way

Bullying is something that has gone on for ages, but it just seems like it’s more prevalent nowadays.

That may or may not be true, but I do know that social media has certainly made it more visible to the general public. Social media itself can sometimes be a cesspool where bullying is at the most extreme.

It breaks my heart to see some of these videos that are floating around out there of kids, or even adults, being bullied and harassed.

My first thought is always “How could somebody do this to someone?” And not only how can they do it, but how can they do it AND record it while it’s happening?

Here recently, though, I’ve been having a follow-up thought as well:

“Surely I didn’t participate in this kind of behavior when I was growing up……right?”

The fact is that I don’t specifically remember a time where I bullied someone mercilessly and intentionally, but I’m also sure there were times where I was bullying someone, maybe without even knowing what I was doing. Maybe sometimes when I even did know what I was doing.

Lately, when I hear of these instances or see these videos, I just can’t help but try to think about what that must feel like….To wake up and just dread going somewhere or being around a specific group of people because you’re either afraid of what they might do or say to you or that you’re unable to do anything about it. To feel like you’re all alone.

Like I said before, it’s just heartbreaking.

Admittedly, bullying has never really been something I’ve had to deal with or work through. It happened from time to time growing up through school, but for me they were isolated incidents and I usually dealt with them there in the moment. As old as this may make me seem, it was a different time.

I’m not naive enough to think that’s how it is for everyone. Bullying exists and it’s a problem. And it’s not just a problem that kids deal with either. There are adults around us all, maybe even some of you who are reading this, that have to deal with a form of bullying every day.

It’s one thing to recognize what bullying is and that it’s an issue. But what can we do about it?

I’d like to address three groups of people in order to try and answer that question.

If you are the one being a bully or are a part of a group being a bully……why? That’s probably the first thing you need to ask yourself. Why am I doing this? What purpose does it serve? Is it really worth making another human being feel this way?

Particularly if you claim to be a follower of Jesus and you are bullying someone, which does happen……why? In 1 John 2:9 it says: “Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness.”

Jesus was all about love and kindness. If you profess to be a follower of him, it would stand to reason that you should strive to be the same way.

Secondly, if you witness somebody being bullied, lend a helping hand. That doesn’t necessarily mean go flying in there and physically fight off the bully, but it does mean that you can do what you can to stop them.

More importantly, it means making sure that the victim knows that they aren’t alone. That there are people out there who do care about them and who do value them. Sometimes standing up to a bully on behalf of someone else or befriending someone who is “uncool” isn’t the popular thing to do, but it’s always the right thing to do.

Jesus wasn’t about popularity. He did what was right. He healed the sick, ministered to the lost and hung around tax collectors, included women (which was abnormal at the time), gave his time to the poor and unclean. The least we can do is to be a friend, which is easy. And it could end up being one of the most rewarding things you ever do.

Finally, I want to speak to those who are being bullied. The simplest comfort I can give is that no matter how much it may seem like it, you are not alone.

There are people who care. There are people who you can reach out to. But most importantly, there is a Heavenly Father who knows you, loves you and created you.

There’s a passage in the New Testament that we call “The Great Commission” where Jesus said his final words before ascending into heaven after his resurrection.

It can be found in Matthew 28:18-20:

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Those final words are just so encouraging to me. “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Jesus is always with you and will not leave you.

Bottom line…..respect those around you and treat them according to that respect. It’s easy to be a follower and give in to peer pressure and be a bully. Sometimes it’s hard to be a leader and stand up for and stand with somebody else.

Do the hard thing.

Quick hits: Enter into the peace of God

Just some food for thought heading into this weekend….maybe you’ve got some stressful issues going on in your life right now and you need some encouragement.

Take a look at this passage written by Paul from Philippians 4:4-9:

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”

Jesus is counter-cultural….and we should be too

Our world today teaches us to be spiteful, negative and many times just downright hateful. That’s why being a follower of Christ is so counter-cultural.

Jesus teaches us to be loving and accepting of all people. That can oftentimes be the hardest thing to do, particularly when those people are not being kind to us in return.

I’ve been going through the gospel of Luke lately, and it’s always interesting to me how different passages that you’ve read before seem to connect with you in ways they previously never had when you read them again.

One passage of particular interest to me of late has been Luke 6:27-38 where Jesus is speaking to a large crowd who had come to hear him speak and to be healed. During that teaching, Jesus spelled out to us how to love our enemies and how that makes us more like God.

“But I say to you who listen: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If anyone hits you on the cheek, offer the other also. And if anyone takes away your coat, don’t hold back your shirt either. Give to everyone who asks from you, and from one who takes away your things, don’t ask for them back. Just as you want others to do for you, do the same for them. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. If you do what is good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do what is good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is gracious to the ungrateful and evil. Be merciful, just as your Father is also merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you; a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over—will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.”

Pretty much everything about what Jesus said in this passage goes against what our everyday norm in today’s world has turned into.

How often do you see cordial conversation, much less compassion, being shown between two people who disagree with each other politically? Have you read a comment section of pretty much any news article on Facebook lately? It’s a horrifying place to be. Imagine how difficult it would be to show love toward someone who is bullying you or mistreating you on a daily basis?

Yet, that is one of the many things that makes Jesus so incredible. Following him and putting his ways into practice is rarely the easy thing to do. But it’s always the right thing to do.

It’s not difficult to love the people who love you. As Jesus said, anybody can do that. But it is difficult to show love and compassion for people who treat you poorly.

At the end of the day, if you have accepted Jesus as your savior and walk with the Holy Spirit, we all have the ability to learn from what Jesus has taught us in this passage and watch how it will transform our lives.

Do not judge. Do not condemn. Just love. That’s what we’re taught to do, and that’s how we can change the world around us on a daily basis.

Quick hits: Don’t grumble about Monday

Here’s a quick little reminder on your Monday to help get you in the right mindset for this week!

It comes from Philippians 2:12-18, written by the apostle Paul:

“Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, ‘Children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.’ Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.”

Following Abraham’s lead

What would your response be if God asked you to do something that was way out of your comfort zone?

Sometimes God tests us and our faith that we have in him. And sometimes he does that by asking us to step out in faith and show how far we are willing to go for him and his will.

It’s hard to imagine much more of a challenging test than the one God gave Abraham in the Old Testament. God had made a covenant with Abraham that he would be the father of many nations and that he would be very fruitful.

God’s covenant with Abraham in Genesis 17:9-14 proclaimed:

Then God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come. This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you. For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner — those who are not your offspring. Whether born in your household or bought with your money, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant. Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.”

The Lord was faithful to Abraham and his wife, Sarah, and bore a son to them at a very old age named Isaac. Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was born. Isaac was to be used by God to fulfill the promise he had made with Abraham.

And then God tested Abraham in an incredible way in Genesis 22:2:

Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love — Isaac — and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.”

Imagine how difficult this must have been for Abraham. God had delivered on his promise to provide him with Isaac, his only son. And now God was instructing Abraham to offer up Isaac as a sacrifice to him.

In Genesis 22:9-18, Abraham remained faithful:

When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!”

“Here I am,” he replied.

“Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.” Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”

The angel of the lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time and said “I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.”

God asked Abraham to go way out of his comfort zone and do the most difficult thing any parent could do: Sacrifice their child’s life. Abraham was willing to do this because God had told him to do so.

If Abraham can do that, what is stopping us from stepping out of our comfort zones and doing what God is calling us to do? Most of the time what God is asking us to do is not going to be as extreme as offering up your child as a human sacrifice. So there’s really not an excuse for us not to follow him and listen to what he’s commanding us to do.

Spend time with God in prayer and ask him what he wants you to do with your life. Listen to how he speaks to you, and don’t be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone like Abraham did.

Be ready to act for others

How many times do you think we’ve all had opportunities to help other people and show the love of God but have failed to act?

So many times I find myself praying to God and asking him to help a person get through a situation they’re going through without stopping to think and pray on what I can do to help them through that situation.

Don’t get me wrong. There’s nothing in the world wrong with prayer and it’s a vital part of building your relationship with God. But sometimes I think we fail to consider that perhaps part of God’s answer to a prayer can be to use us!

Sure, it’s great to pray and rely on God to help a family struggling with financial hardship. But wouldn’t it also be good to bring that family a meal ourselves during a time of need?

Sure, it’s great to pray and ask God to comfort someone who has experienced loss. But what could you do to help those people during hard times?

God wants us to pray and communicate with him constantly, and he’s proven that he will be faithful and he will guide us when we seek his help. I also believe there are times when God wants us to be the instruments by which he performs his miracles and his help for other people.

I’m sure some of you are familiar with taking prayer requests for people at church or maybe in your small group of friends. How much of a difference could be made if we prayed to God and asked for his help but also asked for his guidance on how we could best help meet the needs of those prayer requests?

As you go out this week, be on the lookout for ways that you can minister to other people through your actions. Never hesitate to pray and ask God for help, but never fail to realize that sometimes God calls us to action to help meet other people’s needs.

Don’t be afraid; just believe

Jesus was approached by a synagogue leader named Jairus in Mark 5, who fell at Jesus’ feet and pleaded with him to come with him to heal his 12-year-old daughter, who was dying. While Jesus was speaking while on his way to the home of Jairus, people came from the house and said to Jairus “Your daughter is dead. Why bother the teacher anymore?”

When Jesus heard what they said, he told Jairus in Mark 5:36:

“Don’t be afraid; just believe.”

Jesus went into the house and took the dead girl by the hand and said “Talitha koum!” (which means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). Scripture says the girl immediately got up and began to walk around.

Just imagine how distraught and troubled Jairus must have been at what his daughter was facing. She was near death when he went to find Jesus, and he had just been told that his daughter had died once they returned.

But then Jesus said five words to him that changed everything. And those five words can be applied to our lives on a daily basis.

“Don’t be afraid; just believe.”

Jairus had every reason in the world to be fearful of losing his daughter. But he also knew that Jesus could heal her, and ultimately, that Jesus was in complete control. All Jesus asked of him was to just have faith.

There are so many different situations in our lives that we ultimately realize that we have no control over. People show up to work only to be laid off of a job they’ve been working for decades. People go into a doctor’s office for a routine checkup only to leave with a scary, life-changing diagnosis.

But as Christians, we live with a constant reassurance that we have a guide. We have a friend looking out for our best interests. The Lord wants us to trust in him and follow the path that he has set out for every one of us.

There is so much power and freedom in being able to put your faith in Jesus and watch him work in your life. It’s a peace that fills your soul that is so calming and so abundant.

If you’re reading this today and you don’t know that peace that is found in Jesus, reach out to someone today who can help you find it. Whether that’s me or a trusted friend or family member…..whoever. There’s nothing Jesus wants more than to have a relationship with you, and there’s nothing you’ll ever do that’s more fulfilling.

For my fellow believers, never forget that you’re not alone in whatever you go through in life. Jesus has always been there and will always be there. When things get hard or uncertain, don’t be afraid. Just believe.

Don’t underestimate what God can do

Too often we fail to grasp or remember the power of the God we serve and what He can do in our lives.

What we have to remember is when there are circumstances that seem like they’re too big for us to handle, that doesn’t mean that those circumstances are too big for God to handle.

Jesus was explaining to a wealthy man the pathway to having eternal life in Matthew 19. The man, who was deeply concerned about his earthly possessions and wealth, became discouraged when Jesus said “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

Jesus then talked about how it’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God. When his disciples asked who would then be able to be saved, Jesus replied in Matthew 19:26:

“With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

All things are possible. When you are having trouble finding a job and can’t seem to find anything that works, trust in the Lord. When you’ve been given a terrible diagnosis at the doctor’s office, trust in the Lord. When your life seems like it’s in shambles, trust in the Lord.

We serve a God who gave each of us life and created the entire universe and everything in it. We serve a God who cared for us so deeply that he sent his Son to die on the cross for our sins and then raised him from the dead three days later.

If God can do all of that, just imagine what he can do in your life. Whatever problems you have that you think are too big, God can handle. Whatever daily stresses or concerns you have, God can help. You just have to let him.

But it’s going to take faith from you to Him in order to make that happen. If you trust in the Lord and truly believe that He can guide you through any obstacle, no matter how daunting, then He will be with you.

Jesus healed a boy in Matthew 17 who was possessed by a demon and was suffering from seizures. The boy’s father had originally brought his son to the disciples, but they were unable to heal him.

When they came to Jesus to ask him why they couldn’t drive the demon out of the boy, Jesus replied in Matthew 17:20:

“Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

Sometimes all it takes in life is to have a little faith. If you’ve been struggling with your faith, reach out to God and ask him to help you today. Trust in Him fully and see how He moves in your life.

Don’t underestimate the power of God.