"Those kids did not share with me!"
I squinted at my eldest son in the rear view mirror.
We had enjoyed celebrating a friends birthday at the park that Saturday, and now he was giving me the report of his playtime as we drove home for the day.
"So how can you help the other kids know what to do?" I asked.
"I will teach them to share with authority...and sternness! And then they will HAVE to share their toys with me."
BOOM. How often do I lean on "authority and sternness" to make my point or teach the lesson? I was immediately convicted.What is it exactly that wins people to appreciate the truth? Is it a loud voice? Is it just repeating your views over and over?
Sunday morning came and I flipped over to Philippians 4 in his "Easy to Read" version of the Bible and my question was answered.
Philippians 4:5 Let everyone see that you are gentle and kind. The Lord is coming soon.
It's so simple. Gentleness and kindness. Those are the tell tale signs of someone that is listening to the Holy Spirit and guided by his instruction.
What makes me so quick to justify my impatience and hot words in the name of righteousness? What does the voice of THE Father sound like when I am off on a tangent He never intended for me?
Gentle and kind.
That same father made sure we heard this on our drive home that day. Take a listen to "The String that Ties Us" by Beautiful Eulogy.
We are and can do NOTHING without love.
God, please forgive me for speaking without love. Give me patience, gentleness, and kindness. Give me faith to believe that you are at work behind the scenes, and that it's not up to me to make the right things happen when I think they should. Thank you for your unconditional love. Amen.
I squinted at my eldest son in the rear view mirror.
We had enjoyed celebrating a friends birthday at the park that Saturday, and now he was giving me the report of his playtime as we drove home for the day.
"So how can you help the other kids know what to do?" I asked.
"I will teach them to share with authority...and sternness! And then they will HAVE to share their toys with me."
***************************************************
Sunday morning came and I flipped over to Philippians 4 in his "Easy to Read" version of the Bible and my question was answered.
Philippians 4:5 Let everyone see that you are gentle and kind. The Lord is coming soon.
It's so simple. Gentleness and kindness. Those are the tell tale signs of someone that is listening to the Holy Spirit and guided by his instruction.
What makes me so quick to justify my impatience and hot words in the name of righteousness? What does the voice of THE Father sound like when I am off on a tangent He never intended for me?
Gentle and kind.
That same father made sure we heard this on our drive home that day. Take a listen to "The String that Ties Us" by Beautiful Eulogy.
We are and can do NOTHING without love.
God, please forgive me for speaking without love. Give me patience, gentleness, and kindness. Give me faith to believe that you are at work behind the scenes, and that it's not up to me to make the right things happen when I think they should. Thank you for your unconditional love. Amen.
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