The Movement
Do you wonder why so many people lose their faith along the byways of life? It is tough enough that life has so many twist, turns, and detours but what makes it worse are the people that find us at the end of a destination and tell you that you got what you deserved instead of helping you get back on track.
I love some quotes Ghandi often used and I would like to share a couple that will help create the thinking for the rest of this reflection. Check this one out "I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians because they are so unlike Christ". That is powerful and owe so true. It applies to all of us so called Christians. We seem to have an incredible vision into the sins of others with a total blind eye on the shortcomings of our own. Ghandi was so right we do not act Christ like and I am not sure we can. Thanks be to God that we have the forgiving model of Christ or there would truly be no hope in this world.
This might just be my favorite Ghandi quote "the weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong". Did you hear that THE WEAK CAN NEVER FORGIVE. Who do we think we are? Jesus taught forgiveness all over the Gospel and we view him as strong yet the human in us refuses to have the strength to forgive. I believe one can develop a strong heart and soul by simply forgiving others. Bottom line is this, if you want to live you have to forgive.
I spoke to a lady last week that was sharing with me how SAINTLY she was now but how terrible she had been a short few years back. In her conversation she told me how much she loved Christ now and how her life had opened up. She went on to say how much she hated the things she had done in the past and that there was no way she could make amends for everything. She also said that she was so much better than the people that she hung around back then because now she had Christ in her life. This lady was in tears as she listened to herself talk about how much BETTER she was than the people in her life way back when. She realized as she spoke that she was living a life of judging not loving. Those people have a story too. Those people just might be the angels that lead her to Christ. Those homeless, downtrodden, conniving, low life thieves just might have been the people Christ used to place her back on the road to salvation. Never discount the influence a person can have on your life. The worst people in hindsight may have been the best. The greatest lessons are often from the worst of circumstances.
I called this the movement and in the coming weeks it will become clear why. It is my goal and hopefully yours to create something to where people can hear a positive faith based message, feel love and acceptance not caring where they came from, and in the same context find the strength to get back on their personal faith based road. The movement is not a church there are already enough of them. The movement is simply to help people find the love in their churches by first expressing the love Christ taught.
I know based on the feedback I get that many people reading this are so feed up with life in general. I am asking you to give hope and life another chance. Go back in the battle fields and this time instead of fighting with the tongue and sword have the STRENGTH to fight with forgiveness and acceptance. Like any talent it is difficult to learn however practice makes perfect. The enemy will be bold in your face and tough. Like Christ simply turn the other cheek and continue to fight with love.
My hope is that you will share this reflection and follow it on the blog. Offer any comments positive or negative. Christ needs a host of sinners to help guide the righteous back to reality. This is not about me at all it is about anyone fighting to keep a faith grown cold. Let's wake up get moving have some fun be positive and spread some smiles.
Oh one final word, looking up from the trenches offers many more rewards than looking down from a pedestal.
peace to you
Dale
I love some quotes Ghandi often used and I would like to share a couple that will help create the thinking for the rest of this reflection. Check this one out "I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians because they are so unlike Christ". That is powerful and owe so true. It applies to all of us so called Christians. We seem to have an incredible vision into the sins of others with a total blind eye on the shortcomings of our own. Ghandi was so right we do not act Christ like and I am not sure we can. Thanks be to God that we have the forgiving model of Christ or there would truly be no hope in this world.
This might just be my favorite Ghandi quote "the weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong". Did you hear that THE WEAK CAN NEVER FORGIVE. Who do we think we are? Jesus taught forgiveness all over the Gospel and we view him as strong yet the human in us refuses to have the strength to forgive. I believe one can develop a strong heart and soul by simply forgiving others. Bottom line is this, if you want to live you have to forgive.
I spoke to a lady last week that was sharing with me how SAINTLY she was now but how terrible she had been a short few years back. In her conversation she told me how much she loved Christ now and how her life had opened up. She went on to say how much she hated the things she had done in the past and that there was no way she could make amends for everything. She also said that she was so much better than the people that she hung around back then because now she had Christ in her life. This lady was in tears as she listened to herself talk about how much BETTER she was than the people in her life way back when. She realized as she spoke that she was living a life of judging not loving. Those people have a story too. Those people just might be the angels that lead her to Christ. Those homeless, downtrodden, conniving, low life thieves just might have been the people Christ used to place her back on the road to salvation. Never discount the influence a person can have on your life. The worst people in hindsight may have been the best. The greatest lessons are often from the worst of circumstances.
I called this the movement and in the coming weeks it will become clear why. It is my goal and hopefully yours to create something to where people can hear a positive faith based message, feel love and acceptance not caring where they came from, and in the same context find the strength to get back on their personal faith based road. The movement is not a church there are already enough of them. The movement is simply to help people find the love in their churches by first expressing the love Christ taught.
I know based on the feedback I get that many people reading this are so feed up with life in general. I am asking you to give hope and life another chance. Go back in the battle fields and this time instead of fighting with the tongue and sword have the STRENGTH to fight with forgiveness and acceptance. Like any talent it is difficult to learn however practice makes perfect. The enemy will be bold in your face and tough. Like Christ simply turn the other cheek and continue to fight with love.
My hope is that you will share this reflection and follow it on the blog. Offer any comments positive or negative. Christ needs a host of sinners to help guide the righteous back to reality. This is not about me at all it is about anyone fighting to keep a faith grown cold. Let's wake up get moving have some fun be positive and spread some smiles.
Oh one final word, looking up from the trenches offers many more rewards than looking down from a pedestal.
peace to you
Dale
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