Hosanna Restoration Church

You have probably heard people say that you can choose your friends but you cannot choose your family. Well I recently read a word about in-laws and about considering every one as a potential in-law. There have been a rash of in-law jokes and in fact there are some wild experiences that people have as a result families coming together. The bottom line in all situations is that if people are willing to plan to love and then do it, there will be peace, at least for the one who is the peacemaker. So if we do our best to do what God says and Love people, then we will have peace. On the other hand, if we refuse to do this, we will have very little peace.

As in all things with God, He looks at us to do our part. We are graded on how we obey, not on what others do. Jesus always did what God wanted, and we know from scripture that the Holy Spirit is working in us and has given us the power to do the same. Paul tells the Thessalonians and everyone who reads this scripture that God wants us to grow in love first for one another. But we are not to stop there; He wants it to overflow to everyone else.

Oh, but we think that God won’t mind if we are selective in our love. Sorry, this is just not true. I think the only one we are free not to love is the devil. Everyone else is entitled to the same love that God loves us with. Believe me, I understand that it takes more effort to love some folks than it does to love others but we must strive to love as God does.

We have to quit talking about people and running them down. God’s word says that we are to encourage and build them up. We are not called to find the faults in other people. Actually if we do see some, we are called upon to bear with them and cover them up with love. God says we need to get the log out of our own eyes before we can ever hope to see the little splinter in someone else’s eye. God never says to criticize others. He says to pray for others.

We are to do for others what we would like them to do for us. How often do you go out looking for someone to criticize you? We all prefer to have people like us and to cut us some slack concerning our imperfections. How can we say we love God if we are continually running down people who He loves? David asked the Lord to set a guard over his mouth and I am asking the Lord to do the same for me.

If we are going to grow in the grace and the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, then we are going to need to act like Him. Let’s work at loving one another and everyone else. Let’s work on using loving words and encouraging words that build people up. May God give us ears to hear the words that come out of our mouths and eyes to see when they are balm and when they are bile. Remember, God blesses those who bless others.