Others

My range of emotions has been all over the map lately.  I wonder if you feel the same?  The last three months have seen more than just happy and sad (although those have been prominent as well).  It seems as if the emotions have been "bigger" than that.  Elation and disappointment.  Joyful and troubled.  Ecstatic and frustrated.  Contentment and unrest.  Emotions that can be difficult to actually articulate at the time.

There is much to be emotional about.  We look at our world around us and can easily understand why our emotions can be all over the map.  It may be hard for us to find peace during these days.  Every person I speak with has an opinion.  Every news report has an angle.  Every article has a belief.  Every one claims they have the truth.  It may be hard to form our own opinions without having the ability to be confident in what is being shared.

So, I go to the ONLY place where I know the truth is spoken - God's Word.  It is there that I can find what I'm looking for, the truth that is spoken by our One True God.  It is there where I can take my emotions and not feel judged.   It is there where I can find the answers to questions and form my beliefs.  God's Word speaks to us.  He has us open His word to find the truth that we need at that moment.

I struggled to write this week's blog.  I didn't know what to say about the troubles in our world.  Yet, when I opened His Word, He pointed me to this verse.  I have read this verse many times.  Each time, it has proven to be what was needed.  It spoke to me how pride can impede.  It spoke to me humility.  It spoke to me service.  It spoke me to love.  It spoke to me Jesus.  Today, when I read it, it spoke all of that and more.

When we need truth, especially in these days when truth can be hard to discern, there is one place to go for all the answers we need.  I encourage you to open the Bible and see what it has to say to you.  I encourage you to read the words of Jesus and see how we can live them out in our daily lives.  I encourage you to rest in His words of love and compassion.  I encourage you to seek and find the truth.

We all are responding to the events of our world in different ways.  Some are quiet while others are vocal.  Some are educating while others are listening.  Some see the world one way while others see it differently.  We are all bringing our experiences to the table.  Yet, God shares how we can prevail.  Do NOTHING out of a sense of selfish ambition.   Let HUMILITY prevail.  Put OTHERS ahead of ourselves.  OTHERS are more significant than us.  OTHERS count more.  Goodness knows our Dear Jesus lived His life that way.  He was the Son of God, yet, He never acted in a sense of pride.  In fact, His level of humility was so great that He washed others feet!  He put OTHERS so far ahead of Himself that He died on the cross for us.  

Emotions can run high, but God's Word is higher.  Take time today to put OTHERS above you.  Maybe it is in your own family.  Maybe it is a stranger you meet.  What's important is that we live out Jesus' love and words in all that we do.  May your week ahead be blessed.

Dearest Jesus, you provide us all we need in Your Word.  There we can find the answers to our dilemmas and the truth during difficult times.  Help us to read your words and live them out in our daily lives.  May we hold OTHERS up higher than ourselves.  In your gracious name we pray.  Amen!