Other people – mini series

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My mini series finished with this blog. Having prayed to God asking for help in forgiving other people as God forgives me, and asking for help in talking about other people as God talks about me. My last pray for myself is ‘help me to treat other people as you treat me.’

This is a rubber hitting the road moment. How should I treat other people? Words like compassion, grace, kindness and empathy all spring to mind and these are all good things. Ideas like holding doors open for strangers, stopping traffic to help an older person across the road and actually spending time with a homeless person rather than just giving money are all commendable things. But as good as it all is, I think a better action begins all of the others. Love.

We know John chapter 3 verse 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. How does God treat me? With the love that was will to gave up his Son. Later on in the new Testament Paul challenges us about the love that God had for us, that we should have for one another in Philippians chapter 2 verses 5 – 8. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: ⁶ who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; ⁷ rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. ⁸ And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross!

I recently heard in an online sermon, (Andy Stanley, Brand:New Series) the question asked. What does love require of me?

That was Jesus’ entire mindset, to ask the question over and over again. As we walk our everyday lives, can we begin to do the same as Jesus? Every person we, in anyway shape or form, have contact with ask ourselves the question; What does love require of me?

Maybe then, as I ask God to help me treat other people the way He treat me, others may see Jesus.

Other people – mini series

 

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My last blog, I started a little mini series about my prayers for myself based on other people. Encouraging me to forgive other people are God forgives me. As my prayers for myself continue, I set myself a challenge in moving forward.  I pray, “help me to talk about other people as you talk about me.” Forgetting about myself for a moment, The question is, how does God talk about us?

We have to start with Jesus’ words in Matthew chapter 10, Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Then there is the classic from Jeremiah 29 (a classic for a good reason) verse 10,  For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Then amazing imagery from Zephaniah’s prophecy in chapter 3 (of the book Zephaniah, one of the minor prophets of the Old Testament) The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.’

BUT, as great as those verses might be, I want God to be personal to me, what does he say about a person? I am brought, in my thoughts to Job, what does God tell Satan about Job?  (Job chapter 1 verse 8) Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.”

Was Job really sinless? Was he totally blameless and thoroughly upright? No doubt that he was a good man, but he was not perfect. Yet God, when he talks to another about him, there is nothing but pride in his voice.

I pray, help me to talk about other people as you talk about me. God talks about me positively, with pride and nothing but affection. If I am, as a Christian, to live a life that is Christ like, then my aim is to do as Jesus did. This includes how I talk about other people.

How do you talk about other people? is it all positive?