Lord I don't want to stumble
When I do, I want to be humble
May the gap get greater as you grow in me
Firmly being planted as a fruitful tree
How precious to you are the lowly in heart
You wipe the slate clean and provide a new start
Something I have been thinking about lately is LOVE. How do we know what it is and what it looks like, outside of a feeling of "love"? I have always endeavoured to understand what a verse means and how to connect it with other passages. Almost like learning grammar instead of how to actually write, if that makes sense. Understanding the mechanics of how things work is beneficial but there is more to it than that.
I am learning to look at the scriptures from a different perspective. I want to see the character of God in them. Reading the Old Testament at times can be difficult, but when you start to see the character of God in it, then it becomes alive, because you can't help but see God's love and longsuffering towards His people. As I was reading through chapter five in the Gospel of Matthew, I see God's love and character as Jesus is teaching the disciples about love. What good is it if we only love them that love us, Jesus asks. The challenge comes when we have difficult people in our lives that make it almost impossible to love them! So what would loving a difficult person look like or just showing love in a situation that is uncomfortable or unfamiliar to us? First, it means acknowledging that if we want it to be true godly love, we can't do it in our own strength. We trust and believe that it is no longer us that lives but Christ that lives in us. Secondly, looking for the remedies found in the scriptures that will guide us into right thinking and action. Believe the word, they are there! Lastly, appropriating the word of God into action . . . even when we don't want to!!! We have to know the word in order to do this and meditating on it is what allows His word to get in our hearts and minds.
For every contention we have, rather than grumble, let's give thanks to the Lord. It can be as simple as saying, "thank you Lord I can do all things through Christ which gives me strength". Overcome evil with good! It's not about what the other person is doing to us . . . it's about us and our character, and allowing every circumstance to grow us into the image of Jesus Christ. This is the most important thing for the believer and it's all about humility.
The grass is not always greener on the other side and coveting is not profitable to our spiritual walk. If you stay on your own side, with your mind fixed on Jesus, you shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth fruit in season and your leaf shall not wither in tribulations. With an attitute of humility and gratefulness this is possible and when we minister love towards someone that can't or won't return that love, the Lord counts that as perfection.
Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.
Ps. 138:6