Those People

Those people...

...those people who fake smile to your face then turn and talk bad about you once you walk away.

...those people who don't send you cards, gifts, even phone calls but expect the world given to them in return.

...those people who complain about everything and everyone until it is about them, then there are no complaints.

...those people who will have someone's back just because they are family or a friend even though they are doing something wrong and should instead help them to get on the right path.

...those people who make an excuse for everything they do that can be seen as wrong but in their own minds say it's ok.

...those people who lie and lie and lie some more for whatever reason or no reason at all.

...those people who never "like" or comment anything good to you on facebook but then chime in at every opportunity you make a mistake or something can be taken the wrong way to argue you on it.

...those people who buy themselves everything but turn the other way when asking for donations comes around.

...those people who only come out during election season to beat you to death with hurtful words about your choices.

...those people who claim to be Christian but never read the Bible or care what it has to say about being one.

...those people who volunteer to help you out however needed when you're feeling well then are no where to be found when you really need that help.

...those people who hurt you then tell you it's your fault or it's for your benefit.

...those people who hold their pride above everything and everyone else no matter how many people get hurt in doing so.

...those people who make a promise then rip it away when it's no longer convenient for them.

...those people who with their words say "love you" but with their actions kick you after you've already fallen down.

...those people who ask for more and more and more and different and this and that but don't even appreciate what they already have.

...those people who have no time when someone is in need but have all the time in the world to shop, party, go out to eat or watch football.

...those people who read this and think "that's so and so or so and so" pointing the finger, but never at oneself.

Don't be one of "those people." Look at this holiday season as a time to change your ways, your attitude, your heart. Reach out to those in need- whether it be the homeless, the disabled or just a family member, friend or acquaintance going through a tough time. And don't stop there. Do something nice for someone every single day. Or go through this list one by one each day and make sure you are not one of "those people".

This came to mind... the Prayer of St. Francis:

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace;

Where there is hatred, let me sow love;

Where there is injury, pardon;

Where there is error, truth;

Where there is doubt, faith;

Where there is despair, hope;

Where there is darkness, light;

And where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, Grant that I may not so much seek

To be consoled as to console;

To be understood as to understand;

To be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;

And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

People Pleasing

I'll never be "right." I'll never be "good enough." I'll never be all you imagined me to be.

And I'm alright with that.

It is not my goal to be who others want me to be. I have no intention to be who others want me to be, especially when the word "others" refers to non-believers. Why? Because I strive to live a Christ-like life.

Living righteously in a wrong filled world is difficult. But, if you have opposing forces from non-believers, you know you are doing something right because the devil is trying to stop you. Don't let him. Use his fire to set you off on an even more righteous pursuit.

If you try to please people, you will never win. We weren't put here to please people. Where will that get us? Maybe a new job, maybe a new relationship, maybe this or that. How stable is any of that? Not at all if it can so easily be taken away. More importantly, how selfish is that? Extremely selfish... using each other to get ahead. Fleeting pleasures. Don't pursue them. The devil has set a trap.

You will also never win at this because every person is different. Every person has their own thought about who you should be, who they want you to be. You can't please all these different people all at once unless you create yourself multiple personalities. Frankly, that doesn't sound like a smart idea. Why we create this image and expect it but not create and expect it for ourselves is beyond me. Furthermore, if someone like this tries to frame you into a specific person, most likely you will never meet their individual expectations even if you only try to please one person. Their expectations will undoubtedly change as you near reaching their pictured image of you. They don't want you better. They want something to complain about. They want you lower than them. They speak poorly of you to increase their self esteem. They are probably the ones who need changing. And in the process of you moving closer to what they want of you, you will most likely lose yourself and have to go put all those pieces back together once you finally decide pleasing this person isn't worth your time.

If you surround yourself with non-believers and evil-doers that is who you will become. Of course as believers we want to bring others to a Christ-like life and we should do so. Love those who are hard to love, like Jesus did, but don't become like them. Plant that seed so that when their heart is softened by God the seed will grow into a beautiful plant. But, we should have a firm circle of believers, saved Christians, to help strengthen us into who God wants us to be.

What does this all come back to? Honesty. If you are going to lie, whether about yourself or anything else, really that's just saying who you truly are is no good. And if that's the case, or if you don't know who you truly are, perhaps some self reflection is necessary. In figuring out who you are or who you should be, talk to God. He already has the answer. And then be that person no matter what anyone else has to say about it... because the only ones who will say something bad about someone who is following Christ are non-believers and evil doers influenced by the devil. Being honest is as free as you can get. The truth will set you free!

Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ. Galatians 1:10

Write just write

I've been slacking on this blog... oops... it's actually because I haven't felt lead to write about anything specific. But then I rented a movie from the library and there was a line I caught in there spoken by a writer "Write... just write... 'write about what you know about'... but then if you wait and listen 'write about what you don't know about.'" Interesting. Writing about what I don't know...

I don't know a lot of things. I don't know people's true motives. I don't know their conscience. I don't know how much truth they hide. I don't know what the future holds.

So why do I try to alter that which I don't know?

Back to what I do know. I know God and I know I'm supposed to stay close to him doing what is right, what is good, what is true.

Up until this point in this post I had NO idea where I was going with this. I just decided, I haven't written here in a while and I should, so I let my hands go. Now I realize where this is taking me.

I know I'm supposed to live for God, righteously. I know people will come against me just as people went against Jesus. I know it's a narrow path to walk. I also know God will bless me for doing so. And that's all I need to know to do so. How do I know this? I am able to verify what's in my heart with what's in the Bible. I'm not perfect, I fault many times, but I know the way I need to live and strive to live is right there in the Bible.

If you don't read the Bible how do you know if you are living the way God wants you to live? Furthermore, if you don't care, how can you call yourself a Christian? Being a Christian is much more than "believing in God."

Taking this a level further... if you fall into that category of not reading the Bible and/or striving to live as God wants you to, how can you judge another? This goes off in two directions.

One- as Christians we are to keep one another on the right path.
Two- if you aren't a Christian, meaning a follower and disciple of Christ, you don't have the authority to lead others down any path... you first need to learn, the way and the truth.

So going off of number two... She should do this. She should do that. She needs to do this. This will help her. Oh she must be a bad person because of this or that. So on and so forth. Who are you to tell me or anyone else what to do or not do UNLESS you are a Christian striving to follow Christ and find that I have wondered off the path and your true intention is to get me back on it? If you are, then by all means, help me get back on track, but only by verifying what the right track is according to that which is in the Bible.

You see the Bible spells it out for us. I don't want to say it makes it easy because life and even the Christian life is not easy... but it does make it more rewarding. And it does make it really nice to know that we are for certain going to Heaven after this life on earth.

And so going off of number one... as a Christian I do strive to lead others to and keep others on that path of Christ.

I don't know what this all adds up to or if it even makes sense. I'm really not thinking about what I'm typing, I'm just typing. So hopefully this reaches someone in a meaningful way. I think basically what I'm trying to say is if you haven't accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you can't tell me or anyone else how to live. And more importantly, please consider the life of Christ. And if you have, then you must walk the walk and not just talk the talk. I want you to go to Heaven and God does too. Start by reading the book of Romans in the New Testament today.

For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed- a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith." Romans 1:17