1 Samuel 12:20-25

Then Samuel said to the people, “Do not fear. You have done all this wickedness; yet do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart. And do not turn aside; for then you would go after empty things which cannot profit or deliver, for they are nothing. For the LORD will not forsake His people, for His great name’s sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make you His people. Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way. Only fear the LORD, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you. But if you still do wickedly, you shall be swept away, both you and your king.”

I would not call myself a "people person"

Lately I have learned an invaluable lesson. People do not care what I think, they don’t care about my opinion nor do they want my advice. They especially do not want my advice. Let me give you the reader some advice; do not give advice. Yes I advise you not to give advice. People really only want someone to listen. Or to be more honest about it, they only want to give you their opinions, advice and tell you what they think. To me, the fact that I have to pretend to care about someone else’s problems is a slap in the face insult to my intelligence or lack thereof. I have learned that 95% of social interaction is showing people that you care. But herein lays the problem. I don’t care. Sorry, but it’s true. Surprise, I have problems too. Side note: People do not want to hear your problems either they just want to tell you theirs. But I deal with them as they arise and I don’t go blabbering to everyone about it. Well, at least not all the time. Right now you are probably thinking that I am such a jerk. “What a cruel and harsh person.” I can hear you saying it. At least I am being honest. Like me or don’t for it doesn’t seem to matter much anymore. But here’s the thing, I don’t always don’t care. It’s usually when I am tired, hungry or haven’t had coffee yet. Or maybe I am facing a seemingly weighty circumstantial situation myself , then I tend to not care. Now this is where it gets good. A true friend or a truly caring person will not care that I don’t care and will continue to care even though I don’t. My thoughts and opinions and views will be important to them even if theirs is not important to me. They see me for who I am. Just a regular person. Someone who gets out of bed and has to look in the mirror and accept myself for who I am everyday just like everyone else does. At a point you have to throw away the cliché of accepting people for who they are and accept them for what they are; a regular imperfect person, just like you and me. They are someone who deserves and demands just as much grace as you and I do. When we can achieve this level of acceptance and Christ-like character, we have done something truly, truly amazing. The important thing here is not agreeing with the concept or even believing that it is true. The important thing is that we do it. We can know all we want and we can believe all we want but until we actually do something we have not made a difference. We have not made an impact. You can make an impact with a hammer, but to do so requires physically swinging that hammer. Don’t just think about the hammer be the hammer. Make an impact. Be different. Be yourself. For clarification purposes I want to mention one last thing. This is meant to make us all look at ourselves and see just how we interact with those around us. I am positive that there is at least one person who can agree and be encouraged with these thoughts. It was written for all to enjoy and ponder but it is aimed at those who have been mentally and emotionally beat up all of their lives, like me. Those of us who have hardened our hearts to other people and their problems because we are not able get over ours. May the peace of God be in all your hearts.

Precisely

Seemingly, it seems all is not what it seems but it seems that it could seemingly be as though it could seem to be seemed, so to speak.

An Inquiring Prayer

Father, I always say that I want to be a positive influence. I want to make a positive impact and leave a lasting impression in time for Your glory. But how can I influence for Your glory if I’m not seeking You? If I’m not seeking to be like Christ, how can I do anything for You and Your glory? If I feel wronged and then I turn around and wrong back or if I’m verbally lashed out at and I lash back then how am I going to be an influence for You? If I am not speaking love and positive reinforcing words into someone else’s life then how am I ever going to be an influence for You? How can I ever impact the world for You if I don’t attain to be like the One You sent to teach us how to live? So Lord help me to speak love, when others speak hate. Help me to speak life, when others speak death. Because if I am not building someone up in the name of Christ, I’m tearing them down in the name of the destroyer. Lord I want to build. Help me to fortify those within my grasp with Your Spirit, Your truth, Your words, Your promises and with Your love.

• “And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.” (1Corinthians 13:13 NIV)
  
• “that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:16-19 NKJV)

Coming soon!!!!!!!!!!

Thought provoking ramblings will soon appear.