Being a Tree Firmly Rooted - Jude 17-24

 

 

"...keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. Be merciful to those who doubt"

Jude 21-22

 

Do you ever doubt?

 

Do you ever have anyone in your life who makes you question what you believe or why you believe it?

 

As Christians, we are challenged daily with outside influences. We face the task of trying to filter out the ungodly and the evil from the godly and the good. And the task sounds simple when it is labeled - "good versus evil" but life is rarely that straight forward.

 

In this world - whether you live in the United States, Europe, Brazil, Vietnam, Liberia, Australia, Canada or even a remote island without electricity - temptations and compromises abound. And often, it can be difficult to discern what is the Jesus choice and what is the earthly choice.

 

Through out your life - and maybe even today - your faith will be challenged. Beliefs you hold tightly as truth will be shaken by the influences of those you trust and love. This will happen. It has happened to me and it will happen to you. And it will continue to happen through out your life. This challenge is part of being in this world. Our decision to hold on to what we know is true and right is part of our willingness to not be of this world.

 

Think of a tree.

When a tree is newly planted, the arborist supports the tree with rods and string to ensure that it begins to grow straight and develop a root system. Soon the tree has the support removed and it is allowed to begin growing on its own. But if a thunderstorm with wind passes through - that little tree will likely be toppled because the roots he has started are not deep enough to withstand the storm and he no longer has his outside support system to keep him upright.

Now imagine a tree that is 20 years old.

If the same storm passed by, the tree might bend  and loose a few leaves, but because his root system is deep there is no danger of him being uprooted by the storm.

 

We are the same as the trees. We need a deeply rooted faith to withstand the challenges of this life.  And we, like that new little tree, often need a support system to help us grow and to keep us from toppling in the storm.

 

As others challenge your beliefs - and you hold onto your faith and your relationship with Jesus - your goal (and my goal) is to try and share the love of God with the challenger. We are called to love everyone - even those who are trying to undermine the belief structure which is the very foundation of our lives. This is true mercy. And the way only you and I will be able to successfully hold fast to our faith while sharing that faith with the opposition is to be firmly rooted in our relationships with God.

 

With God's grace put love first in all of your relationships.

 Love helps those roots grow deep.

And love will help you weather any storm.

 

Scripture

Jude 17-24

 

Quote

 

A little faith will bring your soul to heaven, but a lot of faith will bring heaven to your soul.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

 

Question

 

How can you help your roots to grow deeper in your faith?

Empathy to Angels....

Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.
Hebrews 13: 1-3

What does it mean to be empathetic to others?

Empathy is a fancy word for feeling what other people feel. To empathize with someone means that you feel what they feel; that you truly understand what that person is enduring.

Sometimes it can be very difficult to walk in someone else’s shoes. We want to understand the hardship of a friend or even a stranger, but the situation of our lives is so different it becomes difficult to truly understand where that person is coming from or the hardships another is experiencing.

To truly empathize with another is a hallmark of the Christian faith. We are called to live our lives with both the head and heart knowledge of the suffering and needs of others. When we see someone in pain we are called to empathize with them, not so that we too will be in pain, but so that we are motivated to help change the situation. When we remember others who are less fortunate than we are it helps us to understand how much we have to thank God for and we are inspired to share our blessings with those who have less than we do.

At times, empathizing with others’ misfortunes can be almost debilitating. Our heart will literally break for kids who are hungry, moms who are sick, dads who are out of work and people who are depressed. Empathizing is hard, but Jesus calls us to rely upon Him even in the most trying of circumstances.

The world is a hurting place and the love you share on behalf of Jesus can be like a healing salve on an open wound. You have the ability to walk along someone and help share their burden, even if that person is thousands of miles away. Each time you empathize with another in pain whether through prayer, acts of service, hospitality or gifts, you share the love of Jesus.

And in sharing the love of Christ, you may be surprised, that you have entertained angels!

Scripture

Matthew 25:31-45

Quote of the Day

The great gift of human beings is that we have the power of empathy.

Meryl Streep

Question of the Day

Ask yourself today, who needs what only I can offer? It is within your power to supply that need.

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