I know I said I was planning on blogging every day, yet I am not sure this was very accurate… I am keeping a journal, yet will see to write weekly…
Now here is what I am up to in this part of my challenge…
“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:29-31 NIV)
Now why did I just add that here? “Love your neighbor as yourself”
So how can I love my neighbor, IF I DON’T EVEN KNOW HOW TO LOVE OTHERS…
I am currently on the the 5th day of this challenge… Now here is what happened in the last few days…
Day 1 – Love is Patient…
with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, (Ephesians 4:2 ESV)
What does this mean? Love is Patient? How am I to be patient?
Now the challenge read as follows…
“Do not say anything negative to yourself” (In my case that is…)
I have to confess… I have a tough time to try and speak positively about myself… very tough…
So to say nothing negative about myself was very hard…. But I did it… At the end of this day I felt a little more positive…
See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another (1 Thessalonians 5:15 NASB)
Now how about we start seeking after that which is good in ourselves as well?
Day 2 – Love is Kind…
Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. (Ephesians 4:32 NASB)
Kindness is love in action.
Patience avoids a problem; kindness creates a blessing. One is preventive, the other proactive.
Love makes us kind… Kindness make us likable…
Now how does one describe kindness?
There are four attributes that is essential to kindness…
1) Gentleness – Speak the truth in love… Even in rebukes, one can use gentleness… We all make mistakes… And we can be kinder to ourselves, which means instead of breaking ourselves down, we also build and correct ourselves… And in this way act in kindness to ourselves…
2) Helpfulness – This means to always see the need in another and follow it through… Go out of your way to serve another… Even if you put your own needs on hold or just forget your needs… Sometimes we have to help ourselves… And put ourselves first… NOT out of selfishness, but because sometimes we also have to say no to those around us to sort our lives out…
3) Willingness – Sometimes an argument can be stopped by the willingness to sit and listen, instead of defending ourselves the whole time… Sometimes our viewpoints are also messed up and we might need to conform to what God made us to be… And to the thinking of God… Even if we have to set aside some nonsense we did believe…
4) Initiative – Being kind means you go and do it… Even before another person can think of it… See the need… Take the action… Simple as that…No waiting… Just do it… Even if this means you have to go to the point of forgiven yourself…
What is desirable in a man is his kindness. (Proverbs 19:22a NASB)
Next week I will go on with what I have learned…
God bless
God loves you all