Crickets and Love

Just had to share these pictures I took of Matthew and Jennifer (a friend's daughter) as we were watching our older boys practice baseball. We were in a grassy field backed up next to a cow pasture. The kids were playing with this cricket that Matthew caught in the grass. Sooooo cute! Don't you miss the times when you could slow down long enough to enjoy simple things like that?

This morning I was listening to Joyce Meyer. She was speaking about selfishness and loving one another. I have to say, it really hit home. According to Joyce, Love-plain and simple-is how your treat people. She says that every night before we go to bed, we should ask ourselves if there is anyone we've mistreated today. If so, we should make it right, ASAP. Are we tired of being mean-spirited Christians who talk about people, gossip, who are critical and who have no time for others, and only love them when they meet all our conditions? WOW!

Jesus says we are to love one another and that all men will know we are His disciples by our love!

In Matthew 25, Jesus says, "When I was hungry, you gave me something to eat, and when I was thirsty, you gave me something to drink. When I was a stranger, you welcomed me, and when I was naked, you gave me clothes to wear. When I was sick, you took care of me, and when I was in jail, you visited me. " Then the ones who pleased the Lord will ask, "When did we give you something to eat or drink? When did we welcome you as a stranger or give you clothes to wear or visit you while you were sick or in jail?" The king will answer, "Whenever you did it for any of my people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did it for me."
Jesus takes personally how I treat other people. If I'm hateful to someone, I'm being hateful to Jesus. If someone has a need and I am too wrapped up in my own life to take the time to help them, Jesus takes that personally. And we parents can understand that. You'd better believe if someone is mean to my kids, I take that personally!!! We are to put on love and put on kindness.

2 Corinthians 5:15 says, "And Christ did die for all of us. He died so we would no longer live for ourselves, but for the one who died and was raised to life for us." It's time we stopped being so wrapped up in ourselves that we fail to do what Jesus commands us to do..."Love one another." And I'm talking to myself here! :)

Okay...I'm done preaching. Did I listen well, Joyce?

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and a safe, fun spring break!