New Hope Christian Fellowship

I enjoy watching sports and saw the greatest clip. A gentleman who had been attending games for years finally caught a foul ball. He was very proud and happily handed the ball to his young daughter. She then proceeded to throw his newly found, prized possession back on to the field. He, rather than get mad or yell at his daughter, simply hugged her. She couldn’t know what she had done and her dad was very understanding.

It was a great example of how we need to love our kids. Kids will make mistakes. It happens and sometimes, it is simply it is because they don’t know. We can’t get mad. We have to be understanding, like this dad was. Sometimes, when our kids make a mistake, the best thing to do is hug them and let them know we love them.

Video Clip

One day, on the way home, traffic came to a standstill. I wondered what was going on as I slowly crept forward. Finally, I got to the cause of the slowdown and found a car sitting there, not running, with its flashers on. I, like everyone else went around this person and continued on my way, tired and ready to be home. As I drove my, a thought popped into my head. Maybe I should stop and try to help the person out. As I drove on, I justified myself with ideas that maybe they called someone already or that I am not a mechanic or that I was already past them and it was too late. I have to admit at feeling a little guilty as I drove off.

What would Jesus do? It is a classic question that can sum up our actions. Honestly, I should have stopped and tried to help, even if only to provide friendship at that moment. If they had told me that they didn’t need help and that I could go, I would have at least showed God’s love at that moment.

Our life is filled with opportunities like these and how often do we just go around and continue on our way? I know, for myself, I need to be more aware of what goes on around me and then when an opportunity arises, I need to act. I need to show kindness to the person in need and not give in to justification. I need to show God’s love to other people and not be another person who just walks by.

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ (Matthew 25:31-40)

My son is a normal, everyday two year old. He is testing his boundries on a regular basis and he sometimes gets in trouble. And, there are times, that I do get mad at him for something he has done. However, no matter how mad or disappointed I may be, I still love my son.

“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:11-13)

Many times when this verse is talked about, it is used to show degrees, such as if we, as mere humans, love our children, how much more does God love us. This is true, however, I think this verse goes beyond that. I love my son, regardless of what he has done. God, as our heavenly Father, loves us even when He may be mad at us. So, when we mess up or make a mistake, God still loves us. When things may be going bad or we do something we shouldn’t, God still loves us. In those moments that God may be disciplining and teaching us, He still loves us. In whatever situation we may find ourselves in, whether they are of our own making or not, God loves us.

I get to my school early during the workweek and lately I have been taken by how beautiful things are. Things are very quiet and peaceful before any of the students get there and I have been taking a little time to look at everything around me. My school is surrounded by hills and palm trees and the colors as the sun has come over the hills has been beautiful.

As I think about the things I see, it convinces me once more that there is no way all this just happened to evolve. God created it all and what’s more, He made it for us. That is just one more sign that He loves us. All we have to do is look around ourselves.

“For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.” (Isaiah 45:18 – King James Version)