I know it's Sunday afternoon for MMP but it's a great time to blog and I've been pondering the sermon a lot already so I just went ahead. It's such a winter-like day weather-wise, all the Christmas lights are twinkling, John's playing basketball and Eddie's preparing for tonight and ready to leave for deacon prayer time so it's extremely quiet. Looking forward to my college kids coming home, Jessica tomorrow and Stephen Tuesday. It won't be this quiet again for a while.
Continuing our study in Ephesians today we were learning more about being imitators of God and what exactly that means. We know first of all that we are called to live a life of love. Reminded me of a quote Eddie has used lots before talking about how we billy goat love. We say "we love so-and-so but... and then we butt em all over town". God have mercy with us over that kind of love.
We also saw that we are called to live a life of purity. That purity involves a lifestyle of purity and fleeing immorality. It also involves purity with our lips. Amazing how the tongue gets the bad rap but it's just the messenger boy for the heart. What we say to people and about people reveals so much of our character, who we really are on the inside, not what we want people to think we are because we spend so much time fixing up the outside. Eddie spoke of how often those who are hyper-critical are those with bitterness and hatred and anger on the inside and are unhappy with themselves. Those qualities certainly don't look like the life of Christ.
We had dinner with a group of ministers the other night and one spoke of how being on the front lines of ministry opens you up to all kinds of criticism when people don't like you, agree with you, or your choices don't benefit them. He said that cannot be where our focus is and he is so right. It used to bother me a lot because I wanted people to be happy and love everybody but it didn't take long to realize that was far from reality and Jesus faced the same abuse many times. I have learned much about focusing on Him and doing what He's called me to do and let Him handle the criticism. He handles it beautifully and I know that I don't. He is our Great Defender anyway and my job is to keep my own heart pure so that my tongue doesn't send a message of anger and hatred and bitterness.
What a message the body of Christ could send if we loved the way we are called to, lived a life with morals and purity, and as Beth Moore says "deal with our stuff" so that our tongues can send messages of love and encouragement rather than tearing everyone else down.
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