an fyi...

for those interested, i'm going to start writing more on this site:

http://everydaycinderella.wordpress.com/

right now, its the previous post (love them like Jesus) and one other. along with some additional wordpress stuffs.

just to try something new. :)

love them like Jesus.

Going about your life, you will sometimes encounter people with different views than your own. It’s inevitable. Whether it’s someone with a different political ideology, religious belief, or something else, you are forced to ask yourself the question “What do I do?”. You have a split second to make the decision, and yet, so often we make the wrong choice. We walk away, we avoid confrontation. Or, we do the opposite. We shun them for being “different”. That’s what I want to discuss right now.

I want to suggest an alternative idea. Why don’t we love them like Jesus? We as Christians have a tendency to sometimes think that we are “better” than the sinners of the world. We like to think that we live in little perfect worlds where-get this- we don’t sin. We also like to think that some sins, like homosexuality and stuff like that, are worse than other sins. I mean, they are “big” sins. And “we Christians”…well, we just do little sins…that don’t really count…right? Why do we like to jump on the bandwagon that says that those “big sins” are the greatest sins and ours don’t really count. We just keep ours on the DL (that’s down low for you non-tech savvy people). The bible says that the greatest sins are idolatry, worshipping things other than the one true God. Jealousy and pride are sins. Sometimes we like to focus on the sins and forget God’s commandments to love the sinner in order to point them to Christ. Rob Brendle is quoted in the book unChristianas saying, “One of the endearing truths of Christianity is to love people the world sets up as your enemies.”

Everyone (yes everyone…the prostitute, the drug addict, the alcoholic, you get the picture) deserves a chance to be loved and to enter into a relationship with the creator of the universe. So often, we try and decide who is “good enough” for heaven in our eyes and we deem these people “unreachable” because we don’t want to get our hands dirty. We don’t want to be spotted with those kind of people at our supper club, our church, our bible study. We don’t want them to be the ones sharing our church’s name with the community.They give tshirts with the church’s name on them to the congregation, but when a needy person comes in that is addicted to drugs and needs a shirt to wear-well, they’re not getting one with “our” logo. They aren’t the kind of people we want to be our image. We begin a PR campaign to make sure that we are seen as the church that is full of “all those people that love them some Jesus”. You know, the ones that have it all together. We keep those people -the unchurched, the sinners, the ones that need Jesus the most- from being able to see the Grace. The forgiveness. The opportunity. We show them a dark tunnel instead and say “Dude…you’re on your own. We don’t want YOU here.” Does that sound very encouraging? The whole “keeping them from Jesus thing”? When we attack these people, we tarnish the reputation of Christ. The word “Christian” means “little Christs”. This is a huge responsibility. We are called to live as him. When we act in these ways that aren’t like him, we are making him look bad and turning people away.

If we instead look to love these people-not condone their actions, just love them as Christ- think of all the good that could come out of it. We shine our little God lights for them to see and they can’t help but notice.Sarah Cunnigham, a Christian author, puts it this way, “I am not asked to impersonate the Holy Spirit but to live a life that gives off God’s fluorescence.” Once we get them in and start discipling them, we can begin to examine the sin in their lives (along with our own) and they can come to a freedom from sin on their own instead of it being forced upon them. 1 Corinthians 13 speaks about true love. Paul writes that love is patient and kind and keeps no record of any wrongs. It always believes the best. If we are truly loving them like Jesus, we can be patient with them and “hate the sin and love the sinner”. We can forgive them when they mess up and we can believe from the bottom of our hearts that there is good in them and it will work out in the end. One pastor (Mike Foster) puts the love of Jesus like this: “I see a man who sought to restore relationships, not destroy them. A man of compassion who was crazy on love with what the religious crowd of his day deemed the “wrong crowd”. God loves each person deeply and equally and wants us to love everyone too. You cannot change someone’s morality and help them see that they are fallen without first introducing them to Jesus. No sin is greater than another and grace is big enough to cover them. It may not happen overnight, but loving them like Jesus sure speeds it up.

Next time you meet someone different, don’t ask “What do I do?”. Ask…”What would Jesus do if he was here? How can I love this person like he would?”

hypocracy.

So, I'm reading a book entitled unChristian by David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons. It struck me as a book that "had the potential of either being very interesting or very boring" when I saw that it was written on a study the author had done on "what outsiders see when they look at Christian's lives" and the "increasingly negative reputation on Christians in young Americans". So, I picked it up and started to read it. I.Love.It. It is a real and true view of what is really going on in young Americans (nonchristian and christian). I live in the South, and Auburn was a pretty conservative school. A majority of people "claim" to be Christians. I was talking to a friend this past Spring semester and asked her why she wasn't a Christian (you have to understand, we are pretty good friends and she had just asked me why I was one!). She responded back with "negative church experience. they're judgemental and hypocritical." I thought it was just her, but according to this book, those are three major reasons most people give when asked the question, and it can be partially christians fault.

We can be pretty hypocritical sometimes. As Christians, we have this idea that we need to be perfect. We are very image-driven and have a "protect-your-image-at-all-costs lens" we see life through. We are seen by the world as people that are failing to act christian, and then pretending that we have it all together. Our lives don't match with our beliefs, and when they clash, we have problems. In the study they conducted, young Christians were just as likely "to gamble, take something that didn't belong to them, physically fight or abuse someone, get drunk, to use an illegal nonperscription drug, told a lie, gotten back at someone for something he or she did, or to say mean things behind someone's back. No difference." The author puts it this way: If you were to place the Christians in one room, and the nonChristians in another room, you could not tell the difference on lifestyle choices alone. In another survey they did, 84% said that they personally knew at least one committed Christian. Only 15% thought the lifestyle of those Christians were different from the norm. This is sad. What kind of example are we showing for Christ if we are living as if we are of the world? And yet, most Christians say that the most important thing of their faith was lifestyle: doing the right thing, being good, not sinning. Seriously? No wonder the world thinks we're hypocrites!We can't do it alone. We cannot be perfect and sinnless without help from God. Galations 3:3 says "How foolish can you be? After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you trying to become perfect by your own human effort?"

There are some new trends that are pretty scary about how young christians (ages 23-45 in this survey) are accepting new moral trends that are not of a level of Christlikeness at all. Here's some statistics for you: "Just 5% of young Christians have recently given someone 'the finger'. Compared to this though, they are three times as likely to have had sex outside of marriage in the last month, five times more likely to have gotten drunk, and more likely to have used profanity in public, purchase a lottery ticket, or said mean things about others." We are becoming increasingly poor witnesses of a "life and mind transformed by faith. Living with integrety starts with being transparent. All this means is admitting that we are fallen people that desperetely need God in our lives. That is it. Nonchristians are looking or people that are real that they can trust and confide in, but they find more authentic people outside the church. Can you ask yourself these questions for a minute:

• Does my life point people to a life in Christ tat bursts with freedom to love, restoration, purity, and transparency?
• Or am I burying people-Christians and Nonchristians-under the weight of a self-rightious life? Do I lift a finger to help?

One last thing. Sometimes churches are the hypocrites here. Think about it. Is the church ready for the kid that comes in from the streets with no Christian foundation? How about the homeless man that really smells? How does the church deal with the poor and the outcasts? The church wants them neat and clean, but the streets take them how they are. The people that need the church the most are sitting outside, waiting to feel worthy enough to come in. When the offering comes in, where will the money go? Will it go to help feed the homeless man? or will we put it into the building fund so we can build a "bigger church, with an elaborate interior design scheme"? Where do our loyalties lie? "Standards and rules without sacrifice and solidarity is hypocracy. Christian rhetoric without tangible acts of love is hypocracy. Churches on every corned with hurting people outside is hypocracy" says Leroy Barber (president of Mission Year).

"So the truth is that I'm fighting. I'm fighting sin with everything I've got. Some days I fare better than others. Odds are that if you're calling me a hypocrite, then you caught me on one of my worse days. I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I let you down and disappointed you. But the truth is that I'm not giving up or letting go. I've encountered a God who promises the battle will end in victory-life instead of death. So call me crazy-but I'm holding on to that promise. I'm also trying to uphold the standard God has set. They're pretty high, and somedays I just find myself laying on the ground, staring at the ceiling. But then I feel and urge, to get up and fight once again."- Margaret Feinberg

the narrow road.

So, I'm currently reading in Matthew. Alot of the stuff I've been through so far is pretty familiar. jesus was born, moved around a bunch, grew up, got baptized by John the Baptist, tempted by Satan, found some disciples, performed some miracles, spoke the Sermon on the Mount...so on and so forth. Fastforward with me now to Matthew: Chapter 10.
Jesus goes to send out his disciples. He gives them the authority to cast out evil spirits and heal the sick. But, here's the part that sticks out to me. In verse 9, he tells them not to bring anything with them-no money, no change of clothes, no shoes, no walking stick (and they're gonna be doing alot of walking!!). This makes the disciples rely fully on the hospitality of the people they come across. The disciples have to have enough faith to trust that they will cross paths with someone that can give them what they need.
Then, in verse 16, Jesus tells them that he is sending them "as a sheep among wolves". He warns them that the path they are about to embark upon will not be easy. They will be tried in courts and beaten. But, by keeping their faith in these situations, they will shine God's light to the dark world. The Holy Spirit will speak through them and use them as a witness. He goes on to tell them that the nations could hate them, but "those that endure to the end will be saved." Verse 28 tells the disciples not to fear, because they can only lose their body in the fights, never their spirit. Only God can take away one's spirit, along with the body.
I think what Matthew is trying to teach is this: God never said it would be easy. He's calling you to take the high road, the narrow road, the hard road.But, through it all, he will always be there for you until the end. God never breaks his promises.

baseball.

so, bear with me here, but i had a thought today at the ballpark.
in the midst of an intense baseball game played by 7 and 8 year old boys, i had a thought.
imagine the following scenerio:

it's the bottom of the last inning. you're team is on the field, and winning by one. the other team has 2 outs, and is at the bottom of their lineup. they guy hits the ball, and you run after it. you pick it up and now have to decide what to do with it.
do you throw it to second to get that guy out? do you run home with it?
the people in the stands are yelling a thousand different directions. the coaches are yelling random things. the pressure is on.
so,you don't do anything of worth. you stand and hold the ball up like you did in teeball. you revert to your childish self. you dont know what to do and are completely lost.
later, you run up to your coach to apologize. you feel like you've messed up, but he looks you in the eyes and says, "it's okay, i forgive you."

i may be out on a limb, but this spoke to me. maybe its all the crazy little league parents and i just feel sorry for the kids.maybe its something more. but sometimes, i feel the pressure. i feel like everyone is screaming different things i need to do. and i forget to listen to my coach (GOD). and then, i simply give up. i throw my hands up and admit i know nothing. and i cry out:

i need you Jesus
to come to my rescue
where else can i go?

to which coach replies, "i'm here. and i forgive you. yep, you messed up. but, it's okay."
because our god is a god of grace.


and maybe i spend a little too much time at the ballparks. :)

a godly woman.

Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised. -Proverbs 31:30






I think that this is one of the most overused verses in the bible. Not that people dont need to hear the message of true beauty or anything like that, but sometimes, we tire of hearing the same thing over and over and over again. As a teenage girl, I have had this verse recounted time and time again. The message they tell is clear-In the end, it doesn't matter what you look like, it just matters if you honor God. A great message-but not one to bombard people with every 30 seconds.
I like this verse though. Its one of my favorites. I just like it when its put in context. Like this:





Proverbs 31:10-31


Who can find a virtuous and capable wife? She is more precious than rubies. Her husband can trust her, and she will greatly enrich his life. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.-- Finding good wife (one that is true,honorable,right,pure,lovely,admirable-Phillipians 4:8) is hard to find. If you find her, keep her. Her husband can trust her wherever she goes that she will not do wrong and she brings goodness to his life.





She finds wool and flax and busily spins it. She is like a merchant’s ship, bringing her food from afar. She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household and plan the day’s work for her servant girls.--This girl is amazing. She is always busy and never sits down. She cooks the food, makes the clothes, and plans the day out. And yet, she doesn't let all the business get in the way of her relationships with God or her husband or the people she meets.




She goes to inspect a field and buys it;with her earnings she plants a vineyard. She is energetic and strong,a hard worker. She makes sure her dealings are profitable;her lamp burns late into the night.--She goes out to buy some land to plant a garden in. All of this makes her happy. She uses her money wisely to make sure that the garden, her hobby, doesn't put her family into debt and is a financially sound decision. She stays up late doing all of this, and rises early in the morning.





Her hands are busy spinning thread,her fingers twisting fiber. She extends a helping hand to the poor and opens her arms to the needy. She has no fear of winter for her household, for everyone has warm clothes.-- She is always busy doing things to take care of her household, but she doesn;t limit herself to that. She goes into her community and finds out other people's needs. She feeds the hungry, clothes the naked, gives water to the thirsty. She doesn't worry about her children getting cold in the winter, they have been blessed and have warm clothes to wear.





She makes her own bedspreads.She dresses in fine linen and purple gowns. Her husband is well known at the city gates,where he sits with the other civic leaders. She makes belted linen garments and sashes to sell to the merchants.--She sews things. For her family, and to sell. She makes financially sound decision so that she can afford to have the best things available. Her husband is highly praised by the city. She has some things sewen left over and sells them to the merchants in the city. This girl is crafty!!





She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future. When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness. She carefully watches everything in her household and suffers nothing from laziness. --She is strong. She doesn't worry about what the future might bring, she takes everyday as it comes. She speaks words of wisdom and encouragement. She watches her house to make sure that nobody is being lazy and everything is being properly done.





Her children stand and bless her.Her husband praises her:“There are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all!”-- Think Mother's Day everyday. Her children are constantly complementing her. Her husband tells her that she is an amazing mother to his children. People cannot help but tell her how Phillipians 4:8 she is.





Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last;but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised. Reward her for all she has done. Let her deeds publicly declare her praise. --And now we get here to the end. This is where we see how the charm and beauty do not last. This woman does not depend on her charm or her beauty to get through life. She relies on her Lord and Savior. Her deeds will declare her praise. By serving God, she will recieve praise and will be able to lead others to him through that.





And THAT is a proverbs 31 woman. :)

significance.

"And we know that GOD causes all things to work together for those who love GOD and are called according to his purpose for them...What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If GOD is for us; who can ever be against us?" -Romans 8:28, 31




What's your significance? What are you here for? What defines you?
Is it your family, your friends, your job, your money, your major, your grades, your clothes, your hair, your shoes, your car, your stuff, the things you do, the people you talk to (or dont talk to)?
Or is it God? The one and only creator of the universe?
When I was in high school (and my first semester of college), my grades defined me. They were who I was. I was an "A student". I did not just "get a B"(except for Biology and AP Calculus...but I cried over those). I centered my self-worth, my purpose in life, my significance, my reason for living in making the grade that I wanted. No, it didn't make me study any harder. It just made me more emotional when I didn't "get my way". Then, I made a C in World History my first semester in Auburn. I felt like it was the end of the world. I wasn't going to get that social work internship I wanted. I wasn't going to get into grad school. I was a failure. But I survived.
Then, second semester came. I was still alive. And still enrolled in college. Nope, I didnt fail out. I did drop a class that I thought I wouldnt do well in that was stressing me out though. And life went on. And I didn't worry about my grades as much. I gave them over to God. I still studied and worked hard, but I didn't stress. I lived life. :)
And now I am at the end of the semester. I'm transferring to AUM next fall to be an elementary education major. I can't get in to Auburn's School of Education, but I can at AUM. I only need a 2.5 (I think I can do that!). And tonight at DIVE, Stew asked what we found significance in. I found for the first time in my life, the answer was not my grades. Or anything related to the field of academia. I found the answer lied in my relationship with God, which is an amazing thing to me. I am seeing God get me through the day every day. I am currently fighting a borderline grade, and will hopefully not get a D this time around in history, but I know no matter what, it will be okay. I pass the class and be done. God will get me through this struggle. Because, all things work together for the good of those that love GOD and are called according to his purpose. Nothing will get in his way. I mean, he is ONLY like the creator of the universe, or something like that. :) If he is with us, who can be against us? If someone is against us, he is there and he is all we need. He will protect you and has a plan that is HUGE for you. You just have to trust him. He has plans that are so much bigger than we can ever fathom. :)
So, I'm glad I came to Auburn. It wasn't a waste. I have grown so much closer to God in ways that I really dont think I would have back home. I dont regret it at all. I have some amazing friends and people I have learned from and will def be back for visits very often! God works in strange ways and I fully believe he brought me here to learn this!

If you go away from this post with anything:
*Don't place your significance in things of the world! Place it in your relationship with God!
*God has plans so much bigger than you can imagine. He is working it all out in his own special way!