All we need is love

We are short on brotherly-love in our day. I am saying this on the heels of the loss of Sandra Bland and the Chattanooga, TN shooting.

People seem to be enthralled in their mobile device(s) and their own “stuff” to have time for their neighbor. This is a problem! How can we be upset at terrible happenings when we are turning cold shoulders to those around us on an daily basis? I’m not trying to start a global movement here. I just think that some local love can go a LONG way.

The other day my family and I were on a road trip to see some friends of ours that had come to our area. On our way to meet them, we stopped for some breakfast. Outside sat a homeless fellow with a sign that read ‘God bless.’

I told him “good morning brother” as we walked past.

I thought about how good my breakfast from this place was going to be. So, I ordered two!

When we were heading back to our car, I asked him if he had eaten breakfast yet. He shook his head and said “no.” I handed him the bag with his delicious bacon, egg and cheese biscuit in it.

I didn’t do this because I wanted to puff my chest up for the rest of the day or because I wanted recognition. I almost didn’t write about it in here because I it isn’t important to me for people to know about.

However, what is important to me is the feeling I got inside. And more… the feeling that he got! He smiled and said “Thanks brother!”

I could almost hear the hunger pains leaving him.

“This is what it feels like to love a neighbor.” I thought.

That thought stayed with me all day. It made me want to do it again and again!

Can you imagine if we each loved someone else just a little bit everyday? Let someone go in front of you in traffic, hold the door for someone you don’t know, pay for the person behind you in the drive through or toll bridge. You never know how far a little can go.

To the fellows

Hey fellers I read this this morning…

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them.” John 10:27

It is comforting to know that just like sheep we stray away from time to time but he still knows us and takes care of us.

There are a hundred directions to go with this verse but the one thing I need to hear is in reference to leadership.

Jesus is the Great Shepherd aka the leader of our flock. We need to strive to be like him at all costs. Sometimes being a leader requires some following before we can truly lead others. Just like sheep we have strength in numbers. So when we are left alone or stray away, we become vulnerable to a wolf or just plain old getting lost.

Yesterday I learned a valuable lesson in leadership. There are those that have come before us that have done it right. On the flip side we can all think of those that have lead us or others in the wrong direction. So let’s follow our leader here and be a good leader by noticing our subordinates, family members and even our peers the same way that Jesus says he does.

I hope y’all are having a great week. Men, stay strong in what we have set as our foundation. We are the leaders of those around us, to some degree or another, whether we want to be or not.

Planks in our eyes

So, I have been doing some self-reflection lately… and I have noticed that I tend to get upset at people that are quick tempered. Some questions/comments that usually come to mind are… Why do they have to be that way? What is making you go from 0 to 1000% in a matter of seconds? Is your adult temper-tantrum really helping you that much? Hey dummy, you look ridiculous right now!

I can almost hear you asking “did he not say SELF-reflection?”

I did say that. Just hold on and I will get there. So, in my infinite (31 years) life experience, I have begun judging others based on their sometimes outlandish and childish reactions to certain curveballs in life. I am very good at judging too. It makes me feel superior to others and shows me how much better I am than everyone else.

Sometimes I hear people say, “I can read someone from a hundred yards away.” Actually, I have said that before…

Sometimes I see a dad treat their children terribly for something that is miniscule. Hold on… I’ve done that.

Sometimes I see couples fighting and the wife is crying. Wait a second… I have hurt my wife with my angry words before.

Sometimes I watch as a grown man acts like a two year old when things don’t go his way. Yep, I might as well check that box too.

Well, it seems that I have been looking the wrong way this whole time. I should’ve been looking in the mirror because it seems that what I have been judging others for is actually a personal issue of mine. If I look back over the list of things, that I just realized that I participate in too, most of them affect family members or people closest to me.

See, it is very easy to put on a front and sit aloft our ivory tower to judge others below us. This rang like a bell amongst the rocks in my head this morning as I read what Jesus said in Matthew chapter 7 and specifically verses 3 thru 5…

3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no mind to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

Maybe there is a takeaway for anyone reading this… maybe we can all be a little hypocritical sometimes… think about it.

Hopefully, I have made you smile a little at my expense today. Thanks for reading!

 

First Timer

So there I was… sitting in my lazy boy with an overinflated ego (thanks Mel) and a longing to write something meaningful in my first blog.

However, this one will be short and sweet because the smell of home made chocolate chip cookies is wafting my way. Those are my kryptonite.

I hope that we can learn together. I see this as a creative outlet and decompression medium for myself. Hopefully, I can gain the intrest of a few people and start some good conversations. Some that will allow us to grow spiritually and mentally as we throw opinions around.

After all Aristotle said

”

It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it

.”