I've been incredibly quiet on the social media front this week. I simply couldn't find the words to express the big feelings I had. I wanted the right words to find me, so I've prayed for intentionality and discernment. I've prayed that my words find the right ears and the right hearts that need them which is kind of silly because no one is sitting out there wondering one second "What does Katy think about all this".
Then I started writing and as my fingers hit the keys I paused and thought, "I've read this somewhere before." Turns out I had the "right words" all along... from a blog post I wrote 10 years ago.
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June 23, 2015
I'm sure you've all noticed the news lately. Filled with sadness and hate. Judgment and scorn. A he said/she said battle that would rival a middle school cafeteria. Stories of courage that are met with ridicule out of fear of the unknown. Stories of racism that a country won't admit still exists. Stories that are so unbelievably tragic all you can do is cry.
And I do.
But I also pray and within those prayers are the hope that my Christian brothers and sisters will stand up and showcase to the world that is watching what the meaning of Christ's love is really all about.
And then I cry some more because time and time again, we fail.
We fail to help from fear. We fail to listen from hate. We fail to simply stand next to each other with an open ear, open arms and most of all, an open heart. We ultimately fail to love and in doing so, we fail to bring people to Him. In fact, we do the opposite. We turn people from Him. With our hate. With our judgment. With our scorn. With our "better than you" attitudes.
I'm not a biblical scholar by any means. I can recite maybe 5 verses off the top of my head, but I'm pretty sure no where in the bible says, "Go thee, and hate. In my name, turn others from seeking me because I just don't like them."
All kidding aside, I have always envied those that can recite applicable scripture for any situation and I have made it a goal and prayed many a prayer that I become more connected with using His word in my own. And prayers are answered y'all because this week I feel like He was speaking to me (and well, when He talks to you - you best shut up and listen).
As I was sitting in church on Sunday listening to a sermon that I personally felt wasn't sharing the true meaning of Christ's love ... He laid on my heart The Parable of the Good Samaritan from Luke 10:25-37. It states...
25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live." 29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii[c] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” 37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
I can claim the word of God until I'm blue in the face. Put my favorite verse on my social media profile, tweet that I just want people to know Christ, and light a ceremonial candle every Sunday. But if I don't LIVE like Jesus, then what is it all for?
