DO IT UNTO THE LORD If you are going to do anything right for long, it will not be because it wins you the love, favour and respect of your spouse, children or family, because if that is the aim, goal and motive, you will not last long. To do good and right for long can only be sustained by one reason - YOU ARE DOING IT FOR THE LORD, YOU DO IT BECAUSE IT PLEASES HIM, HE COMMANDS AND EXPECTS YOU TO AND HE SHALL REWARD YOU FOR IT. Any other reason is not strong enough to keep you going! Many wives, husbands and parents have given up on being good husbands, wives and parents because they thought being a good husband, wife and parent would earn them the love, respect, admiration, appreciation and acceptance of their spouses and children. Soon they discover that when your wife, husband, son or daughter have decided you are nothing, nobody and unworthy of their love, respect, honour and admiration, it would never matter what you do, accomplish and become, IN THEIR MINDS, HEARTS AND EYES YOU SHALL FOREVER REMAIN A NOBODY AND UNWORTHY Until recently, I used to be a staunch believer in the principle that says RESPECT IS EARNED until I realized that this world DESPISES THOSE WHO DESERVE RESPECT AND RESPECTS THOSE WHO DID NOT EARN IT Now, you have to understand what to EARN is. To EARN is: - To obtain a reward in return for labour or services. - It means to be paid for effort, labour and dedication. - It also means to receive payment or token of appreciation for invested effort. - It also means to gain deservedly in return for ones behaviour or achievements. In all four definitions above, it is obvious that when one sets out to EARN anything, there is reasonable ground for one to believe that the reward associated with such an endeavour or effort IS GUARANTEED, BUT WE ALL KNOW THAT THIS WORLD WILL NEVER GUARANTEE GIVING RESPECT TO THE NOBLE, THE TRUTHFUL, THE HONOURABLE AND THE GODLY BECAUSE DAILY WE HEAR OF: - Husbands who dump godly wives over immoral women - Wives who cheat on godly husbands with playboys - Sons who betray loving parents over gangsters and drug lords - Husbands who abuse virtuous women, and - Wives who disrespect men of honour Dont we live in a world that admires rogues and betray prudes? Dont we hear daily of the fall of the diligent and virtuous and the rise of the belligerent and the vile? WE BASICALLY LIVE AMONG PEOPLE WHO ARE COMFORTABLE WITH KILLING THE GODLY BECAUSE THIS WORLD KILLS GOOD MEN AND HONOURS THE WICKED! So, if you are going to be a good husband, loving wife or caring parent and you are going to be one for long, DO NOT DO IT EXPECTING TO BE LIKED, PREFERRED, RESPECTED AND ADMIRED BY BENEFICIARIES OF YOUR LOVE, COMMITMENT AND DEDICATION, BECAUSE HUMAN NATURE IS SUCH THAT IF SOMEONE HAS CONCLUDED THAT YOU ARE NOTHING, NOBODY AND UNWORTHY, NO AMOUNT OR DEGREE OF LOVE, DEDICATION AND CARE FROM YOU WILL EVER PERSUADE THEM TO RESPECT, HONOUR AND ADMIRE YOU. If you do not believe me, look at the kind of men and women this world worships, likes and honours, then compare them to people this world hates, despises and abuses. Do you think the immoral, depraved and wicked EARNED the respect the world gives them? Do you think the godly, virtuous and humble EARNED the betrayal, embarrassment, dishonour, contempt and abuse the world heaps on them? DO YOU STILL BELIEVE THAT RESPECT IS EARNED? IF YOU DO, HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THE BETRAYAL, CONTEMPT AND ABUSE WE KEEP METING OUT TO THE GODLY AND THE PRAISES, ADMIRATION AND ADORATION WE CONTINUE TO HEAP UPON THE WICKED? As for the godly, loving and caring - if you are going to be godly, loving and caring for long, it will be because you are DOING IT UNTO THE LORD, NOT TO TRY TO EARN THE RESPECT OF THE DISRESPECTFUL, OR THE LOVE OF THE UNLOVING AND THE HONOUR OF THE DISHONOURABLE! To be godly means: - You love the hateful - You respect the arrogant - You embrace the rebellious, and - You forgive the non-repentant! Do you know how tough it is to forgive someone who does not regret their sin, has no remorse, justifies what they did or doesnt fully appreciate how they hurt you? FORGIVE ANYWAY BECAUSE GOD IS THE JUDGE AND HE JUDGES FAIRLY. THOUGH YOU PRESENTLY FEEL PREJUDICED, MISUNDERSTOOD AND ABUSED, HE SHALL ULTIMATELY VINDICATE YOU BECAUSE HE ALWAYS DOES Todays Meditation Matthew 5 38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’39 But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40 If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. 41 And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. 42 Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away. Love Your Enemies 43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. Ephesians 6 5 Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ; 6 not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, 7 with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men, 8 knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free. 9 And you, masters, do the same things to them, giving up threatening, knowing that your own Master also is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him. Colossians 3 23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. 25 But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality. Romans 13 7 Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor. Our commitment remains: BY GODs GRACE - TOGETHER BUILDING, SAVING AND REVIVING ONE MORE FAMILY, ROMANCE AND MARRIAGE A DAY AT A TIME! PEACE
Posted on: Mon, 26 May 2014 23:25:35 +0000