Seek First The Kingdom of God no. 7
“Do nothing out of rivalry or vanity; but, in humility, regard each other as better than yourselves — look out for each other’s interests and not just for your own” (Philippians (Php) 2:3-4). I was thinking yesterday about the whole idea of hating the sin BUT loving the sinner. And how often it is easy for us to love the sinner that we are while hating the sinner that someone else is. Too often I focus on the sin of other folks rather than focusing on my own sin. And that is definitely part of the problem with my walk at times. It is way too easy to set my focus outward on the sins of the Goyim or of the short-comings and failures of my brothers and sisters while overlooking my own sins and failures. “If we claim not to have sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we acknowledge our sins, then, since he is trustworthy and just, he will forgive them and purify us from all wrongdoing. If we claim we have not been sinning, we are making him out to be a liar, and his Word is not in us” (1 Yochanan (1 Jo) 1:8-10).
Too often I want to advocate against the sins of others and neglect to work on my own sins and failures. And what I need the Spirit to do is work on aligning me to a right relationship. I can’t save others. I can’t even save me. God does all the saving. And the Spirit that dwells inside me needs to continue to work at getting me into alignment with Him. Too often I get concerned with the sins of the world when I should really be concerned with the sins of me. At least there I have some input and control over what God is going to do in my life. That input and control is obedience and faithfulness to His commands. That input and control is pledging allegiance to Him. Looking at everyone else’s sins is a form of vanity that elevates myself above others. I should know that I need a lot of work and that I need to get that work done in harmony with Him. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, self control. Nothing in the Torah stands against such things” (Galatians (Gal) 5:22-23).
Seek first His Kingdom which rests on the foundation of love.
Grace and Shalom to your home. The Kingdom of God is now!
I love you. I forgive you. Have a blessed and abundant day!
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