Favoritism

I work with this young man who is bible major of some sort. Our discussion at work the other day somehow got to the place where he was talking about future ministry.
He said that he hated one age group but loved the other.
My brow furrowed and I tried to take a breath (as I often have to do when I wanna jump into a rant that doesn't have much love mixed into it as it should) and said that I didn't think that was fair.
He rolled his eyes and me.
So I then said that James clearly says that favoritism is wrong.
He asked me if I'd ever read the Old Testament and that it was full of favoritism.
I then decided to give up on the conversation because it was obvious that he was set on being painful and close minded (or I felt that maybe I was wrong and I was the one being painful and close minded)

So when I got home that night I opened up my bible and read the following:

James 1:26-2:13 (New International Version)

26If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. 27Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Chapter 2
Favoritism Forbidden

1My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism. 2Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. 3If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, "Here's a good seat for you," but say to the poor man, "You stand there" or "Sit on the floor by my feet," 4have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
5Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? 6But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? 7Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong?

8If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself,"[a] you are doing right. 9But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. 10For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 11For he who said, "Do not commit adultery,"[b] also said, "Do not murder."[c] If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.

12Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!

After that I listened to this sermon by Ben Stuart on favoritism called the Poor and Peripheral.

This is what I got from it :)
The whole book of James argues that as a Christian, God has radically changed who you are, so the natural thing to do is to radically change how you live. When we change how we live it also includes changing our thinking. Partiality, favoritism... if you are a believer you should not make distinctions between people, and ascribe worth to a certain group based on external appearance, social status, age, cultural worth, or personality. We all have that one group that we externalize and it is wrong (beautiful people, "greek" college students, certain styles, the rich, the poor, anyone who isn't like us). You know you got the disease when you not only care and love the poor but you care about their personal holiness too. Jesus moved towards the poor and hurting, the people who had nothing to give of worldly value. He moved toward them not for his own personal benefit but for theirs.

My co-workers and pets

Today was such a long day. I worked 10 hours at Lambert's. It's wasn't too bad, just long. :) I've began to realize more and more lately how many co-workers I have who don't really know Christ. They think they do, but it's all a very skewed view. Which always puts me in an awkward position... because I want to explain what Jesus is like or explain that he is the reason I love them all so much, but they think they already know. So no one is open to it. It makes me start to think that maybe evangelizing is easier with people who have no concept or past commentary on who my glorious Savior is. I know it is important to let your love and actions evangelize for you, especially in a society/culture where Jesus' name is already known... but here's the sad thing.... there are more loving atheists around me in the work place than loving christians (AND THE CHRISTIANS OUT-NUMBER THE ATHEISTS!) Ridiculous.
Moving on to my next rant. :) I love my pets. haha
It's amazing how much joy my dogs can bring me when they are waiting for me when I come home from work.
Or when my cocker spaniel follows me everywhere I go because she's scarred of storms and thinks that I can protect her.

Or when my west highland terrier follows me around with a ball in her mouth talkin up a storm because she wants to play.

My calico cat would NOT allow me to check my facebook this morning, she insisted on being the center of attention, even if that meant having to roll all over my macbook. Last but not least we have this black outdoor cat... I love it when I go outside to call him and he races across the yard like some jaguar or something and then rolls around at my feet. Pets are awesome... God is awesome for knowing we would enjoy them so much :) To add to it all, my family is getting two puppies on thursday! Yaaaay!

If I'm completely honest with myself...

I don't really miss you. At first, it seems and sure feels like it is you that I miss. But in all reality I just miss having someone. Someone to hold me and allow me to feel secure.
Someone to talk to. Someone to stand by me.
I miss all the things that anyone else could miss about anyone in the world.
Sure you have certain quirks that I like about you, but I have those for quite a few people in this world.
So when the day comes that I miss you for you and not just because I want someone to hold me, then I'll know you're the one.
When no one else will do...
That's when I'll miss you.
That's when I'll love you.

My sister

So, I have this sister.
A beautiful creature.
She's funny and has a big heart.
Smarter and more courageous than she knows.
But she's broken...
very broken.
Broken by the world.
Not that she has had to endure more than any other teenage girl, but Satan has it out for her lately. And it breaks my heart, because she doesn't see it. Satan takes his foothold without her acknowledgment. She fights, but she fights against herself, family, and the Lord... not the evil one.
When I am away from her I have nothing but compassion, my heart aches for her. The tears on my face will tell you that I would like for nothing more for her to see how beautiful life is. How beautiful SHE is. How BEAUUUTIFUL THE LORD IS! Most of all, for her to have an unbreakable, thirsting, relationship with the Lord.
But when I am with her, Satan gets the best of me too. My patience dwindles. My compassion evaporates as she presses every button she knows how to. Voices raise too quickly and end in silent anger.
We are at war, only some do not see it. How dangerous to be in a war and not realize it?! Only, it's not with each like we often think, but with devil.


"We were born into a world at war. This scene we're living in is no sitcom; it's bloody battle. Haven't you noticed with what deadly accuracy the wound was given? Those blows you've taken - they were not random accidents at all. They hit dead center... It was an attempt to take you out; to cripple or destroy your strength and get you out of the action." - John Eldridge
So behind all the teenage attitude and "big girl wisdom"... I know the little girl is in there. Let her reach out and ask for help?

Please? Let yourself be vulnerable, to the one that matters. To your creator, father, Lord, savior, friend, and healer. I love you.

Come consume me, Jesus

Father God, you are so good, so beautiful, so just, so glorious. Thank you Abba for loving us, for being so merciful. Nature declares your power and might. You are all that matters. Dear Lord, I'm sorry. My pride blinds me. Forgive me, Hessed! I am selfish and undeserving. The christian martyrs I read of had so much love and forgiveness for their persecutors! And here I am, struggling to give the same response to my loving family, bosses, and co-workers who do MUCH less to me. I am so weak. So unclean. I am sorry Jesus, I'm sorry. Teach me to love. Show me what it means to have patience and be self-controlled... to be gentle and kind but at the same the time bold and courageous. Give me your eyes dear Lord, allow me to love deeper. Strengthen my faith, strengthen my feeble frame. Show me the way, give me the words. Speak through me. I want to trust you Father. For you alone are worthy of being trusted! Your love is deeper than any other. Fill me, Holy Spirit, until I am over flowing, I want others to see YOU when they look at me. Any success I have is because of you. All I have is yours Yahweh! Mold me and make me. Humble me and teach me. Heal me, Rapha, for this world rips at me and leaves me broken and tattered. I need you, I want you. Come burn in me, Jesus... like an uncontrollable fire, come consume me. It is in your name that I pray. Amen