Lessons from My Son

Alexander is an amazing little man. Wide-eyed, he explores the world around him with reckless abandon. The thing about him that really amazes me is that he truly is "no respecter of persons" when it comes to social situations. Alexander doesn't see the things which men see, he does not care if you smell or if your teeth are all nasty or if you're morbidly obese or if you look as if you do not bathe regularly or if you're from a bad family or bad neighborhood or what skin color you have or your sexual orientation or what religion you have or if you are older than dirt or just a little sapling. Alexander does not care. No matter what, he'll walk right up to you in a crowded room, with a smile, and ask you "what's your favorite thing?" He'll try the best he can to strike up a conversation and leave you smiling and feeling the better for it.

I have a lot to learn from my son. I have a feeling this is just the beginning.

Love, Love Changes Everything

"Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you."

The transforming power of choosing to love your enemies is unbelievable. The other day I was listening to a sermon series by John MacArthur and he spoke on what it truly means to love your enemies and what it looks like to bless those who curse you and why. Luke 6:27-38.

And I realized, while listened to him expound upon the words of Jesus, our Lord and Savior, that I hate all my enemies. I hate the guy that cuts me off in traffic. I hate the guy at work that tells me I don't work hard enough to make himself fell better about his own short comings. I hate the guy that's constantly antagonizing me and makes my job harder by being intentionally lazy. All of them, too many to count.

There was a lot in those three sermons and every bit of it was piercing my heart. The Spirit was there with me, speaking to me more clearly than I have heard in a long time. People outside the Kingdom hate their enemies. God loves his enemies, I was his enemy, he loved me to the cross. After realizing that I was actually hating my enemies I was liberated to have the choice, the choice not to. I am free. I am free from hating my enemies. I can still choose to if I want, and I'm sure undoubtedly that I will. But I have been set free. It was for freedom that Christ set me free. I feel like my heart is brand new!

"Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you."

Thank you for reading!
Scott.