Motivational Monday #6 (Memorial Day)

Happy Memorial Day! Today is the day we honor the men and women & their families who have served and are currently serving! "All gave some...some gave all." We salute you! I especially want to thank my husband for the 11 years of service he gave before he was medically retired. I'll never forget when we were pregnant with our second child and he came to the doctor's visit from work in his uniform and as we were leaving a lady walked up to him and shook his hand and thanked him. I broke down and cried. That moment touched me and my husband more than I can express.

Today's Motivational Monday is going to be a continuation of my blog on Friday night. I visited a church Saturday night and you won't believe what the Lord did for me!

We read from James 2:1-13. I was brought to tears when the sermon began and it was exactly what I have been dealing with and blogged about Friday night. That moment told me I was right where I was meant to be. Do we treat others the way God wants them treated? It has been breaking my heart lately to see how people treat one another. I've felt it first hand from people who are "close" to me. "There is no place so lonely as when you're in a crowd." Be Bold! Be part of the solution! The ground is truly level at the foot of the cross. It doesn't matter if you are rich or poor, black or white...at the foot of the cross we are all on the same level. Favoritism is a sin. They say don't judge a book by its cover, but by looking at someone can't you tell if they are lonely, sad, hurting? Learn to welcome people, spend time with people...your actions and how you treat others speaks volumes.

 

As Christians we should never single anyone out and always welcome them. Sometimes all it takes is being there for someone that turns their life around. He told us about a skinny boy named Brian Warner who was never really welcomed in his church and one day they went to a theme park and were told to pair up and no one paired up with him, he spent the whole day alone at the park. This boy is who we know as Marilyn Manson. If only people wouldn't have pushed him aside and made him feel welcome and loved he could have been different.

 

He also told about a church who was built in front of a college and they hoped to attract the college kids but they weren't very successful. One day a young student in tattered clothes, long hair and a beard came in and sat on the floor in the sanctuary for the service. No one welcomed him. They just stared at him during the service. At one point an 80 year old deacon who has been with the church forever, in his suit, stood up and walked towards the student. Everyone thought " oh he is mad at this kid, who can blame him, that isn't how u "do church". But they were all shocked to see that 80 year old man struggle to get to the floor to sit with the student so he didn't have to worship alone. The preacher then said "None of you will remember my sermon, but you will remember what you just saw." We should all be that kind of person.

 

How can I become what God wants me to be?

1. Become Intentional

2. Become Prayerful

3. Become Observant

4. Become Bold

 

You never know how much a kind word means to someone. Be the kind of friend Jesus would be. Be the kind of friend you would want. Think of how you would feel if the roles were reversed.

 

<3

Audrey