OK, I get it... I Get It !!

So I can see God is trying to make a point I will remember (Not including the one on the top of my head).


Protect Yourself
Ephesians 4:1-16


We continue meditating on the truth that grudges are sand in the machinery of life. We cannot maintain our spiritual freshness if resentment is allowed to fester in our hearts.
The Christian faith makes it quite clear that whatever shuts out our brother or sister also shuts out our Father. Look at the orders given to us by our Lord: "So if when you are offering your gift at the altar you there remember that your brother has any grievance against you, leave your gift at the altar and go. First make peace with your brother, and then come back and present your gift" (Mt. 5:23-24, Amplified Bible). Stop all religious observance, says Jesus; it is useless if you are not attempting to be reconciled to your brother. For shutting out our brother shuts out our Father - automatically.

What about when we have a grievance against our brother? This: "If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you" (Mt. 18:15). Whether we have sinned against our brother or our brother has sinned against us, we are under an obligation to settle it - as far as we are concerned. Our brother may not respond but that is not our responsibility. A Christian must not just go halfway to settle a quarrel - he must go all the way. Whatever shuts out your brother shuts out your Father. Grudges have no place in a Christian heart. Don't keep a grudge overnight - for if you do, you will wake up in the morning with a corroded soul. (Ouch !!)




"Our goal is not self-confidence. It is Christ-confidence."
-Charles Stanley

I hate being human...

Okay,

So those of you who know me pretty well know I have a very rigid line on what I think is fair or not.

I am not chained to rules but when they're bent or broken I believe it should be done equally for everyone in all circumstances (You can see how this could be a problem). You can also see how I can become so frustrated. So I found this in my devotionals today & even though it's a much different story the results are the same (What would I do for a clear conscience??)


A Clear Conscience
Ephesians 4:1-16

If you've ever gone easily to bed after surviving an ethical dilemma during the day with your conscience intact, you'll understand this fast-food fiasco.

Henry Snowden pulled in to the drive-up window at a Burger King in Deltona, Florida. He ordered, paid for his meal, and eased away from the window. When he finally pulled over to eat, he got the shock of his life.

There was nothing wrong with his burger or fries. His drink was cold and good. But the clerk working at the window had shoved two bags out the window at the 31-year-old man. The second bag contained $4,170 in cash. And you thought it was another fast-food franchise that dispensed "happy meals," didn't you! What happened was a mistake by a store employee and a challenge to Henry Snowden's character.

This particular Burger King puts its day's receipts in one of the same bags it uses for food orders. The idea is to have an inconspicuous burger bag rather than an inviting bank deposit bag sitting there in case of a robbery attempt. But the clerk working the window that fateful day mistakenly reached over and picked up both Snowden's bag and the deposit bag a store manager had just plopped down.

What was Snowden's response when he opened the second sack and found all the money? He knew that taking it back to the restaurant would be the right thing to do. "But I've got to admit, I was definitely tempted!" he said. Yet he returned the money the next morning. "I'm glad I was able to do the right thing. I feel better than I've ever felt." A good conscience will do that for a person!

How can you best foster self-esteem? One popular approach has been to lower grading standards so everyone gets A's and B's ( I truly hate this approach ), to affirm all lifestyles as equally acceptable, and to reward incompetence as well as skill. Authentic self-esteem comes from being true to your convictions. You are made in the image of God. You feel good when you bear the divine image with dignity, but you feel terrible when you sully it with dishonor.

You'll have your own version of Henry Snowden's challenge one of these days. You'll have the chance to cover yourself by telling a lie. A customer will need a different product than the one you sell. You'll want to avoid an unpleasant topic of conversation with a family member.
Is $4,170 too high a price for a clear conscience? Ask anyone who doesn't have one, and he'll tell you Henry Snowden got a bargain.

Most compromises start small. Is there a little one in your life you can stop before it gets any worse?



"Our goal is not self-confidence. It is Christ-confidence."
-Charles Stanley