Still Stripping Away

Just when I thought I was getting a little bare, God finds more to strip away! The stripping away of my sinful self, my culture and what's ingrained in me, my comforts so I can trust only in Him. Wow.

We have been doing a bible study about what else- grace & the Gospel and how to apply it to our lives. Last week was on constructive and destructive conflicts and forgiveness. This week was on loving people, ahem, especially those you just don't like. These two studies have been good for me because as luck would have it, this is what I am being faced with at the moment. Dealing with conflict or loving others in your own culture is one thing, you know how to deal with it or avoid it if its too hard. You slide under the radar with most cases and it goes away. But dealing with those in another culture, its a bit trickier. And ignoring them and/or their sin is not loving them, is it?

I realized today how its been instilled in me that you avoid conflict at all cost. If someone bothers you, get away from them. That way, you don't have to be rude and it removes the problem, right? I don't talk about how you've wronged me to anyone, usually, because I don't even get that invested. I am a person who will dismiss you in a heartbeat if you rub me the wrong way, and because of that I don't get emotionally attached to people. That way, I expect them to do something stupid and I'm not disappointed.

That is wrong. I must strip away that part of me, that protective, impatient, ungracious part. We are called to love people-our friends and our enemies. And love is patient, kind, isn't prideful, not boastful, etc, etc... I should expect good things from people, knowing that they will potentially fail me, and have grace for them when that happens. Seek to redeem that relationship, not banish them from my presence. But how do you do this after 32 years of doing it the other way? Only by the Holy Spirit and having full confidence that if He has brought this to my attention, not only does He love me, but He will also follow it to completion. He must change my heart, give me love, patience, grace- all that is needed. After all, He had to have all those things to love me!


43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Matthew 5:43-48