How Will They Know Me?

"Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything." 1John 3:18-20

I really hate it when I do stuff like this. I don't know why I was so frustrated yesterday, but I was, and I tried not to take it out on my occupational therapist, but I think a bit of hostility broke through. Sure, it's understandable that I'm a bit frustrated, but for the most part, I'm really not all that angry. Look at yesterday's post, I think I am at peace with what's happened with my foot. Maybe it was because she was asking me to do things that I couldn't really do all that well with two feet, it could have been any number of reasons, but that doesn't excuse what I did yesterday.

So I decided to deal with it, but not how you might expect...I prayed that I would change my attitude.

I could tell that the number one reason I was angry and frustrated was my own doing. Last night, and this morning I kept repeating the phrase "Lord, change my attitude, make me more willing to work with her." And I think it worked. I ended up not having her today after all, but I was ready to.

I've found that quite often, the biggest problem we have in dealing with other people is our own, pride. Scripture speaks often on humility, and how to deal with others; we need to treat the needs of others at least as highly as we treat our own. (see Philippians 2:4) Galatians 5:19-21 tells us where anger, impurity, selfish ambition and a host of other bad attitudes and actions come from; our sinful nature. Verses 22 and 23 tell us how we ought to act, what should be coming out of a life that is sold out for Christ. The nice thing it that even if we mess up, we can ask for forgiveness, and I will. I've asked God to forgive my attitude, and if I see that therapist again, I'll ask her forgiveness. Asking forgiveness is tough, but it might be the one thing that is the most telling about who is truly the lord of your life.

My hymn for today is one I always thought of as a campfire song because we sang it around the campfire at summer camp all the time..."They'll Know We Are Christians By Our Love"

We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
And we pray that all unity may one day be restored
And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
Yes, they'll know we are Christians by our love

We will work with each other, we will work side by side
We will work with each other, we will work side by side
And we'll guard each one's dignity and save each one's pride
And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
Yes, they'll know we are Christians by our love

We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand
We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand
And together we'll spread the news that God is in our land
And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
Yes, they'll know we are Christians by our love