Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said " Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy, into a friend." While many people may believe nowadays that's soft, outdated, rhetoric let me remind you that before they were King's words, he borrowed them out of (the Gospels) Luke's account of the words of Christ, when he penned Christ's teachings regarding loving our enemies in Luke 6: 27-3327 “But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. 28 Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. 30 Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back. 31 Do to others as you would like them to do to you.
32 “If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them! 33 And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much!
Christ had every intention on truly TURNING THE WORLD UPSIDE down in their thinking to the extent what HE SAID, and HAD TO SAY, literally sounded crazy to those listening. Rarely do you find homes today, that are teaching children to respond in this manner when faced with a school bully even. But the point of this blog post isn't rail parenting, it's really to encourage you to do something that literally might actually change the world, if in fact you learn something from my testimony.
A little over a year ago, I was at my local Target, doing what I like to do at Target, shop! While in the check out isle, I observed a pregnant lady having some financial difficulty checking out. I don't remember all she had, and the price of her goods, but what I do remember is deciding to do what Christ suggested HIS LISTENERS (who may have become followers) to do when faced in such a situation is "Do to others as you would like them to do to you." As I paid for her goods, her mom (whom attention she was attempting to get) comes over and she says, " This guy just paid for......" to which her moms response was " Oh you didn't have to do that, here let me give you......" to which I declined, told them GOD BLESS YOU ALL, and gave them one of my business cards that communicated I was a Pastor. While this excerpt has a lot to do with our relationship with those who curse us, who hurt us, who even can or may have abused us...this lady hadn't done any of these things to me. If asked was she a Christian I'd have to say no or I don't know. For those of you seeking to say, "Ray isn't that judging....?" Maybe, but we all observe one another and make judgments, and that's not really the point.....but what is the point is what happened this week to remind me of why is it important to seek opportunities to be obedient and the results of doing so.
This week my home was scheduled to have 11 out of 15 windows replaced, and the Ferguson Windows were doing the work, but what I didn't know is that Ferguson contracts other companies to help them accomplish all of their business. I opened the door and their stood a male and female team that were to do my windows. I somewhat gathered they were either related or very tight knit as a work group. We exchanged pleasantries and they commenced to do the work while I commenced to leave to go to work for the day. I came home for lunch to check on the progress and my sick son, to be welcomed with an " I don't know how to tell you this, but I know you from the young lady." She fumbled over her words for a moment, then said....a year ago I was pregnant and you did something very nice for me at the Target around the corner." My mouth dropped, and I was like NO WAY! She continued to tell me she knew it was me, when I gave them a card before I left to contact me if they had any issues, and after I left she was paralyzed to do any work because she realize she was being entrusted to care for my home.
We laughed and she teared up a bit, and shared with me how she has kept my card all this time, and her mother remembers this occurrence as a day they had faith in humanity again. Now our conversation didn't go seriously spiritually sideways, but of course I mentioned the amazing hand of GOD that brought our paths to cross again, and she stated how honored she felt to be tasked to do the work on the home of someone that really blessed her as a stranger. They were at my home for two days, and they will possibly be back in the VERY NEAR future to replace the last three basement windows, but the next time they will be back as dear friends, not hired hands, or strangers, or enemies. I am not sure if that is where our stories will end, but it sure was an incredible moment to hear her story, how a kind act blessed her then, and how it REALLY humbled and bless her mom to know she met me again on different terms.
LADIES AND GENTS.....I pray you can seriously consider enacting LOVE in your dealings with all people, so that you can turn their worlds upside down, and later find yourself standing on your head by how GOD turns your world upside to see things RIGHT SIDE UP! #LGLP
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