I went to the Walmart I shop at and turned to pull into a parking space. I hit the brakes because sitting in the middle of the space, was a lone shopping cart. I put the car in reverse and noticed that the cart was about 20 feet from the place they ask you to return them. I kept checking out a number of parking spaces, that were close to the collection point and so many of them were occupied by a shopping cart. I pulled in to park and in the slot next to me was another shopping cart. So, I grabbed it and used it for my shopping. I thought about why all the shopping carts in the parking lot when in just a matter of a few steps there was a safe place to put them. I emptied my cart when I came back and put it and a couple of others in the storage area. I wasn't really being noble... I was just annoyed that people wouldn't take the time to move the cart that they had just used. When I see that, I think that someone said that their time and their convenience...was more important than mine or anyone else's. Now I know that there are circumstances where it would provide a hardship to move that cart a few yards to safety, but for the most part, we just tend to focus on ourselves. And that's the way we naturally are. The apostle Paul wrote that if we are going to follow this Jesus, we ought to live in harmony with each other...by showing love to each other. He said that we shouldn't be jealous or proud...but instead we should be humble and consider others as more important that ourselves. And that we can show love for others by caring for them as much as we care about ourselves. There are so many things that we can do to show love for others...to just be considerate and kind. But those are things that spring out of a heart that has been changed from anger and selfishness. This Jesus of the Bible can and will change us from people who often see others as objects of dismissal, disregard or even hate to being able to see each person as worthy of our time and our efforts and seeing people like Jesus sees them. They need the love and kindness that only he can give and many times he will use you and me to be the distributors of that for him. So, give folks a break today...show them God's love with your kindness and thoughtfulness today.
Here's our Bible verse for today...
Philippians 2:2-4 Now make me completely happy! Live in harmony by showing love for each other. Be united in what you think, as if you were only one person. (3) Don't be jealous or proud but be humble and consider others more important than yourselves. (4) Care about them as much as you care about yourselves...
Remember I'm praying for you!
With love, PJ
Here's our Bible verse for today...
Philippians 2:2-4 Now make me completely happy! Live in harmony by showing love for each other. Be united in what you think, as if you were only one person. (3) Don't be jealous or proud but be humble and consider others more important than yourselves. (4) Care about them as much as you care about yourselves...
Remember I'm praying for you!
With love, PJ