Live Generously

I am sadden when I see stories like the one of the officer and the man who was arrested at his own house. It saddens me that they could not sit down and be humble. It saddens me that they both are going to have to "be right" rather than being able to say things could have been different. This is not a blog/commentary about that specific situation. It is a blog to challenge us all on how we do this everyday.
How many times do we say to ourselves, friends, or family - "I am right and I am not going to apologize - I did not do anything wrong! They need to apologize to me!" We have heard it said and we say it and think it. This is not the way of Jesus. The following is the way Jesus taught us to live:

"Here's another old saying that deserves a second look: 'Eye for eye, tooth for tooth.' Is that going to get us anywhere? Here's what I propose: 'Don't hit back at all.' If someone strikes you, stand there and take it. If someone drags you into court and sues for the shirt off your back, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. And if someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously."

Matthew 5:38-40

If we claim the name of God, of Jesus, do we "live generously?" I do not think Jesus is saying that if you get hit just let them keep hitting you. I think he is saying here that if someone offends you and you get mad at them, hit them back, hold to your anger you have done nothing to change the situation. You have only joined them in their anger. They have changed you!

We need to be the agents of change. We are to bring the love and peace into this world. If we are offended or hurt somehow could we be able to show compassion, understanding, and grace towards those who have hurt us? Or are we going to hurt back, hold onto being "right," and join them in the lower energy of anger? Could we raise the level of living by showing love?

This is how Jesus lived his life and how he asked us to live ours - give your life away. In each moment see how you can step aside and let others through. Stop worrying about if you will get recognized or not. Stop thinking about how people should treat you. Start thinking about how you should treat people. Start thinking about how you could recognize and thank others. Stop being selfish and start being selfless.

I wish both of these men could say to themselves and each other "yea I could have done that different." Somehow not hit back for the percieved offense. What a great lesson would have been taught. This is our job as people of grace in this world.

Namaste'

Do You Love?

I tell clients all the time to truly love we have to allow people, even those closest to us, to be how they want to be, pursue the things they want to pursue, and think the things they want to think. Our job is not to make people be a certain way, but to allow them to be what God has created them to be and to allow God to do that work. Love is a very difficult thing for us. It is power, but power that comes through humility and trust.

Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn't want what it doesn't have. Love doesn't strut, Doesn't have a swelled head, Doesn't force itself on others, Isn't always "me first," Doesn't fly off the handle, Doesn't keep score of the sins of others, Doesn't revel when others grovel, Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, Puts up with anything, Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end.

I Corinthians 13

So today just love, just allow, just trust that God actually has things under control. Let people and God be themselves. They will work it out if we stop interfering and just love.

Namaste'

Friend or Servant?

So are you a friend or servant of Jesus? I know weird queston right? That is because most of us see ourselves as a servant of Jesus, but we actually are called to be friends. What is the difference?

"I've told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature. This is my command: Love one another the way I loved you. This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends. You are my friends when you do the things I command you. I'm no longer calling you servants because servants don't understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I've named you friends because I've let you in on everything I've heard from the Father. "

John 15:11-13 (The Message)

So which is it? Do we truly understand the way of Jesus? Do we truly understand that we are to love as God has loved us? God has loved us with a love that loves no matter what. God does not wait for us to change before love is given - love is given without question. Love is the way of Jesus. Love should be our way with others. We understand that the greatest commandment is to just love. We understand that love is the greatest attribute we could have. We understand that love is allowing people to choose to love God, to choose their life, and to make decisions about how they will live life. We understand that when we love like this - with no pressure to have to make a decision - people freely choose to love God. When we do not love - when we have to convince people and make them do something - people will not love God.

Today understnad what Jesus is thinking and planning and be a friend to Jesus by loving others freely.

Namaste'

Train and Practice

So are you training? I know that I have lost my practice the last few weeks with what has been going on in my life. I stopped training and practicing putting together my thoughts and they have become loose and more automatic without my thinking about it. I have slipped on my meditations in the morning. You have not seen a blog in over a month. I find that when this happens to me I loose my sense of God. God is present, but I "forget" that and I think that I cannot overcome things in my life. I forget that I have the power to change my biology through practicing being aware of my thoughts, my self, and then being able to train my brain to think different things. I miss out on the truths of these scriptures:

Now pass on this counsel to the followers of Jesus there, and you'll be a good servant of Jesus. Stay clear of silly stories that get dressed up as religion. Exercise daily in God—no spiritual flabbiness, please! Workouts in the gymnasium are useful, but a disciplined life in God is far more so, making you fit both today and forever. You can count on this. Take it to heart. This is why we've thrown ourselves into this venture so totally. We're banking on the living God, Savior of all men and women, especially believers.

1 Timothy 4:6-8

We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity.

2 Corinthians 10:5

So today I will throw myself back into my practice. I will no longer be subject to the things that I am automatically thinking without questioning it. I want to realize God and I can only do that by using the tools that have been given to me - prayer, meditation, examination, being aware of my thoughts, reading, and giving of myself to others through compassion. These are the tools that will remove all of the "percieved" obstructions in life.

Namaste'

What Do You See?

So what do you see? When you look at the picture to the right of this blog what do you see? Do you see a bum that needs to get a job and is just living off the goodness of others? Do you see a man that just down on his luck and with a little effort he will be able to get out of it? Do you see a man with a story that may be interesting to hear, but you would never get involved to help? Do you see a man with a story that could be yours and it moves you to compassion to really get to know him and find out what can be done to help? Which one is you? Be honest with yourself - no one knows you are reading this - so answer yourself honestly.
You see the way we answer this question, the way we see this person in this picture will let us know how much we are walking in the way of Jesus. The higher our energy level - that of love - the more likely it is that we see a man with a story that could be ours and we are moved with compassion to take action. The lower our energy level - that of worry, anger, frutration - the more likely we are to see a man that is a bum and needs to get a job. We are judgemental. Who are you in this story:

Jesus went across to Mount Olives, but he was soon back in the Temple again. Swarms of people came to him. He sat down and taught them. The religion scholars and Pharisees led in a woman who had been caught in an act of adultery. They stood her in plain sight of everyone and said, "Teacher, this woman was caught red-handed in the act of adultery. Moses, in the Law, gives orders to stone such persons. What do you say?" They were trying to trap him into saying something incriminating so they could bring charges against him.
Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger in the dirt. They kept at him, badgering him. He straightened up and said, "The sinless one among you, go first: Throw the stone." Bending down again, he wrote some more in the dirt.
Hearing that, they walked away, one after another, beginning with the oldest. The woman was left alone. Jesus stood up and spoke to her. "Woman, where are they? Does no one condemn you?"
"No one, Master."
"Neither do I," said Jesus. "Go on your way. From now on, don't sin."
Jesus once again addressed them: "I am the world's Light. No one who follows me stumbles around in the darkness. I provide plenty of light to live in."

John 8:1-12

So are we more like Jesus willing to show love because we understand that we all fall short and we could be there? Or are we like the religious leaders who came hoping for judgement, telling ourselves that this person is worthless and our anger and hate take over?

Today work on walking in the way of Jesus and look at others as we want others to look at us. We all want the "benefit of the doubt." We all want people to understand the "whole story" before they make a judgement about how we got to where we are. We all want grace, but are we willing to give it?

Namaste'