23 February 2018

God's Word for Friday, 2/23/18

Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day’s out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ’s law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived.

Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.

Be very sure now, you who have been trained to a self-sufficient maturity, that you enter into a generous common life with those who have trained you, sharing all the good things that you have and experience.

Don’t be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!—harvests a crop of weeds. All he’ll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life.

So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit. Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith.

Galatians 6:1-10 (MSG)

4 comments:

LindaG said...

I love these verses. Thank you, Reverend.

Rev. Paul said...

You're welcome, Linda. I'm glad you like them.

Suz said...

I see folks many days in my job, that I wonder what did they ever do to deserve to be where they are. I try to pull weeds, water and encourage a positive change as often as I can...some days with patients, some days with coworkers, every day with me. And I talk with God daily about all of it. Surprising sometimes how often it all helps.
After a week like this past one, it helps to keep me keeping on.

Rev. Paul said...

I couldn't have said it better, Suz. Thank you.