(a 4 minute read) And they said, “That’s because God is faithful!” and my response is typically given genuinely and from the heart, with a deep breath, a big sigh and an ear to ear smile, “Yes God is indeed faithful”. I ask you to close your eyes and imagine the circumstance that this statement and response occurred? Would you agree that it is a ‘good’ circumstance? Something ‘good’ happened to me. Someone attributed it to the faithfulness of God and I whole heartedly agreed giving the glory to the Lord.

Now what is the response if I go to someone with a circumstance that I am struggling in? Like in need of a job or with a health issue? “Hang in there, God is faithful. God will get you through this”, is what I will hear, and again I will genuinely and from the heart, with a deep breath, and a big sigh say, “Of course of course the Lord will, and I trust in that.”

I need you, the reader, to assist me for a moment. Think with me in what other ways might I or you attribute “faithfulness” to God? ……. There is one more that comes to mind. It is in the area of giving. If I give of my time and/or of my finances, God is faithful in opening the flood gates of blessings in my direction, correct?

As this is so very crucial and sensitive matter, I ask that you understand that this is not to challenge whether the Lord is faithful to his creation, instead it is to examine how we, you and I, measure, define assess and explain to ourselves and to others what it is that the Lord’s “faithfulness” is!?

Brutal honesty with oneself is essential here.

In the three instances listed above, it is “things” “items” “riches” “wellness” “treasures” “status” that are used to evaluate the Creator’s faithfulness to me and to you.

Why is it that we use transactional methods, “you do this I’ll do that” kind of relationship to describe the Lord’s faithfulness? I know that you know that it is much more than “things” “wellness” “treasures”, yet we continue to use such “items” to express to ourselves and to others the extent of the Lord’s “faithfulness”!!

Wouldn’t you agree that this minimizes and maybe even trivializes the GRANDNESS of the relationship we need to express that exists between the Creator and the Created?? Oh this is going to hurt……. It can even generate a “Well, my faith does that to me too, then how is your faith different than my faith……??

Is it because we have no other way to express it, so we resort to ‘feel good’ expressions?? Maybe as humans we need to have ‘palpable’ things to touch and relate to when we express something??

But if trivializing the Lord’s faithfulness is on the line then it is probably best not to use the measure that we have been using to express God’s faithfulness…………….. One thing for sure it does generate…………….. “If God granted faithfulness to Reda in this ‘measure’, as expressed by Reda, then why isn’t God expressing faithfulness to me in that same ‘measure’?…………… Do you see how a simple expression of faith can weaken someone else’s faith??

Come on man, are you saying that we never should talk about God’s faithfulness!?

On the contrary, we should boast about the Lord’s faithfulness. Avow, attest, acknowledge and affirm God’s faithfulness. I hope you are feeling the energy that all these words are evoking. Avow is pretty powerful if you ask me 🙂

How?   Like so;

You’ve WRONGED me a million times, please don’t but try for another million, and I will still FORGIVE you.

I am standing by you REGARDLESS.

No matter what you do I LOVE YOU.

I am with you ALWAYS and to the END of TIME.

PLUS any additional expression that is non-transactional that describes God’s LOVE

and adding transactional descriptions, as we typically do, weakens/diminishes/lessens/detracts from the core and true FAITHFULNESS of our Lord, Savior and Creator.

Remember, Faithfulness describes Faith. Faith is NON-PALPABLE for it is GRAND/MAJESTIC/ROYAL.

Therefore, using any palpable measure to associate FAITHFULNESS with will lessen it.

Oh Lord I am so thankful to You and to Your LOVE. May I humble myself and use me when I reference Your Faithfulness. May I be bold in expressing how You forgive me and how You are with me regardless of what I do or think. You forgive me, love me REGARDLESSSSSSSSSSSSS. Thank You my Lord. Amen.

(3 minute read) As a 19 year old I happened to be the kind of guy that was dependable, had many friends that confided in me and sought my counsel. You can say I was older than my age.  Or I can give credit to my parents, roughly in their mid-forties, and say they did a good job raising me 🙂  It was at this same time that many in my circle knew that I was thinking of what to do for my career.

In search of, what seemed at that time, what I will do for the rest of my life, I poured into reading about this profession and that job. Probing for what would fit me best. My mother took the approach of, in a very loving manner, giving me her advice on this profession or that career. The way she involved herself made me feel that she cared. My father took a different approach. He would seek me as I was researching, pull a chair next to me, and start playing a puzzle or reading a book. Time after time he did the same thing. It got me curious and I asked him, “Dad, why do you just sit next to me but never give me advice on the occupations I am analyzing?” My dad smiled and said, “I purposefully sit next to you so you’d know that I am with you regardless of what you choose for your career.” To be honest, I found it odd as his presence without participating kind of felt strange.

Now I am in my mid-forties and my child is 19. For kicks, I tried my dad’s approach and truth be told, it drove me crazy……. I just could not resist getting involved as my child was evaluating what to do. I could not just sit there. After all, we humans want to express our love by being involved, and not just sit there, right?

As I now seek my Lord, and I would think you are in the same shoes, I am desperately hoping to know what direction my God wants me to go. As it would be marvelously wonderful to recognize that this is 100% what the Lord wants. Truth be told, although our Lord is kind of like the dad above, never giving a sign, is always there but not speaking, you and I are convinced that we are indeed 100% where the Lord wants us to be. Can you see what happens when you and I are so sure, yet stand on opposite sides of something?? You and I would point fingers at each other and utter the same sentence, “The Lord is not with you, for the Lord is with me!”

Isn’t the dad above is what the Bible teaches about how our God and Lord is? “I am with you always and till the end of the ages!” Isn’t that what our Lord said? We know this, yet proclaim God is on MY side.

Do you see the division when pointing fingers? Is our God, the one we both worship, a God of division or the Lord of unity??

Who am I to proclaim to another that the Lord is NOT with you??  Who am I???  For what is it to tell someone that you are evil??

My Lord and my God, I come to You seeking that I realize that as much as I want to know that You are 100% with me in what I choose, that makes it in my mind that You are 100% against those that choose opposite to what I choose. May I humble myself enough to remind myself that You are with those that choose opposite to me as much as You are with me. Your presence is not an indication of whose side You are on, rather Your presence is an indication that You love them as much as You love me, regardless of what each chooses. And for Your magnificent love and continued ‘with me’ regardless, I pray that it makes me open my arms to the next person also regardless. I love You and I thank You my Lord. Amen.

(2-3 minute read) What do you think of when you hear, “draw a line in the sand?” Typically it is an ultimatum situation. You are either on this side or that side. You are with me or you are against me. A “there is no two ways about this…….. there is only just the one way…….. you pick”

I remember clearly when a dear, dear friend did this once. At the time it was such a gut wrenching situation. It was one of those moments in life where the stillness of the moment, the silence all around, the people around looking from one face to the other in astonishment, almost paralyzing. No one knew how to react.

You see, when the line is drawn, everyone on either side is watching to see which side you are on. It is simple, the line is clear. Pick a side.

The beauty about my friend’s story is that when he drew the line it was actually to cross-out a DEEP and CLEAR line that was already drawn. Who knew that this is even possible!? I remember that moment and the amazement, wonder and the surprise that every person in the crowd sensed. They were like;

No, no……….. That’s not how this is done………. The line is clear………. It is written as clear as the sun on the clearest day of the year…………. You shall not commit adultery……… You either are for God or Against God…………. The LINE IS CLEAR…….. Here it is……….. Are you with God? Then throw the stone! If you do not throw the stone, then you are against God.

Actually my friend is my father, but calling him a friend I know would make him smile 🙂 You know what He did?? He did not shout! He did not holler! He whispered……. Go ahead and throw the stone, only if you consider yourself the one to condemn.

I freaked out…….. literally. I was holding the stone, I looked at Him and said, “I am doing this for you…….. I am following what you told me to do…… You, You said this…….” All I heard back was; “Go ahead and throw the stone, only if you consider yourself the one to condemn.” I exclaimed, “Are you saying now that it is Ok to commit adultery?” My father with a loving gentle smile responded, “Go ahead and throw the stone, only if you consider yourself the one to condemn.”

I fell to my knees and wept. Next thing I know, His hands are lifting me up. I looked at Him with tears flowing believing I’ve disappointed Him, but the words out of His mouth were; “Son, your love to me is precious, amazing and overwhelming but do not let it overwhelm you.” And He smiled as he wiped the tears off my face.

I know, I know, you will have a million and one ‘but’ and ‘therefore’. All I can say is, if this story here does not exemplify, attest to, and demonstrate the Lord’s Heart the Creator’s Love and the Maker’s Will, then nothing else can, I guess, and that too is OK. But shouldn’t we try and follow His lead??

My Lord and my Creator, humble me in Your presence for You are here. I thank You and I love You oh so dearly. Amen.

(4-5 min read) Remember the dress colors dilemma? Is it White & Gold or is it Black and Blue? And how viral that went? One thing for sure it made us all laugh in amazement, 🙂 didn’t it? For one I was like, “These color sets are not even close! Personally, I can only see the one set of colors. No matter how hard I tried, I could not get even a glimpse of the other set of colors!” I’d look, I’d try, I’d squint, I’d close one eye…… yet nothing……. All I can see is the one set of colors…………. then I’d laugh in amazement.

It is indeed incredibly astonishing how we can see things so differently, yet what we need to strive for is not necessarily to see the other set of colors, rather find the commonality in understanding the differences. Without this commonality in understanding, we focus on how could ‘they’ see it that way.  Which generate feelings from annoyance and irritation to hate, anger and rage. You must admit that this state of annoyance, irritation, hate, anger and rage is what we are experiencing as a people right now. It is the here and now…… We can leave it there and say it is what it is and let this anger and hate continue to fester and flourish, or we can, each one of us, try and work on understanding the commonality in the differences. I heard it said, “it may be impossible to find Common Ground, but to find Commonality is rather easy. “ But my friend, to find commonality, there has to be an attempt to understand the ‘why’ behind the opposite point of view. You won’t change your mind but you won’t be astonished by the “How could you, my friend, even think ‘that’ way!” This statement right here is what generates that hate and that anger and that rage, that we all need to work on harnessing.

Here’s a simple attempt to demonstrate.

Look at Judges……..  Do not worry. I am not getting into the Supreme Court dilemma at all 😀

A judge rules/decides on questions of the law. Two parties against each other are using the law to prove each other wrong. The judge interprets the law to decide which one of the two parties is correct. Are we in agreement so far? In some cases no pun intended, a tough case goes undecided all the way up to the Supreme Court. WHY? So the judges on the Supreme Court interpret what has been evading everyone along the way and render a final decision. So let me ask you a question. Do we typically get a decision that’s 9-0 or 8-1? Or do we typical get a 5-4 kind of decisions!?

Reda! What are you driving at? I am driving at the law is the law, but it is the interpretation that is different. Even in the highest court of the land. We, people, know that this judge is liberal so he/she will vote this way and this judge is conservative so she/he will vote that way, and it hinges on the so called ‘swing’ vote judges!!! Correct??? Imagine if, just for a moment, imagine if every judge, any judge anywhere is not predetermined due to the filter that he/she possesses is soooo FAIR that she/he is a SWING vote….. no predisposition……. no bias…… no inclination…. no allegiance……

Wouldn’t you rather yourself be a swing vote on everything that comes up?? Imagine that you would look at both sides of ANYTHING, evaluate then render YOUR personal decision!?

You may be laughing out loud right now thinking ‘keep dreaming Reda, we are only human’. Yes, exactly. You and I are human. Yes, you and I can see the ‘why’ behind the ‘other’s’ point of view. I can keep my ground while understanding the opposite view; this right here my friend is COMMONALITY.

Commonality generates respect, admiration and Love while holding the opposite point of view.

Besides, that is indeed what the Bible holds us to…………. Doesn’t it? So if you are feeling annoyed or irritated at your fellow human for holding the opposite view, then it is time to consider looking for this so called COMMONALITY 🙂

My Lord and my Creator, You have created me with a heart LARGE enough that I hope I realize the extent of that Largeness. May I examine myself and see if I am holding ANY animosity against ANYONE. May I bring that to You and leave it at Your feet. Then turn around and work hard on understanding the why behind their convictions, so that I may reflect Your love to whomever I encounter. For You my Lord and my Savior are the God of LOVE and not of hate. I love You and I thank you so dearly. Amen.

A few weeks ago we were driving and I saw a dead Raccoon alongside the road and these words came out of my mouth, “See the Raccoon, they’re just made the same way we are.” Are they? It is indeed most amazing to see the skeleton and the organs of the Raccoon……….. Pictures are included for your examination. I am not exaggerating when I say ……… identical. If you say, “How about that tail?” I’d say, “You got me there” 🙂

Have you ever been to a talk by a young mother with terminal cancer? You and I walk out of such an experience and hang on every word we heard. Spending time with your children and family is the most valuable thing in life, is what she said. You and I promise to change things around and prioritize spending time with loved ones. Have you been to a visitation/funeral of a teenager? The same thing happens, doesn’t it? You and I walk out and make the same promises.

Do you and I ever stick to our promises of re-prioritizing?? NOPE. We get busy and we forget……. If only we’d have a reminder to jerk our memory and heighten our senses to the experience with the young mother with terminal cancer or at the funeral of the teenager…….. Only if…….

Who has not seen a dead Raccoon on the side of the road? When we see it, reactions may vary from; looking away, to disgusted, to absolutely no reaction at all. But do you or I ever think to ourselves this dead Raccoon, this bloating Raccoon this torn Raccoon is just like me??   JUST LIKE ME.

Oh so fragile, oh so brittle, oh so breakable………… the same can happen to me……….. I can go kaput annnnnny time. But we claim that it is depressing to think of dying. But wait a minute. Why did the talk of the young mother with terminal cancer and the funeral of the teenager prompt me to determine to re-prioritize my life……….. Isn’t it because I felt that the same can happen to me!!!!  I was not depressed when I had these thoughts, I actually decided on a major GOOD change in my life that I did not carry through. Therefore, thinking of my fragility and reminding myself that I could die now, is actually a GREAT motivator and promotes GOOD decisions and a constant reminder may remind me to hang onto my GOOD decisions and actually implement them………….

So when you see a dead Raccoon alongside the road; first, think the Raccoon is made just like me. As it is indeed a very humbling thought. Second, I am made as fragile and breakable just like this Raccoon. Third, since I may not be on this earth tomorrow, what it is that I can do today, NOW, in light of this knowledge. The next time you see a dead Raccoon, let it be the measure of how you are doing sticking to your GOOD decision of re-prioritizing your life.

Remind me my Lord and my Creator of how you’ve made me physically just like this Raccoon, and may that continue to be a humbling thought to bring me closer to You and reminds me to LOVE those around me not just in words, but by giving them more of my time as time is my most valuable possession. I love You and I thank You. Amen.

(a 3 minute read) This is a question that’s been nagging me; Does the Creator consider me ‘Special’? Or ‘Favored’? You may say, there is no ‘OR’ there, put an ‘AND’ instead. Then let me tweak this question to; Do I or do you want to feel ‘favored’? Hmmmm, yes, why not feel favored?? It actually does make me feel good to feel and know that I am favored!

To feel favored is to want to be treated BETTER than ANOTHER. Right there, do you see that ‘Favored’ EQUALS ‘Comparing’!!?? Without comparing one to another, the verb ‘favored’ does not exist……..

To feel favored is to have an ‘us’ and ‘them’. To feel favored is to ‘play favorites’. To feel favored is to choose to treat some differently than others and create ‘clicks’. To feel favored is to praise some and diss others. To feel favored is to absolve some from wrongdoing and nail others for the same wrongdoing……….

I am positive that some will be quick to quote verses that can demonstrate that ‘I am indeed favored’. Maybe read such verses with this in mind; Is the God and Creator that you worship wants to incite the characteristics listed above of ‘favoring’, ‘comparing’ one against another?? Or would the God and Creator that you worship want to move you and me as faaaaaaar away as possible from creating this ‘us’ & ‘them’, this ‘my team’ & ‘the rest’, this ‘clicks’, this ‘favoritism’ that we’re seeing flourish all around us??

As I am ‘Special’, million others are also ‘Special’ to my Creator. There is no Favoritism in ‘Special’, for the Lord’s Heart is BIG & LARGE enough for every single creation to be ‘Special’. ‘Special’ may not fill me all up with goosies as ‘Favored’ does, but is it about me and my goosies!?

To be ‘Favored’……….. Favored as compared to whom!?

Definition of Favoritism; It is the practice of giving preferential treatment to one person or group at the expense of another.
Synonyms: partiality, partisanship, preferential treatment, favor, prejudice, bias, inequality, unfairness, discrimination.

Is the Creator’s thumb print on any of such characterizations?? Any of them?? Let’s examine ourselves before we go to the table and let each of us PRAY real hard; My God, my Creator, my Savior may I soften my heart towards my brothers and sisters and may I remove/shun/rebuke/eradicate this desire to feel , to sense, to know that I am favored, for it is this feeling that is making me become prejudice, making me be unfair, making me be biased, making me be partisan, making me treat others with inequality. And here is what I do know my Father and my Creator, You do NOT want me to be anything like these things I just listed. With my hand in Your hand, I can overcome the desire to feel favored. I thank You and I love You my Creator and my Savior. Amen

(a 3 minute read) Ashton & Taylor are siblings 11 months apart in age. They were in the same grade. As you may imagine, the competition between them was something fierce throughout their lives. They were of course competitive in soccer & lacrosse as well as who’s got the better grades or gained the teacher’s attention. The one thing that drove them nuts more than anything else, was to figure out which one their parents loved the most. People always say that parents have favorites amongst their children. Ashton and Taylor tried their utmost to figure it out.

Whenever one of them asked, “Am I your favorite?” They’d get answers like, “You know I love you!” Which, of course felt good but was not the answer either was looking for, and therefore frustrating. Both Ashton and Taylor were good kids. They worked hard, always received awards at school for academic and athletic abilities. Helped in their community and were involved in many charitable efforts.

Sometimes Ashton would think, “Am I doing these things to impress my parents? Or am I doing them because I want to?” And Taylor would contemplate, “What if I just go hang out with my friends instead of working my butt off at practice?” Then Taylor would think of the disappointment the parents will feel if they found out.

You should hear the conversations that would sometimes ensue between Ashton and Taylor. They’d actually recount how one of them did better than the other in this or that, and therefore their parents are prouder of one more than the other.

This competition of whom did the parents love most was literally never ending. No matter how much love their parents expressed to either, they felt that there had to be a tilt in the scale, even if it is ever miniscule.

Do you, the reader, relate, empathize and connect with this?

This is actually how each of us relates to our Lord and Creator………… I must be special to God. I am doing everything in my power to impress the Lord, then why shouldn’t I be special…………….

The problem with this underlying thought, belief, confidence, understanding, consideration or perception is this;

                    If I am special to the Lord, then someone will believe that
                                                they are not AS SPECIAL……

To share LOVE is to not even give the slightest inkling that there is any sort of imbalance, and it is my job, my task, my responsibility to share with those less confident of the Lord’s LOVE that I am not special in anyway or in any manner or in any capacity. Why? Because no matter how much you tell someone that they are just as special, it really never sinks in. Therefore the alternate of “I am not special either” will in fact be easier to grasp, understand and relate to!

Prayer; My Lord and my Creator, I come to You thankful for how You LOVE each and every one of your children. May I expel any thought in my mind that I am special in any way. Better yet, may I eliminate behavior that I carryout day in and day out, that in the least may reflect that I think that I am special to You my Lord. May this behavior reflect YOUR NATURE and relate more to my brothers and sisters. I thank You for how much YOU LOVE. Amen.

(a 4 minute read)  Watching some of the March Madness basketball season encouraged me greatly. To say that these players are working hard is the understatement of the century. Talk about high stakes; every game must be a win to advance. No second chances. None. Can you imagine the pressure? Can you see them sweating? and that’s on the inside more than sweating on the outside. Boiler-Room circumstances if you know what I mean.

Yet, with all that burden, gravity and stress, have you watched how they treat one another during the game?? The solidarity the camaraderie the brotherhood the fellowship……….. it is unparalleled and incomparable.

As a spectator rooting for one team, I find myself yelling at the player on TV for a terrible pass. Then I see his teammate give him a brotherly pat on the shoulder as if he’s done something good, and it humbles me as it reminds me of what an ass I am for yelling at the screen. You know where I am coming from, right?

There is one situation in particular that happens repeatedly during a game that has always befuddled me! Let’s take one of these instances involving the star player, Ben, who shoots 3 point hoops from like 27 feet out without fail. Remember, this applies to any other player. Ben is fouled and gets three free throws.

Ben stands on the line, bends his knees and ejects his body up without his toes leaving the floor, while his hands gently guide the ball into its trajectory into the air. All eyes, and I mean all eyes are on the ball…….. it hits the back of the hoop, circles on the rim almost a full turn and falls……. Out of the basket.

Now, please, please forget the reaction of the crowd and the announcers. Forget my reaction as I am watching the game on TV. I want you to focus on Ben’s teammates standing by his side on the basketball court, for it is his teammates that stand to lose this game as every single point MATTERS. Remember, you lose the one game, and you are a GONER.

Do you see one of them clasping his head with both hands and bending over as if someone just punched him in the gut?    NOPE.

Is another pulling his hair out and his face looks like he’s about to cry?  NOPE.

Then what are these teammates doing while standing around Ben?? Come on! Are you conjuring that image of this team at this moment? You got the image?

They typically come around to surround Ben. Clapping hands as if watching a grand performance. Low fiving Ben as if he sunk the hoop. Patting Ben on the back as if he’s pulled through a crisis. Am I lying here? Isn’t that what they are doing? Does that ever catch you like, “what the heck?” Or have we just accepted it just as part of the game??

Don’t you think that each and every teammate wants to scream off the top of their lungs, “Beeeeeeeeeen………. You’re KILLING ME.” Feel free to substitute the ‘you’re killing me’ phrase with your choice of colorful words……. yet Ben’s teammates do not do that. They do not. Rather they give Ben some LOVE, no no, they give Ben MUCH LOVE. They encourage him in essence to say, “It’s alright brother”, “We love you mate”, “We know you’re trying your best dear friend”……….

“It’s OK buddy, it could have been me there doing the same thing” …………..

How does Ben feel when he misses that shot, or how about when he misses his second and third shots, yet receives the same reaction from his teammates?

Ben feels like a sinner, failing his team’s – his community’s – his coach’s expectations. Doesn’t he??

But you know what!? It is his teammate’s love through this situation that encourages him and rebuilds his confidence. It reassures Ben that he can do better next time.  Amen?

Conjure that picture of the teammates basically saluting Ben at the time of his failure. Then ask; “Why can’t I be like that to my fellow Christians?”

We, Christians, are so afraid of sin that we automatically, probably subconsciously, distance ourselves from talking about sin.

You may say, no, no we talk about sin! Yes, we do, but always in the THIRD person as if it is someone else’s problem and never mine………….

Prayer; my Lord and my God, may I humble myself and let my fellow human being know that I mess up even more than he/she does. May I never ever talk from both sides of my mouth and say I am a sinner yet act as if sin is something in my past? You my Creator are the ultimate encourager as You clap the most for me regardless of my actions, just to reassure me. I thank You so very much for the love that You exhibit in ways unimaginable. I love You my Maker. Amen.

(a 4 minute read) Are you familiar with the story about the shepherd leaving the 99 sheep to pursue the one that is lost or has strayed or has wandered away? Of course this story is a wonderful example of the shepherd’s love for the ‘lost’, but when you think of yourself in this story, are you the Shepherd or are you the Sheep or are you the ‘lost’? But wait, why ask this question in the first place?

Well it matters because I inadvertently do think of myself as one of these, and it is too important to have it be a matter of chance who I think I am in this story. For this shapes my own mind and thus impacts my actions towards others, both of which are crucial and form shaping. Therefore I hope you agree that it does matter. So, do you think of yourself as the Shepherd or as the Sheep or as the ‘lost’ or maybe the passer by in the field??

Well, for sure I ain’t the ‘lost’. And since I want to think of myself as being involved, then I am not the passer by. And who wants to think of themselves as the Sheep!? Therefore I am the Shepherd, or at least I’ll try to be the Shepherd as I want to help people and lead them to the path. Who wouldn’t, right?

I hope that you agree that most will think similarly and arrive to the same conclusion.

But wait a minute if most think this way, then the world is formed mostly of Shepherds and of ‘lost’ people………. Hmmmmm……. We both know this is not the case…… then something is wrong with this picture. Do you agree??

We may want to believe that there are many ‘lost’ out there, but to believe that if you ain’t ‘lost’ then you are a Shepherd!!……………. I know that you know that it ain’t so  🙂

Again, of course we agree that the story/the parable is meant to demonstrate the LOVE of the Shepherd, but I hope that you agree with me that indeed ‘WE’ have applied it to ourselves to come to believe that I, you, we act or at least should act as the shepherd to the ‘lost’ in this story. Believe you and me, we do act like the shepherd AT ALL TIMES towards those around us.

How do you think this makes the ‘lost’ feel? When we constantly act this way?  For we do.

One thing for sure; we come across as arrogant and as holier than thou and as I am better than you……..

Have you heard the world describe us as such…………… Do you ever wonder why………….

How I identify myself in this parable does shape my own mind and thus impacts my actions towards others, which is form shaping and all those outside the circle can see it while I am possibly blind to it…….. !?

This realization may sting but it has to in order for me to think of myself as one of the 99. You may say, “But I am one of the 99.”

Then look at the picture of the flock of sheep. Is this how we the sheep, Christians, are getting along together in harmony? Are we so close to each other that we ALL feel as one? We ALL move in this one direction. Then we ALL graze in accord and congruence?

If I, you, we are honest, then we can clearly see that we do indeed each think of oneself as the Shepherd……..  Don’t you agree we need to do something about it??

Prayer; my God and my Lord, I come to You thankful that you are the Shepherd. I thank you for Your forgiveness of me acting like the Shepherd all the time. Somehow I think that if I mimic You as the Shepherd more will come to know You. Somehow it has not been obvious to me that this has NOT worked for ages. May I learn to be more like a sheep, for this is how those around me would recognize the humility You want me to portray, for LOVE exudes from humility. It is not easy Lord to be a sheep, oh not at all. Especially that I have been acting like the shepherd for so long. But there is nothing that You cannot accomplish in me. May I discipline my mind to be the sheep, and hope that my actions will follow suit. I know You are right here to help and guide me my Creator. I love You and I thank You. Amen.

(a 4 minute read) Where are you Jesus when I need you? Oh, there you are 🙂 You are always here, aren’t you! You know that I am in a place of inequity, in a place of social injustice and I know that you will bring me justice. I tell everyone around me to wait and see, to anticipate my victory over this injustice for you Jesus will make me prevail over this injustice. Aren’t you??

• Son, do you see the Lord as an enforcer of social justice?

> You are scaring me Jesus with a question like that, what are you trying to tell me?

• Social injustice is made of the oppressor and the oppressed. What did I say to them?

> Well, if I remember right, you warned the oppressor and lifted up the oppressed.

• And for everyone in the middle, what did I ask?

> Well, you basically asked us to support the oppressed, hold them up, provide for them and encourage them through whatever hardships they face, like love on them over and over.

• Excellent. And what did I ask you to do to the oppressed? Overthrow them! Take up arms against them! Threaten that God will get them back!

> Ehhhh, none of the above actually. You basically asked us to pray for them.

• You seem to think that since my desire is for people to choose to be honest, just, fair, impartial, unbiased, kind, generous, gentle, thoughtful, in summary; LOVING, then I must be FOR social justice!? To be FOR social justice, then I would have to call you up for action against injustice. I do not recall calling any one group up against another. Have I??

> You always confuse me Jesus…………. What does that mean exactly?

• So here’s an example. Someone screws you out of something, and you are looking for justice. In this case, justice could mean that the person that screwed you out of something would realize what he/she did and they give you back what is justly yours. Are you with me so far?

> This indeed would be sweet.

• So if he/she decides not to give it back, is this when you want me to intervene??

> Pretty much YES.

• And do what, cut them at the knees?

> Well…………… they deserve it.

• So you see me as the judge and executioner for social justice??

> No   no   no Jesus, I did not say that………………… well, I guess I did, didn’t I.

• Why are you expecting me to come into the middle of this and choose sides?

> Why wouldn’t you Jesus………… this is where I need you…………. in the middle.

• Son, social justice / injustice is all about social behavior. People doing onto people; people choosing to take advantage of others; people choosing to help others. Of course my heart is for people to choose to do good onto others, but please do not take my advocating for people to choose LOVE somehow as a promise to stand as judge and executioner on behalf of those facing social injustice!

> I am still not sure I understand Jesus

• What I am saying is that I am always available and I am always present with those that are oppressed or facing injustice. I am also always available and always present for those that are oppressing others. For those oppressed; I am hoping they’d turn to me so they would feel me holding them up through the hardships, and they’d persevere with joy through those hardships. For the oppressor; I am hoping they’d turn to me so their hearts would soften and end their oppression.So you see my son, I am FOR ALL my children and not for this cause or that cause.Think about it; justice by definition is getting something that is yours, or getting something that you deserve or getting back something that you earned. Is this what you see the Lord as?? As someone getting you what is rightfully yours!? I hope your answer to that is an astounding NO.

  In addition; when I was crucified, how did that come about? Wasn’t it social injustice that brought about the crucifixion??
  And how did I handle that?           Did I call FOR social justice then?

  So I want people to choose to do ‘right’ to be ‘just’. Social ….fill in the blanks…. is an outcome of choices. Just make sure that you are choosing LOVE.

> I started weeping and hugged Jesus saying, “Thank you my Lord. Thank you.”

Prayer; I come to You my Lord, my Creator and my Father, for You are always there, always waiting for me to come to You. You came, You died and You resurrected to show, to express and to illustrate your LOVE for humanity, for us, your daughters and your sons. May I see You and know You for who You are and not for who I want You to be for me. I love You and I thank You. Amen.