God made him who had no
sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of
God. (2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV)
While taking my dog for one of our many daily outings, we took a new route. Many of the houses we passed were not the ones familiar to us after months of following the same path. As we passed one house I noticed a black pickup truck in the driveway. A sign posted in the rear window read: "Yes, this is my truck. No, I will not help you."
A story must exist behind the sign, and a lesson to be learned as well. Truck owners are often asked to help or for the loan of their vehicle. Some might see this as an opportunity to build a relationship, a chance to do something good for someone. Others could view this as an imposition and the flagrant sign would deter any would-be borrowers.
At times, our dealings with people hurt and offend us. If we are not careful we can become bitter and allow bad experiences in life to sour us to others. We look for scapegoats who we can blame for our behaviors. We might develop an attitude of: “no one is going to take advantage of me again.”
Interesting enough, as we continued our walk, about 6 houses down, I was treated to the complete opposite vibe. A carport attached to a house bore these words stenciled in large bold letters across the width of the frame: "WELCOME". These words redeemed the others quickly, but also made me consider the two opposing declarations.
Are we sending the same mixed messages to those we encounter daily? Are we hot one moment and cold the next? Does our manner depend on our mood?
While taking my dog for one of our many daily outings, we took a new route. Many of the houses we passed were not the ones familiar to us after months of following the same path. As we passed one house I noticed a black pickup truck in the driveway. A sign posted in the rear window read: "Yes, this is my truck. No, I will not help you."
A story must exist behind the sign, and a lesson to be learned as well. Truck owners are often asked to help or for the loan of their vehicle. Some might see this as an opportunity to build a relationship, a chance to do something good for someone. Others could view this as an imposition and the flagrant sign would deter any would-be borrowers.
At times, our dealings with people hurt and offend us. If we are not careful we can become bitter and allow bad experiences in life to sour us to others. We look for scapegoats who we can blame for our behaviors. We might develop an attitude of: “no one is going to take advantage of me again.”
Interesting enough, as we continued our walk, about 6 houses down, I was treated to the complete opposite vibe. A carport attached to a house bore these words stenciled in large bold letters across the width of the frame: "WELCOME". These words redeemed the others quickly, but also made me consider the two opposing declarations.
Are we sending the same mixed messages to those we encounter daily? Are we hot one moment and cold the next? Does our manner depend on our mood?
Dear Jesus, create in me
a clean heart and a desire to love and care for others by being available to
them.
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