Learning

 Much of what I know and believe has developed over years of Christian living. I did not wake up the morning after I became a Christian and know everything I know today.  I learned over years and years. From this pastor, that pastor, this teacher this radio minister, and this is important reading on my own.  I started to learn some better parenting skills years ago but my kids were already teenagers. I unlearned some legalistic thinking although I often feel I am still at my core very legalistic.  I think of using honest weights and measures scriptures and how I even apply them to voting and political campaigning tactics. Honesty is a core value of being a Christian. Using honest weights and measures is not something that is really familiar in our modern world. Sometimes you can go to a hardware store and buy a pound of nails or it is common to weigh fruits and vegetables in a market. But it is a principle that is taught that has been the same over time. It applies to our jobs where we are to give 8 hours work for 8 hours pay.  Dealing with relationships and with our children is learned from the Bible but it is not like there is a book in the Bible just on that subject.  It is scattered throughout the Bible. In Psalms 119 there are many mentions of learning God's precepts, his ways, his laws, his commands. That is what Christians have done over time.  The principle for being honest with a quarter is the same as being honest with a quarter of a million. I guess what I am trying to say is there are principles over little things and sometimes that same principle applies to some major issues or the reverse. Being honest in a business environment is the same principle as being honest in voting. I think we have lost some of these principles by thinking it is too small an issue to matter. Like playing a monopoly game and cheating. It is just a game but if you can excuse your behavior in a child game, have you learned to excuse it in business as an adult?  Perhaps this is legalistic. It may border on legalism but I also think it is true. I am still tempted at times to be dishonest. Sometimes it doesn't make sense to me. It can be as simple as Barbara asking me what I had for lunch, and I may not want to tell her. As I was listening to Andy Stanley teaching about disciplining children with an eye towards restoring relationships. The principle is taught in our relating to others. Andy uses the love chapter in 1 Corinthians 13. It is not saying this is what you do when you are raising your children, but this is how you respond to people you love. Who do you love more than your family? This has been some really good teaching. I am still meditating and writing about it. It has really made me think. Often when I write I may just use one scripture verse, but care needs to be taken that the word of God is interpreted by the word of God. Sometimes whole denominations are started as a result of a one-off scripture verse. Jesus is told about from Genesis to Revelation and Jesus came to restore the relationship that was broken in the Garden of Eden. God sets the standard so high that we fail and then he forgives us. We can see a relationship even in Genesis at the start of everything. God would come in the cool of the evening to talk with Adam and Eve.  After they sinned they tried hiding from God. The relationship was broken. God started working to restore the broken relationship. We deal with broken relationships our whole life. We sin and are selfish and do not consider others when God tells us to consider others more important than ourselves. When we relate to others, we often ask about them and show an interest in them. When we are selfish we consider ourselves and want to talk about ourselves. God works to restore relationships with himself and with others. There is a guiding principle in life that we consider others more important than ourselves. When a husband or wife considers the other partner's needs and wants we have a good relationship, when we selfishly seek to fulfill our own needs and use that person, we don't have a good relationship. It only works for the selfish person. When we consider others it works for both of us. We are relational beings at our core. That is the way God designed us. I get so tired of listening to commercials these days, get everything you deserve. It looks to self as relational beings we need to consider others. Consider ways to restore relationships.   God bless, LVZ.

Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Philippians 2:3 (NLT)

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant. 1 Corinthians 13:4 (ESV)