Tested On My Promise

Hi!

Last week I wrote about my resolution to love more.  I think I have been doing pretty well, even acknowledging out loud when I've spoken to someone in a manner that was less than loving.

But then came Sunday.
I was in church and someone next to me had a terrible cough.  I remember thinking "I should get up and move to another seat."  I tried to justify my thought with the excuse that I didn't want to get sick.  But I God reminded me of my resolution.  He didn't do it in a way that made me feel guilty.  I don't believe that God makes us feel like jerks but rather gives us encouragement to do think more like Him.
So as I sat there he started coughing again.  I remembered the candy cane I had in the beautiful plaid sport coat I was wearing.  When I put it on in the morning I found it in the pocket from the last time it had been worn.  I didn't take it out thinking I would have it with "just in case."  As my the friend next me was coughing violently I said to myself "Here's your 'just in case.'"  I handed it to him and said "Maybe this will help?"  He thanked me for it and put part in his mouth.  As he did, I put my hand on his shoulder and prayed for him.  Because I was reminded that I had resolved to love more I was able to pray from a place of love.  In the past I have probably asked God to make him stop coughing (A.K.A. "annoying me.")  But praying with love means that I asked God to bring total healing to this man.  I believe God is capable of doing far more than we ask or even imagine!
This is how I want to live my life, acting and treating people with love.  I'm talking real, godly love!

Thanks for reading and don't forget to share the Seriously Jimmy? blog with your friends!
Peace and love!
Jimmy

New Year, New Jimmy, Seriously!

Yesterday our lead pastor asked if any of us had made any New Year's resolutions.  It was weird, not very many people had (or if they did they didn't share.)  I have heard/read a lot of people putting down the concept of making resolutions.  They usually say something like "If you want to make a positive change you should implement it immediately instead of waiting for a certain date."  Heck, I've probably even said stuff like that in the past.  I know I once said that I resolved to not make any more resolutions (just another thing for which I would love to travel back in time and punch the younger me in the head.)
But I believe there is something to be said for setting a specific day.  I've given some thought to what I might resolve.  That alone is a great start.  If it were not for the new year I might not have considered the necessity for analysis.  And while Alcoholic Anonymous, rightly so, encourages the alcoholic to begin recovery immediately they also have found keeping track and the celebration of sobriety milestones beneficial.

So here is my resolution...
I resolve to love more.
Sounds pretty basic yet it scares the stuffing out of me.  Here's why:

To love more means, at times, sacrificing comfort.
I am selfish!  I don't mind doing things for people when I feel like it.  When I think of someone who sacrifices comfort my friend Erik comes to mind.  The guy is the best example I know of someone who shares the love of Christ through serving God's children.  I want to have a heart of service like his.

To love more means, at times, sacrificing feelings.
I have a history of speaking out because "I deserve better."  But some times I need to follow the example of Jesus and be silent.  This doesn't mean making myself a doormat, but rather continuing a practice I've been attempting to implement recently; to pray and think before I speak.  And some times that means putting the feelings of others before my own.

To love more means, sometimes, speaking up.
If I were to see someone walking in to the street and a car headed toward them I would yell "Watch out!"  Yet we have been programmed as Christians to remain silent for fear of offending others.  Watering down God's word to the point where we make it unrecognizable does no one favors.  We are talking about people's lives here.  Let's love them enough to take a stand!

To love more means changing the way I speak.
I've always been one that went for the easy laugh, even if it was at the expense of others.  My friend Kimberly's mom called me out on this one once last year.  I had made a snarky comment to a friend at Bible study and she let me have it!  The next time I saw the friend I pulled her aside to make sure she knew it was a joke because it what I said about her was so opposite of how I really felt.  She assured me that she knew it was a joke and had laughed too.  But the one who called me out resonated.

There are a lot more things associated with loving more I think this is a pretty good start.

I'd love to hear/read if you've made any resolutions.