Thread: How are you viewing your brothers in Christ?
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How are you viewing your brothers in Christ?
Posted : 15 Jan, 2010 07:09 AM
After many emails asking me what I was looking for and really searching it out with Christ, I wrote this paper. I decided to post it on here bcause it really has helped refocus my life back towards Him. I would ask that you please read it with an open mind. I would love feedback. I pray that you all have a wonderful day, filled with Christ.
In Christ,
Mary
To love someone, as a child I know says is to want God for them. To love Christ in them. To love one another as a brother or sister in Christ first as another friend says, not getting caught up in the distraction of attraction. So putting the two ideas together...what if we viewed a brother or sister one step further as a child of God first. When we look at a physical child we are quick to love them. We look past annoying habits or immaturities they may have because we see and love the innosense of their kept design. We are less fearful of a child hurting us. We see a child and want Christ for them. Our intentions are not skewed by the possibilties of what could happen instead of truly desiring a 1st Corinthians kind of love. I wouldn't have selfish desires when looking at Scarlet (my neice). I want to see her grow in Christ. To be centered and focused on Him. I want her to avoid the same pitfalls I have. I want to see her design kept in tact for the Lord. It is easier for adults to look at children with a 1st Corinthians love than it is for adults to look at other adults in that mannor. Why? Because we are not truly seeking Christ in them. We are trying to fix them, or love them in a way we are not even aware of. Our hearts must be on Christ. Our lives must be surrendered to Him in order to even understand how to love this way. Intentions can be good, but truly look at the root of an intention. Is it self-seeking or is it focused on what Christ in us needs it to be focused on? Once we are able to view even a physical adult as one of God's precious little children, then for those us still learning this concept can we start to view someone as a brother or sister in Christ as well. If you feel as though distractions may come about again, look back to the child you originally viewed within that person. Normal Christ seeking people will not be able to corrupt that with their own desires, with a selfish, self-seeking love. In a sense it almost trains us to view all of God's children as just that...a child. Not to be preyed upon or taken advantage of, not to be manipulated or have their heads filled with confusion. You can not look at a little child or even a newborn and have malicious or perverse thoughts if you have Christ in you. You love that child, you know that child, so what changes as we become adults? Our designs do, we get touched by the world. We need to retrain our brains to view each other as Christ did, as His children. Then can we begin to see Christ in them or know how to reach to them. When our thoughts are pure and intentions correct then God can use us more effectively. He can allow the Holy Spirit to enter into a clean body/mind. How can the Holy Spirit guide us, dwell within us if we ourselves are not living in truth? Christ cannot live in a filthy temple (our body). If our eyes and hearts are not truly set upon Christ, how can we lead? It would be the blind leading the blind off a cliff to certain death. A wise man continually seeks wisdom, truth...Christ. We need to be wise. We have a responsibility before Christ to love one another as He did.
Most excellently put! And most urgently needed to be heard. We maneuver through life with our senses and all too often it is our "primary" tool when we make "judgement calls". So while our hearts may be telling us that this person is a Brother or Sister in Christ...our Senses may be feeling (or wishing) something else.
It is rather like when Christ admonished people not to think carnally ( "my words are of the Spirit...not of the Flesh) when He spoke to them of Spiritual things (The Body and Blood od Christ).
I forget this...and I thank you for reminding me.
Mother Teresa said that she saw Christ in everyone she met.
Thanks again! I will tape this to my bathroom mirror.
You have really spoken like a bird created by God sharing with us your wisdom and giving us comfort at the same time ... just reading what you have said in such sweet way I have cried like a girl... first because you have spoken about the must important thing, Love, God's Love... and second because it touches me the point that we need to see each other like children once for all, like those loving persons we are in our beginning... There wouldn't be any confusion inside us.
I don't say anything personal in the Forum, I will not, but there is something I need to share with you, when women/men show that kind of child which is inside them, people around have the tendency to avoid us, to underestimate us, not taking us in serious, as we are not worth of respect... without knowing what really are inside us... the living kingdom of God!!!!
But not every body is that way, there are a lot of us, right here, and all around the world, trying to do what Jesus told us to do... it is hard, we commit mistakes along the way... but, there it is LOVE!!!!! to forgive one to each other... ALWAYS... while walking to perfection... because once Loves begins nothing can stop it. There is no other choice than forgive and keep loving... like when we were children.
You will see, here, in this Forum, a lot of sisters and brothers, who you will heard speaking about the most hard things to understand on the Bible, and you will see us playing and , and sharing even poems!!! You will enjoy that, as we do, while we realize who is the one we will love in that other special way.
songbird... thank you for this post.... much needed. This is the way it ought to be. Sometimes we forget our small beginnings and we can easily be so non-mindful of where we first began "as little children" in Christ when we deal with people, relationships, and loving in general. Thank you for your pen'd reminder of wisdom, which God's Word tells us over and over and over again to "love like a child" and as "loving a child". Thank you for the blessing!
Thank you all very much, but I take no credit. I am only able to do anything through Him. I have posted some more on the "ask a guy" forum titled "How are you viewing your sisters in Christ". I go a little futher into detail. I hope you will check it out and offer any feedback. As I am still learning and growing too! Take care and God bless.
, and sharing even poems!!! You will enjoy that, as we do, while we realize who is the one we will love in that other special way.