During my teenage years I found myself being far from loving. I wanted to follow the crowd, and I tried to do that as well as follow Jesus. I knew little theology, and when I found the courage to talk to my friends about Jesus, I made stuff up in order to be "right". I told my friends that I was right, when in fact I was wrong. I wasn't wrong in saying that Jesus is for real, but I argued my faith without anything to back me up. On top of everything, I didn't even follow any of the immature advice that I was giving!
Matthew 7:3-5
3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
I was a hypocrite. Sometimes I argued rubbish, and sometimes I simply ignored my faith as though it didn't matter. I am thankful that God placed people in my life to correct me.
In the past few years, I've spent a huge amount of time on the internet arguing my faith, with theologically correct facts. The problem is, fighting isn't helping. I've always believed in standing up for what I believe in, but I have started to wonder if I'm actually making a difference by forcing my faith onto an atheist (who will most likely ignore all that I say). It's probably fine If you can accurately (with enough proof) and politely correct an atheist who has the facts wrong, but mindless arguments are useless.
God's love is unending, unrelenting, and unconditional....
Ephesians 5:1-2
1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children
2and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
.... To be imitators of God, we need to love those who try to fight us, and continually pray for them, instead of fighting back!
Thoughts?
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