Play Christ's Way

00517 Play Christ's Way "Therefore, welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God." (Romans 15 verse 7) We are faced with decisions every day regarding our relationship with others. Sometimes, there is aggressive behavior. In business, there is competition to get to the top; in school, there is competition to be the head of the class; in sports, there is competition to be number one, etc. It is the way it is. When growing up, I was taught that winning is not everything. It was how you played the game that mattered. In the seventies, I attended a business management seminar sponsored by Green Bay coach Vince Lombardi. The emphasis was on detail, being service-oriented, and planning. Over the years, the operating principles learned at that seminar have made my life very successful. They taught us to have a game plan and work it but alter it as needed. To play by the rules takes faith in yourself and God and love and caring for people. Weekly recipients of my messages vary greatly from all walks of life and socioeconomic backgrounds. Two are very successful Christian CEOs, and their companies' behavior matters to them. Christian ethics takes strong faith. No matter where or who we are, fairness and love of others are crucial to success. Then how do we deal with the aggressive ones, such as the inconsiderate neighbor? Cut-throat businessman? The ones that bend the rules? We need to pray for and love our competitors in life. John quotes Jesus in chapter 15:17, "This is my command, Love each other." Thought for Today: This week, let us practice unconditional love. If confronted with opportunistic or aggressive behavior, let us find a way to positively and lovingly through the situation. Prayer for Today: Dear Lord, let me reach out to people this week. Please help me understand them and care about them. We pray that we can improve ourselves and our surrounding world through our faith in your ways. Amen