Play Christ's Way

We are faced with decisions every day regarding our relationship with others. Sometimes there is aggressive behavior. In business, there is a competition to get to the top; in school, the head of the class; in sports, 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. Two recipients of my weekly messages are Christian CEOs, and how their companies behave 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? 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 vs 17, “This is my command, Love each other.” Thought for Today: This week, let us practice unconditional love in our lives. 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. Help me understand them and care about them. We pray that we can improve ourselves and our surrounding world through our faith, Amen

Pride and Humility

mom used to use some interesting terms and expressions when describing humanity. One of her favorites was “foolhardy” when someone did something out of line. Another was, “It is better to be silent and thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.” Somehow, when we are proud in the context of today’s text, we are not paying attention. When we exhibit false pride, it helps us grow to appreciate the realities of life. We are often overconfident, especially when we are young. Somehow, that is God’s way of teaching us. We constantly have to monitor our pride and confidence. The elders of society have knowledge and experience but are not always correct. Technology and society are changing faster than fifty years ago. Therefore many of the rules of life have changed. In our spiritual lives, the rules have not and will not change. The ethics, love, and traditions Christ taught us will endure regardless of technology changes and cash flows. We need to take inventory of our pride and be honest. We must hold up our values to serve the Lord. Thought for Today: Every day is the first day of the rest of our lives. The mistakes and experiences of our past are nothing more than learning experiences and enable us to move forward with confidence. Today, let us focus on being humble and dealing with the realities of our worlds. Prayer for Today: Heavenly Father, we give thanks for the lessons we have learned and our loves. Thank you for putting it before us through all that Jesus taught us and what we learned from the past. Amen May 1 Page 127Before his downfall, a man’s heart is proud,but humility comes before honor.(Proverbs 18 vs 12)Pride and Humility Rye Harbor Rye, East