Tag: Friendship

Do not criticize?

It’s really easy to see other people’s faults! It’s even sometimes easier to see their faults when you have a version of the same problem! These days everyone has a reason to call another person a fool, a bigot, proud, immoral, devilish, idol worshippers and the list goes on! My question is this! As disciples of Jesus, how do we bring a balance? What is the kingdom approach?

At one point Jesus says we are to first take out the plank from our own eyes before attempting to take out the speck from another person’s eyes (Matt 7:5) . At another point he says that the person who has no sin should be the first to throw a stone at the sinner (John 8:7)

Negative criticisms makes people want to defend themselves! It doesn’t open them up to correction. I remember reading in a book titled – How to make friends and influence people that even criminals see themselves in a positive light!

So what do we learn from Jesus? How can this truth help us to make disciples for Jesus? We choose not to criticize people even in our hearts! We make up our minds to always be prepared to be part of the solution as long as the people are open to discussion.

I’m not saying that we should not speak out against evil or sin! What I believe the scriptures is saying is that if we are ever going to be the light to a dark world, we must be willing to accept first that without Jesus we would be as lost and as wicked as any wicked person!

Jesus is the solution to the moral problem of the human heart! The immoral behavior of people or sin is the problem of the world! Jesus therefore must be introduced to everyone so that we can have progress in our fight against all the terrible things going on in our world.

If you know that the reason you are kind is because you got help, you would be less inclined to criticize someone else who doesn’t have the same help!

Preaching the gospel of the Kingdom of God and Jesus as the only way is an urgent and very important task! Let’s not delay by point fingers at the people we should be serving!

Please share your thoughts below!

Just say hello!

Why is it so hard to make friends? Being able to make friends is a great skill to have. I am always intrigued by how easy it is for children to make friends. They meet someone at a game console at the airport and before you know it they are playing together. Making friends shouldn’t be so hard!

I think the reason we find it difficult as adults is because we think too much about it.

How does he see me? Would she think I want something? Are they religious? Would they accept me? Will they want to come to visit me every day?

If you love someone, then it doesn’t matter how they respond at first. When they realize that you love them and want the best for them, they would relax a bit!

Recently one of our neighbors knocked on our door to say hello. She said she was wondering what would happen but she knocked all the same and now we are better friends.

It’s true that a few people don’t want to talk but I find that more people want to be loved than you can imagine.

Say hello! Introduce yourself and give your neighbor a complement. That is where it all starts.

Yes it takes time to develop friendships. We have been spending some time with our neighbors. We feel blessed each time we connect because we are exchanging love.

The time you invest into loving someone is never lost. It’s an investment. This investment is not necessarily returned by the person on whom the love was directed. It is multiplied to you by God just like the earth returns seed sown!

Go out and love someone today, tomorrow and everyday! Say hello! Especially to your neighbors with whom you can build a long term relationship. Jesus loves your neighbors and we are His hands and feet. The only way people around us will believe that Jesus loves them is when they feel His love through His disciples.

Do you have an interesting story about saying hello to a stranger or neighbor? Please share in the comments section below!