Don't Hate

I have two problems with hate.
 I have too much of it.
 I see too much of it.

The other day I was in a group discussion that comprised of a baffled and very frustrated talk on how because 'kids today' get so much for free (they live in a culture of free and owed-to-me) they do not appreciate education or care about it.  This conversation then flowed into one on how idiotic our leaders are when it comes to finance and economics, which then concluded with laughing at those crazy people who buy gold in preparation for an economic downturn.  I say I don't understand why the kids are apathetic, but I do understand.  Pride of ownership goes a long way, and being spoon fed lies your entire life skews your perspective on the world.  This animosity, though I have been a participant in its creation, is wearing me so thin.

Facebook lately has been this same kind of exhausting.  Political post after political post, and all of them full of hate and purporting to be true.

"Prayer"

"Thanking them for their selfless service"

"I intend to lead and to have an America that's strong and helps lead the world"

I'm as guilty of spewing the political hatred as anybody, but I have grown oh so tired.  So tired of lies, deceit, hatred, falsehoods, and aggression.  So, I've realized, its all part of the same evil game.  A game to further hatred in my heart.  Consider...

Aren't these things of darkness?  
Why do we choose darkness?  
Why do we continue to elect evil, be it lesser or more?  
Why do we continue to believe lies?  Fool me twice, or every two years of my life, shame on me.  
Why do we continue to pretend like we're the exception?  
Why is it so easy to forget "do unto others as you would have them do to you"?  

Instead of messages like, "Let's make everyone else like us!" (which by the way has always been the death of whatever cultural trait or belief you are trying to save) and "We'll kill them because they killed our boys" (Which has worked out oh so well for peace, right?), and "Go vote so we can pretend like you had a choice!", why not try these:

"Let love be genuine.  Abhor what is evil."
"Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them."
"Live in harmony with one other."
"Out do one another with showing honor."
Romans 9
"Abstain from all appearance of evil."
1 Thess. 5
"And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them."
Ephesians 5
"You should not follow a multitude to do evil."
Exodus 23
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God."
Matthew 5
"For freedom Christ has set us free, do not submit again to the yoke of slavery."
Galatians 5
"Be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind."
Romans 12

Hey there, Contentment

The Fall TV season is slowly (oh so slowly - missing my vampire diaries, just gonna admit that right here *ahem*) starting up.  One of the first premieres I watched was the one for 19 Kids and Counting.  This is the TLC show about the Duggar family.  I actually really like the Duggar's.  I'm not going to live the way they do, but in general I admire how strongly they exude the image of Christ.  They do a much better job of it than I do.

1 Timothy 6:6-7

But godliness with contentment is great gain, ⁷ for we brought nothing into the world, and^[c] we cannot take anything out of the world. 

This episode included an interview with the older girls about courtship.  I was impressed with the girls.  They were open and honest, yet articulately explained that their choices not to date are not just religious strictness imposed by their parents, it's a choice they have made to guard their hearts, but one thing they said was key. Paraphrased it went like this:  "The point isn't when or if we get married, it's being content in the Lord with what we have right now, and in what we are doing right now."

That for some reason just struck me.  It was like cold water on your face while you're fuzzy from too much heat.  Contentment.  It's not about being content while you WAIT for some stupid Prince Charming.  It's being content in the life you have RIGHT NOW because Christ saved you.  Wow.  

I can't even explain why it clicked, or what it all means.  I'm in the baby stage of contentment right now.  But it clicked.  Those moments just happen in this relationship with the Creator of the universe - things just suddenly become clear, make sense, and its like a little gate in your heart and your head pops open and the right things go streaming in.  God used the Duggar girls to go "Hey, you are definitely NOT content, Ms. Bitterness.  Wake up!  This is SO much better than your whiny disgruntled attitude."  

Since then, thoguh I'm exhausted and really need to focus my eyes on Christ more lately, He has been teaching me contentment.  This stuff isn't mine.  This world is not my home.  It's not between them and me; it's between me and him.  I created nothing.  I brought nothing into the world, and I can take nothing out of it.  I have a lot of learning to do, but oh this contentment feels so good.  I'm such an uptight person.  It's really just another form of slavery.  Letting go because there's no reason to worry about things is truly a beautiful thing.

Fall in love with Jesus.
Be content because he saved you.
Be his.

That's all that matters.

Today was a rough day.  I had a nightmare last night that came to life today which was freaky, and funny, and then had a confrontation with a student 5th period which always rattles me, so I'm going to play video games and laugh and enjoy good wine with friends.  I'm letting go of this crazy day because it was never between me and them anyway.

Philippians 4:11

Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. ¹² I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. ¹³ I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Another blog with really good thoughts semi-related to these:  "If we had learned we don’t abstain from sex because we’re 'waiting'. We abstain because we love Him." http://gracefortheroad.com/2012/02/03/idontwait/