We humans are amazing creatures. Capable of great accomplishment, unimaginable love and grace. And capable of destruction beyond compare. Beyond reason.
Sometimes we fail to realize those things of which we are capable. Sometimes we fail to realize the great things we do, the terrible things we do, and everything in between. And, sometimes, we know all too well what we are doing and upon whom we are inflicting pain.
Our world teaches us to live and let die. Get the other guy before he gets you. Survive, thrive, succeed, and do it all at the expense of others (or, at least at the expense of those for whom we have no love). Human nature moves us to do things that keep others down and make us feel better about ourselves.
And NONE of these things have any place in the Kingdom of God. Jesus really did say it is all about love!! Love GOD with all that we are, Love EACH OTHER (our neighbor, our enemy, and everyone in between) with THE SAME KIND OF LOVE, and that we should love the world so much that we are willing to BE the difference. We are willing to LIVE A CUT ABOVE the world. We really are called to a higher calling, a higher standard than the world. When the world looks at us, they should see something different.
Yes, we really should look DIFFERENT from the world. Set apart. Holy. And, if we do not, we are doing something wrong!!!
I spoke with a friend a few days ago whose family was facing something unimaginable. Something horrible. One of those things about which our worst nightmares are made. It was a situation in which his family would have every right to hate with a white-hot hatred the man who inflicted this pain upon them. And God is leading my friend to lead his family to put down the hate. To forgive. This young man, this young Christian has figured something out: When we HATE, when we allow things like this, like envy, like jealousy to invade our lives, those things will eat us up from the inside out. One of the greatest freedoms we can know is to FORGIVE, even when another doesn’t seek forgiveness. When we hold a grudge, it will separate us from God.
When we forgive (especially when forgiveness doesn’t seem warranted), we are loving with God’s kind of love. We are loving with the same kind of love that took Jesus to His cross to bear our sins. A love which we did not deserve.
When we love with that kind of love, we are BEING the salt and light that Jesus Christ called His church to be. And one more thing: You really don’t have to tell ANYONE you are doing this: When you love this way, HIS LIGHT will be seen brightly in it all.
Live and let live!!!
The Random Thinker 
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