Still Learning- - - -

 

One of my very favorite philosophers...Dr. Seuss:

"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot,
nothing is going to get better, it's not."

Love that quote! And I have just read a very interesting biography about Billy and Ruth Graham. Her daughter said that every day Ruth prayed this simple prayer: “LORD, WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP YOU TODAY?" Isn’t that beautiful? What a thoughtful way to talk to our Heavenly Father at the beginning of our day.

 
So...where can we learn the best ways to use our days and our talents to care for people who come our way in any given day? Might be family, neighbors, a person in line at the store, someone far away . . .  

Remember in Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus said: “ Come to Me... Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart . . .For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

John 13 is the perfect chapter to read. We should pick up the basin and the towel and be a servant like Jesus. This models forgiveness and mercy to others.

 
IN THE ROOM, JESUS WAS THE ONLY ONE WORTHY OF HAVING HIS FEET WASHED. I am sure you have heard it said that the hands that washed the disciples’ feet were the very hands that created the stars in the sky, the beautiful earth, and the very people who were before Him. Those hands of Jesus would soon feel the agony of the nails as He would be crucified for these very men. 

But He was reaching out to His disciples in love and mercy, even though He knew they all would forsake Him very soon. Remember: Relationships with others don’t always succeed because the guilty one is punished but because the one who has been wronged is merciful. Jesus even washed the feet of Judas.

If what you ought to do to make life better is to forgive someone, remember a great statement by author Max Lucado: 

Shift your glance away from the one you hurt you and set your eyes on the one who saved you. Because he has a forgiving heart, we can have one, too.
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You know that carrying a yoke on your shoulders cannot be easy. But with Jesus on the other side, we can continually learn from Him. Study the Bible to see how He was constantly focused on others. People of all different ages and stages in life felt His love.

Some just needed a touch like the woman who was ill for so many years (Luke 8). We do like pats on the shoulder, or a hug, don’t we? 

Some needed miracles like the young man raised to life for his mother (Luke 7).

Some needed physical food like the 5,000 He fed (Matthew 14) after hours of those people hearing Him preach.

Some even needed a rebuke as the Pharisees (Matthew 23) who were constantly berating Him.

 
But all of us need His mercy and love and forgiveness. Perhaps there is someone in our lives today who needs the same from us...maybe a text, a card, a call or a visit.

Ask the One on the other side of your yoke to lead you, to teach you to “care a whole awful lot”
. . . so some things will get better, thanks to your caring!

--Maylou Holladay