Living in Love

So I haven't written anything in a long time. Sitting here at the table at four minutes after seven in the morning wondering what I should put on this lovely little page. My wife sips coffee next to me as my four month old son just lies on the ground voicing his opinion that he recently found out how to do quite loudly actually and all that keeps going through my mind is that I am blessed. I have been reading the story of Job the last couple of days I am only partway through but I am planning on reading it through and then going through again studying it intently. This story of a man that was blessed by God due to his honoring lifestyle and then suddenly has it all taken away in a heartbeat. He lost servants, livestock and family all at the same time followed closely by his health and he did not curse God with his lips the entire time. Several of his friends show up to offer him some comfort in this time of mourning that he is going through and instead of words of comfort they pile condemnation and rebukes on him saying that he must have sinned to deserve such punishment and that he should repent immediately. That is always the first thing that comes up when something bad comes up or happens to you often the first thought that comes into our mind is what did I do wrong? The book of Job is a good example of bad things happening to good people, Job did nothing to deserve the things that were happening to him and God himself was not responsible for what was happening he was just allowing Satan to push him to the limit because God knew that Job was faithful and that through and through he would stay within Gods promises on his life. We have to learn not to be like Job's friends, this is kind of a common picture of the modern religious church of our day. We are quick to point the finger and pass the blame but we forget that when we pass judgement and condemnation on someone we have fingers pointing right back at us. More times then not when someone is accusing someone of something it's a pretty good chance that individual either has a similar problem going on at this moment or was dealing with it in the past. We can't be measuring sticks for people's lives that is God's job not ours and I think that all too much we have been doing that even more now then ever before. How are we going to reach a world that is lost if we judge and point fingers at every little thing that is wrong. Of course if they are in the church serving that is a different story but that has to be handled a certain way as well as per Matthew 18. We have to start loving the world as Jesus did showing them unflinching love regardless who it might be whether it's that dude at work you can't stand or a homeless individual on the street corner asking for a dollar. Don't make assumptions when you see that person at the front of the Wal-Mart parking lot holding up their sign, you have no idea who they are or what they have been through, the next time you see one of those people think twice before you reach over to roll up your window or lock your door and for a minute just stop and wonder....What would Jesus do?