Years ago, living in California and working for Nabisco, I was consumed - with HATE. The story goes like this -
I had been living and working in Memphs, TN for about 3 years and my company wanted to promote me. They actually gave me a choice of where to live - New Jersey or California. All you need to do is look at today's weather and see that California was the obvious choice. I was headed to CA to replace a guy that was the first National Accouts Director that Nabisco had ever appointed. He was a legend and had hand picked me to replace him as he was to retire about 6 months after I arrived. Well, things went great for about 5.5 months. Customers and the job were everything that anybody could every want. Then, the guy that I was to replace took about a month of "trial" retirement off and didn't like it at all. He concluded that he wanted to work a few more years and started trying to destroy my reputation and my career. Thank God I had a boss that could see through all of this and I was actually promoted into an even better position albeit much more difficult work. The result of all of this was my building consumption of hate for the guy that tried to destroy me. I was so consumed that I would drive to work and savor the ideas of how I could hurt the old man. Finally, I realized that I just had to let it go and forget about what had happened. I realized that the only person hurt by being consumed with hate was me. I realized just why Jesus told us that we needed to learn to forgive - just like him.
Isn't it amazing that God's plan for us - in both love and forgiveness is exactly what we need to be healthy and pleasant?
When people asked the greatest commandment, Jesus answered first love God, then love each other. We cannot possibly love each other if we cannot forgive each other. We need to be as consumed with love as I was with hate for the old man.
We can't be consumed with love for each other unless we follow the words that tell us - first love God, then love each other - and we cannot love God unless we are consumed with him.
Well, these are my monday thoughts,
Blessings,
Marc
2 comments:
Thanks for the honesty. 8 years ago I prayed for God to deal with those who were trying to destroy my reputation, prevent me from marrying the woman I love and keep me out of Brazil. I have lived to see their downfall, but not only don't celebrate it, I pray for their restoration.
How about that?
Thanks Marc - I have been asking God why did I not truley have the feeling of Love throughout my life as I have witnessed from my friends, family and the man on the street. I lived on Roatan for 5 years and my selfishness along with alcohol had nearly distroyed me. I have been "truley" re-evaluating myself for a year now. God has literally tossed in my face so many answers to my delima, in torrents throughout my life to this day. Funny how we do not take notice of them and till its time or to late. He brought me here today, to this post and answered my burning desire to know more - that and the Christain Chronilce. Thank our savior for in time.
Paradise re-gained.
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