Bring out the best in others

Good Wednesday morning, my friends.

As I was driving to work this morning I was wondering to myself what I would write about today.  I had nothing in particular that was stirring me.  Then I had an interesting thought - why don't I pray about it!  So I did.  And nothing came.  Until I got to my desk.  Then I picked up my "Men of Integrity" daily devotional from Promise Keepers (shameless promotion, I know) and read the scripture reading for the day:

Use your heads as you live and work among outsiders. Don't miss a trick. Make the most of every opportunity. Be gracious in your speech. The goal is to bring out the best in others in a conversation, not put them down, not cut them out. (Colossians 4:5-6 The Message)

Then I opened my email and read Charles Swindoll's "Insight for Living" for today and this is what he wrote:

For Growing toward Maturity

by Charles R. Swindoll

Summing up: Be agreeable, be sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble. That goes for all of you, no exceptions. No retaliation. No sharp-tongued sarcasm. Instead, bless---that's your job, to bless. You'll be a blessing and also get a blessing.

Whoever wants to embrace life 

and see the day fill up with good, 

Here's what you do: 

Say nothing evil or hurtful; 

Snub evil and cultivate good; 

run after peace for all you're worth. 

God looks on all this with approval, 

listening and responding well to what he's asked;  

But he turns his back 

on those who do evil things.

---1 Peter 3:8-12 MSG

Demolition is faster than construction.  Tearing something down is always easier than building something up - and that goes for people too.  Those of you who know me, know that sarcasm comes to me quite naturally.  Apparently God wants me to work on this.  How about you?  How sharp is your tongue?

The prayer below is also from Swindoll's message.  The perspective is good: "realize how far we have to go---remind us of how far we've come".

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Bruce

Father, thank You for the reminder of character qualities that are such a vital part of our Christian lives. 

Though we bear very few of the marks of maturity Peter wrote about in the passage above, we always need to be stirred up by way of reminder. 

How often we have come before You, asking for help in these areas! 

You have heard our pleas on many occasions. 

Truth be told, You will hear them again. 

We yearn to be like Your Son, Jesus, the One who modeled each of these marks of maturity to perfection, though fully man. 

We long to grow in spiritual maturity . . . but the uphill journey takes so long. 

We confess that it often feels unending.

Thank You for the promise that Your Holy Spirit will be with us each step of the way. 

We desperately need His empowerment to keep us going and growing . . . until we become like Jesus . . . fully conformed to His image.

We ask, Father, that You give us hope beyond our immaturity. 

Help us in our unbelief. Guard us from discouragement. 

As we look back over the checklist You gave to Peter---and realize how far we have to go---remind us also how far we've come, by Your grace. 

Remind us that You will complete the good work You began in us . . . until the day of Christ Jesus.

Through His matchless name we pray. Amen.

Bruce MacPherson macpherson@celtic.ca / Blog: The Celtic Christian / Home: 613.489.4174 Cell: 613.720.0821 You are receiving this email because you have requested it or I felt you would be interested in this material. If you would like to be removed from this email list, please do not hesitate to contact me at the above email address. Likewise, if you know of someone else who you believe would appreciate receiving these messages, please let me know.