Lesson in life #1.
"My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and truth." -1 John 3:18
Caleb was new to his school and community. A quiet and shy boy by
nature and very small for his age, he loved sports. He was invited to
an FCA night of games and fun. Not only was he small, but also he was
just a freshman amongst older student-athletes. The time came to pick
teams for basketball and two of the top athletes in school chose
sides. Bryan was a great athlete and looked for people just like him,
but Josh was different. Josh was a great athlete as well, but Josh
had another plan for his team. Caleb was embarrassed, almost a foot
shorter than everyone else, he knew for sure he would be the last
pick, as always.
We read in the New Testament how Jesus chose different people to help
his team fight the good fight. He did not always look for the
biggest, best looking, strongest and toughest. He used all kinds of
people to accomplish and carry out His work. One such man was
Zacchaeus. The Bible and children's songs tell us he was a "wee
little man," so small that he had to climb a tree just to see Jesus
passing by. As Jesus passed by Zacchaeus He stopped and chose him and
spent time at his house. I am sure Zacchaeus wondered "Why me?" But
Jesus always made His plan clear, despite what others around Him saw
or felt about His decisions. Jesus did not just say He loved others,
He showed it every day.
As Josh looked over the boys to pick, Caleb thought, "Can he pick a
guy like me? Will he even notice me at all?" With Josh's first pick,
he took Caleb. Caleb looked around to see if there were 10 other
Caleb's in the gym, but there was only one. With his head down, he
walked toward Josh. Josh turned to him, and smiled and said, "You
will help us win it all tonight!" Josh knew that picking Caleb may
not make his team win every game, but it would help Caleb to fit in
with the new group.
Josh wanted not only to say he cared about someone else, but also
wanted to show it by picking Caleb. Caleb just wanted to fit in and
feel accepted. Zacchaeus wanted to see the man He had heard so much
about and then time with the Master changed his life. Following
Jesus, many think "Can He save me? Could He love me? Would He take me
to be a part of His family?" The answer is always the same: Can He?
Could He? Would He? YES! He can! He could! He would! HE DID! Josh
knew, like Jesus, that talk is cheap, and that showing love and
kindness to others will make the difference!
"Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him. Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel and girded himself. After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. The cometh he to Simon Peter; and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him. If I wash thee not, thou has no part with me. Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all cean. So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him."
John 13:1-17
"In this that was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him,"
-1 John 4:9
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - <3
This is only one of my many Life Lessons, that I have seen and still see every single day. People who are unkind, and hate others. People make fun of others in school all the time. That is one of my biggest pet peeves. When other people make fun of others. We are to love others, and treat them the way we would want someone to treat us. Put yourself in someone else's position next time you feel the urge to do, or say, or even look at someone in a certain way. Think about what they are going through, simply by having compassion and empathy for others. Stand up for them when others are picking on them. Jesus Christ, the Son of God - who died for oursins, was able to humble himself by washing the feet of his disciples with the same cloth that he had used for himself. That shows how much love he had for them, and how much appreciation he felt for them. We should show not only God - by living through Jesus's example, but show everyone else in this world the same love Jesus had shown the whole world - when he died for us on that cross. There was no one person at fault for the death of Jesus, there was no one religious sect, or colony of people. We all were responsible for the death of Jesus Christ, because we are all sinners. He gave us all a chance to be saved by dying for us. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoseoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him be saved." - John 3:16-17. It's up to everyone to accept the truth that the bible holds, and to accept Jesus Christ as Lord; and Savior. "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." - John 14:6. For Jesus is the only way to heaven. I pray for everyone, that they will know Jesus as their personal savior, and be able to be born again. I thank god for my salvation everyday and thank him for bringing certain people into my life, that have helped me, that i have helped and the people that I will help.
God Bless, Melissa <3
Caleb was new to his school and community. A quiet and shy boy by
nature and very small for his age, he loved sports. He was invited to
an FCA night of games and fun. Not only was he small, but also he was
just a freshman amongst older student-athletes. The time came to pick
teams for basketball and two of the top athletes in school chose
sides. Bryan was a great athlete and looked for people just like him,
but Josh was different. Josh was a great athlete as well, but Josh
had another plan for his team. Caleb was embarrassed, almost a foot
shorter than everyone else, he knew for sure he would be the last
pick, as always.
We read in the New Testament how Jesus chose different people to help
his team fight the good fight. He did not always look for the
biggest, best looking, strongest and toughest. He used all kinds of
people to accomplish and carry out His work. One such man was
Zacchaeus. The Bible and children's songs tell us he was a "wee
little man," so small that he had to climb a tree just to see Jesus
passing by. As Jesus passed by Zacchaeus He stopped and chose him and
spent time at his house. I am sure Zacchaeus wondered "Why me?" But
Jesus always made His plan clear, despite what others around Him saw
or felt about His decisions. Jesus did not just say He loved others,
He showed it every day.
As Josh looked over the boys to pick, Caleb thought, "Can he pick a
guy like me? Will he even notice me at all?" With Josh's first pick,
he took Caleb. Caleb looked around to see if there were 10 other
Caleb's in the gym, but there was only one. With his head down, he
walked toward Josh. Josh turned to him, and smiled and said, "You
will help us win it all tonight!" Josh knew that picking Caleb may
not make his team win every game, but it would help Caleb to fit in
with the new group.
Josh wanted not only to say he cared about someone else, but also
wanted to show it by picking Caleb. Caleb just wanted to fit in and
feel accepted. Zacchaeus wanted to see the man He had heard so much
about and then time with the Master changed his life. Following
Jesus, many think "Can He save me? Could He love me? Would He take me
to be a part of His family?" The answer is always the same: Can He?
Could He? Would He? YES! He can! He could! He would! HE DID! Josh
knew, like Jesus, that talk is cheap, and that showing love and
kindness to others will make the difference!
"Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him. Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel and girded himself. After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. The cometh he to Simon Peter; and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him. If I wash thee not, thou has no part with me. Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all cean. So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him."
John 13:1-17
"In this that was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him,"
-1 John 4:9
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - <3
This is only one of my many Life Lessons, that I have seen and still see every single day. People who are unkind, and hate others. People make fun of others in school all the time. That is one of my biggest pet peeves. When other people make fun of others. We are to love others, and treat them the way we would want someone to treat us. Put yourself in someone else's position next time you feel the urge to do, or say, or even look at someone in a certain way. Think about what they are going through, simply by having compassion and empathy for others. Stand up for them when others are picking on them. Jesus Christ, the Son of God - who died for oursins, was able to humble himself by washing the feet of his disciples with the same cloth that he had used for himself. That shows how much love he had for them, and how much appreciation he felt for them. We should show not only God - by living through Jesus's example, but show everyone else in this world the same love Jesus had shown the whole world - when he died for us on that cross. There was no one person at fault for the death of Jesus, there was no one religious sect, or colony of people. We all were responsible for the death of Jesus Christ, because we are all sinners. He gave us all a chance to be saved by dying for us. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoseoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him be saved." - John 3:16-17. It's up to everyone to accept the truth that the bible holds, and to accept Jesus Christ as Lord; and Savior. "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." - John 14:6. For Jesus is the only way to heaven. I pray for everyone, that they will know Jesus as their personal savior, and be able to be born again. I thank god for my salvation everyday and thank him for bringing certain people into my life, that have helped me, that i have helped and the people that I will help.
God Bless, Melissa <3