What if God saw me the way I see other people?
What if God treated me the way I treat other people?
What if God gave me only as much GRACE as I give other people?
She walks in the door of the church building every single time it’s open. She has been faithful to every church service, Sunday school class, Bible study, and anything else we have, to the best of her ability. I’m not sure she’s ever missed…as long as someone can pick her up and bring her. She doesn’t drive. She can’t.
When she walks in, most people scatter, and even though she’s been faithful, very few will stick around and welcome her with a smile and hug like we do every other person walking through the door.
But she’s not like every other person, you see, and that makes encounters with her difficult, at best.
Most regard her as a nuisance and an irritant with her constant, nonsensical chatter, question after question, off-colored remarks, and less than appealing hygiene practices… only tolerable in “small doses” as stated by more than one person.
As with some people like her, she really can’t help it, and no matter how hard she tries and really just wants to be loved and accepted, to be a part of something, she will have a hard time fitting in.
We won’t let her. We can’t be bothered and we really struggle with showing her love and acceptance.
We should show her love and acceptance, but we can’t. We don’t.
…and by “we” I mean “me.”
But God…
She messaged me that she needed a ride to our Bible study and I ignored it at first.
I heard God’s voice speaking to me in my heart, “If that was someone else, anyone else, would you go pick them up and take them?”
The whole ride over to her house I was dreading the night. My mind began playing tricks on me and I could physically smell the odor that I just knew would be left behind on the seats of my vehicle. All I could think about is how in the world I was going to breathe without being rude and rolling the window down.
Even after I was at church, I could smell the odor on my clothes…yes, it was that strong. I wondered if anyone else could smell me and would they realize it wasn’t me, but actually her!
Once I got home, I had to wash the clothes I had on. There was no way I could stand that odor any longer!
The next morning, while I was getting dressed, I grabbed the shoes I had worn the night before and began to put them on…..and THAT ODOR hit my nose again!
And then it hit my brain, and then it hit my heart….
I turned my shoe over and there it was…dog poop.
The imagined odor before I picked her up, the odor I was afraid others would think was me, the odor on my clothes, yeah….all of that…was really ME!
I was the one that smelled!!!
As the realization set in, I heard God’s voice in my heart, “You were so worried and angry that she might be smelly to you when, in fact, it was YOU that smelled… and it is YOU that smells like that to Me when you don’t love others the way I love you!”
Matthew 22:36-39
36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
I claim I Love God and Love Others.
It is a phrase I throw around constantly, and yet, God was showing me that maybe, just maybe, I only do that when I deem someone deserving of love.
It is not up to me to decide who is deserving. I don’t get to make that decision. It was already decided on the cross when Jesus Christ died for all of the “whosoevers” that would believe in Him.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
“Whosoever” is my neighbor and He told me to love “whosover” as thyself.
Did God see me the way I’ve seen her?
Did God treat me the way I’ve treated her?
Did God give me only as much grace as I’ve given her?
I am not more “lovely” to God than she is.
I do not smell better to God than she does.
I do not act better, serve better, follow Him better, obey better, worship better…the list goes on and on….
At the end of my life on Earth, I will stand before the throne in front of the One Who loves me so much that He died on the cross to take away my sins so I could go and tell others about Him, love others like He does.
And after the way I treat His people, I wonder will HE say “Well done, thou good and faithful servant,” or “I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Matthew 25:21, Matthew 7:23)
Maybe loving God and loving others doesn’t always come easy for me, especially when I let pride and self-righteousness get in the way.
None of this is easy, actually…but neither was it easy for Jesus to take on my sins and die for me so that I could Love God and Love Others in the freedom of His mercy, love, and grace.
“To whom much is given, much will be required,” (Luke 12:48) and I’ve been given abundance to overflowing. Shouldn’t I then, give mercy, love, and grace as He has given to me?
Father, let me to see others the way You see them. Teach me to love others the way You love them. Show me how to give as much grace as You have given me. Help me to pour out the same for all of the “whosoevers” you have placed in my life. Help me, Father, help me.
Soli Deo Gloria
Meet the Blogger – Read Laura Robinson’s Bio
Laura is an avid reader, storyteller, and chaser of Jesus sharing bits and pieces of her view from beneath HIS waterfall of grace…all for the glory of God.
Thank you for that through you God has spoken to me. I work in a place we’re horrible people have committed horrible crimes against others and against children and I have an extremely hard time trying to be nice to these people trying to give them the best care that they deserve possible. I find myself in judgment everyday of some of these offenders. Are you God has opened my eyes and I’ll be seeing these people in a new light as I work hard and pray for each and every one of them and for myself. God says Sin is Sin no sin is greater than the other I don’t have my sins to atone for also please pray for me as I work with these people so that I may be and example to them and they God’s Light May shine through me and maybe have an effect on others. Forgive Me Lord
I’m sorry I meant I do have my sins to atone for also
You are an amazing nurse with a heart full of love and I love your heart for Jesus and His people. God gives us much mercy, love, and grace so we can pour that out on others and we will pray that God gives us what we need to do that for His glory. Love you, Sister.
Laura, you continue to amaze me. I thank the Lord that he has brought you into my life. You open yourself up so God can use you to be an example to others. If the truth is in us then we all have to confess that we have not treated others the way God intends for us to do. I am trying to correct those actions by trying to see everyone through God’s eyes and love thy neighbor as thyself. I am so glad to be in your Bible studies and truly believe God has called me to be there to gain new truths and deeper insight into his word. Thank you for being obedient to God.
Thank you, Debbie. My walk with the LORD has not been easy and I have so much to work on in my life so I am grateful when God brings strong Christian women into my life to love, support, encourage, pray for me and teach me. Thank you for being a mentor to me and showing me what the love of Jesus looks like. Love you.
We are to wear love and the fragrance of Christ, He must have encountered terrible scents.
So true, Rebecca! I had not thought about what Jesus must have encountered during His earthly ministry. I pray that He would give me what I need to follow Him with the example He shows us in His Word.