26 Things in my 26th Year

1.      It’s okay to say “no” to things, but don’t be selfish with your time. 

2.      You’re not right nearly as often as you think you are. 

3.      People matter more.

4.      Be generous with your “yeses”.

5.      Some people are only in your life for a season and that’s ok. (This was probably the most difficult one for me this year…I lost people that I thought would be in my life forever, but you know what?  My life is better because of it.  Some relationships are toxic and it’s totally okay to let go.)

6.      Give God the first fruits of everything.  Your time, your love, your money-everything.

7.      Sometimes (read “often”) God says no and you need to be okay with that; trusting that He knows what’s best. Because…..see the next point.

8.      God knows what’s best. Always. You can trust Him.

9.      Go the extra mile for those that wouldn’t do the same for you. Is it easy? No. Is it worth it? Every.  Time.

10.   Make purity a priority or you’ll begin to compromise in ways that you never thought you would.

11.   Be intentional.

12.   God doesn’t change, but you do.  Make sure you’re changing for the better.

13.   Seek peace and pursue it.

14.   You need people.  People that are older than you, pouring into and challenging you. People that are younger than you that you can invest in.  All kinds of people.

15.   You really can eat cake whenever you want and that’s pretty cool.

16.   What you say matters.  Words are powerful; use those powers for good.

17.   Be holy.  It’s an active, daily choice.

18.   Give back.  So many people have poured into me over the years, but it’s my turn to pour into others.

19.   Sabbath rest is a real thing and you desperately need to make time for it.

20.   Don’t pass up opportunities just because you don’t know how they’re going to turn out.  Regret feels worse than failure.

21.   Get over yourself.  For real.

22.   Don’t compromise your standards simply because people to do not meet your expectations.  Constantly lowering the bar is what’s led to the society before us today.

23.   You can’t control everything, but you can control your response/reaction to everything.

24.   Choose your words wisely.  If what you have to say isn’t fruitful then it’s probably not worth saying.

25.   One of the best things you can do in hard, difficult situations and circumstances is ask “how can this be redemptive?” and respond accordingly.

26.   Choose joy.

Who Is My Neighbor?

When an “expert in the law” stood to challenge Jesus, he asked him “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”.   (The man knew that all are commanded to Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind; and to love your neighbor as yourself.)  Jesus tells the man to “do this and you will live”. 

Pressing matters a little deeper, the man asked Jesus “And who is my neighbor?”.  In response to this, Jesus tells the parable of the good Samaritan.  I’m sure you’re familiar with the story, but let’s do a little recap here. 

A man was travelling to Jericho from Jerusalem when he was stripped, beaten, and left half-dead by robbers.  Abandoned on the side of a well-travelled road, several people encountered the victim of this roadside crime-some of those being a priest, a Levite, and a Samaritan.
Now us nice, churchy people would love to assume that either the priest or the Levite would be the one to stop what they were doing to see to the obvious needs of this individual, but sadly, that is not the case. 

Instead, the Samaritan is the one to go above and beyond to look after this man.  Note: In Bible times Samaritans were considered lowest of the low. Like people literally went out of their way in order to avoid walking through Samaria. 

Upon finishing the story, Jesus looks to the man and asks “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”.  With the answer being quite obvious, the man says “the one who had mercy on him” to which Jesus replied “Go and do likewise”. 

One of the struggles in our current culture is that Christians are viewed as hateful, exclusive, and critical.  Sometimes even avoiding those that need our love the most. 

In a culture where acceptance and non-judgement has become the gospel of the masses, what does it look like to truly love our neighbor? (PS: Scripture instructs us to love our neighbor as ourselves…think we may be missing the mark here?)

 What about when our neighbor is nothing like us?  Or is a different nationality, race, or socio-economic class?

The Jesus I know and serve calls me to love all people; not just those that are like me.  Who are you in the parable? 

The Priest? Whom “lives by the law” and “belongs to God”, but is unwilling to love and serve His fellow man.

The Levite? Whom is involved in the Church, but unwilling to be the Church.

The Samaritan?  Whom sees no race, tribe, or monetary barriers in helping his fellow man.

May we go and do likewise.