Today, give peace to others

“Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.” (Rom. 14:19)

Peace is third of the nine spiritual fruits that the Holy Spirit produces in the lives of born again believers. (See Gal. 5:22-23). God produces this fruit in you to be shared with others.

The perfect picture of peace

Long ago a man sought the perfect picture of peace. Not finding one that satisfied, he announced a contest to produce this masterpiece. The challenge stirred the imagination of artists everywhere, and paintings arrived from far and wide. Finally the great day of revelation arrived. The judges uncovered one peaceful scene after another, while the viewers clapped and cheered.

The tensions grew. Only two pictures remained veiled.

As a judge pulled the cover from one, a hush fell over the crowd.

A mirror-smooth lake reflected lacy, green birches under the soft blush of the evening sky. Along the grassy shore, a flock of sheep grazed undisturbed. Surely this was the winner.

The man with the vision uncovered the second painting himself, and the crowd gasped in surprise. Could this be peace?

A tumultuous waterfall cascaded down a rocky precipice; the crowd could almost feel its cold, penetrating spray. Stormy-gray clouds threatened to explode with lightning, wind and rain. In the midst of the thundering noises and bitter chill, a spindly tree clung to the rocks at the edge of the falls. One of its branches reached out in front of the torrential waters as if foolishly seeking to experience its full power.

A little bird had built a nest in the elbow of that branch. Content and undisturbed in her stormy surroundings, she rested on her eggs. With her eyes closed and her wings ready to cover her little ones, she manifested peace that transcends all earthly turmoil. - Berit Kjos, A Wardrobe from the King, pp. 45-46.

About personal peace

Duke University did a study on the factors found to contribute greatly to emotional and mental stability (personal peace) are:

• The absence of suspicion and resentment. Nursing a grudge was a major factor in unhappiness.
• Not living in the past. An unwholesome preoccupation with old mistakes and failures leads to depression.
• Not wasting time and energy fighting conditions you cannot change. Cooperate with life, instead of trying to run away from it.
• Force yourself to stay involved with the living world. Resist the temptation to withdraw and become reclusive during periods of emotional stress.
• Refuse to indulge in self-pity when life hands you a raw deal. Accept the fact that nobody gets through life without some sorrow and misfortune.
• Cultivate the old-fashioned virtues--love, humor, compassion and loyalty.
• Do not expect too much of yourself. When there is too wide a gap between self-expectation and your ability to meet the goals you have set, feelings of inadequacy are inevitable.
• Find something bigger than yourself to believe in. Self-centered egotistical people score lowest in any test for measuring happiness. - Source Unknown.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” (Matt 5:9)

"A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health.” (Prov. 25:30)

Joy is second of the nine spiritual fruits that the Holy Spirit produces in the lives of born againbelievers. (See Gal. 5:22-23). God produces this fruit to be shared.

Today, give a littlejoy to others

Joy is very rewarding, because when used, it tends to produce the same in others. When you express joy you usually get joy in return.

Joy has many levels. It goes from a simple feeling of pleasure or happiness all the way to great exhilaration, ecstasy and even rapture.

Begin small with a smile

Notice how often you get a smile from others when you smile at them. Try it, it really works.

• A smile costs nothing, but gives much.
• It enriches those who receive, without making poorer those who give.
• It takes but a moment, but the memory of it sometimes lasts forever.
• None is so rich or mighty that he can get along without it, and none is so poor, but that he can be made rich by it.
• A smile creates happiness in the home, fosters good will in business, and is the countersign of friendship.
• It brings rest to the weary, cheer to the discouraged, sunshine to the sad, and it is nature's best antidote for trouble.
• Yet it cannot be bought, begged, borrowed, or stolen, for it is something that is of no value to anyone, until it is given away.
• Some people are too tired to give you a smile; Give them one of yours, as none needs a smile so much as he who has no more to give.

- Author Unknown

“A joyful heart is good medicine, but depression drains one’s strength.” (Prov. 17:22)

“A glad heart makes a happy face; a broken heart crushes the spirit. A wise person is hungry for knowledge, while the fool feeds on trash. For the despondent, every day brings trouble; for the happy heart, life is a continual feast.” (Prov. 25:13-15)

The most important present you can ever give to another – and even to yourself – is the gift of love. Without strings. Without conditions. Without judgments.

"Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." (1 Peter 4:8)

The ingenious plan

Newspaper columnist and minister George Crane tells of a wife who came into his office full of hatred toward her husband. "I do not only want to get rid of him, I want to get even. Before I divorce him, I want to hurt him as much as he has me."

Dr. Crane suggested an ingenious plan "Go home and act as if you really love your husband. Tell him how much he means to you. Praise him for every decent trait. Go out of your way to be as kind, considerate, and generous as possible. Spare no efforts to please him, to enjoy him. Make him believe you love him. After you've convinced him of your undying love and that you cannot live without him, then drop the bomb. Tell him that your're getting a divorce. That will really hurt him." With revenge in her eyes, she smiled and exclaimed, "Beautiful, beautiful. Will he ever be surprised!" And she did it with enthusiasm. Acting "as if." For two months she showed love, kindness, listening, giving, reinforcing, sharing. When she didn't return, Crane called. "Are you ready now to go through with the divorce?"

"Divorce?" she exclaimed. "Never! I discovered I really do love him." Her actions had changed her feelings. Motion resulted in emotion. The ability to love is established not so much by fervent promise as often repeated deeds.

Love is given to you by God to give away

In the book of Galatians is a list of "spiritual fruit." These 9 fruits are what is produced in the life of someone who has received Christ and is filled with the Holy Spirit. This spiritual fruit is produced in you so you can give it to others.

What is love?

The Bible explains what love is in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”

In other words, it's what you do for others

“Love is the fruit in season at all times and within reach of every hand.” – Mother Teresa

Love-letter lament:

Dearest Jimmy,

No words could ever express the great unhappiness I've felt since breaking our engagement. Please say you'll take me back. No one could ever take your place in my heart, so please forgive me. I love you, I love you, I love you! Yours forever, Marie.

P.S., And congratulations on winning the state lottery. 

 Give your holiday anxieties and worries to God

Here’s another Christmas gift for you to give to yourself. And, it could be good for others around you, too.

“Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” (1 Pet. 5:7 NLT)

It's already 10 days into the holiday season and so many are getting stressed out and worried by now.

Here are the top 11 things that Americans dread about Christmas, according to a survey by the Consumer Reports National Research Center:

1. 68%: Crowds and long lines

2. 37%: Gaining weight

3. 37%: Getting into debt

4. 28%: Gift shopping

5. 25%: Traveling

6 24%: Seeing certain relatives

7. 23%: Seasonal music

8. 19%: Disappointing gifts

9. 16%: Having to attend holiday parties or events

10. 15%: Having to be nice

11.  12%: Holiday tipping

But, this may be a good moment for you to step back, remain calm, relax, and then regroup. Take a little time for yourself today.

Here are a few practical tips from the Mayo Clinic

Take a breather. Make some time for yourself. Spending just 15 minutes alone, without distractions, may refresh you enough to handle everything you need to do. Find something that reduces stress by clearing your mind, slowing your breathing and restoring inner calm.

Some options may include:

• Taking a walk at night and stargazing.
• Listening to soothing music.
• Getting a massage.
• Reading a book.

 My biggest suggestion is to not allow yourself to become anxious in the first place

Remember to seek God’s help. He’s alwaysthere for you.

 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Phil. 4:6)

I read about a family who, with great humor, has been sending the same Christmas fruitcake to each other over many years. And, obviously, it's been a lot fun just re-gifting it. I imagine it's pretty stale by now, good thing no one plans to actually eat it.

 Lots of people regift

According to a Cosmo poll, 67 percent have re-gifted a present…but only 6 percent have ever been caught doing so.

Re-gifting God’s gift to you

There is a wonderful gift that is meant to be re-gifted, and that gift, from God to you, is the biggest gift of all time. It's called, the gospel, which literally translated, means “good news.”

“The free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom. 6:23)

“Freely you have received; freely give.” (Matt. 10:8)

God gave His gift because of His love

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only born Son, that whosoever believes on Him, should not perish, but shall have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

“And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.” (Matt. 15:16)

How to give the gift to others

Keep in mind that you have the most valuable, wonderful, life changing gift to share with others that has ever been given! And, your positive, happy (even thrilled) attitude should reflect it! It is not only the “good news,” it's the greatest news! And you get to share it!

You can share the Good News …

• With your smile. You have so much to be glad about and it should be reflected with a pleasant happy smile. “A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance.” (Prov. 15:13)
• With your conversation. Take the opportunity to say, “Merry Christmas” to people. You may be surprised how many will react positively when you do. It's not “politically correct,” you may get a little push back from a few, but most people will welcome the greeting enthusiastically. It could even open interesting opportunities for youto share about Jesus being the reason for the season. Let the Holy Spirit guide you.
• With Christmas cards. There are so many wonderful Christmas cards available today, especially from your Christian book store. The Christmas story is wonderfully told on and within Christmas in many beautiful ways. You can also include some great Bible verses on your Christmas cards to shine a spotlight on your relationship with Christ.
• With your decorations. Your decorations in your home and yard reflect what you think about the Christmas season. You can design them to show the joys of thes eason. There is a song I really like, written by William Tyndall and made popular by Evie Carlson, during the 1980’s. Some of the lyrics are, “Come on ring those bells, light the Christmas tree! Jesus is the King, born for you and me. Come on ring those bells, everybody say, ‘Jesus we remember this, your birthday.'”

 Keep it simple and uncomplicated

Whatever you do, keep in mind that sharing should be as simple as one beggar telling another beggar where to find some free bread. If you are truly excited about Jesus, it should be a part of who you are and everything you do.

Joni Erickson Tada is the president of JET ministries, a ministry which aims to serve the disabled. She is herself a quadriplegic. A few years ago she was a spectator at the Los Angeles Special Olympics. Her husband, Ken, was the coordinator for track and field events. Joni was among a large crowd watching the participants prepare for the 50 meters running race.

The starter’s gun fired and off the contestants raced. As they rushed toward the finish line one boy left the track and started running toward his friends standing in the infield. Ken blew his whistle, trying to get the boy to come back to the track, but all to no avail.

Then one of the other competitors noticed, a down syndrome girl with thick bottle glasses. She stopped just short of the finish line and called out to the boy, “Stop, come back, this is the way.” Hearing the voice of her friend the boy stopped and looked. “Come back, this is the way” she called. The boy stood there, confused. His friend, realising he was confused, left the track and ran over to him. She linked arms with him and together they ran back to the track and finished the race. They were the last to cross the line, but were greeted by hugs from their fellow competitors and a standing ovation from the crowd.

The down syndrome girl with the bottle glasses taught everyone present that day an important life lesson, that it’s important to take time out form our own goals in life to help others find their way.

Reflecting on the episode afterwards Ken was reminded of some verses from Romans 15:

“We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up . . . May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus.” - Source: reported in Joni Erickson Tada, “It’s Called Unity”, found at joniandfriends.org

The law of Christ

"Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." (Gal. 6:2)

Most Bible teachers understand the law of Christ to be what Christ stated were the greatest commandments in Mark 12:28-31, “‘Which commandment is the most important of all?’ Jesus answered, ‘The most important is, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” The second is this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these.’”

Love God and neighbors

The law of Christ, then, is to love God with all of our being and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves.

All of the Old Testament Law can be placed in the categories of “loving God” or “loving your neighbor.”

We must obey the law of Christ

Various New Testament scriptures state that Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament Law, bringing it to completion and conclusion (Rom. 10:4; Gal. 3:23-25; Eph. 2:15). In place of the Old Testament Law, Christians are to obey the law of Christ. Rather than trying to remember the hundreds of individual commandments in the Old Testament Law, Christians are simply to focus on loving God and loving others. If Christians would truly and wholeheartedly obey those two commands, we would be fulfilling everything that God requires of us.

How to carry other’s burdens

• Follow God’s example of doing it for us

"Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens." (Psalm 68:19)

And in Matthew 11 and Galatians 5, Christ is described as the one who frees us from heavy burdens.

• Be patient and compassionate

"Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” (Col. 3:12-13)

“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” (Eph. 4:2).

• Notice needy people around you and then do something to help them as though you were helping Jesus Himself

“I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ … ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’" (Matt. 25:34-40)

"Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” (1 Thess. 5:11)

Having the same love

"So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” (Phil 2:1-3)

“Treat a man as he is and he will remain as he is. Treat a man as he can and should be and he will become as he can and should be.” - Stephen R. Covey

Not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others." (Phil. 2:4)

Just for today ...

"Just for today, smile a little more. Just for today, ask someone how he or she is really doing. Just for today, remember, while some may have it better than you do, there are others whom definitely have it worse than you! Just for today, just let go, just for today…" - James A. Murphy

Jesus was the perfect example

"You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Phil. 2:6-11 NLT)

 "One of the great ironies of life is this: He or she who serves almost always benefits more than he or she who is served." - Gordon B. Hinckley

This gift, is not only for them, but it is for you, too!

"Love one another with brotherly affection. Out do one another in showing honor." (Romans 12:10)

The Christmas season is a great time for reconnecting with loved ones and friends you have been out of touch with, to let them know you are thinking about them and that you care about them. Contact them with a handwritten note, card or a phone call. Better yet, if possible, go see them!

"And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them." (Luke 6:31

 “A sweet friendship refreshes the soul."  (Prov.  27:9)

“The only way to have a friend is to be one." — Ralph Waldo Emerson