Examining My Daily Ways

 

In these trying days, I think we all need to examine our daily ways. “Before You Talk or Text Today” by Nell Pollard… “A pick, a poke, a controversy; Hit and run, a verbal grenade; We may see it as clever, though without mercy; And own it like an accolade. But are we making people think; When what and how we say it scars? If it causes a stir, a strife, a stink; Instead of edifying it maligns and mars? People should be thinking anyway; And what they think should be of good report; Let’s meditate on what we say; Not load up on sarcastic, sardonic retort. The world already knows that tactic; and uses it at drop of scarf and hat; It brightens no story, dress up no didactic; But stokes the fire and escalates the spat. Here’s something requiring greater skill; You won’t find it in general practice; Restraint and kindness, grace and good will; Be a rose in a field of cactus. When entering today the public sphere; And the marketplace of varied ideas; Let the Jesus in you shine bright and clear; So they can look at you and see that He is!”

[Galatians 5:22-26] “Think On These Things” by Derrick Coble… “It’s quiet. It’s early. My coffee is hot. The sky is still black. Much of the world is still asleep. The day is coming. In a few moments, the day will arrive. It will roar down the track with the rising of the sun. The stillness of the dawn will be exchanged for the noise of the day. The calm of the solitude will be replaced by the pounding pace of the human race. The refuge of the early morning will be invaded by decisions to be made and deadlines to be met. For the next twelve hours I will be exposed to the day’s demands. It is now that I must make a choice. And so, I choose LOVE: No occasion justifies hatred; no injustice warrants bitterness. I choose love. Today, I will love God and what God loves. I choose JOY: I will choose God to be the God of circumstance. I will refuse the temptation to be cynical, the tool of the lazy thinker. I will refuse to see people as anything less than human beings created by God. I will refuse to see any problem as anything less than an opportunity to see God. I choose PEACE: I will live forgiven. I will forgive so that I may live. I choose PATIENCE: I will overlook the inconveniences of the world. Rather than complaining that the wait is too long, I will thank God for a moment to pray. Instead of clenching my fist at the new assignments, I will face them with joy and courage. I choose KINDNESS: I will be kind to the poor, for they are alone; kind to the rich, for they are afraid; and kind to the unkind, for such is how God treated me. I choose GOODNESS: I will go without a dollar before I take a dishonest one. I will see the good in others when it is hard to find. I will confess before I will accuse. I choose FAITHFULNESS: Today I will keep my promises. My debtors will not regret their trust. My associates will not question my word. My wife will not question my love. And my children will never fear that their father will come home. I choose GENTLENESS: Nothing is won by force. I choose to be gentle. If I raise my voice, may it be only in praise. If I clench my fist, may it be only in prayer. If I make a demand, may it be only of myself. I choose SELF-CONTROL: I am a spiritual being. After this body is dead, my spirit will soar. I refuse to let what will rot, rule the eternal. LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS and SELF-CONTROL… these are the fruit of the spirit. To these I commit my day. If I succeed, I will give thanks. If I fail, I will seek God’s face. And, then, when day is done, I will place my head on my pillow and rest.” 

Oh, I wish I could say my days were perfect because I practice all this perfectly. But we all fall short of the mark every day; I seek God’s help.