Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find? -Proverbs 20:6, ESV
The band Third Day has a song, called Love Song, in which they discuss a man who would climb the highest mountain and swim the deepest ocean, all to declare his love for a woman, but how many times has that promise been broken? (This question is also in the song.)
But it turns out this song is from the perspective of Jesus. Other lyrics include:
I’ve never climbed the highest mountain But I walked the hill of Calvary I’ve never swam the deepest ocean But I walked upon the raging sea
Just to be with you, I’d do anything There’s not price I would not pay Just to be with you, I’d give anything I would give my life away
I know that you don’t understand the fullness of My love How I died upon the cross for your sins And I know you don’t realize how much that I gave you But I promise, I would do it all again
Just to be with you, I did everything There’s not price I did not pay Just to be with you, I gave everything Yes, I gave my life away
Jesus is the only truly faithful one. Find His love, and His forgiveness and mercy and grace.
The king’s wrath is as the roaring of a lion; but his favour is as dew upon the grass. -Proverbs 19:12, KJV
Let’s keep this short and … sweet … today.
No one likes to make the leader of a nation upset, because it could be really bad for your freedom and/or health.
But we must also remember that the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah, is the King of Heaven.
If you fail to believe in His lordship and sovereignty, that He is the Son of the Living God who sacrificed Himself for our sin, then you are under His wrath and should fear His mighty roar.
However, if you have faith in Christ, you can know true peace and find yourself refreshed each moment in His grace.
Trust the King. His love, mercy, and grace are everlasting and oh so sweet to the soul.
He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends. -Proverbs 17:9 KJV
Read the Second Letter to the Corinthians (2 Corinthians).
We are called to a ministry of reconciliation. We are to help reconcile our fallen world to a holy God.
How do we do this?
It is not by constantly telling people what they are doing is wrong. We should, ought to point out their sinfulness and need for a savior, but repeating it over and over and putting forth a air of judgmentalism, driving people away.
Instead, we acknowledge the sin, yes, but we make it clear that we still want to be with them and see them.
That we still love them, because God first loved us. (1 John 4:19)
We must cover their sins with the love of God, as He did for us with the blood of Christ. Then they will be able to see God’s grace that much more clearly.
Even with your brother or sister, your crazy mom or deadbeat dad, the customer who complains about everything or the cashier who messes up your order, and the driver who cut you off in traffic.
By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the Lord one turns away from evil. -Proverbs 16:6, ESV
This is a late in the day entry. Perhaps, though, my commitment helps show steadfast love and faithfulness?
Really though, there is only one who has ever been truly faithful and full of steadfast love: Jesus.
It is by His faithfulness that we have any claim to righteousness, for He was faithful to follow His Father’s will by dying on a cross. And He did out of His steadfast love for us, to save us from the fear of God’s wrath.
He is the only Faithful One, but He shares His rewards with us.
When our youngest went to Peru on a month-long mission trip right before high school, I decided I would take advantage of her absence to clean her room. Thoroughly. As in a full-scale geological excavation.
I found a full laundry basket, only it was stratified with layers of clean, dirty, clean, etc. I unearthed underwear from elementary school, and (if I recall rightly) a hard, green mass under the bed reputed to be petrified Jello—lime, I think. Continue reading
The heart knoweth his own bitterness; and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy.
Proverbs 14:10, KJV
A well-known (to this site) pastor recently wrote about the struggles pastors face. Pastors have such a weight they carry that can lead to bitterness that many other people may never understand.
Remember: we pastors hear everyone’s struggles, hurts, wrongs, and sins. We deal with the issues of everyday life for most people we know.
It is easy to see all that is wrong with the world when dealing with everyone else’s issues.
Intermeddling Joy?
The plus side, though, is that most people never feel the joy of seeing God work in those issues, seeing lives change, problems redeemed, and grace and love shine through hurt people.
You may have struggles and pains.
You may know your sin better than anyone, how it affects everything you do.
But if you want real joy, trust God to use you to help another. They may never know how blessed you are by their success over sin and pain, but you will find that joy that only comes from the Lord.
Choose joy by overcoming bitterness. Your own and others’.
The poor is hated even of his own neighbour: but the rich hath many friends. He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he. -Proverbs 14:20-21, KJV
There are two different kinds of poor people:
The person who owns little but is responsible and honest: They may be poor in possessions, but also being poor in spirit just means they acknowledge their status and keep striving.
The person who is wasteful and irresponsible: They are poor in possessions, but they are also poor in humility and refuse to accept responsibility for their circumstances. They may even think others owe them.
It is easy to not feel bad (or to strongly dislike or even have hate) for the one who squandered everything and blames others. It is easier to feel sorry for and even be friends with the one who owns little but owns up to their station. (Trust me. I have been there.)
Even a rich person can be poor in humility and therefore be hated.
But God calls us to love the lowly of every type, whether of means or of character. We are not to despise them but show mercy acks kindness.
That may mean a handout (even if we think they may spend or trade it for drugs and alcohol), but it definitely means showing them God’s love, mercy, and grace. For that is what He did for us.
Blessings are upon the head of the just: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked. The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot. -Proverbs 10:6-7, KJV
Everyone loves justice. In fact, just looking around the world today shows this, with all variations of the protests and marches for equality and justice.
However, both those who are perceived as causing injustice and who fight against those injustices deal with public image.
Perceptions
How you pursue and create justice matters as much as finding justice.
Those who act and speak justly tend to be loved and (or, at least) respected. Others heap “blessings upon [their] head,” and they are remembered fondly when they are gone.
Conversely, those who resort to injustice in the search for justice are not only hypocrites, they may try to conceal violence and wrongdoing, lash out verbally and/or physically against those they disagree with, and/or condone injustices committed against their opponents. This ultimately leads to people speaking poorly of them, and it may not change after they are gone. Think of how Hitler is perceived so negatively. His name appears to be rotten.
How you act matters.
People will see what you do and judge accordingly. Further, justice is acting out the greatest commandments of loving God and loving others.
God has even told us His expectation:
He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?
Micah 6:8 NKJV
Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. -Proverbs 9:8-9, KJV
Schooling
I taught 7th Grade mathematics last year. There were a handful of students who, whenever corrected or disciplined, would lash out. One in particular said he hated me. Who was I to tell him how to live his life?
Most of the students in the class reacted negatively to correction, to be honest, but a few (and eventually more) saw the benefits of following through with the correction. Somehow, I became the favorite teacher of many students.
The Church
Now look at the yourself and even others in the Church. When presented with biblical truth about sin, what is the response?
If your reaction is to lash out, deny, or get angry, ask yourself, Why? If it is not true, why get upset?
Fighting a correction can cost more than listening, such as hurt/broken relationships and/or wasted time.
The wise person wants to change, for the goal is to be Christ-like, perfect as God is perfect. You may even find you love that person more for helping you grow closer to Christ.
That is not possible if we continue in sin.
Refusing to even acknowledge the need for correction could imply you are heading the opposite direction, and you come to hate those who offered the correction.
When our youngest went to Peru on a month-long mission trip right before high school, I decided I would take advantage of her absence to clean her room. Thoroughly. As in a full-scale geological excavation. 
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Proverbial Thought 