Alex on #Judge

When was the last time you sang these words: "Your will above all else, my purpose remains / The art of losing myself in bringing you praise" then turned around and said something negative or condescending about someone? Believe this: the Bible speaks to you! James 3:10 says, "And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!" (NLT)
At one church service, I overheard two girls talking to each other. One said loudly, "I hate that girl - the blonde one!" Fifteen minutes later they were raising their hands in worship to the music. Has this ever happened to you? I catch myself thinking or speaking cynical and unkind things about people all the time! Even when I'm supposed to be spending time with God!
What's wrong with this? The Bible says that people "have been made in the image of God", which means that we are relational (we like friends and community) and also that we are valuable to God. That's why it hurts so much when people say negative things about us. The truth is that each person on this earth, whether they look like a celebrity, whether they're talkative or shy, whether they make good grades or like to party... no matter what: Each person was created in the image of God. They are valuable and they matter to someone. So, treat them like you mean it! Everyone is worth getting to know. Everyone deserves respect.

Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters...

- James 4:11a

The entire law is summed up in a single command:

'Love your neighbor as yourself.'

- Galatians 5:14

Alex W / Message Writer

Alex on #Pleasure

There are some things that just don't go together. When I was in middle school, I had a friend who would always buy Chick-fil-a for lunch once a week. She would always dip her chicken nuggets into barbeque sauce, then dip Cheetos into the leftover barbeque sauce. And I would tell her I thought that Cheetos in barbeque sauce was nasty. I think that Cheetos and Barbeque sauce do not go together.
Some other things don't go together, either. For example, a good relationship with God and a good relationship with this world have a hard time going together. So, what do I mean by 'a good relationship with the world'? I'm talking about a drive for pleasure and happiness.
If our primary goal is to please God and to grow closer to him, we can't also have the primary goal of reaching pleasure from the world. It's more than Cheetos and barbeque sauce - it's like snow in Mexico in July. It's impossible.
See, God has a plan for each of us that works within his plans for the world. His plan for you may not include earthly pleasure. It may include living in a jungle somewhere as a missionary. It may include having or adopting children who require special medical attention. It may include working at a lower-income job where you're needed, rather than a high-paying job. It may include staying single, even if you'd like to get married. None of these scenarios is particularly 'pleasure-full'. But God doesn't desire that we be happy in this life. He desires that we know him, that we inspire others to seek him.
We can't hold God in one hand and the world in the other. You'll either have to let go of one or be torn in two pieces.
Jesus said that wherever your teasure is, your heart will be there, too. (Luke 12:34) If you prize your iPod, your clothes, your car, your grades, your friends, your sports, your house... More than the things of God, your heart will still be on earth - your goals will be from the world. But if you prize your God, your Savior, your friends coming to know Christ, your time with other Christians, your realization of God... More than the things of this world, your heart will be in heaven - your goals will be from God.

So, where is your treasure?
Where is your heart?
Where do you goals lead you? To Christ? Or to the world?
Are you living for your pleasure or for God's? God doesn't need our praise and thanks, but he deserves them because he loves us unconditionally.

Alex W / Message Writer

Alex on #Favoritism

Who do you sit with during lunch? Who do you walk to classes with? Who do you invite to sleepover at your house or go to the movies or play Ping-Pong with you?
Since I go to a very small school, there's really only two groups of girls in my senior class. The first group is three popular girls who always hang out with the guys, dress a little more provocatively, and seem to have it all together. The second group is my group. We may not have boyfriends, but we pride ourselves in making good grades and not caring about what people wear or how people act.
Well... Most of the time.
See, there's this one girl who usually hangs out with us. She's incredibly smart, but she doesn't really have any people skills. She likes to think that she's always right and she takes control of group projects to make them her projects. It's frustrating.
My other friends and I sometimes try to ignore her. We talk about her idiosyncrasies behind her back. We'll find ways to pair up for group projects that exclude her.

But if my goal is to look more like Jesus, that's definitely not how Jesus would act. James 2:1 says, "My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism." James is saying that we should treat people fairly and friendly, reguardless of whether or not they wear expensive clothes, whether or not they are friendly.
Believe me, when God made us (every one of us), he called us good. So when we put other people down because of something they say or wear or do, we're hurting God's creation, something God called good. And if we try to "fit in" by changing our appearances or trying to do or say different things, we're hurting ourselves, which is also someone God has called good.


Alex W / Message Writer