More Thoughts from Wed.

This is an excerpt from the devotion for Friday, October 12 from "The Word for You Today." Think about it...

John 21:22 says
22Jesus answered, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me."

Peter had strong opinions about others. Maybe you are like him. One day he started meddling in John's business, saying, "Lord, what about him?" Jesus answered, "What is that to you?...follow me."

There's an important lesson here. Learn to identify 'who owns what.' If it's their garden let them mow it, or live with the weeds. If someone can only get what they want by playing the martyr or guilt tripping and manipulating others, that's their issue; don't make it yours! If they're living with consequences, it's their consequences not yours! If they deny their problems or can't think clearly on a particular issue, the confusion is theirs. It's your responsibility to love and pray for them, even offer help, but it's not your responsibility to fix or rescue them. If they don't seem capable of showing appreciation or apologizing when they're wrong, that's their problem. Only when they have an attitude of gratitude and the humility to acknowledge their mistakes, will they grow. In the meantime it's their garden, stop trying to mow it! If your hopes your peace and your happiness are dependant on anyone other than God, learn to detach. You're a joint-heir with Christ, not a joint-tenant with Him (see Romans 8:17).

This goes along with my post from yesterday. Let us start examining ourselves. Let us start praying for God to begin to point out others faults and failures instead of us thinking we have to do it. God is more than capable. Let us start seeing the good that God is doing in others and spur one another on in what Jesus is doing. Yes, there is a heaven to gain and a hell to shun. But it's only by God's grace that we will be able to do both. Let Him continue the work that He began in us.

To Be Continued...