Suffering With Christ

When Christ was in the world, He was despised by men; in the hour of need He was forsaken by acquaintances and left by friends to the depths of scorn. He was willing to suffer and to be despised; do you dare complain of anything? He had enemies and defamers; do you want everyone to be your friend, your benefactor? How can your patience be rewarded if nor adversity tests it? How can you be a friend of Christ if you are not willing to suffer any hardship? Suffer with Christ and for Christ if you wish to reign with him.

The Imitation of Christ, Thomas A Kempis 

The Good In Others

To live and think as Jesus did is to discover the sincerity, goodness, and truth often hidden behind the gross, coarse exteriors of our fellow human beings. It is to see the good in others that they don't see in themselves and to affirm this good in the face of powerful evidence to the contrary. It is not a blind optimism that ignores the reality of evil but a perspective that acknowledges the good so repeatedly and so insistently that the wayward must eventually respond in agreement. 

The Importance of Being Foolish, Brennan Manning

Jesus and Friendship

When Jesus talked to his disciples, he didn't give long discourses on friendship. He demonstrated friendship by being available, compassionate, self - sacrificing, and tender. His chosen friends responded! Yes, he called them to accountability; He rebuked them when they were wrong. But when He was finished, they still felt cherished by him. What a picture - another of His gifts to us - to be treasured, to be emulated.

We need not set out in search of a friend. Rather, we must simply set out to be the friend Christ modeled - anticipating the needs of others, wearing ourselves out at giving. Jesus dies doing it. The rewards are infinite and joyous!

A Gentle Spirit, September 28

Growing In Humility

The Gospels are full of stories about Jesus and the remarkable and selfless humility he demonstrated in his life, toward God and his fellow man. As followers of Christ, we are to imitate Christ and his humility and follow his lead. But how do we know if humility is increasingly present in our life? If we feel confident that we are growing in humility or think humility to be one of our strong points, then we are probably not as humble as we believe ourselves to be. So, how do we know if we are truly growing in humility?

 

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A Hunger For Humility

Christian believers are called to be imitators of Christ. One quality that marked Jesus' life in its entirety was his humility. The Scriptures describe him as being gentle and humble of heart. 

 

But humility is something that is in short supply these days, even among Christians. We often get so upset and angry over the smallest trifles in our daily lives, particularly when we feel that our person or reputation is being impugned in the slightest way. But Jesus showed us a better way...

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