An Idle Vessel Can't Be Steered

Photo credit: Free-images.com

Someone recently compared living our faith to driving a boat: the captain can steer the boat only if it’s moving. Similarly, God can guide us as long as we’re trying to do what’s good in any particular situation.  

This is a fitting analogy, but what does that look like in our everyday lives? It means if we keep moving – if we’re mindful of the people around us, if we remember that Christ is with us at all times to empower us, if we keep trying to do what’s good – we’ll make forward progress in bearing fruit. We’ll bring the kingdom of God – Love and Peace – to earth. When we show all people that they are loved, we bring peace to ourselves and the people around us.

Keep moving. Are you feeling a bit empty or unfulfilled? Are you looking for a way to give a little more to your community? Keep moving. Don’t let uncertainty stifle you. Do what you believe is the next best thing. Even if you’re not sure which way to go, do something good. Look for where there’s a need. Take the first step and let God guide you. Notice when there’s an opportunity to say or do something kind – something that offers the love of Christ to another person. Even small gestures may seem insignificant to you but actually might touch someone’s heart in ways you’ll never know about. 

Bearing fruit requires reaching out and going out – out of ourselves, out of our comfort zones, out of our way – to speak a kind word, offer a helping hand, and share our material goods with those in need. We’re mindful of each moment and each situation as it comes. We keep our eyes and hearts open to others. We pray mindfully and let the power of Christ influence how we love our neighbor.

Let our Lord steer your ‘boat’ toward Him and His peace. If you keep moving and keep trying, He’ll direct you. 

Let Him guide your thoughts, words, and actions. Let Him lead you with His grace and power to bring His Love and Peace to you and your part of the world.

“I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will last.” 

– John 15:16

“Lord, guide me toward You and what You want me to do.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2023 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! 

Please share this with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Blogspot doesn’t have a ‘subscribe’ feature and so I appreciate your help in sharing my reflections. Thanks!

If you or someone you know would like to receive these writings directly to your inbox, please email me at ginabedell1@gmail.com and I will add you to my ‘BCC’ email list.

You can also find my posts on Facebook!

P.S.

Pray for peace in Ukraine, the Middle East, and around the world. Donate toward a cause that tugs at your heart. Take care of those around you; take care of our planet. Pray for the families around the globe whose lives have been torn apart by war and natural disasters.

Yeast Makes Life Sweeter

Imagine you and your child are going to bake bread. You tell her it’s going to be easy because you have a bread machine. She happily measures in the flour, salt, and other ingredients. She hurries to press the ‘start’ button but you tell her to wait and add yeast to the dispenser first. “Why do we need that?” she asks with a frown. “It’s just a little bit. Does it matter?” You assure her that even that little bit will make a big difference in how the bread turns out.

Sometimes we may question Christ’s way of loving, too. We may think it doesn’t matter whether or not we do things His way. We may find ourselves thinking, ‘Why should I forgive him – do you know what he did to me?’ or ‘What difference does it make if I don’t want to play with my kids? I buy them toys, don’t I?’ or ‘That neighbor is always complaining; why should I be friendly to her?’ 

If we were to bake bread without yeast, we’d end up with nothing but a brick of dough. If we add the yeast, though, we’ll have a delicious loaf of bread. In a similar way, when we choose to live Christ’s Love, our lives and those of the people around us are enriched. How?

Our Christ-like actions open our hearts to God’s grace. Whether we feel it or not, we allow His peace to come upon us and others when we do kind things for them. 

For example, when we ask our Lord to forgive and bless someone who has hurt us, we make room in our hearts for His love and peace. Our hearts may soften a little bit each time we pray for our offender. Over time and with His grace, we’ll change; we’ll be able to forgive them. Praying for them invites the Lord’s peace to fall upon them, too. 

When we turn off the TV and focus our attention on our kids, without distractions or resentment, we let them know they’re important to us, and we let Christ soften our hearts with His grace.

When we smile at the sour neighbor and offer a kind word now and then, we invite Christ’s peace to the situation. Her heart may be touched by our kind words, and little by little she may be able to let go of whatever is causing her bitterness.

Wherever Love is, there is the Kingdom of heaven. When we choose to love as Christ loved, we bring the Kingdom of heaven to earth. Our words and actions matter; they might seem small and insignificant to us, but they’re powerful to God. They’re the ‘yeast’ that makes life fuller, richer, and sweeter.

“The Kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with three measures of wheat flour until the whole batch was leavened.”  –Matthew 13:33

“Lord, help me understand that my small loving actions make a difference.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2023 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! 

Please share this with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Blogspot doesn’t have a ‘subscribe’ feature and so I appreciate your help in sharing my reflections. Thanks!

If you or someone you know would like to receive these writings directly to your inbox, please email me at ginabedell1@gmail.com and I will add you to my ‘BCC’ email list.

p.s.

We continue to pray for an end to the war. If you’d like to help the people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association, you may use either PayPal or a credit/debit card here:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/...

Building Campfires of Love

 

“Bring them here to me.” –Matthew 14:18

Jesus had been preaching and healing all day. As evening approached, the apostles suggested that He dismiss the crowd so the people could go and buy food in the nearby village. When He told them to feed the crowd themselves, they pointed out that all they had were a few loaves of bread and a couple fish. They knew that the people needed food; they also knew that what they had wasn’t enough to feed themselves, much less the whole crowd.  

We, too, see the needs of the people around us. We may look at our resources and think we don’t have enough to share. We might think that whatever we do share couldn’t possibly make a difference for anyone else. Maybe we feel foolish giving ‘just a little.’  

‘Bring them here to Me,’ is all Jesus said. He took what little they had, added His loving power to it, and transformed it from something meager into something significant. He can do the same thing with anything we give to our neighbors, whether that’s ourselves, our time, or our goods.

Think of how you build a campfire. You start with kindling and maybe a bit of paper and small broken sticks. A spark is needed to get the fire started, more wood is added a little at a time, and then the large logs are added to keep the fire going. Before long, what started as a small pile of twigs on the ground has become a blazing campfire.

Our kind deeds and humble offerings are like those sticks, and God’s love at work in us is the spark that sets the wood on fire. To build His campfire – His kingdom of love on earth – God needs our firewood. What might this look like?

A phone call to check in on someone who lives alone might be the ‘glowing twig’ that adds brightness to their day and keeps them from feeling lonely.

The items you overbought for your cookout could go to the foodbank or a soup kitchen. You might not have enough to feed many, but added together with others’ donations – sticks upon sticks – your contribution could be an answer to someone’s prayers.

A kind word at the checkout line might bring a smile to someone whose spirit needed to be lifted without your knowing it. The ‘campfire’ of their soul now has a couple more loving sticks on it to make it burn a little brighter.

So offer to Christ what you have, both modest and bountiful. Our Lord will use your good intentions, your random acts of kindness, and your humble donations for His ‘campfire.’ Let His love spark the ‘firewood’ in your own heart and in the hearts of your neighbors.  

“Lord, accept what I give and use it to build Your kingdom of love.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2022 Gina Bedell   If you would like to receive these reflections directly to your inbox, please email me at ginabedell1@gmail.com and I will add you to my ‘BCC’ email list. Comments are always welcome! Feel free to share it with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Thanks!

 p.s.

We continue to pray for an end to the war. If you’d like to help the people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association, you may use either PayPal or a credit/debit card here:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/...

 

Kindness Not Criticism

 

“Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye?” – Matthew 7:3

Children are taught not to point fingers at others’ wrongdoings: “When you point, you have one finger pointed at them and four pointing back at you.” We’re reminded to focus on the good in people, and that we all make mistakes.

When we notice others’ shortcomings while ignoring our own, we create an ‘Us vs. Them’ attitude. We fall into thought patterns like, “He’s bad; I’m good. Look what she did; I would never do that.” This breeds contempt for others and fosters a false sense of innocence in ourselves. It dismisses all the good qualities in them and distracts us from our own need for spiritual growth.

The other problem with noticing the ‘splinter in your brother’s eye’ is that, chances are, you possess the same trait that you find bothersome in that other person. So when you condemn him, you condemn yourself.

All of us have goodness in us, and all of us fall short at times in living out that goodness. Acknowledging this keeps us humble. Humility lets us see ourselves truthfully – not better and not worse than we really are. It makes us understanding and merciful toward others. It motivates us to make changes in ourselves to become more loving people.

Only God can see inside a person’s heart; we can’t. All we can do is love them, not criticize them. Give them the benefit of the doubt. Believe that they’re doing the best they can -- just as we are -- with what they have in that moment. Show kindness when someone’s unkind, lend a hand to someone in need, and forgive those who need to be forgiven.

Ask God for the grace to see the goodness in people. When you find yourself starting to criticize someone, stop your thoughts and silence your words. Look at the person with kindness. Ask the Lord for forgiveness for you, and ask Him to pour His love and blessings on that person. Believe that as He blesses them, He will bless you, too.

“Lord, fill my heart with humility, understanding, and kindness.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2022 Gina Bedell    

If you would like to receive these reflections directly to your inbox, please email me at ginabedell1@gmail.com and I will add you to my ‘BCC’ email list.

Comments are always welcome! Feel free to share it with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Thanks!

 p.s.

We continue to pray for an end to the war. If you’d like to help the people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association, you may use either PayPal or a credit/debit card here:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/...

 

You Never Know

Even from a distance in the checkout line I could hear the commotion. Walking toward the exit, I saw a woman near the doorway waving her arms and shouting at an employee, her language venomous. Her partner stood at her side, neither encouraging nor discouraging her rampage.

“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle.” – Plato

They say that ‘hurt people hurt people’ and that anger is a response to other emotions. Who knows? Maybe that woman had just received some bad news and was hurting inside. Maybe what she was really expressing was fear, or frustration, or helplessness over an unrelated situation. Or, perhaps the employee actually was at fault and the customer had never been taught how to handle or express her emotions. Maybe that wouldn’t excuse her behavior -- but it could explain it.

The lesson of ‘be considerate and don’t criticize because we usually don’t know where someone is coming from’ hit home to me soon after my mom passed away nearly 25 years ago. I was in a grocery store and caught my reflection in a window. It startled me: my face looked angry and mean. I felt sad, not mad, yet anyone looking at me wouldn’t have known that.

When we consider these and other possibilities, we let go of our pride and critical mindset and become more understanding and sympathetic.

Putting ourselves in other people’s shoes helps us to be patient. Have you ever had to rush to the hospital? The car speeding past you might be headed there, too – you never know. The greatest thing to do is ask our Lord to bless them.

You’re trying to be and do your best. Sometimes life’s challenges affect your words and actions; the same is true for all of us. We never know what someone may be going through. Trying to maintain an attitude of kindness will keep open the door to peace, in ourselves and those around us.

“Love is patient, love is kind… love never fails.” --1 Corinthians 13:4, 8

 

Feel free to share my reflections with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below.  Thanks!

 

We Have Only Today

“I shall pass through this world but once. Any good, therefore, that I can do or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.” ― Stephen Grellet

 All day, every day, we’re faced with hundreds of choices. Many of these seem small and insignificant, yet each choice leads to the next, which leads to the next. Our lives and the lives of the people around us are shaped by the ripple effect of our choices.

 As Christians, we’re called to be deliberate in choosing God’s way of loving and serving our neighbors over our self-serving ways. This isn’t a one-time decision but a choice we make over and over again each day. Remembering this helps us stay tuned in to what He wants, puts us in an ‘other-centered’ frame of mind, and affects everything we think about, say, and do. Even if our efforts go unnoticed or unappreciated, and even though we may never know the results of our good deeds, our task is the same. Loving and serving others is how we bring heaven to earth.

 Sometimes, though, we choose our own way. In our mistaken belief that serving ourselves will make us happy, we do or say things that hurt others. So what do we do after we mess up? How do we get past the guilt of “Why did I do that?” or “Why did I say that?” This is when we turn to God and ask for His forgiveness (and maybe the forgiveness of another person). God loves us and will welcome us back with open arms, just as the father welcomed home his prodigal son (see Luke 15:11-32). Turn back to God, and then start again with the next good choice.

 We have only today. Maybe today will be our last day, and maybe we’ll have thousands more days, but this day will never come again. Let’s remember that each choice leads to another. Let our goal be to look back on our day and see a trail of more goodness and holiness than sin and selfishness. Let’s work to build the kingdom of God here on earth, one loving choice at a time.

 “Show me Your ways, Lord; teach me Your paths.” –Psalm 25:4

 

If you liked reading this or any of my other reflections, feel free to leave a comment, and share the reflection with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below.  Also, I invite you to “follow" my blog. To do this, click on the following link:

  -> https://www.blogger.com/manage-blogs-following.g  Click "Add" and type in my blog URL: intoflame.blogspot.com   Select your preference to either provide your email or follow anonymously and then click "follow." If you have difficulty with any of this, please email me directly. Thanks! 

God Doesn't Give Up

 

Imagine driving across the country on a highway with no roadblocks, no detours, and even no attractive exits along the way. Imagine nothing but a straight path, free of challenges and anything that would distract you from reaching your destination.

Sometimes we want life to be like that: we want God to make our journey easy. He knows better than we do, though, and in His wisdom He lets us choose which routes to follow and which exits to take. Over the past 10, 30 or 50 years you probably chose routes that brought you closer to Him and maybe took exits that led you far away from Him. You may even be lost right now. No matter where you are, God sees your potential. He invites you to turn toward Him and let Him pour His grace on you. He will never give up on you because He knows you’re still on your journey.   

Imagine what would have happened if Jesus had said to Zacchaeus, “You’re a liar and a cheat. I doubt anyone would hire you, but go get a decent job and then come back. Maybe I’ll let you hang out with Me.” Instead, Jesus first loved him. He saw the longing in his heart and offered him an opportunity to follow Him. The love and peace that radiated from Jesus caused Zacchaeus to quit his job on the spot, take Jesus up on His invitation, and offer to pay back fourfold anyone he had cheated. Jesus loved him despite his dishonest work and then Zacchaeus turned his life around.

God does the same with us. He doesn’t say, “Get your act together and then I’ll love you.” Instead, He loves us first. He loves us now. He knows we have the potential to become more like Him and never gives up on us. He gives us opportunities to turn toward Him through our circumstances, the people we encounter, and the sacraments. He continually invites us to follow His way of gentleness, kindness, compassion, and patience which will bring us the joy we so desperately long for.

God offers His love and mercy to us no matter where we are. In turn, we’re called to offer these to our ‘travel companions’ and invite them to follow Him. We don’t know all the roadblocks they’ve encountered, and maybe they’ve taken exits we’re unfamiliar with. That’s not our business. What matters is that we’re all on this journey together and, as He won’t give up on us, we can’t give up on each other. Let’s ask God to guide all of us on our journey and lead us closer to Him.

 “Lord, thank You for not giving up on me.”

If you like reading these reflections, please tell your friends and “follow" my blog. To do this, click on the following link:  -> https://www.blogger.com/manage-blogs-following.g

Click "Add" and type in my blog URL: intoflame.blogspot.com

Select your preference and click "follow." Thanks!