Bob Lehman
Executive Pastor
Love and Selflessness
“I do not understand what is going on in the world. I do not know what to think. I do not know who to trust?” Even if these thoughts have not come out of your mouth. I bet they have been in your head.
Coved has force into social isolation. Isolation is hell, or maybe hell is isolation. If you think about it what could be more eternally painful then complete isolation, separation from God and the people you love.
Racial tension has forced us into a state of chaos. Self-centeredness, a lack of unity, a lack of love. Once again this sounds a bit like how I invasion hell.
Political injustice has brought us to the place where we find it hard to trust anyone and is causing us to want to lash out.
Over the last three months I have seen people coming to me. Some are angry and need a sounding board. Some are lonely and need to talk. Some are depressed and need to be encouraged. Some are on the verge of rebellion and are looking for recruits.
Who can guide us through these confusing and chaotic times? The answer to this question is obvious to many of you who are reading this. The answer is God. How does He provide this guidance? Through the Spirit speaking to us in prayer, quiet times, time spent in the Word and through people He brings into our lives every day.
Sometimes you are the people that God brings into my life and the lives of others. As I bring my thoughts to a close, I want to leave you with two practical pieces of advice from God’s Word that hopefully will encourage you and allow you to encourage other.
- Lead with Love.
1 Corinthians 13 And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.
- Be sensitive to the needs of others and put their needs before your own.
Philippians 2:3-4 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
God may want to use you to encourage someone today. Do not miss the opportunity and remember, lead with love and put the needs of others before your own.