Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love Me?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.” “Then take care of My sheep,” Jesus said. A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Then feed My sheep. “I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go.” Jesus said this to let him know by what kind of death he would glorify God. Then Jesus told him, “Follow Me.” Peter turned around and saw behind them the disciple Jesus loved—the one who had leaned over to Jesus during supper and asked, “Lord, who will betray You?” Peter asked Jesus, “What about him, Lord?” Jesus replied, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? As for you, follow Me.”
Yesterday as I started my drive to work I heard the tail end of an answer on the "Let's Talk About Jesus" radio program. This snippet of conversation started a thought train in my head....I'm pretty sure the engineer was the Holy Spirit.
At my job, being one of those that is "wired" to work gets a bit old. It seems more and more that people there no longer subscribe to the old adage, "an honest day's work for an honest day's pay." Top that off with the fact that management seems to either be oblivious or more than likely doesn't care that there are people under their supervision that do little to nothing most of the night. As long as someone is doing it, and the mail is getting done, they are happy. Whether that is fair or not to those who are the "ones getting it done," is absolutely irrelevant. I am not complaining or gossiping here, just stating the facts of my workplace. I don't know if it's just the Post Office where I work, or if this is happening in other industries as well.
So, now cue the radio program and that few seconds of conversation that I heard as I got in my truck and turned on the radio. "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? As for you, follow Me." Hmmmm. You know how sometimes a Bible verse will jump off the page as you read? Well these words seem to come flying out of my radio and into my heart and mind. Immediately I was convicted of my propensity to irritation at the behavior of some of my coworkers. God just loves reminding us of where He wants us to be, spurring us on to draw closer and come up higher. "Let it go," He seemed to say, "just follow Me." Easier said than done, for sure!
The thought came to me as I was mulling all this over, that the key was keeping my eyes fixed on Jesus. Looking at Him would make this doable. Follow Him. Remember the old WWJD (What would Jesus do?) bracelets? My prayer lately, and it seems this all goes together, is for the Lord to help me see people through His eyes. I've been praying those words more at work, especially when I start to get agitated over other's behavior and lack of commitment. Once again the Lord is stringing things together, thoughts, Holy Spirit promptings and outside sources, to bring me to a deeper place.
Psalm 66: 8-12 Bless our God, O peoples! Give him a thunderous welcome! Didn’t he set us on the road to life? Didn’t he keep us out of the ditch? He trained us first, passed us like silver through refining fires, brought us into hardscrabble country, pushed us to our very limit, road-tested us inside and out, took us to hell and back; Finally he brought us to this well-watered place. I love the way the Message Bible puts things sometimes. The Lord continues to work on us. Allowing circumstances, and often people to be the cutting and polishing tools that cause us to become he diamonds He already sees us to be. And that is what gets me excited when He corrects me. I know it is meant to make me more like Jesus and to bring me to a place of abundance and peace.
I need help in this area. I have to say the Lord has worked with me a long time on this, and I am better than I used to be. But apparently, if I needed this reminder, I still have some growing to do! LOL. I am grateful for the patience of my heavenly Father.
How great is our God! I praise You this day Lord. Thank You for helping me grow! Please bring about the changes You want to see in me. It is only through the power and working of the Holy Spirit that I can shine for You. Help us all to grow!
When life isn't playing fair, turn your eyes to Jesus.
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