Christian Reflection and Prayer

Scripture:

"Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do
and then not do it." James 5: 17 (NLT)

Reflection:

Boy that verse sure makes you think. Doesn't it.
This definition of sin is one we seem to forget.
We sometimes find ourselves walking around
making all kinds of judgment about what sin is.
You see our definition of sin is usually centered
around knowing when something is wrong and doing it.
But it is also a sin to know when something is right
and not do it. For example Jesus teaches to love
our neighbors, to love our enemies. We know that
is what we ought to do, do we do it? As a country
do we love our neighbors, do we love our enemies?
As a person do I love the people at work? Do I treat
them with respect and kindness, no matter how they
treat me? You see we know what we ought to do,
we just don't do it! How can we look at people who
are suffering, who are hurting, who feel real pain, people
who are angry, who are depressed, people who are in
desperate need of love, knowing what we ought to do
and not do it. THAT IS SIN!
Brothers and sisters, this is our sin, why don't we see
it, others do. People look at us, who call ourselves
Christian, and all they see is so called righteous people,
who sit in judgment. You know we are righteous people,
in other words we know what is right we just don't do anything
about it. Remember the opposite of love is not hate, it's
apathy. How do you make Christians care, how do you make
Christians get off their butts and do something. I don't know!
I do know I love Jesus Christ with all my heart, with all my soul,
with all my mine. Jesus taught me not to judge others but to
serve others. Jesus taught me to turn the other cheek not swing
the other fist. Jesus taught me a faith of action, not of apathy.
Jesus taught me what needed to be done and to do it. When,
as Christians, are we going to understand, that knowing what
ought to be done and sitting back on our butts and not doing it,
is a sin. AMEN!

Quote:

Emily Greene Balch
Leader of The Women's International League for Peace
and Freedom, Recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize (1867-1961)

"We have a long way to go. So let us hasten along the road,
the road of human tenderness and generosity. Groping,
we may find one another's hands in the dark."

Prayer:

Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.
Where there is hatred . . . let me sow love
Where there is injury . . . pardon
Where there is doubt . . . faith
Where there is despair . . . hope
Where there is darkness . . . light
Where there is sadness . . . joy
O, Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled . . . as to console
To be understood . . . as to understand,
To be loved . . . as to love
For it is in giving . . . that we receive,
It is in pardoning, that we are pardoned,
It is in dying . . . that we are born to eternal life.