We crave the blessing of God. We want him to guide our steps. We pray before we head on trips, and we put our finances in his hands.
Even so, to say “Bless your heart, darlin’” in the South doesn’t invoke a feeling of love. What we’re really saying is you should have known better, so buck up, set a fire under yourself, and do better next time.
Instead, when life mistreats us, what we need is a little sugar-infused love, the sort that wraps us, sweetens the sour moments, and readies us to face the bitter trials of life once again.
Matthew 7:1-2 gives us a starting place in kindness and tolerance:
“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.”
James 1:27 suggests a good hug is in order:
“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.”
2 Timothy 3:16-17 says speaking the Word of God never hurts:
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.”
John 14:26 stirs in an extra dose of sweetener:
“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”
Luke 10:27 reveals the ultimate hugging machine:
“And [Jesus] answered, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.’ ”
When we slather our actions with Christ, we can say “Bless your heart,” and we will really mean it. The world will find the sugar of God’s love in the actions we perform. Our words will be the signal that the spillway of God’s goodness is about to overflow onto everyone around us.
When we want to show Jesus’ love, our actions are heard louder than the words we say.
Copyright © 2016 MyChurchNotes.net
Originally Published 7-10-16 in Relationships