See, it's not about BEING first... it's about putting OTHERS first. That's what the Kingdom of God (the Kingdom of Love) is all about. Esteeming others higher than yourself. Not thinking less of yourself, but simply thinking of yourself less. It's the difference between being selfish, and being selfless. The difference between being self-centered, and being Christ-centered--which means people-centered. Look at Matthew 25:45 (NLT), "And he will answer, 'I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.'" How we treat people is how we treat God... because God lives in people. Think about it like this--you can't get something from nothing. When God created us He brought us out of HImself. Made us an extension of Himself. When He created everything, anything, He had to make it from something. And the only thing to make it from... was Himself. It's all God. It's all love. Now look at Colossians 2:23 (NLT), "Work willingly at whever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people." And I really like this verse in the KJV, "And whatsoever ye do, do it hearilty, as to the Lord, and not unto men." Do what you do heartily. Do it to the best of your ability, and because it is in you heart to do it. Do it as unto the Lord. That takes "deserve" out of the equation. That takes judging people by appearance out of the equation. That opens us up to be able to judge righteous judgment, or execute the judgment (and eternal, everlasting, abundant, Resurrection Life sentence) that was handed down from Father to Son. God's judgment against Jesus was not to kill Him. WE did that. God's judgment was to raise Jesus from the dead. And in the same way we can raise our brothers and sisters from the dead... by helping them. By loving them. By giving them what we've got. Which is what they need. Everybody needs love. We know we have love. We can let what's inside come out, and live from the inside out, by knowing it and believing it. Knowing and believing that God's love is in there. Knowing that we not only have what WE need, but we have what EVERYBODY needs. The trick is building those connections and relationships so that we can know HOW to love people. Because people express love differently, and people receive love differently. When you put someone else first you are loving them in the way THEY need to be loved. Not doing what YOU want, but doing what THEY need. Putting them first. And I'm telling you--the tide raises all ships. If you want to "feel" love... love somebody. If you want to "feel" forgiveness... forgive somebody. It is more blessed to give than to receive. Love is giving. You experience it by giving it away. By sharing it. So don't look at it as, "If I put you first, I lose because I come in last." Look at it as, "If I put you first WE win because, really, at that point neither of us are last." We can walk together. Hand in hand. And, like I always say, "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together." Things work out better when we work together. Because we're all in this together. There are some things that you can do that I can't. And there are some things that I can do that you can't. But when we work together everything can get done. I can cover your blind spots, and you can cover mine. I can have your back and you can have mine. That's a more excellent way to live. Because if I've got you covered and you've got me covered, then neither one of us has to worry about ourselves. We can look to the needs of others. We can help others. We can love others. And we can still know that, even if no one else does, our heavenly Father has our backs. It's not, "I'll scratch your back SO THAT you scratch mine." It's, "I'll get that itch for you. Because I love you!"

In order to "be" first we have to put others first. That's the Divine Order of the Kingdom of God--the Kingdom of love. Look at Philippians 2:3 (NLT), "Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourself." And, listen, being humble doesn't mean thinking less of yourself. It simply means thinking of yourself less. Not focusing on yourself (selfish), but focusing on others (selfless). Now let me say this: You shouldn't neglect yourself. Self-care is vitally important. It's like when you're on an airplane and they tell you "If something happens put your own oxygen mask on before you try to help anybody else." Because you can't do anything at all if you're passed out on the floor. What we're talking about here is not trying to exalt ourselves. Not trying to impress people or make ourselves look good. What we're talking about is sacrificing ourselves for others. Jesus taught that the greatest love a man can have is to lay his life down for his friends. When they asked John the Baptist, "What should we do?" "John replied, "If you have two shirts, give one to the poor. If you have food, share it with those who are hungry"" (Luke 3:11 NLT). Notice--if you have TWO shirts. Notice--SHARE your food. You don't have to starve yourself, or freeze to death because you don't have any clothes left. You are called to live out of your abundance. To see a need, and if at all possible meet that need. Put others first. Give what you've got. Let what's inside come out by knowing and believing it's in there. Fill yourself to overflowing with what God has filled you with. What I'm trying to say is--you don't have to literally kill yourself to lay your life down. You can simply esteem others higher than yourself. Think about other people. Put them first. I've said it before and I'll say it again--you don't need a saw to give someone a hand. You don't have to wreck yourself to help someone else. Boundaries are healthy and important. Do what you can do. Stretch yourself out. But know your limits. Know when to say when. If you give something (or someone) everything you've got... that's either enough, or it isn't. And either way, you've literally done all you can do. How can you give more than everything you've got? You can't. So stop killing yourself. And you've probably heard the saying, "Don't cross oceans for people who wouldn't cross a puddle for you." I disagree. Cross the ocean. Love as big and as hard as you can. But let that be enough. Don't drown yourself in the ocean. If someone isn't picking up what you're laying down... stop banging your head against the wall. Shrug your shoulders and move on. Turning the other cheek is not about standing there and letting somone slap you over and over and over again. It's about not retaliating. Loving someone no matter what, even if it's from a distance. And I know this seems like a tricky balance. But I truly believe--give it all you've got, and let that be enough... or not. If you give it all you've got, you can have a clear conscience either way. If it works out... great. If it doesn't... at least you tried. You did what you could do. So put others first. Yes. Give what you've got. Always. But let that be enough. Know when to say when. Give what you've got. But know your limits. Know that it's ok to say "no." It's ok to have boundaries. It's ok to love people without literally killing yourself.

One of the most iconic lines from The Ballad of Ricky Bobby is, "If you ain't first, you're last." And that's how a lot of people seem to view this life. "Whoever dies with the most toys wins." Even to the point of making others look worse so you can look better. But I'm telling you, if you have to lose in order for me to win... have I really won? Or is it better when the tide raises all ships? But here's the deal--that takes a shift in your mindset. "So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen" (Matthew 20:16) is extremely counterintuitive. It doesn't make sense to the "natural" order or the "natural" mind. Which is why you have to repent. And I'm using that word as it was intended--thinking again about something in light of something else. It's ok to revise your thoughts when you get new information. In fact, I would encourage it. You don't want to get stuck somewhere. And, listen, some things will never change no matter what. God's love for you, for example. Unconditional. Unchanging. Having said that--a lot of the things we take for granted could use some reexamination. People thought the world was flat... until we found out it wasn't. And, yes, I understand that there are still people who think it's flat. But I can't even go there with them. Especially not right here and now. My point is: When you know better, you can do better. When you understand that only in humbling yourself can you be exalted--and when you truly humble yourself you're not TRYING to be exalted, you're simply doing the right things for the right reason--then you'll stop trying to exalt yourself. "Humbling" yourself is not a "get exalted" life hack. It's not a if-then statement in order to sneakily get what you really want. It's a change of heart. A change of perspective. A renewing of your mind. It's focusing on what really matters instead of what really, really doesn't. I've Ranted recently about how rather than looking at the "greener" grass on the other side (and being envious of it), we need to focus on tending our own garden. By which I mean letting the true Gardener, Jesus, tend it. Now watch this: When we know that our garden is taken care of... that's when we can help other people with their garden. It looks like this in the Bible, "Don't look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too" (Philippians 2:4 NLT). And I'm going to keep saying this until somebody hears it: If I look out for you, and you look out for me, neither one of us will have to worry about ourselves. Basically the complete and total opposite of, "I have to win, even at your expense." Come on, guys, the greatest love you can have is laying your life down for your friends. And understanding that you only have friends... and people that don't know they are your friends yet. So, yes indeed, you can love everybody. You can lay your life down for everybody. You can give what you've got... to everybody. You come in "first" by putting others first. And if that makes you "feel" like you're last... be of good cheer. Because the last shall be first and the first last. Many are called, but few are chosen. This "Christian" life is not easy. It's simple: Receive and release the love of God. Let Him love you and love Him back by loving people. But that doesn't mean it's always super easy. Sometimes you have to put a lot of effort into it. Labors of love. What I'm here to tell you is that it's worth it. Love IS maximum effort. If you're loving someone, you're doing everything you can do. And that life of service is the only way to truly experience this everlasting, eternal, abundant, Resurrection Life that we have been given!

Man, we think winning is important! We even say things like, "Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing." We have built a culture and a society on coming in first. Being the biggest, strongest, fastest. And I want to say right off the bat that there is nothing wrong with trying to be the best you can be. I don't like the idea of "everybody's a winner" when it comes to sports, and things of that nature. In it's time and place, competition is important. There is a lot that can be learned from competition. The value of teamwork, the value of practice. To name a few. Off the top of my head. But here's where it gets real--if we're not competing in a sport... and in order for me to win, you have to lose... I don't really feel like that's super great. Especially when you see Jesus teaching things like, "When you are invited to a wedding feast, don't sit in the seat of honor. What if someone who is more distinguished than you has also been invited? The host will come and say, 'Give this person your seat.' Then you will be embarrassed, and you will have to take whatever seat is left at the foot of the table! Instead, take the lowest place at the foot of the table. Then when your host sees you, he will come and say, 'Friend, we have a better place for you!' Then you will be honored in front of all the other guests. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted" (Luke 14:8-11 NLT). Practical advice, sure, but also Spiritual advice. Don't try to make yourself look important. Don't toot your own horn. Actions speak louder than words, so let your actions speak for themselves. I rarely tell people that I'm a pastor, unless it somehow comes up. Not because I'm trying to hide it, but simply because I'd rather them just know ME than have some preconceived notion of who I'm "supposed" to be. I'd rather they know I'm nice than know I'm a "Christian." I'm not trying to exalt myself. I don't think being a pastor makes me better than anybody else, anyway. Mostly what it means is that I can marry people and bury people. But people look at you differently when they "know things" about you. Better, in my opinion, to let them know who I am than what (if any) titles I might have. My favorite titles are "Dad" and "husband" and "brother" and "son" anyway. Honest. Reliable. Things of that nature. So what I'm trying to say is... there's a idea in this world that if you ain't first, you're last. But I say, "Do we really need to be racing?" Remember the whole Rant series I did about walking in love? Walking hand in hand? Not trying to lap people, but maybe slowing down so they can keep up. If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. We're all in this together. So stop looking at is as "Me vs You." Stop looking at everything as something that must be won so as not to be lost. If your goal is to always win at everything no matter what... you probably aren't going to make a whole lot of friends along the way. Because you'll be too busy trying to beat them. And, to me, that's no way to live. What's that old saying? "It's better to be kind than to be right." You don't always have to get the last word in. You don't always have to have the "right" thing to say to put someone in their place. Sometimes it's better to just be peaceful. Blessed are the peacemakers, right? Those who are first will be last and those who are last will be first, right? If you exalt yourself you WILL be humbled. But if you humble yourself and you just might be exalted.

If we look at WHY we are doing things, we will most likely begin to do different things. I think a lot of the time we just fall into patterns, or routines. But we know that a rut is just a grave with the ends kicked out, so that's no good. Doing something becuase that's how it has always been done doesn't necessarily make it right. There are some good things that can come from tradition, don't get me wrong. But at the same time we need to examine what we're doing. Don't do things just to do them. Don't talk just to make noise. It is better to be quiet and have someone assume you are a fool than to open your mouth and prove them right. So when you do something, do it purposefully. Do it heartily--to the best of your ability, and because it is in your heart to do it. Do things to edify. To build. And, yes, I know it is "easier" to destroy something than it is to build something. I know knocking something over is easier than picking it up. And, listen, some things should be knocked over. That's the point I'm trying to make. But not just for the sake of destruction. If you're getting rid of something that doesn't work, or is no good... then I commend you. But make sure you're replacing it with something that does work. Something that is good. Make sure that you're not destroying for the sake of destruction. Making room for something new is good. And then buildling that new thing is good. It can be uncomfortable to get out of your comfort zone (obviously), but it's worth it. Sometimes you have to go out on a limb, because that's where the fruit is. So make sure you're doing things for a reason... and for the right reason. Make sure you're doing things to edify. To build up. And that means putting others first. Esteeming others higher than yourself. If what you're doing is causing someone else to stumble... don't do it. Because it's not worth it. I've long said the two most important things in this life are God and people. Loving God and loving people. Loving God BY loving people. So if what you're doing isn't helping someone, but is in fact hurting them... you're not loving them. And I know this flies in the face of the current, "I have to live my life and I can't worry about what other people think" mentality. But there's a difference between haters (who are going to hate no matter what you do), and people who are genuinely connected to you. You can tell the difference. You can tell when your actions really mean something to somebody else. I recently had a conversation with someone who said, "Why do you listen to everything I say?" And my response was, "Why do you say things you don't want me to listen to?" Because I care. So I listen. And then I go with what I hear. People aren't used to that. They're used to people just doing whatever they want no matter what they say or do. And that's kind of a sad commentary on this society. We need to listen to each other. So we can understand each other, and in that way better love each other. You can't build someone up if you don't know what they need. And you can't know what someone needs unless you see them and hear them. It's all about that relationship. It's all about that connection. It's all about love!

Let me drop my passage of Scripture today and then we'll get into it. "All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT). I think passages like this are why people focus on "religion" as a code of moral rights and wrongs. But here's the deal--Jesus didn't come to give us a religion. He didn't come to give us a moral code. He didn't come to make bad people good. He came to make dead people alive. That phrase "to teach is what is true" is so important. Because the ultimate truth of the univese is, "God is love and He loves you." That's the truth that the Scripture teaches us. "Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so." And, listen, it's not about FOCUSING on what's wrong in our lives. It's about REALIZING it, and CORRECTING it. Hebrews 12:7 in the NLT says, "As you endure this divine disciple, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father?" Sometimes we get into that idea of "greasy grace" and we forget that self-control is a fruit of the Spirit. We focus on the "all things are lawful to me" part but disregard the "not all things edify" part. What I'm saying is, just because you CAN do something doesn't mean you SHOULD. WHat I'm saying is, when you look at the Bible cross-eyed, through the lens and understanding of the finished work of the cross, that's when you can learn that truth. Again--the truth that God is love and He loves you. The truth that the Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into His hand. And that love is what equips and empowers us to love. That love is what equip and empowers us... to live! Because to live is to love and to love is to live. They aren't just connected, they are the same thing. So when we're talking about building each other up--edifying each other--we need to understand that it is our heavenly Father who first builds US up or edifys US. We need to understand that we are being prepared. We are being matured. It's ok for God to chasten and correct us. Obviously that's for our good. He's not punishing us, or beating us down. He's edifying us and lifting us up! So when we accept that correction, that's when we can begin to enjoy everything God has for us, instead of robbing ourselves of what He has provided for us by going our own way. We can receive and release His love by focusing on His love. We can learn how to love by learning how we are loved. Letting God love the hell out of us and loving Him back by loving each other. Love is the only thing that can truly edify someone. You can't be properly built by anything but love. Love is what people need. And love is what we have. Because love is what God has given us. And it's not JUST what we have... it's WHO WE ARE. So BE who you are. Receive and release that love. Let what's in you come out. And watch what a difference it makes. Watch how the love inside you come out affects everything and everybody else. It's amazing to see. Letting the love that has built you up... out... builds everybody else up! Don't tell people what's wrong with them, tell people what's right with them! Give them the opportunity and the change and the room to grow. To be who they are. To be loved, and to love. That's what this life is all about. That's how we experience it, and that's how we enjoy it--by sharing it with the people we come into contact with! It's all about love, guys. It's all about love...

Here's kind of where the rubber meets the road on edification, or building someone up--sometimes that means you can't do whatever you want to do. There's a whole story in 1 Corinthians chapter 8 about this. I want to quote just verse 9 in the NLT for sake of brevity, "But you must be careful so that your feedom does not cause others with a weaker conscience to stumble." This is the whole deal about how anything is clean to eat, but if someone else doesn't understand that... don't eat what they can't accept. Or, I suppose, don't eat it around them? If they see you (in their opinion) abusing your freedom, that's going to lead them down a potentially dark path. And whenever I read this passage I always (selfishly) thought, "What does what I eat have to do with anybody else?" Like if I'm ok with what I'm doing... mind your own business. But, in reality, that's a selfish mindset. That's not an "esteem others higher than yourself" mindset. That's not a "laying your life down for your friends" mindset. Because what you do matters. And whether you think it should or not, what you do affects other people. Whether you think they should be or not, people are watching you. Especially when they know you're a "Christian." Because most people think Christians are hypocrites anyway, and they're just waiting for you to mess up. "You judge me, but you're not perfect either!" That's the way things have kind of become these days. Unfortuntely. And while it's not ALL our fault... we can't shirk all the blame either. Because Christians can be judgy. We do think we know what's best for people. Sometimes we forget to focus on our own patch because we think we can (and should) tend to everybody else's. I think, in large measure, it is "Christians" who give "Christianity" a bad name. And I'm not trying to do the very thing I say we shouldn't be doing. I'm not trying to judge you. Or rather, I'm not judging by appearance. I always endeavor to judge righteous judgment. To apply the blood of the Lamb and the finished work of the cross to everything and everybody. But that's the point: If you can have sympathy on someone else, you won't do something that would hurt them. Even if you think it SHOULDN'T hurt them. "They shouldn't care what I eat." Well, that may be true. But if they do... they do. Should or shouldn't doesn't really factor into it. My point is: loving someone means going out of your way to NOT hurt them. Or NOT cause them to stumble. To walk with them. Hand in hand. And if that means you have to walk slower than you're capable of so that someone else can keep up with you... that's a small price to pay. That's not a huge deal. You don't always need to be in such a big hurry. You don't always need to be first in line. In fact, those that are last will be made first, am I right? So we don't need to worry about it. God will take care of it. All we need to concern ourselves with... is each other. Taking care of each other. And I'm telling you--when I take care of you and you take care of me, at that point neither one of us needs to worry about ourselves, because we're covered. We cover each other. If NOT doing something makes someone else's life better... wouldn't you say you're making YOUR life better by making THEIR life better? The tide raises all ships. If I can do something to help you, then I'm fulfilling my purpose on this earth. To be loved and to love--that's our purpose. That's why we were created. God loves us and we love Him back by loving each other. When we do that, what we eat or drink doesn't really matter. Because we will be filled by giving away what we've been filled with--the love of God!

Ok, guys. Let's really hone in on the purpose of edification. It means to build, right? Either something or someone. Build people up in who they really are. Not by pointing out their wrongs, but by point out their rights. Not by going on a sin hunt, but by always being on a righteousness hunt. Look at Romans 14:17-19 (NLT), "For the Kingdom of Go dis no a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodnes sand peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and  others will approve of you, too. So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up." In the KJV it reads, "Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another." And what I'm getting at here is the connection between edification and the Kingdom. We build the Kingdom of God by building up each other. The Kingdom is not about eating and drinking. It is simply the realm where the King rules and reigns. And He (Jesus) rules and reigns... in us. We are IN the Kingdom because we ARE the Kingdom. Building a strong Kingdom is all about building strong kings. With Jesus as the head of the body. Jesus is the King of kings. He builds us up by showing us who we really are. Which He does by showing us who God is. Jesus told Phillip, "If you've seen me you've seen the Father." Jesus came to show us who we are. By showing us who He is. He came to shine the light of the world so that we might know that that same light shines on us, and in us, and through us! As He is, so are we in this world. When God looks at Jesus He sees us, and when He looks at us He sees Jesus. So, in all reality, we should be able to very easily build each other up. By simply pointing people to Jesus. When we look AT the mirror we see all of the surface stuff. All of our mistakes. All of the things that try to hold us back or drag us down. But when we look INTO the mirror... we see what's inside. We see Jesus. And when we see Him inside, we can let what's really inside come out. When we see Him inside ourselves, we can begin to see Him inside each other. The light in me WILL connect with the light in you. The deep calls out to the deep. And, listen, it's not about changing people. It's about loving people. People are going to be who they're going to be. People are going to live up to their beliefs. Both in themselves, and in God (which is really the same thing). So instead of hammering them to try to get them to look like what WE think they should look like, what we ought to do is just love the hell out of them. And I'm not saying you have to let people abuse you. I don't think you should ever put yourself, or keep yourself, in a bad situation. But I AM saying it's not your job to change people. If you can't accept what someone is doing... get out of the way. Set boundaries. Pray for them. Let God take care of it. But piling on is not going to help. Condemning them is not going to help. The Kingdom is built when we edify each other. When we build each other up. When we show each other Jesus--which means when we show each other love. It's the Kingdom of God--which means it's the Kingdom of love. How else could you build the Kingdom of Love but by loving people? How else could you edify someone but by loving them?

There's this idea out there in the "religious" world of "greasy grace." Can you believe that? People actually believe that grace is a "get out of hell free card." They believe that because of God's grace you can do any old thing you want and just skip out on the consequences. Well, here's the deal, you CAN do any old thing you want... BUT actions DO have consequences. Look at our key memory verse for this Rant series: "You say, "I am allowed to do anything"--but not everything is good for you. You say, "I am allowed to do anything"--but not everything is beneficial" (1 Corinthians 10:23 NLT). And I want to quote it in the King James Version too, because it gets us to the defiinition I want to use. "All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not." That's what we're talking about--edification. And according to Strong's Greek Concordance, "Edify" is number 3618 and it means, "to be a house builder, that is, construct or (figuratively) confirm: - build, edify, embolden." And, to me, that is seen most clearly in Matthew 17:5 (NLT), "But even as he spoke, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him."" The love and affirmation--the edification--of a Father will always equip and empower a Son. When you know your heavenly Father loves you and is well pleased with you, that makes you WANT to do the things He wants you to do. It's such a different mindset from "I have to do this or I'll get into trouble." "I want to" is so much more powerful than "I have to." One comes from the inside, from the heart (doing things heartily, to the best of our ability and because it is in our heart to do them), and one comes from the outside. Trying to avoid punishment simply means you shouldn't be doing that thing in the first place. If your goal is to avoid punishment... you need a new goal. Truly. And, like I've said many times, God is not in the punishing business in any event. He is not out to get you. On the cross... He got you. What He wants to do is even take it a step further and not only NOT punish you, but save you from the negative consequences to your actions! Guys. Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit. Self-control is a manifestation of love. Because when you are controlling yourself, you are loving yourself. You aren't doing things that will bring a negative result into your life. You aren't trading what you want most for what you want now, if I can say it that way. It's important to understand that you CAN do what you want. But that's because of freedom. Not grace. Grace is the unmerited favor of God. How do they say it? "Mercy is NOT getting what you deserve, and grace is getting what you DON'T deserve." Because deserve has nothing to do with it. Because God doesn't judge accordin to what you do. He judges according to who you are, and who He is. A Father who loves His Son. That's why He lavishes gifts upon us. That's why He always tries to put us in a position to succeed. And that's why He gave us everything He has and everything He is--so we can experience it and enjoy it. He did it because He wants us to have everything He has and everything He is. Experience it... by giving it away. So while you CAN do whatever you want, when you understand that it is God's heart beating with love in your chest, you will only WANT to love!

I really think if we try we can get along with people. The trick is to walk in love. To let people be who THEY are instead of insisting that they be who we WISH they were. Major on the majors and minor on the minors. Find that common ground. Because it's easiest to walk together when the ground is common. Walking hand in hand. Not agreeing on everything, but not needed to either. You don't have to agree with someone in order to fellowship with them. I had a buddy at work who was the exact opposite of me in almost every way. Except that we both love Kevin Smith movies. So we would "talk" (sometimes debate) about different things. Not really trying to convince each other to change our views--I don't believe arguing ever gets anybody to change their stance, if anything it just makes people dig in deeper)--but really just sharing our views. And we never got hot at each other. And would usually end the conversation by quoting lines from those movies we love. And this guy--who, again, I had very little in common with--was probably one of my best buddies at work. We would look for each other. It wasn't someone to avoid just because our beliefs didn't add up. And, in fact, there are some people who seem to believe a lot of what I do... but who I would rather not talk to a lot of them time. Just because of HOW they express those beliefs. The way you deliver your message is every bit as important as what your message it. Cramming your opinion down someone's throat is a good way to get them to choke on it and vomit it up. I knew I wasn't gonna change my buddy's mind, and he knew he wasn't gonna change mine. We weren't trying to change each other. We just accepted each other. Focused on what we had in common a lot of the time. And in that atmosphere were able to share what we didn't have in common in a respectful way. "I disagree" doesn't have to come out as, "You're wrong and stupid." It can simply be, "Agree to disagree. No big deal." And to me, that's what walking in love means: Loving people no matter what. If you agree with them or not. Being all things to all people. Sharing your beliefs, and thoughts, and experiences... but not thinking "If you don't agree with me you're wrong." Unity is NOT "agree with me or else." Unity is, "I can be me and you can be you and we can sitll walk together." I truly believe that if you try hard enough you can find common ground with anybody. Because we're all people. We all go through the same things. There's common ground... somewhere. You just have to find it. And you probably won't find it if you don't look for it. There's another guy at work who I talk to almost exclusively about golf. Because I like golf... and he LOVES golf. So that's how we connect. Another guy I talk to about pro wrestling, because we both love it. Those conversations are more fun for me. But my point is--if you want to, you can build relationships with people. You can find a way to let that love inside come out no matter who is around you. You can slow down your pace, or speed up your pace, in order to walk with someone. You can focus on what's important to THEM, because THEY are important to YOU. That's what love is: Esteeming others higher than yourself. Putting others first. Laying your life down for your friends. Experiening the love of God by giving it away!