Conversion part 5
If you think it's your job to change people--to make sure they think and believe and act the same way that you do--you need to think again. That's a simply as I can put it. It's not you job to make clones of yourself. Especially when you consider the fact that you yourself are changing and growing all the time. Well, changing yes. Growing hopefully. My point is--you have an unction from the Holy One and you know all things... but you don't necessarily understand everything you know. Look at 2 Peter 3:18, "But grow in grace, and in the knowleege of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen." Growing in grace. Growing in the knowlege of Jesus. And that's important because Jesus is our true identity. The more we learn of Him, the more we learn of ourselves. Our TRUE selves. When God looks at you He sees Jesus, and when God looks at Jesus He sees you. There is no difference and no separation. He lives in us. We live in Him. As He is, so are we in this world. So maybe instead of trying to change people, or convert them to our particular brand of theology or religion... we ought to just focus on loving people. On being the best US we can be. The only person you ever need to compete with is the person you were yesterday. As long as you're moving forward you're doing ok. And even baby steps forward are still progress. Don't despise small beginnings. Don't think you don't make a difference. Just do your best and forget the rest. Don't try to change people. And, really, don't try so hard to change yourself. See the change that took place 2000 years ago on the cross. If you see it, you can be it. You can grow in that grace. You can grow in that knowlege of your true identity. The more you know, the more you grow. What you see is what you be. What you magnify in your life is what will manifest in your life. My point is--I preach and Rant a lot about looking not on your own things but on the things of others. If I take care of you and you take care of me neither of us will have to worry about ourselves. Having said that--looking on the things of others is about helping people. Many hands make light burdens. It's not about judging people (by appearance), but about executing the righteous judgment of God. It's about seeing a need and meeting it. It's about giving what you've got and not worrying about any sort of "deserve." Deserve has nothing to do with it. Just love people. That's what we were created to do. God loves us so that we can love Him back by loving people. Jesus didn't come to set up a religion and convert people. He came that we might have life and have it more abundantly. He came that we might enjoy the gift that He has given us. The gift of eternal, everlasting, abundant, Resurrection Life! A life of love. And, really, the only way to "convert" someone--from death to life, which is the entire point--is to love them. Love is the difference between death and life. No love, no life. Know love, know life. It's not about "believe what I believe or else." It's about, "I love you." That's what we need to convert OURSELVES to. A total and complete focus on growing in the life and grace and knowledge and love of God!