“Oh, dear Lord, please forgive me!” were my words when I looked at that list of adjectives that Rebecca used to define the word, rude. “Lord, I am so deeply convicted in my heart! Not only have at least one of those words been directed towards me but I clearly recognize more than one that can describe my behavior at times! Please forgive me, Lord! I so want to be loving…and that my love can speak of just Who You are! And, Lord, I realize that sometimes I think these things in my heart—not necessarily out loud. Please help me to not be a hypocrite. Change my heart, please God…please help me to change my heart! I need You…in Jesus’ name. Amen.”
Love is not…rude
1 Corinthians 13:5
Well now, THAT had to happen first. How about you? Might I ask if any of you had a similar response of crying out to God, seeking His forgiveness, His mercy, His help as you recognized the sin of being rude? Oh, how easily it happens…but that is not an excuse. We have the ability to love as Jesus loved. Our Lord made it clear to His disciples (and us who followed!) that love was the standard.
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another:
just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.
By this all people will know that you are My disciples,
if you have love for one another.
John 13:34 and 35 ESV
And, Paul and John (both of whom clearly lived in submission to Jesus), themselves wrote about the need for Christians to love.
Owe no one anything, except to love each other
for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.
Romans 13:8
Little children, let us not love <merely> in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
By this we shall know that we are of the Truth and reassure our heart before Him;
1 John 3:18 and 19 <addition mine>
My granddaughter, Kaylie Joy, and I were talking about rudeness and what it means. After talking together and my relating to her a few Scriptures, she said to me, “TaTa, then being rude means not caring about somebody else’s feelings…and being mean, too!” There it is! Rudeness thinks about me…while love thinks about others. If we love others the way that Jesus loved while He was here on this earth then we will not be thinking about ourselves. We will not be impatient, or unkind, or envious, or boastful, or proud—all the things we talked about last week.
I encourage you to take Rebecca’s challenge to heart today…perhaps right now. We have a loving heavenly Father Who never withholds His forgiveness when we ask. He will guide you and help you, giving you wisdom and courage to truly be loving and seek the forgiveness of others you may have sinned against by being rude. (And, if I can be of any help to you…perhaps pray with you as you handle this matter…please message me; I would love to walk through this with you!) <3
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Lord, we thank You for the blessing of Cherie and Rebecca, and their obedience to the Holy Spirit in the writing of this beautiful book. Thank You for working in them to hold a standard up to us that cannot be denied—all that LOVE truly is (and is not)! We are so thankful for their willingness to write and say the hard things that would confront and challenge Your daughters who would read this book. Bless them for their obedience, Lord!
And, Lord Jesus, please continue to work a work in our hearts to rise up to this higher standard of LOVE that You set for Your followers. Father, we thank You for Your forgiveness where we have sinned; we thank You for Your help in changing our hearts. You are so good to us…we love You! In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
