I have heard people say that they don’t have a map or a guide for life, that they are doing the best that they can.  Well, so are we all.  But I have chosen the world’s best guidebook, called the Holy Bible.  In it is all of the wisdom that I could ever hope to receive, but to get from it, I have to spend time with it.  This morning, I was very busy trying to get my autistic granddaughter to eat her breakfast and then giving her a bath.  I almost decided to skip my Bible reading for the day so that I could do other chores.  Nope!  I felt a strong tug from the Holy Spirit to read and to post today.  I didn’t post yesterday because I had a medical appointment and we took Iris to the gym to swim.  It is one of her favorite things to do, so we took time to do it with her.  Anyway, here is the Scripture that God gave me yesterday:

See what I mean?  God has already told us what to do in His Guidebook.  We have to act with justice, be kind and walk humbly with God.  Sounds easy, but it isn’t always. We can’t go around judging people because that is God’s job.  We need to treat all people the same way, regardless of whether we agree with them politically or any other way.  We are to treat people kindly.  The only people that I recall in the Bible that Jesus had a problem with and treated harshly were the moneychangers in the temple.  He dealt justly with them.  We need to be careful how we treat others whom we think are sinning.  God judges sin; we are just to tell others the truth of God’s Word.  That is sometimes hard for me, especially in our society that accepts sin so readily.  I hate that there is a whole generation that has been raised to think that they have to live together, to “try out marriage” , before they get married.  Do I think it is sin?  Yep!  But is it up to me to go around shouting, “Adultery” everywhere?  No, that is up to God to prepare the way and convict them of the sin.  My part comes in when it is time to tell them the truth that God loves them, has a better way and forgives them. I am not the Holy Spirit.  I have to remind myself of that a lot.

God has been dealing with me recently about settling scores, about getting even with those who have hurt me. Some of the people who were closest to me in the past have really hurt me.  But God says that He is taking care of it.  I am called to forgive them, try to heal the relationship and move on.  I am not the Judge.  God keeps telling me that because I need to be reminded a lot.  I’ve never been slow to learn, but in this case, it is taking me a while.  I see someone who offends me or who is sinning and I want to tell them immediately, “Repent, or you will go to hell!”  Hmm. Probably not the way Jesus would tackle sin today.  He did everything with love and purpose.  So, there is a lot more prayer needed and a lot less judging a lot more love and praying.  I hope that you will join with me in praying for those who need God in their lives and in asking for opportunities to share God’s love with them.  Let’s add to the family of God, not turn people away with our poor, judgmental attitude.  Let’s point them to God’s Guidebook and let them know that He loved them enough to die for them.  Let’s do good, because that is what Our Father expects us to do.  We need to follow the Guidebook so that we can help others find their way to it.