bullying

“Hey, Mark Brady,” a man called out. I studied his face intently. “I’m sorry. Do I know you?” He told me his name, and I still did not recognize him, but yes, I did know him. I had not seen him since we graduated high school together many, many, many years ago. Okay, add another “many” and a half!

To be honest, I did not like him at all in school. He was wild, loud, and mean! Some might even say he was a bully, at least to me. I avoided him. But now, he seemed much different. Transformed. I had heard over the years that he had accepted Jesus Christ into his life and changed how he lived. I could see it.

Reminds me of the change Saul (from the Bible) went through. He was a highly educated man who couldn’t understand why people would follow Jesus and even die for believing in Him as the Son of God like Steven did. (Steven was the first recorded martyr. Acts 7:55-60) Then, on the road to Damascus, Saul had a personal encounter with Jesus Christ. Saul believed and instantly changed, and Jesus even changed his name to Paul.

Paul went from persecuting Christians to preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It took many a while to believe the change in him was authentic, and they probably doubted it would last, but it did. Paul became one of God’s greatest servants and wrote two-thirds of the New Testament.

Accepting Jesus into your life should generate a change in you. If it doesn’t, then you are not genuinely becoming “Christ-like,” which is what being a “Christian” means. People can, and do change so don’t ever give up on them. Keep praying for them and who knows they may become like Christ someday.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Cor. 5:17 (NKJV)

Hate, is like cancer, it kills!

The other day, I heard another story of hate. What got me was, this hate took place in a church. Has hate, in our country, spread that far? I’m beginning to decrease watching the world news every evening because of the hate. The hate they call, “news”!

Growing up, the rule was, “If you can’t say anything nice, then don’t say anything at all.” Yes, I’m old, but it wasn’t a bad rule. These days, people not only speak their hate, but share it on social media, and then start a movement to spread it. Hate is a cancer, and some people can’t bear the weight of it, so they take their own life instead of trying to face another day. Bullying, is hate, and even adults are sometimes bullied.

Since all this hate hurts me, I realized this week, it must really hurt Jesus. He died for the one hated, but he also died for the hater. When he came to earth, one of the things he did was show us how to live, walk, and speak in love. I met a lady last weekend, traveling across America, trying to spread love and motivate others to pass it on. I pray she is successful, and she makes America great again! Can we join her? Instead of hating, can we try to love? It is a better way. If you do choose to spread love, I know it will cause Jesus to smile, for you will never hear anyone say, “Stop! That’s enough love.”