"As You Think So You Perceive"

                                   

"As you think so you perceive"

A Story For All Ages:  Young and young at heart.

A story is told about a teacher who was helping one of her kindergarten students put his boots on. He asked for help and she could see why. With her pulling and him pushing, the boots still didn't want to go on.  When the second boot was on, she had worked up a sweat.  She almost whimpered when the little boy said, "Teacher, they're on the wrong feet."  She looked and sure enough, they were.  It wasn't any easier pulling the boots off then it was putting them on.  She managed to keep her cool as together they worked to get the boots back on - this time on the right feet.  He then announced,  "These aren't my boots."  She bit her tongue rather than get right in his face and scream, "Why didn't you say so?" like she wanted to.  Once again she struggled to help him pull the ill-fitting boots off.  He then said, "They're my brother's boots.  My Mom made me wear them."  She didn't know if she should laugh or cry. She mustered up the grace to wrestle the boots on his feet again.  She said, "Now, where are your mittens?"  He said, "I stuffed them in the toes of my boots..."  Ever have one of those days?  Folks, we are to love even those who a frustrate and annoy us to tears.  

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April 28 2013 Readings:  Rev. 21: 1-6   Acts 11: 1-18  John 13: 31-35

Today I speak in the name of Jesus about His love - about Christ-like love. It is the kind of love mothers - and fathers - and indeed each and every one of us are called to embrace.  I have said this before but I will say again:  Muriel Christie at 100 years often would say to me when I would visit here at Roseway.  “Sim I love people, all the people, but I don’t always love what they do.  You see Jesus’ love is not just about loving those who love us, it’s about loving all people even if we don’t like what they do, even if they annoy us to tears, as did the child in the story I told earlier this morning, and even if they hate us.    We receive this love equally by grace, no one is favored and there are no conditions placed upon this love.    For us humans, this is the most difficult love to accept for our self and to give to others.   Always remembering that you cannot give to others something you do not possess.   As we begin to trust and accept Christ’s love for us, we can follow in His footsteps sharing His love with others.   We know the commandments concerning love - about who we should love and how we should love them.  “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself.” 

Let me try and deepen your understanding of this truth as I tell you a modern day parable:   A middle aged Russian peasant farmer who lived in a mountain village without any modern conveniences had an occasion to come the big city of Moscow.  He arrived at the elegant hotel with mud on his boots and overalls looking completely out of place and inappropriate.  The man at the desk assigned him to a room on the top floor, treating him the same as he would any other paying customer.  With key in hand and a small bag under arm, the man started the long climb up the stairs, to his hotel room.  On the first landing there was a full-length mirror.  The man who had never seen himself before was suddenly startled and frightened by the imposing image before him.  He growled and snarled at the image, hoping to scare him away - only to find that the man he was facing mimicked him with growls and snarls.  At the next landing, he again was confronted, by the same fearsome giant.  After exchanging harsh looks which almost brought them to blows, he headed for the third floor.  Here they stood nose to nose and exchanged simultaneous insults as a deepening war-like attitude was taking root in both of them.  Realizing that there was no where to escape this ugly beast-like fellow, who seemed to be aggressively stalking him, he ran quickly back to the front desk to file a complaint.  After having given a detailed description of the perpetrator, the desk clerk understood that the man he kept meeting was the man in the mirror.   So to prevent embarrassment to his guest and to uphold the hostility of the Hotel, he offered some simple advice.  He said, "The fellow who you confronted, is here to protect people.  He is really quite harmless.  Trust me. If you show him a harsh and angry countenance he will do the same.  However!!!   If, when you see him, you just smile pleasantly and nod, he will do the same.   Enjoy the rest of your stay sir."   Now I ask you folks, how does this parable speak to you?   I truly believe that Jesus is trying to get us to see that our attitude towards life’s circumstances and others, is a reflection of how we feel inside, how we deal and feel about ourselves. 

In the wisdom teachings of Solomon we hear, "Like the reflection of a face in water so is the heart of one person to another."  When we choose to live outside the great commandment to love God, yourself and neighbor, you sell yourself short on love and you will never really embrace or accept God’s unconditional love for you.  

To love another is a difficult thing - especially when our experience of love is flawed, riddles with conditions or judgment.  Judging others causes us to become entangled or trapped by judgment.  Ever watch someone who is angry begin to talk to another angry person.  They become entangled in each others anger and then, all hell can break loose.  Same thing happens when two people of compassion or generosity begin to become entangled, then, all heaven can break loose. 

Negative entanglement holds you as well as the other in bondage.  
Did you hear that, negative entanglement holds you as well as the other in bondage.  It keeps you in chains, because you remain outside the understanding that you are loved by Christ unconditionally.  Your reflection in the water, mirror may be entangled with anger, selfishness, bitterness or resentment, just to name a few.   To really love another we need a standard or guide to follow and that standard can be found within Christ.  As we accept Christ, study his actions and words of love, it will entangle us as well.  Christ like love is embracing us and has the power to embrace others through us.  We then will be able to embrace even those who are our enemies, as the scriptures say even those who hate or persecute us.

The great commandment is recounted by Jesus from the Old Testament and summarize all the Hebrew Law and the teachings of the Prophets Jesus said

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." As I have loved you, so you must love the other.”