Looking Down From the Cross

Good morning and happy Thursday, I pray that this morning has been filled with calm for each of you, I pray that smooth sailing has been in your life and that you have encountered no obstacles or drama! This morning as I sat outside, wrapped in my love made "Betty blankie", enjoying the world wake up, enjoying the new song of the birds, enjoying the clouds rolling across the sky, looking at all the beauty that my eyes could see, I felt such a strong feeling pass over my heart, I knew that God was willing me to write about "UNITY" I have sat this past week and read post after post of the horrible damages caused by the tornadoes last week, I have read of the massive outpouring of people who are stepping up, giving selflessly, working with such strength, with so much passion to help all of those affected. I have sat and read prayer upon prayer being lifted for these people and I have felt so much love in my heart, I have felt so much gratitude for those who are out there giving of themselves physically, I have felt so much happiness in reading of the massive amounts of donations being made, from areas near and far. I have cried over the compassion and the love! I asked my father in heaven, why does it take something of this magnitude to pull us together, why do people have to suffer loss, why can't we stand united every day, why does it take a person being diagnosed with cancer to have people rally in formation, to hold fundraisers, to give kindness and care? Why did it take the bombing in Oklahoma so many years ago to humble people, why did it take the twin towers to bring so many together, why Hurricane Katrina, why tornadoes, why explosions, why wars, why...why...why. I know that as Christians each of us have slipped, I know that we have gotten cozy in our lives, I know that we are prejudiced, that we are selfish, that we are greedy...not calling names, just looking inside of myself. There have been times in my life that I looked out and was disgusted by people who were not clean, people who did not ensure that their children were dressed and groomed, people who stood in welfare lines, people that were not "up to my standards" I have snubbed those who had "less" than I had, I did not want my child to play with children that lived in bad areas, that had bad parents, that did not have the same as what we had...boy what a lesson I was teaching her, I thank God that she is the person that she is, she could have come out being like I was...not very forgiving and very negative against those less fortunate than I. When I finally realized that each and every one of us has a story to tell, when I looked at the homeless on the streets I began to ask myself, why is that person where he/she is today, I began to ask that question over and over and when I finally took hold and asked out loud is when I began to realize that any of their situations could be mine, that without Christ in my heart, a strong network of friends and family, the exact sufferings they are going through could very likely have happened to me. We all are so very blessed to be on the inside looking out, shaking our heads and sometimes feeling pity but not having to walk in their shoes. When Christ was being led to the cross he suffered, he was spit on, laughed at, kicked, beaten, mocked....and yet when he "looked down from the cross" he did not single out those who had hurt him and deny his death to them, he did not pick and choose who was worthy of his blood, he did not show prejudices..he died for each and every one, he gave himself so that all could live. He loved every single person on the ground below, he loved every one of us. Today you will encounter people that have less than yourself, you will see people who are destitute, who have not bathed, who are paying with food stamps, who are in need...I am not saying to give your hard earned dollar away, I am not saying to take the mere clothes off of your back and give them, I am saying "look at them through the eyes of Christ" look at them, don't just see them, open yourself up and really look at them. If you see something that you can do to give them a better day, allow yourself to step out of the comfort zone and give. Give them a smile, give them a kind word, give them hope that they are loved, that they are not disgusting, that they are worthy. Place yourself in their shoes today, sit and ask yourself how would I feel if I were in that place? Kindness begins with you, how can we expect God to be kind to us when we refuse to be kind? How can we ask God for blessings when we refuse to bless, how can we expect to progress to our heavenly kingdom when we continue to let satan plant seeds into our hearts? I ask these questions of myself each and every day! Let us all join today into a UNIFIED manner, access situations and ask God to lead us as to what we can do to make a difference, don't wait for a disaster to prove yourself to him, let it begin today:) God bless each of you with the power of discernment, may you feel his promptings and may you have the courage to listen to him...be the difference in someone's day today:) Love in Christ to each of you.