Category Archives: Potpourri

22 Tips On Behaving Like A Christian

I have heard it asked, “How do you live like a Christian?”

Show God’s love?  Pray?  Be kind to others?

That is not a bad start, but the good news is:

We don’t have to guess what the answer is.

In Romans (Chapter 12) there is an entire section aptly titled “Behave like a Christian.”

Here is how it says we should behave:

1.  Show genuine love.

2.  Be repulsed by evil things.

3.  Be drawn to good things.

4.  Be kind and love one another.

5.  Be diligent.

6.  Be zealous for life in Christ.

7.  Serve God.

8.  Have hope.

9.  Be patient during hard times.

10.  Be prayerful always.

11.  Be sensitive to the needs of other Christians.

12.  Be hospitable.

13.  Show Christ to those that despise you.

14.  Be happy in other people victories.

15.  Be sad in other peoples losses.

16.  Be agreeable and empathetic with each other.

17.  Be humble.

18.  Do not be a know-it-all.

19.  Whatever is done to you, do not do evil to anyone.

20.  Live in peace, if possible.

21.  Do not be vengeful.

22.  Kill your enemies with kindness.

Romans 12: 9-21
Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.

Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 Therefore

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;

If he is thirsty, give him a drink;

For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

I love you.

-Dad

Keep Your Friends

Don’t lose touch with friends, especially for no other reason than being lazy about it.

Really good friends are so rare and so hard to find.

I think that fact is more and more true the older you get.

And remember that relationships matter.

They matter a lot.

You can have a relationship with God, and you can have relationships with those around you.

What else is there outside of that, really?

Just junk?  Physical stuff?

Relationships are all that last.

I love you.

— Dad

A Reminder About Time

Every time an unexpected death slaps us in the face, we are all painfully reminded of how fragile life is, and how short our time on this earth will be.

Aren’t we? 

A friend of mine lost her husband this past weekend.  He was 32, and she is 8 months pregnant. 

It is odd how it works though.

It is hard to look at an old friend in a different way as time goes by.

I still see a goofy junior-high girl and my heart breaks. 

I have known her since she was 12, at 32 she is a widow. 

I am reminded of a passage by Max Lucado, in his book God Came Near, where he writes about “Eternal Instants.”

He says: 

“Eternal instants. You’ve had them. We all have. Sharing a porch swing on a summer evening with your grandchild. Seeing her face in the glow of a candle. Putting your arm into your husband’s as you stroll through the golden leaves and breathe the brisk autumn air. Listening to your six-year-old thank God for everything from goldfish to Grandma. Such moments are necessary because they remind us that everything is okay. The King is still on the throne and life is still worth living. Eternal instants remind us that love is still the greatest possession and the future is nothing to fear. The next time an instant in your life begins to be eternal, let it. Put your head back on the pillow and soak it in. Resist the urge to cut it short. Don’t interrupt the silence or shatter the solemnity. You are, in a very special way, on holy ground.” 

The next time you have an eternal instant – soak it up! 

I promise to devour every single eternal instant I get with you and mom. 

I love you. 

— Dad