“The Rules of The Redeemed, of The Vessels Who Were Once Broken But Are Now Made Whole Through Him.”
One of the saddest parts about this month’s book Long Way Down was when Jason Reynolds wrote this about the rules:
ANOTHER THING ABOUT THE RULES
They weren’t meant to be broken.
They were meant for the broken
to follow.
When I was broken I knew no better. When I was blind I could not see. But by the grace of God, He mended me and made me whole. And from the mountain top where I stand with Him I see clearly now. For He who created me and formed me, He has redeemed me and called me. And The Lord is doing a new thing in me and it continues to spring forth, do not know it? Do you not see it? For the Lord even makes a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.
And these are the RULES we now live by:
NO. 1: WALK IN LOVE.
God is love. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ,(Ephesians 5:2). We’re to love like Jesus loved. Real love is God defined and God given. The only way to walk in love is by having a spiritual life and a relationship with the Lord. Because this will allow you to love others like He loves you. We all know about the “golden rule”, love your neighbor as you love yourself, ( Luke 10:27).
But who is your neighbor?
Your neighbor is everyone including those you may not want to love, the person who makes it hard to love them. Do all you can to live in peace with everyone, (Romans 12:18). Loving even those is possible through the supernatural love that comes through walking with God.
NO.2: CHOOSE YOUR RELATIONSHIPS WISELY.
My Mom used to have a saying, ” tell me who your friends are and I’ll tell you who you are.” Bad company corrupts good character, (1 Corthinians 15:33).Corrupt means to whither and spoil. It doesn’t happen quickly but sets in over a period of time. This rule does not mean we’re supposed to be mean to anyone, or think we’re better than them, no. It means to be careful who we let in our inner circle. To Be friendly to all but friends with few. To Love all but close to a few.
The people we let close to us will influence us. Walk with the wise and become wise associate with fools and get in trouble,(Proverbs 13: 20).
The five closest relationships you have matter. Who you know matters. Who you open up to matters. Our life will be impacted by the relationships we choose to have because those people will impact us and shape us. Birds of a feather flock together! Our future is decided by our daily decisions, by the words we say, and by the friends we keep. The right relationships bring us closer to God. Are you influencing your relationships rightly or are they influencing you wrongly?
NO.3: BE A CELEBRATOR.
Don’t hate, celebrate. Be the kind of person who enjoys seeing others win, not delighting in their misfortune. Get rid of jealously, envy, insecurity, inadequacy. Those negative emotions will steal God given opportunities from your life. Learn to celebrate, to cheer people on. Don’t be a hater, be a celebrator!If you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. Jealously and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual and demonic, (James 3:14-15).
Selfish ambition is worldly wisdom which calls for you to step on whoever’s in your way to get what you want. To tear down instead of building up. Do not covet. Do not have an unhealthy desire for something you don’t have. Another’s possessions, career, life partner, life, callings, gifts, talents. Live and allow God to manifest His perfect plan,in your life and discover your callings, gifts and talents! Whatever you’ve been given, put it t work so you don’t miss out.