LESS OF ME! THE STORY THAT MAKES NO SENCE--- UNLESS?
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com I do this lesson as a series.
MEAN? HOW EASY IS IT TO BE MEAN AND DIS-LIKE OTHERS? WHAT ABOUT AURA?
As a pastor of 38 years, I seem to get surprised on a regular basis. An old man was talking to me and he said: So in so at church hates me. They hate my guts. I replied no, no they don’t hate you. So the next service I pulled aside the lady and I said: This old man thinks you hate him? I know this is not true. Could you be nice and kind to him and let him know he is loved?
In a raised voice the lady told me: NO! NO, I WILL NOT! I HATE THAT OLD MAN. I CAN’T STAND HIM? Does anyone get it?
Yes, that old man was a good man, but he was very opinionated and was loud. He was raised in an alcoholic home. He did not finish the 3rd grade. He did not think very much before he spoke. Should we be a littler kinder? A little wiser? A little more understanding. This means, I as the Pastor have a lot of teaching to do.
I heard a child say: I HATE MY IN-LAWS --- I weighed that line for some time. One day I heard the child’s mother talking. She boldly said: I ABSOLUTELY HATE MY IN-LAWS WITH A PASSION? Wow, come with me to the Bible.
BE NICE! BE KIND! It is just as easy to kind and be nice to others as it is to be mean and cruel. Anger is like nitro-glycerin it can blow up in your face. How much does it cost to say: THANK YOU? PLEASE? A smile can improve your face value. The Bible says: LOVE NEVER FAILS… I add hatred never wins.
Do you have emit a spiritual or emotional energy field? LET US STUDY AURA? EVERY PERSON HAS AN AURA…
One more thought to consider as we dig in this well. AURA? What is AURA? A special quality or feeling that comes from a person or place, an energy field that emanates from a person. Don’t go of the deep end about aura, it is real! Each person’s choices, thinking patterns and the way they react can be identified and noticed by others. It is so sad that many people could care less about what others think of them.
Are you filled with hate? Is your tongue a razor blade and you leave people hurting? Is it possible to drag your family into a negative trap that will always limit progress? Do you ever say you are sorry?
I CAN UNDERSTAND MANY ISSUES… BUT LEAVE THE 99 TO RUN AFTER 1 IS NOT SMART?
BUT THE STORY DOES NOT MAKE SENSE UNLESS YOU ARE THE ONE AWAY FROM THE FOLD… IT MAKES ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE TO LEAVE 99UNLESS YOU ARE THE ONE.
Why did that dumb sheep want to leave anyway? That one sheep must be stupid? Why doesn’t the dumb sheep come back on his own? Did the sheep see where “the runaway” spirit would end up? Does the astray sheep know about the BIG, BAD WOLF? He deserves whatever he gets…
Matthew 18:12 How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? 13 And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.
DUMB TO LEAVE? NOT SO SAYS THE MASTER SHEPHERD! I will tell you a deep truth, maybe the 99 does not understand, just like the older son in the story of the prodigal… BUT THIS STORY MAKES A LOT OF SENSE to the lost sheep. The good shepherd cares. The lost sheep is full of fear. He seems to have lost his way. The grass really looks greener over there? I could not understand how much the good shepherd cared and loved me before. I will surely be wolf food if the loving shepherd does not find me. This is kindness in action.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ focuses on the LOVE OF ONE. Jesus says: I CARE AND SO SHOULD YOU.
MANY CAN BE NICE AND KIND TO THE PEOPLE THEY LOVE? WHAT ABOUT THE LEAST OF THESE? WHO ARE THE LEAST OF THESE? DO IT? IF YOU DID TO THE LEAST OF THESE? IF YOU DIDN’T TO THE LEAST?
Matthew 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. 41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. 46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
BE KIND! ARE YOU A NICE PERSON?
Luke 6:35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.
Luke 6:35 (MSG) "I tell you, love your enemies. Help and give without expecting a return. You'll never—I promise—regret it. Live out this God-created identity the way our Father lives toward us, generously and graciously, even when we're at our worst.
We have so many people hurting today, broken people. We hear so much about BULLYING TODAY. Bullies are no more than mean spirited jerks, they too are SCARRED, and broken.
Romans 12:14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.
Matthew 5:43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Matthew 5:43 (MSG) "You're familiar with the old written law, 'Love your friend,' and its unwritten companion, 'Hate your enemy.' 44 I'm challenging that. I'm telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer,
THE BIBLE COMMANDS US TO BE KIND!
Romans 12:10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
Romans 12:10 (NIV) Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.
Romans 12:10 (MSG) Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle.
Let me start by asking a question: If speaking nice and kind things to plants to get them to grow, do you think that might help to speak kind words to your spouse, your children. We speak with body language? Facial expressions? The volume?
THERE IS A GOD MEASURING STICK – THAT IS CLEARLY LOVE, KINDNESS… IF YOU LOVE AND ARE KIND…
John 15:17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.
John 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
As a pastor of 38 years, An old man was talking to me and he said: So in so at church hates me. They hate my guts. I replied no they don’t hate you. So the next service I pulled aside the lady and I said: the old man thinks you hate him? I know this is not true. Could you be nice and kind to him and let him know he is loved?
In a raised voice the lady told me: NO! NO, I WILL NOT! I HATE THAT OLD MAN. I CAN’T STAND HIM?
This means I as the Pastor have a lot of teaching to do.
BE NICE! BE KIND!
It is just as easy to kind and be nice to others as it is to be mean and cruel. Anger is like nitro-glycerin it can blow up in your face. How much does it cost to say: THANK YOU? PLEASE? A smile can improve your face value. Be kind.
The grandson said: PAW, DOES OUR MULE HAVE RELIGION? Relig
Paw said: GRANDSON, WHERE DID YOU GET SUCH A DUMB IDEA?
Grandson said: Paw, that mule has the same look on it’s face as all the people at church?
DO WE SPEAK THE LOVE LANGUAGE? Do we use kind words when we talk? I know a lady that face to face she speaks so kindly. Put her on Facebook, she is downright cruel. SOFT WORDS are easier to eat? Kindness is a lot like light.
Real kindness is given with no expectations of returns. REAL KINDNESS IS DOING SOMETHING FOR OTHERS WHO COULD NEVER REPAIR YOU.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO THINK TOO MUCH AND FEEL TO LITTLE?
The actor CHARLIE CHAPLIN ONCE SAID: We think too much and feel too little. More than machinery we need humanity. More than cleverness, we need kindness and then more kindness.
Mother Teresa said: It’s not how much we say and give, but how much we love giving.
Being kind more than words. KINDNESS must be an ACTION WORD!
LIFE IS A MIRROR. What reflections do people see in you? I read a saying years ago that went like this. We all desire to see though breeds in the mirror? But if a donkey peers into a mirror, we will always see a donkey.
DAVID REALLY HAD A SPECIAL FRIEND THEY LOVED AND WORKED TOGETHER. SAUL AND JONATHAN AND ALL THEIR BROTHERS DIED THE SAME DAY, David was not happy, he was broken. LATER DAVID GETS TO THINKING ABOUT JONATHAN AND THEIR FRIENDSHIP. David desired to be KIND.
2 Samuel 9:1 And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may shew him kindness for Jonathan's sake?
2 Samuel 9:3 And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may shew the kindness of God unto him? And Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, which is lame on his feet.
WELL YES, BUT HE IS LAME IN BOTH FEET… LAME PEOPLE WERE NEVER ALLOWED IN THE PALACES OF KINGS.
David want to be kind to his dead friends… But Mephibosheth was a cripple. David didn’t care if he was cripple.
2 Samuel 9:6 Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was come unto David, he fell on his face, and did reverence. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold thy servant!
David --- MEPHIBOSETH COULD MAKE A CLAIM TO THE THRONE AS HE WAS SAUL’S GRANDSON. DAVID WAS KIND TO THE CRIPPLE MAN.
2 Samuel 9:7 And David said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father's sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually.
DAVID DISPLAYED HIS KIND HEART: SON, WILL WILL ALWAYS BE WELCOMED AT THE KING’S TABLE. DAVID WAS VERY KIND.
2 Samuel 9:10 Thou therefore, and thy sons, and thy servants, shall till the land for him, and thou shalt bring in the fruits, that thy master's son may have food to eat: but Mephibosheth thy master's son shall eat bread always at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
WE HEAR SO MUCH TODAY ABOUT “RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS…”
WHY NOT MAKE IT PLANNED AND ON PURPOSE KINDS OF KINDNESS?
2 Peter 1:7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
2 Peter 1:7 (MSG) warm friendliness, and generous love, each dimension fitting into and developing the others.
Luke 6:35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.
Luke 6:35 (MSG) "I tell you, love your enemies. Help and give without expecting a return. You'll never—I promise—regret it. Live out this God-created identity the way our Father lives toward us, generously and graciously, even when we're at our worst.
IF WE START EVERYTHING WITH A KIND SPIRIT, THEN EVERYTHING WILL END WITH KINDNESS.
WE HAVE BEEN COMMANDED TO ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER.
NO ACT OF KINDNESS NO MATTER HOW SMALL IS EVER FORGOTTEN.
WANT TO TALK OF REAL KINDNESS.
There are those that are so selfish they think everything is about them. Remember that song: Baby you are so vain you think this song is about you….
HOW OFTEN DOES THE BIBLE SAY: BE GRACIOUS, MERCIFUL, SLOW TO ANGER, AND BE OF GREAT KINDNESS?
ALWAYS BE NICE AND KIND TO OTHERS… It is said deaf people can hear kindness. It is also said: Even blind people can see the acts of kindness.
I love the statement: Kind people are the best kind of people!
Could it be written on your tombstone you was a NICE and KIND person?
It is easy to be kind to kind people. The test is be nice to mean, rude, loud mouth, cruel people. This is the test we will all face. Never allow others to define you. BE KIND! BE NICE….
TO THOSE DISPITEFULLY USE YOU.
Learn the lesson of life: It is kind and nice to be important, but realize it is more important to be kind and nice.
The song BE A LITTLE KINDER…
Conclusion: HOW EASY IS IT TO LET ONE MEAN-SPIRITED, HATEFUL JERK TURN 10 KIND, NICE PEOPLE INTO JERKS? Remember the 12 spies? 2 positive--- we can do this! 10 negative men: sorry this is bigger than we are? Well, the focus is wrong, this may be bigger than us. BUT GOD! God can! Do we clearly understand, this day is like water in the river… once the water goes down stream it can never return to the way it was? THEREFORE BE KIND. ARE WE KIND, NICE PEOPLE? You can’t ask yourself, ask 10 people that really know you! Soon your life will be but a story, and you will rest in your grave, can people honestly say you were a VERY KIND AND NICE PERSON?
LESS OF ME! LET IT BE…
By Glen Campbell
Let me be a little kinder; Let me be a little blinder,
To the faults of those around me; Let me praise a little more.
Let me be when I am weary, just a little more cheery,
Think a little more of others and a little less of me.
Let me be a little braver, when temptations bid me waver,
Let me strive a little harder to be what I should be.
Let me be a little meeker, with a brother that is weaker,
Think a little more of others and a little less of me.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
This sermon is a series, I place all together so it is easy to receive as one part.
I seek your investment in my ministry? Pass this on to others.
