Thoughts for the Day

Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you have had from the beginning: the old commandment is the word that you have heard. Yet I am writing a new commandment that is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. Whoever says, 'I am in the light', while hating a brother or sister, is still in darkness. Whoever loves a brother or sister lives in the light, and in such a person there is no cause for stumbling. But whoever hates another believer is in darkness, walks in the darkness, and does not know the way to go, because the darkness has brought out blindness.'

(New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

The First Letter of John uses 'brother' and 'sister' not for siblings, but for other Christians, and the writer calls us to love one another. But here comes the problem - we are human! Can you honestly say you love (never mind like) all other Christians? Of course you can't! But John writes that if we don't love one another, we are in darkness. We have gone off the right path and are spiritually stumbling around in darkness.

So what do we do? Well first, we might be honest with ourselves. Which other Christians do you find difficult? If you haven't started a prayer notebook, you could get a small notebook, and jot down their Christian name or initials. Spend a moment thinking about the person - what good qualities do they have (and don't get side-tracked into thinking of the qualities you don't like!) - and ask for God's help in appreciating them. Periodically return to this activity.

The wonderful thing is that God forgives us our imperfections!

Saturday 23rd May, follow up

Lord God,
Forgive us when we are critical of others,
when we find them difficult to get on with,
or when we feel they bring out the worst in us.
Help us to remember that they are our brothers and sisters
in Christ, and teach us to love them.
Amen