"I am the vine, ye are the brances:  He that abideth in me and I in im, the same brigheth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing."

-John 15:5

I recently found an old fourturne cookie paper that said, "It's nice to be important but it's more important to be nice."  It was funny to find because I recently left a supervisory postion because I made a mistake and was not going to be given a second chance.  My close friends and my family all say it's unfair becasue I gave everyone I worked with not only the benefit of the doubt but many more chances than they deserved but yet this is the outcome for me. They all wanted to know what made me so different from the rest. I was upset at first but then I realized that what happened wasn't because I was NOT different from the rest,  but because I AM different from the rest!!!  They may not have seen it good to give me a second chance, but in the words of Tonex, "It doesn't really matter what they say, because I say what did GOD say!"

God says that we should love our enimies as ourselves.  He also says that we should love those that despite and misuse us.  You see, because I am one of Gods, I am not like everyone else!!  As a believer my goal is to work toward being more like him.  Christ is a God who gives not only second but many more chances than I or anyone else deserves.  Christ is a God who listens and understands but still pushes his children to be the best and do the best. Christ is a God that not only satisfies our physical and financial needs, but he pushes for us so that our spiritual needs are met.

We  are pushed every day to do more.  We are pushed by our family, our jobs, our obligations even by our need for personal gratification.  But it is the push from God that makes everything worth while.  God asks us to look outside of our pain, our aches, or tiredness. Past our physical infirmities and reach into that deeper place to make an impact on the lives of other people.  Sure we make mistakes.  I made one and I admitted it. Was what I did right.  Of course not.  Was I given the same treatment I would have given anyone else, of course not.  Do I really expect people to treat me the way my God treats me...OF COURSE NOT!!

Matthew 5:5 says "Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled." I am not worried that I made a bad choice and the consequences were not flattering.  I am not worried that I did try to make it right in the end.  God himself is not concerned with that.  My future seemingly lay in the hands of others but really my future is in the hands of God.  The impact I made on the lives of others is the fruit of the situation. In Gods eyes, My actions spoke louder than my mistakes. That is not to say that he was not displeased with me because he was and of course like any good father he did chastise me. But in chastisement I learned that my work is a more than is asked work because it is a work that glorifies God, even when I make mistakes.  In spite of it all, when I do more than is asked by people and do the work of God I can "rejoice and be exceedingly glad..[for my]treasure lies in heaven."

 Psalms 70

"Make haste o God,to deliver me; make haste to help me, Oh Lord.

Let them be ashamed and confounded that seek after my soul: let them be turned backward and put to confusion, that desire my hurt.

Let them be turned back for a reward of their shame tha say, aha, aha.

Leth all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in htee; and let such as love thy salvation say continually. Let God be magnified.

But I am poor and needy: make hast unto me o God: thou art my help and my deliverer; o Lord, make no tarrying.