Good time to sort out your friends and contacts

In these corona times we have to limit our contacts, keep social distance and have to keep ourselves healthy and safe.

In life we meet lots of people in lots of different situations; We encounter good but also bad things. Bad events we best forget as soon as possible, but even better for the next time we better avoid such bad things.

Today we have come in a time where it should be easier to avoid bad things, bad people and bad events. All negativism we can miss as toothache.

Got a friend causing problems in your life? Before you cut him or her out have a look at this so called 'friend' and check if it is really a person to have as friend or a person you should be concerned about his way of life and would be some one who could use your help more than you need him or her.

Someone in your small group says insensitive things? Leave that small group and find a new one, if you are not able to bring that person to reason.

Someone at work doesn’t understand or respect your faith? You could avoid that person but you also could try to find out what he or she knows about your faith and come to get to know your faith better. Often people have no idea about someone's faith and go by 'sayings' or ideas which float around.

Tired of being made fun of in the public square? Some would withdraw into their Christian bubble.

Parents in your kid’s class not raising their kids the way you like? (Corona-aside: Remember classes?) Surround yourself with people who make you feel safe and comfortable.

In life, there are too many things to cope with. Too often we lose too much energy on worthless cases. At this time of restrictions, it is ideal to make it done with all the negativism which may be around you. Concentrate on the positive things and keep contact with positive people.

But do not forget if possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. With the restrictions, it can well be that you do not have many contacts, and when on the street some people may look strange at you or take an offensive attitude. Forgive them and think they are in a 'corona fear mood'.

We should be aware of the fact that denying someone your presence can also be considered as the ultimate punishment. Then you should think about that matter if this isn’t that God’s final judgment?

But now we can keep the distance of many people without having to hurt them. We can leave those aside with whom our relationship is not evolving positively. We best invest now in positive relationships and do not lose to much time with the wrong contacts.

When Bad Things Happen

		Sair Ching
Psalm 105 When Bad Things Happen Why would a loving God allow bad things to happen to good people? People will choose to lose their faith in God because of a series of events they feel are unjust, and that God could have prevented. At some stage, bad things are going to happen to us too. And when they do, or better still, before they do, take a look at Psalm 105. Israel were in Egypt. Their initial stay in Egypt was probably when they saw the active hand of God at work most in their lives. They were escaping the famine, together as a family again, making a new start in a new land. God was with them. But listen:  "Then Israel entered Egypt; Jacob lived as an alien in the land of Ham. The Lord made his people very fruitful, he made them too numerous for their foes, whose hearts he turned to hate his people, to conspire against his servants." ( Psalm 105 v 23 - 25). And all this time, some 430 years, God was with them, though they probably didn't realise it. How easy would it have been to lose your faith in God who cares for you, while living in Egypt like that? God allows things to happen that we don't understand, because he has bigger plans. He certainly cares for us as individuals, but more important than an easy life now, is our preparation for God's kingdom. No matter what comes our way in life, let's always rely on God, who is far wiser and has bigger plans than we could ever dream of.

+++

Related articles

• Sep. 10. Israelites Continue Their travel
• "Peace in the Midst of Chaos and Trouble"--bible Trivia Answers
• Sunday, 11 September 2016 : 24th Sunday of Ordinary Time (First Reading)
• Don't Get So Comfortable That You Close The Door To God Doing Something New
• The Glory of the Story Sample: Day 113 - Joseph the dreamer
• The Limits of Love
• 3 ways we lead our children away from God with our words
• The blessing of the sons. Genesis chapter 49.
• While the U.S. & Israel signed an "historic" 10-year military aid deal today, not everyone is happy. I had lunch with Sen. Lindsey Graham to discuss his concerns.
• No Glasses for Moses

************

 

Please do find the new series in remembrance of the birth of Jesus Christ 2020 years ago 

2020 years since

Geneva Bible, Source text for our series on the beginning of Jesus

The 1st Adam in the Hebrew Scriptures #1 Beginning of everything