314 – Let It Go For Peace

#faithbites #faithjourney peace

I don’t know about you, but I tend to be an easy going guy. I try to love people and help where I can. But sometimes, people do stupid things (in my opinion)) and it just sticks in my craw. They say something or do something or dress differently or a hundred of others things that just bother me. Of course, I don’t say anything about it, but I think about it. It slowly eats at me, wasting some of the precious time and energy that could be spent more productively. Only this morning did I realize that if I followed the advice of Queen Elsa and just “Let it Go”, would I feel more at peace.

No two people are the same, nor is how people will respond to a situation. If someone is doing something that they like and doesn’t impact you, why should we worry about it? Having you ever been walking down the street with his pants so low, you wonder how they stay up? Maybe you even get upset about it. I’m thinking, does it matter? Just let the guy be. We aren’t to judge. How about if someone dresses strangely? You have probably made a mental note about it and said something to someone else? What about when someone leaves the box of doughnuts empty on the counter? These are just a couple of examples, and there are a million more examples that are choices people make that don’t really affect us and are none of our business, but we stress about it.

For me, it starts with little things like the ones above and goes into more difficult situations. From gay marriage to political voting to religion to race and beyond. So many choices that people make can get in our hearts and frustrate, enrage, and bother us. In the end, we aren’t to judge. We won’t find peace by hashing and rehashing it. Only through our actions can people see our light. Let’s not use of the energy for that light on things that either don’t concern us or we shouldn’t try to judge.

Scripture

• “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; – Luke 6:37
• There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor? – James 4:12
• Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. – Ephesians 4:29

Reflection

Before we go further, let me clear. I am not saying we shouldn’t report illegal activities or that we shouldn’t intervene to help others. I’m am also not saying things that are cultural differences or actions are bad. We should respect other cultures always.

This is more about the little judgments, and big, that we make that we really shouldn’t. Sure, I would love everyone to do things the way I like and in what I believe, but that is not reality. The strength in our faith and life is the different skills and abilities that everyone brings. Even our Lord drank and ate with sinners and the “unclean”. We can learn from his example.

We are not the judge, jury, or executioner on faith and God’s law. There is only one judge on that and he will evaluate and judge all. Our job is to love, respect, and help others find Grace.

Yes, those little actions and some bigger actions of people tick us off. If we can remember that those people are also children of the Lord and our anger will not do anything but take our energy away, we could be better off. If we just let it go and find peace, then we will help others find grace.

Charge

What actions or activities do others do that just tick you off? Are there things that don’t directly impact you but irk you? Think about one pet peeve or one issue that takes your energy away. Can you find it in your heart to let it go and have the Lord give you peace?

Lord, help me to know when to be involved and when not to. Let me find peace in knowing the things that I should be involved in and those things that don’t matter in the long run. Let those who don’t know your peace find you in all that they do.