Not as we see, but as Jesus sees!

I'm going to quote some pages from a book that I'm reading. I have been enjoying the writings of Max Lucado. He ministers at the Oak Hills Church of Christ. I'm taking the quote from the book titled: God loves you just the way you are, but He refuses to leave you that way. He wants you to be Just Like Jesus!

Chapter 2: Loving the people you are stuck with.
* From The Basin Of His Grace *

" Oh, I could never do that, you object. The hurt is so deep. The wounds are so numerous. Just seeing the person causes me to cringe. Perhaps that is your problem. Perhaps you are seeing the wrong person or at least too much of the wrong person. Remember, the secret of being just like Jesus is "fixing our eyes" on Him. Try shifting your glance away from the one who hurt you and setting your eyes on the one who has saved you.
Note the promise of John, "But if we live in the light, as God is in the light, we can share fellowship with each other. Then the blod of Jesus, God's Son, cleanses us from every sin" (1 John 1:7).
Aside from geography and chronology, our story is the same as the disciples;. We weren't in Jerusalem, and we weren't alive that nigh. Buth what Jesus did for them he has done for us. He has cleansed us. He has cleansed our hearts from sin.
Even more, he is still cleansing us! John tells us, "We are being cleansed from every sin by the blood of Jesus." In other words, we are always being cleansed. The cleansing is not a promise for the future but a reality in the present. Let a speck of dust fall on the soul of a saint, and it is washed away. Let a spot of filth land on the heart of God's child, and the filth is wiped away. Jesus still purifies his people.
Our Savior kneels down and gazes upon the darkest acts of our lives. But rather than recoil in horror, he reaches out in kindness and says, "I can clean that if you want." And from the basin of His grace, He scoops a palm full of mercy and washes away our sin.
But that's not all He does. Because He lives in us, you and I can do the same. Because He has forgiven us, we can forgive others. Because He ash a forgiving heart , we can have a forgiving heart. We can have a heart like His.
"If I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash each other's feet. I did this as an example so that you should do as I have done for you" (john 13:14-15).
Jesus washes our feet for two reasons. The first is to give us mercy; the second is give us a message, and that message is simply this: Jesus offers unconditional grace; we are to offer unconditional grace. The mercy of Christ preceded our mistakes; our mercy must precede the mistakes of others. Those in our circles should have no doubts about ours.
What does it mean to have a heart like His? It means to kneel as Jesus knelt, touching the grimy parts of the people we are stuck with and washing away their unkindnesses with kindness. Or as Paul wrote, "Be kind and loving to each other, and forgive each toher just as God forgave you in Christ" (Eph. 4:32).
"But Max," you are saying. "I've done nothing wrong. I'm not the one who cheated. I'm not the one who lied. I'm not the guilty party here." Perhaps you aren't. But neither was Jesus. Of all the men in that room, only one was worthy of having His feet washed. And He was the one who washed the feet. The one worthy of being served, served others. The genius of Jesus' example is that burden of bridge-building falls on the strong one, not on the weak one. The one who is innocent is the one who makes the gesture.
And you know what happens? More often than not, if the one in the right volunteers to wash the feet of the one in the wrong, both parties get on their knees. Don't we all thing we are right? Hence we wash each other's feet.
Please understand. Relationships don't thrive because the guilty are punished but because the innocent are merciful.

The Power of forgiveness

Recently I shared a meal with some friends. A husband and wife wanted to tell me about a storm they were weathering. Through a series of events, she learned of an act of infidelity that had occured over a decade ago. He had made the mistake of thinking ti'd be better not to tell her, so he didn't. But she found out. And as you can imagine, she was deeply hurt.
Through the advice of a counselor, the couple dropped everything and went away for several days. A decision had to be made. Would the flee, fight or forgive? So they prayed. They talked. They walked. They reflected. In this case the wife was clearly in the right. She could have left. Women have done so for lesser reasons. Or she could have stayed and made his life a living hell. Other women have done that. But she chose a different response. On the tenth night of their trip, my friend found a card on his pillow. On the card was printed a verse: "I'd rather do nothing with you than something without you." Beneath the verse she had written these words:

I forgive you. I love you. Let's move on.

The card might as well have been a basin. And the pen might as well have been a pitcher of water, for out of it poured pure mercy, and with it she washed her husband's feet.
Certain conflicts can be resolved only with a basin of water. Are any relationships in your world thirsty for mercy? Are there any sitting around your table who need to be assured of your grace? Jesus made sure His disciples had no reason to doubt His love. Why don't you do the same?"

This brief exert from the book, but sums up how I need to feel right now. A lot of people around me right now need to read and UNDERSTAND this. Jesus loves me just the way I am, but he doesn't want me to stay that way. He wants me to be Just Like Jesus. Perfect love casteth out all fear! We need to strive for a Love like Christ's love.