« The Weeds | Home | Saint Peter, First Pope »
New Way To Live
By peace | July 16, 2008
“You are like salt the world,” Jesus told the disciples. They thought hard. Salt kept fish and meat from going bad. Salt made food tasty. They could guess what Jesus wanted them to be like. “Imagine a batch of salt that has lost its saltiness!” Jesus went on. “It’s no good to anyone. There’s no way of putting the saltiness back into it again. It’s only fit to be thrown out. So see that you are salty salt!
“You are light in the world, too,” Jesus said. “When you light a lamp, you don’t hide it away out of sight. You put it on the lampstand, as high up as you can, so that it provides light for everyone in the house. See that you let your light shine out for others. Let them see your good deeds: then they will give praise to God, your Father.”
How To Be Really Happy
“I’ll tell you who the truly happy people are,” said Jesus. “They are the ones who recognize how poor they are in God’s eyes.
Happy people are those who are sorry for their own sins and failures and who share the sadness of all who suffer and mourn.
The happy ones are the humble ones, not too proud to receive what God has to give them.
The happy ones are those who long to do right and follow God’s ways.
The happy ones are those who are kind and caring to others.
The happy ones are those whose wholehearted aim is to please and serve God.
The happy ones are those who work to bring about peace in the family and in the world around.
The happy ones are those who are badly treated because they are my followers. Be glad if people hate you and say all kinds of bad things about you because you belong to me. There’s a wonderful time coming for you in heaven!”
The disciples were dumbfounded. Everything Jesus said seemed upside down. His way of happiness was just the opposite of what everyone else believed.
Stop Worrying
“When you put God first, you can stop worrying,” Jesus told the disciples. “Look at it this way. God is a loving Father: he will see that you have what you need. He feeds the birds — and they don’t even lend a hand by sowing and getting in the harvest.”
Jesus stooped and gently touched one of the jewel-bright anemones growing wild at their feet.
“Look at these flowers,” he said. “They don’t sew or make their own clothes: yet King Solomon, in all his glory, never looked as lovely as they do. God can take care of all your needs.
“Worry never helped anyone live a day longer or grow an inch taller. Just deal with today’s problems as they come — and let tomorrow’s problems wait for tomorrow to arrive.”
Topics: Inspirational Stories, Parables, View All Post, bible |
