Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

James 2:12-13

Last Sunday Sam spoke about favoritism vs the Law of Love, and he mentioned impartiality, or equitability, as the best we as a society have managed to offer in its place.

Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father.

1 John 2:24

Listening is hard, isn’t it?

Well, maybe you’re better at it than I am. I spend most of my days searching for ways to distract myself from chronic pain, so, admittedly, being present and listening is an exercise of will for me.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

- Colossians, 3:23-24

What do you want to be when you grow up?

That’s a question I think everyone has heard not just once but more likely many times in their lives. It’s almost universally understood that most people have something, one thing, that they are best suited for and that they will find the most fulfillment doing.

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

• Philippians 4:4-8

I’ve often been fascinated by the power of the mind to shape and bring meaning to reality. When I was young, I thought my life was horrible. And it was. If you received and read our email last week, you might even agree…

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.

- Revelation 21:4

This verse has been a comfort to me for most of my adult life. I mentioned before that I was a multiple trauma survivor. Now, I can’t say that I’ve suffered more than most, nor would I ever want to say such a thing. Life is hard, and pain is pain, suffering is suffering.

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

- Philippians 4:12-13

Gratitude - intentional gratitude - is crucial. Practicing gratitude is a discipline. At least, it has proved to be one to me. I’ve found that when done improperly, practicing gratitude can easily turn into pretending gratitude. Instead of focusing on what we can be grateful for, we weirdly turn it into ignoring what we definitely are not grateful for. In other words, we fake it.

Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do.

- Ecclesiastes 9:7

I always found this passage in Ecclesiastes to be both comforting and a little maddening. After writing about all the ways he tried looking for joy—only to find everything “meaningless under the sun”—the human author of Ecclesiastes basically ends with an “oh well, everyone dies, life is meaningless, better enjoy it while you can.”

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

- Matthew 11:28-30

Rest. What exactly does that mean?

Before I met my spouse, rest was the 4-6 hours of sleep I got most nights. The rest of my daily 24 hours were filled with work, church, school, or friends. I didn’t learn how to sit down until after marriage, when Sam would force me to stop and take a seat on the couch in the evenings and watch some tv with him.

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

- Matthew 22:37-39

I hope you’ve been keeping cool wherever you are - in our area, the weather has been hot, hot, hot for the last couple weeks, and it looks like that’ll be the case for the immediate future as well.

The other day Sam and I stopped by CVS to pick up some prescriptions. There was an older gentleman resting outside the sliding doors, with still-tagged sunglasses sitting on his nose and a request for spare change on his lips.

For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

- Colossians 1:19-20

I was talking with a few friends about the good news of the gospel earlier this week, and it became clear that I’m not the only one who often falls into the habit of living like I can earn my way into God’s good graces.