A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing...

This morning, October 17, 2019, I woke up early thinking about how none of us can change what people think of us or how they treat us. We can't make people love us or even like us. We can't make people be on our side. We can't control what another person chooses to say or do. All we can do is control how we respond to what is given to us.

Jesus said in Matthew 7:12-14, "Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets. You can enter God's kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.

So woke up this morning with this scripture in my heart. It is a word for the hour. The narrow way that leads to life is to treat others like we would want them to treat us. We cannot control how others treat us, but we can control how we respond to them. This road is narrow and difficult and very few find it. I already knew this in my heart, but it is what came next that shook me to my core. I am still trembling.

"Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can't produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can't produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions." (15-20)

Oh my goodness, I want to cry. How do we treat our bosses?How do we treat our employees? How do we treat our parents? How do we treat our spouse? If we don't treat others like we would want to be treated, if we continue to turn our backs on people, if we continue to point our finger and speak wicked things, if we continue to mock and judge and condemn we are really a vicious wolf in sheeps clothing, a bad tree that produces bad fruit that will be chopped down and thrown into the fire someday. We have to stop closing our hearts to others. If we continue doing what we are doing, God will close His heart toward us.

"Not everyone who calls out to me, 'LORD! LORD!' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of My Father in heaven will enter. On Judgment day many will say to Me, "LORD! LORD! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name." But I will reply, 'I never knew you. Get away from Me, you who break God's laws." (21-23)

So guys, what started out being a simple word this morning has become something that is shaking me to the core. We have to start treating others with kindness and honor and respect. Jesus said, "When you do this to the least of these, you are doing it to me." How we treat others is actually how we are treating Jesus. So if we are rejecting a person, we are actually rejecting Jesus. If we are slandering, mocking, ridiculing others, we are doing the same to Jesus. When we act like this, Jesus doesn't know us. He only knows how to honor and glorify. He only knows kindness and goodness and faithfulness and self-control. He only knows love and joy and peace. He only knows light and truth. He only knows mercy and grace. In order to know us, we have to become how He is. He is unfailing love.

Blessings my friends. Meditate on this a while. It is huge. May we all see ourselves clearly, and may we all strive to enter the narrow gate by treating others like we want them to treat us.

Terri