Loving the People You Love to Hate

http://ftc.co/resource-library/blog-entries/loving-the-people-you-love-to-hate

The Power of Company

by Adam Kareus

“Human nature is so constituted that we cannot be much with other people without effect on our own character. The old proverb will never fail to prove true: Tell me with whom a man chooses to live, and I will tell you what he is.” – J.C. Ryle^[1]

I worked with youth for many years and this seemed like a constant warning we had to proclaim. “Watch what kind of friends you have. Be aware of peer pressure.”  These are common topics for conversation and are emphasized often. We know how easy it is for a teenager to get off track because of the crowd they hang out with. We know that some of the biggest, if not the biggest, influences on their lives are their friends.

Read the rest: http://ftc.co/resource-library/blog-entries/the-power-of-company

When You Don’t Know What to Do

“Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.”¹

“John Patton, in his book, From Ministry to Theology, relates the story of a rather green chaplaincy resident, naive to many of the pressures and pains of a teaching hospital. While on call one night, the intern was summoned to the room of a woman whose baby had been stillborn a few hours earlier. ‘We want our baby baptized,’ the young mother said, cradling her lifeless daughter, her husband at her side. ‘Her name is Nicole.’

“The intern didn’t know what to do, but asked them to come to the chapel a few minutes later. In the meantime he tried to find another, more experienced chaplain to take over, but to no avail. He was on his own and quite unsure as to how to proceed. He had not only professional uncertainties about what he had been asked to do, but theological qualms as well. Still, he knew he had to meet with grieving parents. He sketched in his mind something to say, hoping it would be appropriate to the moment.

There is more: http://www.actsweb.org/daily.php?id=552

10 Things NOT to Do When Someone’s Suffering

http://www.ibelieve.com/slideshows/10-things-not-to-do-when-someone-s-suffering.html?utm_medium=partner&utm_source=swnpgs&utm_campaign

Regarding Others As More Important

Audio by Max Lucado

https://maxlucado.com/listen/regarding-others-important/

Not Sometimes, But Always

~ Charles Stanley

God hates gossip.  He wants our speech to be pleasing to Him-and He certainly does not consider idle talk or mean-spirited words pleasant (Col. 3:8).  Sadly, gossip is practiced so freely that even some believers participate and try to justify their chatter.  But hearsay has no place in a Christian’s life.

Romans 1 contains one of the Bible’s lists of sins.  The book’s author-the apostle Paul-is reminding believers that God has revealed Himself to all mankind.  Those who reject Him and chase after idols are turned over to their evil worship and the immoral practices that go with serving self (vv. 24-25).  Gossip appears in the middle of the list; God despises it because malicious talk destroys lives whether the stories are true or false.  The person who is targeted by the rumor often loses the respect of those who listen to it.  Hurt feelings may not be the only negative effect; a job or relationship could be lost as well.

Those spreading tales also face destructive consequences.  People who refuse to control the tongue reveal evil motives or, at the very least, a lack of discipline.  As a result, believers and unbelievers alike will often avoid such untrustworthy individuals.  For a Christian who spreads rumors, there’s potential for even worse damage.  Not only can the credibility of one’s witness be compromised, but fellowship with the Lord might also be harmed-animosity toward another person and intimacy with God can’t coexist in the same heart.

Gossip achieves no good in anyone’s life, which is why the Lord warns against it.  Instead, our words should build up, comfort, and encourage others.

Commentary from Charles Stanley’s In Touch Devotional, May 8, 2017.

How Are You Doing with Compassion?

http://thecripplegate.com/how-are-you-doing-with-your-compassion/