Loving the people I'm stuck with first begins with a Forgiving Heart....

I learnt an interesting new word today.... STUCKITITIS. sound so cute rite! dont ask me how to pronounce it.. cos it jus sounds wierd when i try pronounce it. LOL! anyway,the meaning of it... stuck: trapped and ititis: six letters you tag onto any word to make it sound impressive.. uhuh! hahaha.. so can i say.. Godititis? hahaha.. okays. i am just crapping..

anyway, Max's Manual of Medical Terms has this to say about the condition:

attacks of stuckititis are limited to people to breathe and typically occur somewhere between birth and death. Stuckititis manifests itself in irritability, short fuses, and a mountain range of molehills. The common symptom of stuckititis victims is the repetition of questions beginning with who, what and why.

The prestigious manual identifies three ways to cope with stuckititis... FLEE, FIGHT or FORGIVE. Some opt to flee (to get out of the relationship and start again else where, but lest they realise that condition surfaces on the other side of the fence as well); some opt to fight and tension becomes a way of life; but a few discover another treatment - FORGIVENESS.

Jesus knew the feeling of being stuck with someone. For 3 years, He ran with the same crew. By and large, he saw the same dozen or so faces. They rode in the same boat, walked the same roads, visited the same houses. But how did Jesus stay devoted to his men? Not only did Jesus have to put up with their visible oddities, He had to endure their inviible folibles. Whats more when Jsus could hear His disciples unspoken thoughts. He knew their private doubts and their future ones as well! But how did Jesus still love them? How did He love his neighbour? Well, I am questioning because sometimes it is really hard to love the people around you when you know that there are happening around.

God brought back me back to this thought... Jesus loved Peter knowing that someday Peter would curse Him. Jesus still loved Thomas knowing that Thomas would one day question about his resurrection. Jesus loved Judas knowing that Judas would betray Him... BUT THE QUESTION STILL LIES... HOW WAS JESUS ABLE TO LOVE???? To me, this answer can be found in John 13. :)

1. Jesus saw Himself equal with His disciples - He was humble.
   With a towel and a basin, Jesus knelt before His disciples and washed their feet. He did not have the atitude that He was of higher authority. In Jesus' days, the waashing of feet was a task reserved not just for servants, but for the lowest of servants. But the one who held the towel and basin is not the King of the universe. Hands that shaped the the stars now wash away filth. Fingers that formed mountians now massages toes. Hours before his own death, Jesus only had one thing in mind. He wants His disciples to know how much He loves them! More than removing dirt, He was removing doubt. In the Bible, there is no verse which reads Jesus washed all the disciples feet except for the feet of Judas - which also means, He loved all UNCONDITIONALLY. Though He knew what will happen in future, HE STILL WASHED THEIR FEET.
   
   
2. Jesus has set the example - We must follow (V 14-15)
   Jesus washed out feet for 2 reasons. The first one was to give us mercy and the second is to give us a message. The message is simply this: Jesus offers unconditional grace; we are to offer unconditional grace too. The mercy of Christ preceded our mistakes, our mercy must also precede the mistakes of others. Those in the circle of Chirst has no doubt of His love, those in our circles should have no doubt of ours.
   
   
3. Jesus forgave - We also must forgive
   Jesus ensured that His disciples had no reason to doubt His love... I must do the same too!
   

To have a heart like his, it means to kneel as Jesus knelt, touching the frimy parts of the people we are stuck with and washing away thsir unkindness with kindness. Relationships don't thrive because the guilty are punished but because the innocent are merciful.

I am someone who sees relationships very important. and trust me, every relationship means ALOT to me... and today I realise that the best way to sustain a relationship is to first forgive and love unconditionally. I am not going to care what I know, what I don't know and what I will know.. I will just LOVE... just as how God has loved me, I will love...

God, soften this hardened heart.. and replace it with a heart that beats like Yours..
I forgive you...