When my grandmother passed this past January, I flew in from Texas and stayed in the house I grew up in and slept in my old bed room. My uncle and aunt living there and a day later their daughter and son in-law came in from New York; they slept in my mother’s old room. For the first two days before the funeral we all were joking and having and conversations. I knew tempers would run wild and ramped the day of the funeral on Saturday January 19, 2014. Well after the funeral it became very apparent that I was an outsider. My cousin from New York did not hesitate to show her hatred toward Christians seeing that everyone else in the house were Jehovah Witnesses. Realizing that neither my aunt or her daughter displayed wisdom in front of their company and bashing Christianity. All the while my aunt talked about the Pastor using his phone and miss quoting scriptures. Both agreed that the funeral service was like that of “Happy Feet.”
I was quickly reminded of the 10 commandments that God (Jehovah) gave to Moses on the mount Ex. 20:7 – 17, but I would like to draw your attention to verses 13 – 17 it states:
13 Thou shall not kill. (Deut. 5:17)
14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.
15 Thou shalt not steal.
16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
17 thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbor’s. (Deut. 5:21; Prov.6:29)
Now turn with me to Psalms 15:1,3
1 LORD who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?
3 He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbor, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbor. (Ex. 23:3)
Even though I was offended by what they were saying against Christians the offense wasn’t against me but the very God we all serve (according to them). Although Matthew 22:37 – 40 states this:
37 Jesus said unto him, THOU SHALT LOVE THE LORD THY GOD WITH ALL THY HEART, AND WITH ALL THY SOUL, AND WITH ALL THY MIND.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, THOU SHALT LOVE THY NEIGHBOR AS THY SELF. (Lev. 19:18; Mark 12:31; Rom. 13:9)
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and prophets.
But still my friend 1 John have this to say:
1 John 4:20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? (1 John 2:4)
I know right now I am talking about loving my neighbor, but my question is this how can you love your neighbor and never forgiving them in your own heart? Every time I remind myself of this awful but learning experience, I forgive them. Forgiveness is not for them but for me. Alright turn to Psalm 130:4 But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.
Matthew 6:14,15 For if ye forgive men of their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
So how awesome is that to forgive so that you will be forgiven by our heavenly Father. (Yahweh) I am reminded of a song by Hezekiah Walker “You Pray For Me” the song goes on to say “I wont hurt you with the words from my mouth, I love you, I need you to survive.” Note this if you want to walk close to God you must walk agreeably with one another.