Self-Less God-More

The Apostle Paul wrote in Galatians 5:13-14 Amplified Bible, "For you, brethren, were [indeed] called to freedom; only [do not let your] freedom be an incentive to your flesh and an opportunity or excuse [for selfishness], but through love you should serve one another. For the whole Law [concerning human relationships] is complied with in the one precept, You shall love your neighbor as [you do] yourself." Paul incorporated people into his life and was especially fond of seeking out those who didn't know God the Father, God the Son Jesus Christ and God the Holy Spirit and introducing God, Paul and other creyentes (believers) to each other. Paul's growth as a creyente included the growth of others.

Mary Church Terrell, a civil rights activist and women's rights activist, believed that self-development goes with the development of others. Terrell said in her speech The Progress Of Colored Women, "Not only because they are women, but because they are colored women are discouragement and disappointment meeting them at every turn. But in spite of the obstacles encountered, the progress made by colored women along many lines appears like a veritable miracle of modern times."

The miracle Terrell talked about didn't come through selfishness. After talking about the lives and accomplishments of various colored women Terrell also said, "Lifting as they climb, onward and upward they go struggling and striving and hoping that the buds and blossoms of their desires may burst into glorious fruition ere long."

Selfishness may seem beneficial, but it's a lie. Nick Vujicic is of Serbian heritage, born in Australia without arms or legs and immigrant to America. Vujicic is married to Kanae Loida Vujicic-Miyahara, who is of Latino and Japanese heritage. Together they have a son named Kiyoshi James Vujicic. Vujicic says in his book Limitless Devotions for a Ridiculously Good Life, "The kind of self-love and self-acceptance I advocate is not about loving yourself in a self-absorbed, conceited way. The self-love I encourage is self-less. You give more than you take. You offer without being asked. You share when you don't have much. You find happiness by making others smile. You love yourself because you are not all about yourself. You are happy with who you are because you make others happy to be around you."

We all have a tendency toward self-more. The self-more is stingy with people and has to be fought consistently. Victory is possible through God-more. In April 2013 Governor Mary Fallin signed into law the Oklahoma Nondiscrimination in Treatment Act which prevents healthcare providers from denying people lifesaving treatment "on the basis of a view that treats extending the life of an elderly, disabled, or terminally ill individual as of lower value than extending the life of an individual who is younger, nondisabled, or not terminally ill." God loves people of all ages, races, sexes and abilities; God wants us to imitate Him.

Peter Baker reports in The New York Times July 3, 2013, article "Bush a Fond Presence in Africa for Work During and Since His Presidency" that former US President George W. Bush has been in Africa renovating clinics and expanding screening and treatment programs to fight cervical cancer. Bush has also been a long-time friend of immigrants, unborn girls and unborn boys.

Fred Hammond was an unborn boy who survived an attempted abortion. Hammond is also a Gospel singer and father of Breeann Michelle Hammond and Darius Sean Hammond who says in a "Thank You Prelude" prayer at the beginning of Fred Hammond's CD Love Unstoppable, "Lord bless my dad, my mom, my sister, the president and all my family and friends. Lord bless everyone who hears this CD .... And most of all bless someone to be better friends with you because of my dad's music. In Jesus' name. Amen."  

May God bless the Senate to pass the Pain-Capable Unborn Protection Act; may God bless the House to pass immigration reform; may God bless President Barak Obama to sign both into US law; may God bless an unlimited number of people to become better friends with Him.

Anything Is Possible

In Mark chapter 9 of the Bible the story of a father who had a son with a dumb spirit that no one could cure is recorded. The father had sought various people to cure his son including Jesus Christ. Mark 9:23 Amplified Bible says, "And Jesus said, [You say to Me], If You can do anything? [Why,] all things can be (are possible) to him who believes!"

Jesus Christ was willing to heal his son, and He healed him.

China has a one child policy with forced abortions and forced sterilizations that's been going on since 1979. A Malagasy African proverb says, "Let not your love be like a torrent: heavy at first but swiftly abating." People have been trying to get rid of this policy and other human rights violations in China for a long time, and some still expect to see human rights flourishing in China.

"Anything is possible in this world," said Human Rights Activist Chen Guangcheng about such changes in China (Rosie Gray, BuzzFeed, "Chen Guangcheng: Chinese Government “In A State Of Madness,” May 14, 2013.)

Tejas is the name the Spanish gave to what later became the US state of Texas. Tejas is based on a Native American word for friend.

A good friend prays for people in positions of power to do good. 1 Timothy 2:1-4 Amplified Bible says, "First of all, then, I admonish and urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be offered on behalf of all men, For kings and all who are in positions of authority or high responsibility, that [outwardly] we may pass a quiet and undisturbed life [and inwardly] a peaceable one in all godliness and reverence and seriousness in every way. For such [praying] is good and right, and [it is] pleasing and acceptable to God our Savior, Who wishes all men to be saved and [increasingly] to perceive and recognize and discern and know precisely and correctly the [divine] Truth."

Pray for US President Barak Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping as they meet today and tomorrow in California.

Share your prayers. Write to:

Michele F. Jackson
P. O. Box 2106
Woodbridge, Virginia 22195

Follow Michele F. Jackson on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/michelelove30.