8.25.23 - Matthew 4:7
What if, for just one weekend, you chose not to test others? Accepting them at face value, being curious about their needs, wants, dreams, ideas and sharing your own...
Jesus said to him, ‘Again it is written, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”’
Have you ever played the game, “If You Really Loved Me, You Would…”?
Many of us receive messages on a daily basis that tell us that we’re not worthy of love.
And the only thing that we can think of to validate our lovability is to test our relationships.
We see it in little children when they have a tantrum and walk away from you, only to turn around to see if you are following them–to see if you really care. If, in those instances, the parent reaffirms their love in some way, the child feels comforted and will rest in the parents embrace.
But with God, there is nothing to be gained by testing the relationship. God’s love for us is inviolable and without question. Testing God says more about our love for God than it does about God’s unfailing love for us.
What are the subtle and not so subtle ways you test your relationships? What if today, instead of testing, you offered some acceptance, what's the first difference you would notice in yourself?
--Pedro Silva