Love Acting - I Peter 1:22

When I worked at a Community College there was a lot of effort that went into public relations, from the coaches. Each week the "Booster Association" met for a PR dinner for different coaches to tell news from their sport from the previous week. Most of the news depended on a sport being in season. Since these Association members and any guests help support the Athletic Department, there tended to be a lot of schmoozing that went on, from the coach to the member.

The schmoozing didn't stop at these luncheons. Sometimes, a member of the Association, or public, would stop by the office of a coach, unannounced, to visit with them. I remember visiting with an assistant coach about such an occasion. He basically said that, as a coach, he would visit with them to keep their interest, but he had more important things to care about than them. So, he told him things to "make them happy." He was putting on a show...acting, if you will. Are there times we fall victim of that with our brethren?

Christians are part of a group of people who have the privilege of being able to go to heaven. However, there are times which we may show some imperfections. Sometimes we may be offended/bothered by someone. Sometimes we forget that we are encouragers to one another. When we show those imperfections, whether it is having to "schmooze" through a conversation, choosing not to speak to someone because they've offended you, or some other reason, we are falling victim of being a "love actor". Here are some applications to choose from to help not be a "love actor"...

1. If you've been offended, pray that any offense will not prevent you from holding any part of a grudge against that person or group of people.
2. Approach the person from which has offended/bothered you. Not talking about them to others.
   
3. Remember that part of your Christian responsibility is to encourage others...so being with your brethren on any particular gathering is not about what you will get out of it, but to be there for your brethren.
4. Pray that people will accept you, strengths and weaknesses, and you will accept the others in the "family" the same way.
5. Offer forgiveness when you've been wronged and pray that it will not be a wedge in your relationship with that person, in the future.
6. Pray for God to use you in unimaginable ways to make the church family a closer group of people.

****PLEASE GO TO RIGHT HAND COLUMN AND COMPLETE THE SURVEY REGARDING BEING A "LOVE ACTOR"...IT IS COMPLETELY ANONYMOUS****

Peter told his recipients, that since they have purified themselves, they should be sincerely loving each other. We, also, should be accepting this challenge!

Have a great week!!!!

Continually working on this...