“Let love be sincere; hate what is evil, hold on to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; anticipate one another in showing honor.” – Romans 12:9-10
Before I dive into today’s Scripture reflection (continued from let love be Sincere) I have to pause and say,
HOLY SMOKES! This is officially my 150th blog post! That is…beyond nuts. And mind-blowing. I never thought I would reach this point so fast, it is amazing and so exciting and I’m praying that God continues to use this blog for His glory! And I also love (and kind of planned…) that my 150th falls on the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (a Holy Day of Opportunity). Mother Mary, bless my writing efforts as we all seek to find the heart of your Son.
Now, back to Scripture! Hate what is evil seems pretty obvious, but holding on to what is good is difficult, to say the very least. A few weeks ago I had a conversation with my mother about who God has made me to be and one of the characteristics He has gifted me with (though it can also be a curse) is the ability to see the good in people. My mother even went so far as to say that if anyone could find the good in even the most depraved person, James Holmes (the suspect in the Aurora theatre shootings) for example, it would be me. I see the good in people and I hold on to it. It is a blessing because it allows me to see God in everyone, to find the diamonds in the rough and believe when everyone else gives up. It is a curse because I see the good in people when they don’t, when they refuse to believe it exists. It is heart-breaking to know that there is a good heart in someone and yet see them living as though they don’t believe in themselves, much less believe that they are worthy of God’s love. But holding on to the good is exactly what we must do.
Holding on to the good gives us hope. I see the good in someone and even when they aren’t living up to the good person I know they can be, I have hope that God still lives in their hearts and that someday that good will shine again. Some say it is reckless or out of touch with reality to hold on to the past or to some version of a person that they are no longer being, but I say they are wrong. I’m a person – always have been and always plan to be – who holds on to the good, who sees it and believes in it. I think God is the same way, He sees and holds on to what is good. He loves what is good in us and prunes the rest. I hold on to the good in the world despite the overwhelming evidence that we are all headed to hell in a hand-basket. I hold on to God because He is Good and holding on to what is good is what gets us through all the bad, the evil and the heartache in the world.
So, hold on. Hold on to what is good. Hold on to the beautiful sunset. Hold on to the feel of that first snow fall on your face. Hold on to that first amazing kiss. Hold on to that peaceful easy feeling you get just sitting on the beach. Hold on to what is good because that is what is worth holding on to.
What I’m Listening To:
“In Your Hands” by Jason Mraz
“I Drive Your Truck” by Lee Brice
“Hold On” by Michael Buble
“The Economy of Mercy” by Switchfoot
