CRYSTAL MOWS. MATT BLOWS. Did I ever tell you about our lawn mowing service we ran years ago? We had a couple in our church that ran a small lawn mowing business. They inherited some property and moved out of state. They were just going to let the business go and my husband said, “We will take it!” We thought that if we could maintain it for a year, it would be a great place for people who needed a job or had a hard time finding and holding a job.
So we took it and bought thousands of dollars in new equipment, since the equipment they gave us was ancient. We did this for a season. I mowed. Matt edged and blowed. One week we worked Monday, Wednesday, Friday and the next was Tuesday and Thursday. I kid you not, it would rain every day we mowed and the sun came out when we didn’t mow.
The Lord taught me a lot during in this season of my life of mowing and blowing. Fast forward a year and the couple returned. Their plans didn’t work out. We happily gave them back the lawn business plus all the new equipment we bought. We didn’t ask them for any money, we just gave it all to them. Shortly after that, they had an offense against us, left the church, told people that we “never did anything for them” and took it upon themselves to slander our name.
Not only did we keep their business going for the year, we blessed them with all new equipment. I was hurt and angry, but in these situations I have learned to forgive them and put it in God’s hands. Through this whole transaction we made zero money, in fact, spent more on it then we had earned and willingly released it back to this couple. The first commandment is to love the Lord with everything that’s within me and the second is to love others out of a changed and transformed heart.
Love has no demands. Paul witnessed many problems in the Corinthian church and the following was one:“Now therefore, it is already an utter failure for you that you go to law against one another. Why do you not rather accept wrong? Why do you not rather let yourselves be cheated? No, you yourselves do wrong and cheat, and you do these things to your brethren!”I Corinthians 6:7-8 NKJV
Why can’t you just let yourself be cheated? Why can’t you just let someone use you and take advantage of you? I can hear Paul’s voice come alive off the words of my Bible. It is an utter failure that we take it upon ourselves to make things “right”. It is an utter failure to take your brother in Christ to court for a wrong. What piercing words! It is a moral failure and entirely unchristian that you would even go to an outside pagan source to make restitution. “Why do ye not suffer yourselves to be defrauded — Rather than seek a remedy in such a way as this?
All men cannot, or will not, receive this saying. Many aim only at this, “I will neither do wrong nor suffer it.” These are honest heathen, but no Christians.”~ Benson Commentary“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.”Romans 12:14, 17, 19 NKJVI don’t know your story of being wronged, this is just one of many of mine.
I saw this couple after all they did a few years later and I gladly embraced them. Love keeps no records of wrong. If Christ was so unjustly wronged, who am I? Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought. Pride is sin. Still, it is only through the power of the Holy Spirit that we can embrace those who have hurt and slandered us. If you are taking matters in your own hands, or worse going outside to a pagan system to harm your brother in Christ, shame on you. It is an utter moral failure. Repent and humble yourself to your brother in Christ and seek forgiveness and reconciliation. This is the will of God. #runyourrace
To Learn More About Pastor Crystal please visit the Leadership Page
