Be A Better Person
Don’t we all wish that everyone would be a better person?
The golden rule (Matthew 7:12) is that we should treat others the way we would want them to treat us.
Do we not hope that some bad people would turn their lives around and start doing good?
Do we wish our neighbor, boss, associates, and people in general would treat us better than before?
Do we hope that the people we meet each day and do business with would show us respect and treat us fairly?
If we expect others to be nicer and fairer, should we not make the effort as well?

Be a better person now.
Do not wait until next year and make a resolution about it.
Do not put it off until next week or even tomorrow.
Start right now.
Look at the person closest to you and be nice to them.
Pay attention to the next person you meet and be nice to them.
After all, isn’t this what LOVE is all about?
Matthew 22:39 “The second (greatest command) is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (a quotation of Leviticus 19:18).
You might be thinking to yourself “What can I do to be a better person?
Here are some ideas.

Pick up the phone and call someone who would appreciate a thoughtful consideration.
If we would just try, we could turn our society around and make it a pleasant adventure each day to interact with others.
Help someone who needs help.
And even if they do not need help, at least show them some consideration by stepping aside, saying “excuse me”, or even just asking if they need some help.
Perhaps if someone has shown them kindness, they will turn the favor and show kindness to someone else.
We can at least start people on the right path to change our society.
1 John 3:17-18 “But whoever has the world’s goods, and beholds his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth”.
Don’t just talk the talk, but walk the walk.

Show your love to others.
1 John 4:20 “If someone says, ‘I love God’, and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen”.
One way to turn your life around is to change your focus.
When you focus upon God you become a better person.
We are supposed to focus on Jesus.
Hebrews 12:2 tells us to “Fix our gaze upon Jesus”
When you focus upon helping others, you become a better person.
Part of that focus should be upon spiritual thoughts and matters.
If you do not focus on spiritual thoughts, you will only be thinking of worldly thoughts, and you really do become what you are thinking.
Proverbs 4:23 “Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.”
Colossians 3:1-2 "If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth".
Philippians 2:3-4 “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.”
Romans 12:16 “Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation”.
Romans 12:17-18 “Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men”.

We can be a better person by lifting others up.
Most people in the world are hurting in so many ways, and we may not always understand those ways.
But if we can lift up their spirits and encourage them, we will have done what God wants us to do.
Romans 15:1-2 "Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves. let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to his edification."
In so many ways, God is watching out for us and He is our shield and strength as we see described in the Psalms.
If God is good to us, should we also be good to others?
Would that not show the great love of God coming out of ourselves?
We also have a duty to our fellow man to help them anyway we can.
Sure, many will reject our efforts, and some will not appreciate our kindness.
But do not let those soreheads ruin your goal in life to help others.
You must overcome these problems and help others.
Or at least we should try to help others.

Conclusion
We are commanded to do good unto all men, and especially those of the faith in Galatians 6:10.
We are to pursue peace with all men, (Hebrews 12:14).
If we do not, we will not be allowed into heaven.
So go ahead, and make someone's day.

By Carey Scott

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