Prayerfully & Considerately
Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-7
Living in Michigan, a lot of construction occurs during the summer months. It is as if an orange cone is signaling that the weather is about to warmup. Thus, you must navigate road closures and lane reductions that factor into your drive time. One day last week, I was not particularly in a rush. In fact, I often get to my destination faster simply because my anticipation of either which lane might be faster or when it is better to get over when the lanes are closing improves. On this fine day, one person clearly did not get the memo. Despite seeing the pending lane closure and nearly everyone in front of them merging over, they went as though they were oblivious of the lane closure up until the very last second, where they finally were able to barge in front of a few cars and trucks ahead of me. Yet, none of this seemed to bother me.
There was a time that used to, and if I am being transparent, there are times it still does. However, there was another time years ago when my daughter’s water broke, and she was about to give birth to my first grandchild. I remember flying down the freeway and even running a few red lights to ensure that we got her to the hospital. There is no doubt that there were some corners cut and laws broken. However, few if any would have blamed me considering the circumstances. That thought crosses my mind whenever someone is driving around like they are … well … oblivious. What if their wife was pregnant and home alone? Maybe their father had a heart attack or due to an emergency, they had to catch a flight overseas and the last flight out was bound to leave. Thinking that way, someone merging late into a lane does not bother me in the slightest. In fact, I tend to be someone who will often allow that person to merge in front. It changes your perspective when you take all possibilities into consideration. Then, you are considerate, and pray all Is well.
Prayer and being considerate are examples of how Jesus Christ can be seen to all both believers and nonbelievers. In reading today’s verse, it seems like two separate ideas. One talks about joy and being considerate, and another focuses on prayer and peace. However, they work in concert with each other. You could say if one has a prayerful life, they will find peace, and with peace comes the joy that encourages us to be considerate. Joy and peace are both states of mind that are works in progress. Both prayer and being considerate are actions that help produce joy and peace. Thus, the latter two are essential habits that require frequent revisiting and a level of consistency. In prayer, we connect with God to guide us through both good things and challenges. In Isaiah 26:3, it says of God:
You will keep in perfect peace
all who trust in you,
all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
There is no real secret that the more connected you are with God the greater peace one finds. So how does being considerate lead to joy and peace? Have you ever eaten breakfast at a southern restaurant down south? There is something to be said about true southern hospitality. The way servers say to my wife ‘ma’am,’ or to me ‘sweetie, and sir,’ always just warms my heart. It is that personalized warmth that we feel and are subtle reminders of what joy feels like. It is that extra effort letting someone know they are more than just an individual saying a common ‘hello’ to. Being considerate to others show we value them much like God values us. They are worthy of honor and respect. It is that special feeling we give distinguishing them from just anyone to a child of God. Paul said, “We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves. We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord.“ (Romans 15:1-2) Although it is but a simple gesture, we ourselves begin to grow spiritually into thinking like Jesus, who always thought of God and us above Himself.
Our journey of faith is a never-ending work in progress. Prayer is easy to do but often just as easy to forget. Being considerate is the right thing to do, but when pushed, we often leave it at the door. When we are lacking in our peace and joy, we should first ask ourselves two things. First, are we praying to God earnestly and honestly, and second, are we being considerate of others as God considers us? The more affirmative we can answer those questions, the greater the likelihood we are able to find both joy and peace. So, let us never take for granted the importance of prayer and being considerate in our daily lives. When is a good and consistent time for you to pray? What habit can you begin to be considerate of others? My prayer is we can give of ourselves to benefit others prayerfully and considerately. Amen.