Have you made the effort to branch out today? Have you made the effort to forgive and try to move forward with someone you've had "differences" with in the past? Have you made the effort to really get to know someone you don't know already? Have you made the effort lately to turn the other cheek? Have you made any of these efforts? 

If you're like me, sometimes its hard to "branch out" and do just these things. Satan gets in our minds and tells us we don't have to. We dont have to be kind, we dont have to lift eachother up, we dont have to turn the other cheek. When really, its just the opposite of that. Our God is the ultimate forgiver, he is the ultimate cheek turner, and the ultimate friend. He is always there for us, he never lets us down, he is quick to forgive, he is ever so merciful. He is the ultimate example of how we should live and love eachother. He clearly tells us we should ALWAYS do all of these things - but why don't we live it out?

It can't get any clearer than this:

LUKE 6:36  "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful."

COLOSSIANS 3:12-13  "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe 
yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you."



This topic has really been heavy on my heart lately and I can't NOT share it. Tonight just felt like the perfect time to encourage everyone to make the effort with others. It definitely isn't an easy thing to do but that should not be our excuse. Jesus didn't have it easy and didn't take the easy way out of things. He stood for truth and did just as his Father commanded. So, with that, I encourage all of us, myself included to do just as our Father commands us and branch out to someone else. You never know how you might bless someone or how you might be blessed by being the bigger guy and making the effort. 

Ready, Set, Go...Make That Effort!