Holiness and Love

The Christian really has a double task. He has to practice both God's holiness and God's love. The Christian is to exhibit that God exists as the infinite-personal God; and then he is to exhibit simultaneously God's character of holiness and love.

Not his holiness without his love: that is only harshness. Not his love without his holiness: that is only compromise.

- Mark of a Christian, by Francis A. Schaeffer

Dear family, :)

When I read this, I froze for a bit and then started thinking of all the times I've skipped from one extreme to another.

There are times when I've gotten angry for a person's behavior when I feel it doesn't please the Lord and I've lashed out without love.

There are times when though I'm clear that a person is doing something that is offensive to the Lord, but out of fear of confrontation and afraid of upsetting the relationship, I've refrained from saying anything. Or even when I do, I dare not really make my point, but hide it behind softer words.

And of course there are times when my behavior exhibits neither holiness nor love, driven only by my own wounded pride or flawed expectations.

I think I'm going to have a mental checklist for myself to evaluate conflicts/unhappiness that arise, to make sure that for each situation, I will respond both in holiness and in love, so that I can be an honest reflection of my Lord.

Please keep me accountable and let me know when you feel that I haven't responded in a Godly way to things/situations. Thanks, dearies!