For he draws up the drops of water; they distill his mist in rain, which the skies pour down and drop on mankind abundantly. Can anyone understand the spreading of the clouds, the thunderings of his pavilion? Job 36:27–29
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I was driving to Minter, Alabama, to visit a family in my shiny new gray Toyota Corolla with a black vinyl roof. They had given me directions: “Drive south on Hwy 41 until you reach a fork in the road. At the fork, turn left and go until you see a large oak tree on the left side of the road with an old car under it.” I followed their instructions, reached the tree, and turned left onto a dirt road. Bumping along, I came to a mud hole that stretched across the road. Seeing no way around it, I stopped, shifted into reverse, and started backing up. I didn’t want to drive my new car through that mud hole.
But then I heard my conscience ask, “Whose car is this?” Immediately, I remembered dedicating the car to God before I drove it off the lot at Selma Toyota. “Yours,” I replied. God then said, “If you use this car to take care of my people, I will take care of it.”
I shifted the gear into drive, splashed through the mud, and headed to the family’s house. I realized that my car was not to be for show but for service. With that Toyota, I took church members where they needed to go, carried building materials for the church renovation, taught young people how to drive, and did many other tasks. And God kept His word. With his blessing, I put over 270,000 miles on that car.
From then on, every time I have purchased a vehicle, I make sure to do two things before I leave the car lot: one, ensure my automobile insurance covers it; and two, dedicate it to God for His service. And God has blessed each vehicle. My current 2007 Ford F-150 has more than 370,000 miles, looks good, and is running well. God blesses what we give to him.
The lyrics from Diana Ross’ 1970 hit “Reach Out and Touch” are resonating with me today as I reflect on the state of the world. How can we contribute to making the world a better place? In the song, Ross offers valuable suggestions, and there are also various ways we can connect with and support our neighbors, as guided by principles found in the Bible. Each principle includes the words “one another.”
Thirty-One Things We Can Do for One Another
– Love one another (John 13:34 – This command occurs at least 16 times)
– Be devoted to one another (Romans 12:10)
– Honor one another above yourselves (Romans 12:10)
– Live in harmony with one another (Romans 12:16)
– Build up one another (Romans 14:19; 1 Thessalonians 5:11)
– Be like-minded towards one another (Romans 15:5)
– Accept one another (Romans 15:7)
– Admonish one another (Romans 15:14; Colossians 3:16)
– Greet one another (Romans 16:16)
– Care for one another (1 Corinthians 12:25)
– Serve one another (Galatians 5:13)
– Bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2)
– Forgive one another (Ephesians 4:2, 32; Colossians 3:13)
– Be patient with one another (Ephesians 4:2; Colossians 3:13)
– Speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15, 25)
– Be kind and compassionate to one another (Ephesians 4:32)
– Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (Ephesians 5:19)
– Submit to one another (Ephesians 5:21, 1 Peter 5:5)
– Consider others better than yourselves (Philippians 2:3)
– Look to the interests of one another (Philippians 2:4)
– Bear with one another (Colossians 3:13)
– Teach one another (Colossians 3:16)
– Comfort one another (1 Thessalonians 4:18)
– Encourage one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11)
– Exhort one another (Hebrews 3:13)
– Stir up [provoke, stimulate] one another to love and good works (Hebrews 10:24)
– Show hospitality to one another (1 Peter 4:9)
– Employ the gifts that God has given us for the benefit of one another (1 Peter 4:10)
– Clothe yourselves with humility towards one another (1 Peter 5:5)
– Pray for one another (James 5:16)
– Confess your faults to one another (James 5:16)
Six Things to Avoid Doing to One Another
– Do not lie to one another (Colossians 3:9)
– Stop passing judgment on one another (Romans 14:13)
– If you keep on biting and devouring each other . . . you’ll be destroyed by each other (Galatians 5:15)
– Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other (Galatians 5:26)
– Do not slander one another (James 4:11)
– Don’t grumble against each other (James 5:9)
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