Cinco de Mayo

Wow! is it really May 5th already!

The 5th of May is not Mexican Independence Day, but it should be! Mexico declared its independence from mother Spain on midnight, the 15th of September, 1810. And it took 11 years before the first Spanish soldiers were told and forced to leave Mexico.

So, why Cinco de Mayo? And why should Americans savor this day as well? Because 4,000 Mexican soldiers smashed the French and traitor Mexican army of 8,000 at Puebla, Mexico, 100 miles east of Mexico City on the morning of May 5, 1862.

Huh. For me, it has a different meaning.

Anyway, I was reading this morning in 1 John 4 (from the Message). And here is the take away for me:

20 If anyone boasts, "I love God," and goes right on hating his brother or sister, thinking nothing of it, he is a liar. If he won't love the person he can see, how can he love the God he can't see? 21 The command we have from Christ is blunt: Loving God includes loving people. You've got to love both.

How many times in life do we do this and not think anything of it. I found myself in a bad situation not too long ago. Now, we can debate the situation, how it was handled, and who is on who's side. But, i would rather look at my reaction to the situtation.

I was working with an individual, whom at one point i had great respect for. But things started to erode that confidence and things happened. I felt like God was saying enough. Move on.

But i allowed this to build up. I would talk to my "peeps" about it and it consumed my thoughts. It started to eat away at me and lets not forget -- God had already provided a different path. So, i let it hang out there. I confessed to God and apologize to those i dragged thru the mud with me on this. I am ready to move on. I pray someday God will allow me to reconcile that relationship.

So i ask -- if we are here to see people come to know Christ. And the way to do that is to develop relationships. Where are your relationships at? Where is God directly you to go and you do not? It is a hard path but the "right" one.

Later,
cc