This is a letter that was given to our granddaughter at age 20 when she was in her junior year at the University of Jacksonville.
Dear Alicia, Each time I see you I marvel at your progress in the development of your whole being. You were born with the good looks, but your personality development is of your own making, with help from your loving mother. Of course friends have a hand in this too, usually in a very subtle manner. Can you think how certain friends have influenced you, and what did this friendship give you or teach you? Based on experience with some friends, did you try to choose different kinds of friends after that? When you have been the recipient of someone else’s help, what was it like?
Personality is a reflection of a person’s inner makeup, unless it is faked as some are. Your personality reflects a moral being that is not just interested in herself alone, but wants to make a contribution to others. This is important as so many are self-centered, only thinking of themselves. We were put on this planet to learn to be the kind of person that Jesus welcomes. The fact that the majority fail to even realize this and much less live for it does not make its absence the right way to live. We are surrounded and constantly inundated with messages like “live today for all you can get out of it” This has a measure of usefulness, as we do need to make the most of each moment. We also do need to think of ourselves, but not just in what we can gain in material things. Most often this message is interpreted to mean that I must get everything that I can without regard for others. And we are in the “me first” generation but this is not the right way to live. Fortunately there are a many young people who will make a good impact on the world. What do you think about the present generation of people you know?
Many have given thought to WWJD, but far too few. They think that “if I have to do only What Jesus Would Do, I won’t have a fulfilling life”. “I want to do my thing, and never mind anything else”. Also -“What will my friends think if I get religious?” No one can live like Jesus, we all are imperfect and commit sins every day even if we try to live uprightly. But we can give thought to others, and treat them as we want to be treated. Also, by our lives, we can show by example what living for others can do for ourselves. This isn’t easy; and do I do this? No, but I try. Do you often consider WWJD?
Another question we really need to ask ourselves – “are we ready”. If our lives were to end today, are we ready to meet our maker? We all hope to live long lives but many things can cut it short. A car could hit me while on my bicycle, or my car could be broadsided by another car, these accidents happen every day, and they may not always happen to someone else. Freak lightning could strike, or I could fall and sustain fatal injuries. Am I ready? I think so, but this is not something I can answer except by faith. Being ready means that I have accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior, confessed my sins and asked for forgiveness, and then am trying to live the way I believe He wants me to. The reward for this will be eternal life with Him. And this is the ONLY way to we can gain a life everlasting in Heaven. Living a good life won’t cut it, but a good life does help with our life on this earth. Those who seem to live a selfish life and still get ahead can cause us to wonder if being upright is worth it. The Bible makes it clear that these people will be judged and punished.
But there is another reward that faith gives, and this while we are on this earth. It is a wonderful feeling of peace to know that Jesus thinks you are worthy. He loves to help you in everything you do. I get help every day with things beyond number. I can feel that the Holy Spirit is with me whenever I take a moment to talk to Him. Because of this, I have a desire to bring this message to others! Do I deserve His love and help? Certainly not, no one does and it cannot be earned, it is freely given to everyone out of His Grace. Two years ago, I knew none of this, but have learned much since through serious study of the Bible, and talks with other believers. Going to church has helped, and not the way some people think. It isn’t the sermons that spark this, no matter how uplifting they are. The value of church is the people that we meet and get to know. We get to share a bit of their faith and this reinforces our convictions. Participating in Bible study and other groups helps us to get acquainted and enables us to share our beliefs and experiences.
Another point that I had to learn is that everything on this earth was created by God. Therefore everything that we have, and everything that we are belongs to Him or was allowed by Him. What we call our possessions are just ours to use while we are here. They do not belong to us; we are just tenants of them. We had nothing when we were born and we will take nothing with us when we die. Thus we should not be selfish with what we have, or selfish with our abilities, personalities, skills or time but share freely with others. We have these through the Grace of God. Yes, we can maximize these through our own efforts, but these efforts were made possible and are enhanced by God. When I finally came to fully understand this, my view of life changed. I no longer covet our material possessions. Any desire to accumulate more solely for personal use no longer exists. Further, I try harder to share my time and skills with others as opportunities arise.
We should not get too proud of what we have accomplished as it would not have been possible without God’s help. We should never get the idea that God is blessing us because of our own merits. If our faith is strong we can take pride in that, but remember that it too is a gift of God and not something we deserve or earned. Also we should not look down on others – everyone was created by God, is loved by God and is equal under God. We should be quick to forgive anyone whom we believe has wronged us. We should never harbor a grudge as it doesn’t hurt the person but only hurts us.
As we grow up our friends become more important and more influential than our parents. This happened to me. I don’t think I ever told my mother or father that I loved them, although I did love them. I was only able to show this love after I matured and could do nice things for them. But my life was influenced by both parents, especially my mother. Even after she died I could still feel her presence and I believe she is still looking over me. Only until recently have I thought about WWJD seriously, but I often thought about what my mother or father would do. I know this helped build my character. I had some great friends while growing up, enjoyed them very much but none of them were available to me permanently. I can remember things in which they influenced me, and fortunately it was all for the better. A few so-called friends could have been a bad influence if I had allowed it. Choosing your friends is very important, as they will affect your life. Only friends that influence us in a positive way are worth having. All others just come in and go out of our lives and we have little to show for their presence, even if they are fun to be with.
Our choice of friends should not be happenstance, they should be because we are attracted to them because of their character, enjoy being with them, and are comfortable with them. Has your choice of friends always been the right choice? If we want to live a Christian life, we need to associate with others of the same mind as much as possible. We can’t rationalize that someone will change to suit us, it doesn’t work that way. And this is especially vital when considering a marriage partner! Religious beliefs did not play a big role in my choice for marriage, but I was totally impressed by Grandma’s character and this led to lasting love. Choosing Christian friends does not mean that you exclude all others from your life. We are called to bring the Word or God to others that cross our path. Just do not let them influence you toward non-Christian living.
I wish the love of Jesus to you Alicia, and that your life will be filled with love and happiness. I know that you have had some hard knocks but you have persevered, and you have the great love of your mother to sustain you, and others who love you. Remember also that whenever you go into a new challenge, you can trust God to help you if you ask. He won’t always do just what you ask, but He won’t let you face anything beyond your ability to cope with it. Your grandpa