Mother Teresa

I'm starting my first blog series. My blog series will be a reflection on the sayings of Mother Teresa. Recently I received a book called "The little book of Mother Teresa" by Sangeet Duchane. I have always had a fascination with Mother Teresa and the work that she did for the Lord and finally I have a book on her. Mother Teresa's dedication to God is inspiring and encouraging, she is my modern day hero.

This little book on her life has pictures and brief memories of how she became who she was. With each new chapter there is a saying and thus my reflection on her words.


The first of the series reads:

"It is easy to love the people far away. It is not always easy to love those close to us. It is easier to give a cup of rice to relieve hunger than to relieve the loneliness and pain of someone unloved in our own home. Bring love into your home, for this is where our love for each other must start."

As I read this my first thought was, "Oh I'm skipping this one..." And then the conviction came upon me and I realized why I wanted to skip this quote. It is all to easy to ignore the ones who live with us. I have two instances because I live in two places. I have my home in Joplin and my home in Oklahoma.

I have had a great home life. My parents have been married for 30 years and I was raised with morals and unconditional love. However, my brother Jacob and I have never really seen eye to eye. We have nothing in common and he is quiet. When he does talk it's about cars (to which I have no knowledge on). My brother was married when he was 21 and his wife and I do not get along. Well in the beginning at least. I was so mean to her. She was raised differently and she is pretty quiet herself and well, we just didn't "hit it off". These are the people that are hard for me to love. Why? Why is it hard for me to love my brother? If I can't love my own biological brother then how am I going to love others? I treat my friends and even strangers better than I treat my own family. THIS IS EMBARRASSING. But it's time for me to be called out! I have to confess, repent, and ask for forgiveness. I must bring love into my home. If I am not faithful in loving my family then I cannot be faithful to other people! I must love the unlovely, even if, it's my own brother.

This goes much further than love for me. It goes to me being a selfish, self-righteous, brat. I think that God really wanted me to be humbled by this and made aware of who I actually am towards my brother. I am not better than my brother. We are different but it's time to embrace it! Maybe learn about what he likes and call him once every couple of weeks. It's time to dive into a relationship with my family. It's time to embrace and love them in my own home.

I hope that you don't struggle with this. But I've looked at people's families and I've noticed that in most families there is always an outcast... someone who doesn't quite fit in. Look at your own life. Look at your family or the people you live with. Evaluate. Do you have love in your home?