from the mouths of babes, to ONE ANOTHER.......

I was reading another blog today, that was discussing the fact that the most important 'job' we moms have is NOT to make sure our kids do all the right things (piano, Awana, etc)....but our job IS to introduce them to Jesus and spend time talking to them about Him. I stopped to think "have I done that enough? Have I done that this week?".
Then I remembered a conversation I had with my younger girls yesterday. My 13 year old (who has wisdom beyond her years) had been on the phone with a friend. I was listening to her side of the conversation, and heard things like this:
"NO, you can't do that, you need to respect yourself more than that". And, "our behavior is supposed to honor God, and that does not honor God when you do that". And, "You are being ridiculous and not listening to me. If you can't listen to my advice then don't ask for it".
I thought to myself "uh oh, I have rubbed off on her. She sounds like a mini-counselor (although that last statement could have been a bit less harsh, lol!)!". She hung up, and I asked her what was going on. She said her friend was having a bad week and threatening to join some peers in smoking pot. My daughter was adamantly against that idea (whew) and tried her hardest to convince her friend what a bad idea that is. Then my daughter got quiet for a minute, and finally said "Mom!! I am turning in to YOU!""I am treating my friend like I am her COUNSELOR!".
I got a kick out of that, because she is right. But then I realized that we should ALL be treating our friends like we are their counselor (and vice versa). It's Biblical! We are not to sit back and watch our fellow brothers and sisters in the Lord sin. We are to admonish, reprove, confront. We are called to LOVE ONE ANOTHER, and we can't be loving if we are watching our brother (or sister) disobey the Lord. Below is a great list of verses that are the 'one anothers' that we are called to follow towards one another! Use it as a checklist of sorts, and see if you are being a good 'counselor' to others!

1. Romans 12:10 - Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.
2. Romans 12:16 - Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
3. Romans 13:8 - Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.
4. Romans 14:13 -Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way.
5. Romans 15:7 -Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
6. Romans 16:16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ send greetings.
7. 1 Corinthians 1:10 - I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.
8. 1 Corinthians 16:20 -All the brothers here send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss.
9. 2 Corinthians 13:12 - Greet one another with a holy kiss.
10. Galatians 5:13 - You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature ; rather, serve one another in love.
11. Ephesians 4:2 - Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
12. Ephesians 4:32 - Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
13. Ephesians 5:19 - Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord,
14. Ephesians 5:21 - Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
15. Colossians 3:13 - Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
16. Colossians 3:16 - Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
17. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 - Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
18. Titus 3:3 - At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.
19. Hebrews 3:13 - But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.
20. Hebrews 10:24 - And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.
21. Hebrews 10:25 - Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
22. James 4:11 - Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it.
23. 1 Peter 1:22 - Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.
24. 1 Peter 3:8 - Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.
25. 1 Peter 4:9 - Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.
26. 1 Peter 5:5 - Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."
27. 1 Peter 5:14 - Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ.
28. 1 John 1:7 - But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
29. 1 John 3:11 - This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.
30. 1 John 3:23 - And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.
31. 1 John 4:7 - Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.
32. 1 John 4:11 - Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
33. 1 John 4:12 - No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
34. 2 John 1:5 - And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another.