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Niceness

The issue is not your niceness compared to someone else's. The real question is: "How much nicer would I be if I let God manage my niceness?"   Who's the Director?


Why do I need Christianity if I'm already a nice person?   

Niceness is not your gift to God, but God's gift to you.  Paradoxically, when we offer it back to God, then it begins to really be our own.  

[Tech note:  sin is not primarily desire for evil, but attempted independence from God.  It cost Him nothing to give us niceness, but to free us from self-management cost Him crucifixion.]

We can get caught up thinking God is asking us to prove ourselves before we get to him, but really he is inviting us to experience his love.  (E.g., wouldn't it be odd if if someone said: "you ought to consider getting married ", and the response was "Why? I'm a nice person. I've never killed anyone!")

LIfe in an invite to a love that is not flattened to mere niceness. It includes both soft encouragement and hard discipline, which together fulfill niceness and bring it to fullness.

Perfect Niceness and More

Seek not to take control, for that is My job.  It is only yours to carry out what I send you to do, not in your own power, for you are indeed powerless to carry out My tasks.  I need full surrender so I can make your life an offering to others. 

Let Me work in you.  Give Me just the smallest part of you and I can use that for I know where to go in you and make you a workable vessel for this Kingdom. 

Don’t think you need perfection for it is My perfection, My strength, My ability that can only work through a surrendered vessel. 

It is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.
John 14:10