We each have a story like no other!

 

We each have a story like no other! Will you be like Jesus, Joseph, Jacob, Paul, John, Mary, St. Mother Teresa, Daniel, etc. or like Castro, Hitler, Mao Zedong, Saddam Hussein, Caligula, Herod, Nero, Mussolini, Ivan the Terrible, Lenin, Franco, Pinochet, etc.? How will you go down in history in this world? Good or bad? Upright and holy or a violent hater and dictator/mean spirited? We all have choices in life. Some pursuit power, others do not. Some abuse power. I have often heard many times that the people who do not seek power are the ones who should have it and are better with it than the ones who do seek it and who almost always tend to abuse it.  We have all heard of stories about each of these ruthless leaders, Castro, Hitler, Mao Zedong, Saddam Hussein, Caligula, Herod, Nero, Mussolini, Ivan the Terrible, Lenin, Franco, Pinochet,  how they abused their power, were corrupt, killed people, were dictators, and enslaved their people, just did so many evil and wicked things. Healthy people have no need for power over other people; they don't enjoy it, they don't want it, and they will use it only when there is some factual need in the situation for it." [Abraham Maslow]. Today we see some really wonderful people doing wonderful things for our cities, state, country, and world. They care. They do not care about ego or are not vain. Jesus really should be our number one role model to follow. God gave Him to us as our model and example of how to live. We are called to follow, reflect, forgive, imitate, and love like Him. I love the story of Joseph in the Bible, in Genesis, Joseph although mistreated by his brothers, trusted in the Lord, he didn't seek revenge and when he obtained power, he did it for good, even to his own family who mistreated him, he forgave them. The other Joseph in the Bible is also a role model for us, he trusted God to take Mary as his wife and be a father for Jesus, he was guided by God, he cared. Mary did too, as she accepted her mission for her life to bring Jesus into this world. They really are all the Holy Family. Most of other others I mentioned above were all good people, but with imperfections like all of us. Like Paul, he persecuted Jesus initially, and had conversion to by one of the most powerful disciples for Jesus Christ. Jacob also has his imperfections, but he changed, he trusted in God and became a good person after being a swindler, he lived a long life, he changed and became better. Daniel had faith! St. Mother Teresa was love in action with all she did. There are so many in the Bible, they all had a story, so many of them made a difference and did it with love, they cared. Like that of today, I think our current President cares, he may have a bit of an ego and some are turned off by him, but he cares, he wants the best for our country and to restore law and order and respect for all. I have noticed so many are so full of so much hate today, some have TDS, a hate I just never could understand. My mother never let me harbor hate, and I do not know or understand that at all. I was blessed to be raised Catholic and to know Jesus. Even today I have seen ministers, priests, ex-nuns, people in religious roles, but who seem to harbor hate, they have become deranged and allow such hate to make it so noticeable to others whether they know it or not. I pray for all haters. I know in my work when, especially the past few recent years, I saw so much envy, jealousy, insecurities, they never liked my success in publishing and teaching, I accomplished a lot and won many awards. I cared and loved my students so much, but I was not treated very nicely when I retired after working at my university for almost 30 years, it was sad and hard to experience. But I just need to think about Joseph and how unfairly he was treated, but God prevails and raises us up to overcome such injustice often over hate, jealousy, envy, and insecurities.  Now I use my life after my career in retirement to be a disciple for Christ, to write this blog and bring more people to Jesus, to know Him, to follow Him, to trust Him, and love like Him! Do we want to be known for making a difference in this life or to be known as an evil and wicked person like some I have mentioned above. Today we have some real evil leaders and people out there, some are Narco leaders who have killed people, yet are presidents of their countries, others are corrupt and committed fraud and are presidents. Some have murdered others and held their people in slavery. Some may have acted inappropriately at work, hurting others, holding them back, being jealous, envious, or letting their insecurities hurt others. What will be your story in the end? Will it be of a good person like Mary or Jesus? Or any of the evil mentioned above? We can make a difference either way. How will you live your life? We are not perfect, but we are called to be holy, to be like Jesus, will you? 

Can you do a timeline of your life? Is it like that of Jesus?