Arrogance or Obedience

So I've been working this one through in my head for the last little while, and although it's still being worked through I thought I'd work it out a little on here.

There is a belief out there that when Christians say they are ... that they are being arrogant. A couple examples of this - humanitarian, caring, law abiding ... as we go on you can put others in there and test what I am thinking. The thought behind the arrogant comment would be that it is an arrogant thought to think that only Christians can be loving, caring, giving ... so please let me make sure I get this across, I don't believe that only Christians are the ones doing this and unfortunately I would agree that many of those who practice other religions and those who claim there is no God put us to shame at times in these areas, but this doesn't mean much to the whole discussion to me.
My view of this is one of obedience. When I call this a Christian thing, I say it believing that God does exist and that He created everyone of us. Through time God laid out many guidelines to live by, and suggestions of the best way to live life for God to the fullest. A very practical example of this to me is murdering, or stealing - God laid out that these things were wrong, and this world lives by this and agrees with it. They may say that they do it cause that is the way to treat people, but God the one who created us, created that in us. To me all these things fall into the same category. I'm not a humanitarian cause thats what humans do, I don't love and care for people of this world because it's the good thing to do - we should care for others who need it. I do this because God created me to do so. You can try to separate the 2 if you want, but to me why would we as humans take credit for something that an eternal, all-knowing; all-powerful God did. If we are honest deep down there is likely just as much inside of us that drives us to do the opposite - to take from others, to make our life better. Our sin nature kicks in, and in spite of that even those that don't claim there to be a God, act in the path that Jesus did while on this earth.

It is no surprise to me that everyone no matter what their beliefs find joy and fulfillment in doing a lot of these things - God created us to do so, he promised joy, and blessings for those who do these things - too bad so many Christians only seek and want the physical blessings of monetary things instead of just accepting what God had in mind at that time.

Interesting Bumper Sticker

So I was driving the other day and saw this bumper sticker - not the first time I saw it, but it has been a while and I found it as funny as ever.

A New Day

Well God has taken us on quite the journey with all the different children that have come through our home. As I look back there are lots a great times, lots of hard times, lots of things we don't totally understand - but one thing surrounds all of that - God lead us on this path and He has always been with us through it. Today was one of the happier days, we signed the final papers to adopt our son. It's as the title suggests a new day for us, a new life in a way. Although Nathan has lived with us for over a year now, and in our hearts he has been ours since he walked through that door with curly hair and looking ever so pudgy - there is a relief after having to see kids go and knowing that he won't. There is a moment where you for a second go wow ... this is forever now, a lot I'm guessing like when people find out the are pregnant. But this wow isn't a worryness but for us a wow of what God has done. Nathan means "gift of God" and at a time of uncertainty he was surely that - a gift from God to us and that mindset has never changed over the past year.

It's so cool to me to be able to sit back now, and see this and now be excited what other "New days" God has in store.