 |
| Mr. Do Bee |
I’m dating myself here but, when I was a kid, one of the shows I would often watch was Romper Room. Targeting children five years of age and younger, Romper Room taught many important lessons in how to be polite and well-mannered. In a day when prayer was not shunned in school and public settings, the children on the show even said grace (“God is great, God is good. Let us thank Him for our food. Amen.). Boy, have things changed!
Romper Room featured two oversized bumblebee characters, Mr. Do Bee and Mr. Don’t Bee, who taught children the right and wrong things to do, like “Do bee a sidewalk player, don’t bee a street player.” A Do Bee was someone who was cheerful and polite, while a Don’t Bee was grouchy. These were important lessons for children to learn.
In Romans, chapter 12, Paul gives us a list of things that we, as followers of Christ, should and should not do. They are things that are considered the marks of a good Christian. As Christians, the love we show to others should be sincere or genuine. We should not just pretend to love others, but truly love them. We should shun things that are evil, but cling to things that are good (Romans 9:9). We should not be lazy, but work hard, serving the Lord with enthusiasm (Romans 9:11). Rather than cursing those who persecute us, we should bless them, even praying that God will bless them (Romans 9:14).
We should live in harmony with others and never consider ourselves better than others (Romans 9:16). Evil should never be repaid with evil. Instead, we must look to do that which is good and honorable (Romans 9:17). When someone has hurt or wronged us, we should never seek vengeance, but pay them back with good. Vengeance should belong to the Lord and He alone will repay those who are evil (Romans 9:19). We should never let ourselves be overcome or conquered by evil, but we should overcome or conquer evil with good (Romans 9:21).
A true Christian is he who rejoices in hope, is patient through troubles, and is constant in prayer (Romans 9:12). He rejoices with those who rejoice and mourns with those who mourn (Romans 9:15). He loves his neighbor in the same way that he loves himself and, above all, he loves the Lord with his whole heart, soul, mind, and strength (Matthew 22:37-39). This is the type of Christian we all should strive to be.
A Worshiper's Journal 