We should tune out the noise of chaos around us and focus on loving like Jesus. #theloriclineshow Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   Is it time to hit the MUTE button? Things are getting pretty loud and there are so many voices vying for our attention, demanding not only that we listen, but also that we agree with their message and get loud as well. Don’t add to the noise. You can hit mute. Did you know that? You have the ability to silence the noise. Isn’t it crazy though, how sometimes we simply get used to the noise? After a while we don’t even realize how loud it actually is. My family was at the beach this summer and the condo we were in was right beside a building where they were pressure washing the outside every morning. While it was loud, it didn’t stop me from having my morning coffee and quiet time out on our balcony overlooking the ocean. It sort of became ‘white noise’ in a way and I actually got used to it. Then they would stop for the day. Only then did I realize how loud it actually was and how quiet it could be. In a moment, I could once again hear the waves. It’s only when we silence the noise around us that we can fully appreciate the absence of it because then we realize how loud it actually was! What happens is we get used to the noise. We don’t have to. I love reading in the gospels how Jesus handled the pressure and noise of a crowd. At different times He would meet them, teach them, feed them, heal them, escape them and other times he would send them away. He made time to silence the noise to hear only the voice of the Father. Whether he went to the desert, up a mountain, into the hills or to the garden, he would intentionally quiet the noise. Mark 1:35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. This was Jesus’ routine. He made time to quiet the noise. He didn’t run from it or never enter back into it, but he demonstrates for us the importance of preparing our hearts for it. If the noise of the crowds and the great needs of their hearts and lives were draining to Jesus, no wonder the same noise and needs of the world we encounter today can drain us as well. We get exhausted and worn out. Like Jesus, we must make time to hit mute and find a quiet place to be still and know He is God. We find rest for our soul each day when we do that. That quiet rest and fellowship with the Father is what prepares us and strengthens us to be the light of the world Jesus calls us to be. We can’t do that hiding out, no, we have to let our light shine. Is it possible to let our light shine without adding TO the noise? Let’s look at the heart of Jesus. Matthew 9:36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Jesus didn’t focus on the noise of the crowd, he focused on their great need for a savior. When we have the heart of Jesus, we’ll see those around us in the same way. We’ll have compassion, even in the midst of all the noise and our hearts will be prepared to listen and love them right where they are. That’s the truth. Hit mute. Silence the noise, don’t add to it. You’ll love more like Jesus. You’ll be patient, kind, slow to anger, refusing to dishonor others or delight in evil. That kind of love flows only from quiet time with the Father. It’s FULL of compassion and it is the only thing that can light up the darkness and bring quiet rest to the soul. I’m Lori Cline.