Category: Pondering God’s Word

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What to Do?

Yesterday my head was full of what should I do thoughts regarding a couple of situations.  Feeling confused and knowing I couldn’t see into the future, I did the only thing that made sense to me.  I put my Bible in my hands and reached out to the Lord.  Now, this is not something I do on a regular basis, but I asked Him to show me the answer and then I just let my Bible fall open.

My attention was immediately piqued.  I had opened to Proverbs 22.  Sometimes when I don’t have a specific book or chapter that I’m in the middle of, I will read the chapter of Proverbs that matches the day of the month.  And there I was on the 22nd of the month looking at the 22nd chapter of Proverbs.

Did I get a specific answer to my what should I do thoughts?  No.  It was better than that.  I received an answer to ALL the what should I do thoughts I’ll ever have.

“A sensible person sees danger and takes cover, but the inexperienced keep going and are punished.”   Proverbs 22:3

In other words, the one who has good sense and sound judgment is able to view her life as a spectator rather than just as a participant.    She pays attention to all of her experiences and doesn’t fall into destructive cycles!

She has sharp judgment in practical matters and realizes that she is more than simply an unwitting person living her life.  She is aware and conscious rather than ignorant and oblivious.  She has her eyes wide open and is not blindly making her way through her days and weeks and years.

She is partaking in her life, looking where she is going, and is aware of what is around her.  All of this gives her the necessary information to help her make sound decisions about where she is headed.  She is attending her life and participating in her life all at the same time.

Because her eyes are open, she sees the evil, misery, and distress that approach her and she hides from it.  She removes herself from anything that will bring destruction, corruption, grief, worry, heartache, shame, and anxiety.  And instead, she is looking for what will add righteousness, goodness, hopefulness, calmness, blessing, joy, peace, and contentment to her life.

As I continued throughout the day mulling over my options regarding those situations I mentioned, I realized that my prior experiences in life had given me the wisdom needed to make the necessary decisions that would help me avoid having to take cover down the road.

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Paint By Numbers

We all have gifts.  We don’t all have the same gifts.  I can sew, knit, crochet, bake, and write.  And I can use those gifts to serve others.  Or I can use those gifts simply for my own enjoyment.

“Each one of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”  1 Peter 4:10

If we all are using our gifts to serve others, it is like a paint by numbers coming to completion.  But if, say, #3, #8, #16 and #18 don’t get painted, there are empty places in the beautiful picture.  The picture ends up being confusing.  Undone.  Lacking.  Anyone looking at it would likely be more drawn to the flaws than to the gorgeous shades and hues.

I don’t want to be a dry paintbrush next to an unopened container of paint.  I want to be part of the beautiful picture of God’s grace and love being poured out on others.

There is a big world out there filled with believers.  What sort of picture are we painting of God’s love for the world?  Is it full of empty spots that are causing those who look at us as the Body of Christ to be lacking in love and help for the hurting?  Or is it a grand masterpiece allowing people to see and experience Jesus through our hands, feet, mouths, and thoughts….. the very things we do?

 

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Wings

Today I felt like I was completely at the bottom. From the moment I woke up, it had a grip on me. I couldn’t find any energy, and I couldn’t find a reason to even have energy. It actually felt as though forcing myself to take the next breath and each breath after that was the only thing keeping me on this side of sanity.

As I fought my way through the day, it occurred to me that feeling this way – like I was hitting the bottom – should feel like the ultimate comfort. For you are no longer hovering or floating and having to sustain your place in thin air. But it didn’t. It was dark and scary. Everything seemed futile. My bones practically ached from the heaviness of it. From the bottom looking up, it seemed as though getting out of the pit would take a herculean effort.

Then I remembered that the wings of God are mentioned in the Bible as a sheltering place. A place of comfort, strength, and safety.

“Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in you, and in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge until these calamities have passed by.” Psalm 57:1

“How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings.” Psalm 36:7

Although I wish it wouldn’t have taken me half a day to reach for my Bible, I was flooded with peace as I read through both of these verses. I don’t have to do my life alone. I’m not meant to suffer through the blues alone. And, most importantly of all, I don’t need to have it all together before I reach out to God. He will lift me up and shelter me in His wings.

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Curative Capacity

Swords can cause physical bleeding, pain, scars, loss of limb, and death.  They are sharp. Cutting.  Extremely painful.  They require training and practice to be used properly and effectively with precision, aim, and strength.  They are used defensively and offensively. They save lives.  They end lives.
 
Words also can cause emotional bleeding, pain, scars, loss of limb, and death. The bleeding of a heart that is breaking, the pain from a searing comment, the scars of verbal abuse, the loss of trust, and the end of a relationship are all the result of words.  And words, just like swords, are used defensively and offensively saving lives and ending lives.
 
We use them every day.  But are we thinking about what happens because of our precision and our aim? Anyone who has been stabbed by a sword requires medical attention. And anyone who has been wounded by words suffers from a loss of well-being, strength, and wholeness, and needs to be covered with a soothing balm.

There are lots and lots of walking wounded all around us.  They have been the unfortunate recipient of some piercing words that have caused damage and pain.  The wounds are not visible to the eye like a bleeding cut or a missing arm.  But they are still there.  They show up as depression, anger, fear, unreasonableness, rudeness, isolation, sullenness, addictions, hopelessness, etc.  The list of symptoms is quite long and is often misinterpreted.

It’s time to become healers instead of word-wielding terrorists.  Instead of using judgment as the aim, use compassion. Look around.  Start identifying wounds and administering healing remedies with words of kindness, gentleness, and grace.  And you can know that you have  been a curative force in someone’s life.

“There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword,
But the tongue of the wise promotes health.”

Proverbs 12:18

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Inside Out

“Do not let your adornment be merely outward — arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel — rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.” 1 Peter 3:3,4

In other words, don’t just spend time trying to look good on the outside.  Work on the inside — the place nobody but God sees.  Make it a point to be adorned with a mild, gentle, tranquil, and peaceful spirit.  This is of great value and is very precious in God’s eyes.  After all, He’s not giving me a thumb’s up for what I look like.  It’s the inside that matters.

All the makeup, hairstyles, clothes, jewelry, hair color, anti-wrinkle creams, shoes, and purses are really not much more than decorations.  This made me think of Christmas trees!  All the decorations hanging on them do nothing to make that tree be a tree.  They just temporarily give the tree some unnatural character.  Character that has absolutely nothing to do with the tree.

They don’t enhance the tree or make the tree more tree-like.  In fact, all the decorations take away from the tree and the tree itself is not noticed anymore.  Sometimes branches get damaged or broken, and eventually the tree just ends up dying because it’s been uprooted to be the center of attention.
That’s how all my “outward adornment” (decorations) work too.  They end up hiding my inner self.  They damage me because I begin to place more emphasis on all of that than on who I am on the inside.  The adornments have nothing to do with having a gentle and quiet spirit.  They’re all temporary.  Fashions change.  Hair grows out.  Color fades.  Skin loses its elasticity and gets wrinkles.
My spirit , on the other hand,  is eternal.

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