A Supernatural Heart

Our youngest threw a clump of weeds into the pile, sprinkling me with soil in the process. It was the most he'd done in the past fifteen minutes. I'm gonna take these cutters back to the car, he offered. I sighed and gave him the go-ahead. For the first hour, he'd worked hard at this project, but he was fading fast; his half-hearted efforts were, in some ways, making the work go more slowly. His walk to the car would do us both some good.  

In 1 Kings 2, Solomon, newly appointed king over Israel begins to clean house, taking care of unfinished business from his father's reign. He even has his half-brother, Adonijah killed! See, Adonijah had made himself a threat to the throne (1 Kings 1) when King David, was alive. With David gone and Solomon sort of still learning the ropes, Adonijah decides to make another pass at royalty. He goes to Solomon's mother --Who can refuse dear old Mom? --and not so subtly tries to shame her into admitting he was robbed of his title and that she had something to do with it. He wants one of David's concubines. Sadly, women were like currency in those days, and having one of a legendary king's concubines --his father's, no less --was like having the throne itself. Could there be a more entertaining way of taking the throne? But Bathsheba was loyal to Solomon and Solomon was savvy. Adonijah was not about to settle down and quietly accept his half-brother's reign. Something had to be done. 

Not Solomon's only act of retribution. There was another guy, Shimei. He had wrongfully cursed King David, and when David's men wanted to put a stop to it right there and then, David wouldn't allow it. Later, Shimei apologized and David continued to show him mercy. So, why Solomon? Why now? Well, it seems Shimei, like Adonijah, never really gave his heart to the idea of serving anyone besides himself. David had vowed not to kill him, but insolence must be addressed. Solomon achieved that by placing Shimei on "house arrest." When Shimei chose retrieving his slaves over compliance, Solomon was forced to employ the agreed upon consequence, death. Adonijah, it seems, was merely biding his time until he could safely (he thought) make his move. Shimei was toeing the line until that grew tedious and the idea of losing something in addition to his freedom became intolerable. Neither was committed to serving a king, particularly a king with whom they did not agree. Divided loyalty and half-hearted service can, at best, make the job an uphill battle; at worst, it can lead to a loss of life. Full disclosure: I don't always agree with our President. I didn't always agree with my boss. I don't always agree with law enforcement. I don't always agree with my husband. And I don't always agree with Jesus. Service to a king, obedience even in the face of disagreement is typically not in accordance with our nature. So, what is a citizen of the Kingdom of God to do?! 

Praise God, we have a glorious advantage not had by those of old: the indwelling of the Holy Spirit! As we participate in our relationship with Jesus, talking to Him, reading the Scriptures, obeying, fellowshipping with other believers, faithfully enduring difficulties, the Holy Spirit ministers to us; supplying all we need and transforming our nature in ways we cannot do by our own efforts. Our cooperation with the Holy Spirit's work unites our heart and brings our desires, our thoughts, and our behavior into alignment with God's plan for His Kingdom. Not half-heartedness --integrity! A supernatural standard for a supernatural Kingdom that can only be achieved by supernatural Power. It is the grace of God that we need to become people of integrity, serving even when we want to be king, obeying even when the things important to us are at stake.

We've got a couple more service projects scheduled for the summer. Maybe our young son will work hard; maybe he'll be more interested in exploring a new environment. But it is my prayer that, no matter his choice, my response to it will be one of a Kingdom citizen, patient, loving, and demonstrating to him the character of the King I serve. With whole-heartedness and integrity.  

Midweek: A More Practical Love

"I'm going to walk up and get more blades," my husband said on his way out the back door. Now, by "walk up" I thought he meant to the top part of our yard. But, as I was preparing to head to the basement for the laundry, my brain snapped: His truck is parked on the next street! He was walking up a relatively steep incline to the next block in 100+ degree temps with sauna-like humidity --and he has breathing issues. I postponed my trip to the basement until I saw him coming back through our gate, juuuuust in case.

This is not the way our relationship used to look. At one time, Scott was on the road for days. We'd talk when he was driving or go for hours hearing nothing from one another as we each went about our day. I'd stay up crazy hours, hoping to squeeze in a conversation before I went to work. His next job had him leaving the house in the early morning with little more than a hasty peck from me as I dug right into my daily responsibilities. In the evening he'd return to a quick rundown of the day's events, and I'd head off to catch a few hours of sleep before I went to work. "Two ships" we were, but we kept on passing. We rarely gave one another's abilities a second thought. She is healthy. He is strong. And it's not that either of us is critically sick or disabled. But we have had "those scares" and we know that sharing many birthdays together has benefits and consequences. Time doesn't pass in this world without entropy. So, now, in this season of our relationship, we are a bit more intentional about keeping watch. We're a little less hasty in our encouragement. Maybe you should wait until the weather cools to start that outdoor project. Maybe you should get some help before you lift that. Wellbeing is a goal instead of an expectation. 

I like to tell myself this is wisdom and not fear. I like to tell myself that we are savoring time instead of trying to fill it with doing. I hope those things are true. But one thing I know, this change in our relationship is bittersweet. We talk a little more about things like death and grief. That is the bitter. But in so doing, we are filled with gratitude that we have one another, that God has given us so much and watched over us even through our foolishness; we have wonderful family and friends, terrific memories, and we are still very capable of serving our God and others with vim and vigor! That is the sweet. And that is marriage --any relationship, really. The bitter and the sweet. The better and the worse. The richer and the poorer. The sickness and the health. The "watching out for" that was once an unspoken hope or expectation of wellbeing, but in time has become an intentional pursuit. Not the climax of a Hallmark movie, for sure, but a deepening and maturation of love. Love grows. Deep and wide. 

Our youngest was talking about his love for me the other day. "I can love you more," he claimed, "because I have fewer people to love. I don't have to spread it out." And while I could appreciate his reasoning if we had been discussing peanut butter or LEGOs, through loving Jesus, who so infinitely, perfectly loves me, I can love others deep and wide. In loving my husband for years, in difficult seasons, and at times when all I could do was wait for an answer to the question, How can I love him right now? --and being loved so well by this man! --in loving the one human being to whom God has joined me in such a manner, love in me has expanded beyond my wildest dreams. Jesus in the midst of our love has enabled both of us to love one another. He has enabled us to change and grow with that love. He has strengthened our love, preparing us for seasons that might just be a little less carefree and a little more practical. He has multiplied that love. And though our relationship has changed in its appearance, it has not changed in its purposes. To love and care for one another. To be loved and cared for. And to spread that love to others. 

Even when it's as unromantic (but still with as much care) as making sure one of us doesn't die in this heat!  

Tethered

As I was packing for a romantic little getaway a while back, I thought it best I try on the dress I was planning to wear for dinner one night. It fit better than the day I bought it! If I'm being candid, I gave myself something of a pat on the back. All my walking was paying off! I wasn't always satisfied with my physical appearance. I told myself I was just trying to be healthy, but my habits were far from healthy, and my idea of health was designed around what I saw on the cover of fashion magazines. I was ashamed of the body God had given me. Anger and intolerance masked the fear and insecurity I felt. I thought walls made of coarse language and brutality toward others would protect the very lonely, very vulnerable person in me. Not until I joined my life to Christ, did I begin to enjoy and appreciate the resources He has given me. The world's standards for beauty and femininity are generally not God's; they are not what I should seek and, therefore, not a source of condemnation. Society doesn't determine my worth. The transformation God's Spirit has begun in my heart has transformed my behavior as well: I am not threatened by comparison and provoked to protect or defend who God has made me to be. Sadly, I think we're seeing a lot of that defensive behavior today. 

Modern psychology teaches human beings respond to threats (real or imagined) in one of four ways:

•     Fight: Confronting extreme stress or danger boldly and with aggression
•     Flight: Removing oneself from the danger or stressful situation
•     Freeze: Remaining static in the face of danger; a physical or even mental paralysis
•     Fawn: Pleasing or mollifying the source of the threat in order to end or avoid the threat

Fight was my preferred response to a threatening world. And it doesn't take but a few minutes on the internet to see I wasn't alone. Anger, rage, defiance, and uber-entitlement explode into vulgar outbursts and violence toward others. Fight! People --women in particular --are so angry! Crassness is the shield powerless women carry. Hate is the armor worn by the terrified. The "go-to" of women's empowerment is not only to abandon femininity, but pervert it and denigrate it, make a mockery of it altogether. But who benefits from this? Do women actually become empowered? No. By eliminating femininity, by telling women they can be everything men are, a lie is propagated and women are erased, stuck between hating who God made them to be and knowing they are failing to meet society's expectations. What a terrifying place to be!    

And it's not only women. All of Western society has championed a "make-up-your-own-morality" way of life. There is no single standard, no set truth. How does a group of people survive, much less thrive cohesively, without a single standard? All of society remains untethered to a proprietary pole and, therefore, untethered to, not in community with one another. We cannot be an "us" without commonality. Each individual is spending their lives trying to figure out their own morality, their own standards of behavior and character. How can they possibly bear the burden of developing the same for their family? for their community? for the world? Not only are we not on the same page, but our own personal pages are being edited and recollated day after day. What's the old bumper sticker? Don't follow me; I'm lost too! This lack of a single standard, this untethering from anything eternal, consistent, and larger than we are is the threat. It may be sold as freedom, but it is the greatest lie, the greatest source of fear and uncertainty, of instability there is! And what does the caged dog do when threatened? It lashes out. Humanity, masculinity, femininity is threatened. On a most basic level, we no longer choose to accept who God has made us to be, male and female. We don't celebrate His creation; we loathe it, in each other, in ourselves. This is what is sending us into such a rage, into such a tumultuous, hypocritical, frenetic state of mind. The world is a fearsome place! Fearsome to women and fearsome to men. Fight!

But it is easier to tear down; to rage rather than reconcile. It is within us all to react when we experience vulnerability. The key to a better society is to be different, to act in a manner that goes against our sinful, corrupted nature; to stand outside our feelings and seek a more perfect benchmark for our conduct; to trust our identity to Someone greater than ourselves. Truth can save us; Jesus is our Hope. It is time for His people to pray for those who have believed a lie (as we once did); to carry the truth of Jesus to the ends of the earth and make disciples for His glory; to live a life that entices others to worship Him; to serve Him, seek Him, and deny our own desires. When we are bound --tethered --to Jesus, our identity is clarified and our eternity is made sure. We can beat our swords into plowshares, and our spears into pruning hooks (Micah 4:3) because we serve the King over all kings. The fight is His and we are truly free! 

It Ain't Over 'til It's Over!

Aaaah, summer break! No more pencils; no more books; no more teachers' dirty looks! No more alarm clock! No more mystery meat in the school caf! No mo-- Brakes screech. Record scratch. We're at the beginning of July, and there are only eight weeks remaining! That's right, summer ain't forever. And for all of you 2026 graduates --I hate to be the bearer of bad news --neither is the wave you've been riding. There's college or career, interviews and bills and obligations and upgrades and... Well, it really never ends. That is, not until the fat lady sings. And while, in the rat race that is American society, that might be a discouraging word, in light of eternity, in light of one's opportunity to surrender to Jesus and serve Him in bringing glory to God, that is great news!

Take King Saul, the first king of Israel. Tall, handsome, and for a time, obedient to God. But once he got comfortable with his own authority, he began to show his true colors; once he defied God's orders, he became pretty good at it. For many years, God gave Samuel to Saul, a prophet to lead the king and correct him when he veered from the course of God's righteous way. Saul was given the shepherd, David, to soothe his spirit through the playing of music. Saul's son, Jonathan. was a faithful follower of God's commands. Saul had opportunity after opportunity; yet he rejected the Lord. In Samuel's final words to Saul (1 Samuel 28:16-19), Samuel asked the king, So why do you ask me, seeing the Lord has departed from you and has become your enemy? That was the choice Saul had made. Yet, God allowed Saul to hear these words when he sought counsel from a witch in Endor. I don't want to get too far off track with regard to the hows of Samuel's appearance to Saul, but suffice to say, this was the mercy of God. If Saul had repented right then and there, would his relationship have been restored? I tend to believe it would have been. Speaking solely from human experience, when one of our children has defied our wishes (or sound advice), when the child's heart is set on following after his/her own way, we stop speaking. Fool around, find out, as they say. You have been warned, and you have chosen. But God did not stop speaking to Saul. I'm not saying the consequences would have been removed: the kingdom had been ripped from Saul's hands and given to David. But I do believe God would have honored Saul's repentance just the same; Saul could have died unburdened by sin and at peace with his Creator, rather than in torment.   

God is no respecter of persons. We all have opportunity to repent; the first repentance, recognizing our inability to save ourselves from the condemnation we are due, and every repentance thereafter. As I look back through some of my old journals, I see God's mercy in speaking to me again and again about areas in which I struggle. I don't mean these are sins I regularly commit out of refusal to obey, but these are things toward which my old nature is inclined. I tend to be fiercely independent, standoffish, arrogant, annoyed, and stubborn; I can react poorly to disturbances in my plan. Is it as bad as it was ten years ago? No, but those things are not quite dead in me. Not yet. But God, in His mercy, has not given up on me. His promise to all His children is that He will not! What a great comfort that is! He will, by His Spirit living in us, transform us into the image of His Son, Jesus Christ; we will take on His character as we continue to walk with Him and cooperate with His will. Year after year, day by day, until the fat lady has sung and we are in His presence! Unlike summer break, it ain't over 'til it's over. God's goodness and mercy toward His children never end! That is music to my ears. 

Midweek: Happy Birthday, Family!

As we prepare to celebrate our nation's 250th birthday this weekend, I think it's important we understand value doesn't equal perfection. For instance, "Birthday Season" has begun for our family; there are birthdays that begin the end of June and go all the way to mid-December. Outside of a rogue delivery in February and another in May, it's on! Not one of those family members is perfect --me especially --but they are all loved and valued. We never stop praying for them. We never stop helping them be better people. We never stop celebrating the time we have with them. We never stop thanking God that He has guided and guarded our family and its members for years.

I don't believe any rational one of us is denying the issues present in our country. And it's important to know what needs to be changed and, as a collective, work toward those revisions. You know, our Founding fathers weren't perfect either. But our fellow Americans are not our enemies, and this is a pretty great country even with its problems. So, let's pray for her. Let's work on discussing some constructive criticisms and --maybe --roll up our sleeves to implement the things that will work better and preserve our nation. Let's celebrate the time we've been given with her. Let's thank God that He has guided and guarded our country and its citizens for years (and, perhaps, invite Him to an assembly or two. 

Happy Birthday to us! 

Upsetting the Fruit Basket

Ten bucks?! Our youngest lamented the price of a watermelon. They really are outrageous this year. Not trying to throw shade at the growers, but it seems that every summer, at least one crop is threatened by weather, and we're warned prices will go through the roof. Experts are already threatening our peaches while we're still reeling at the cost of melons. Summer in our area usually makes eating healthy a little less expensive, but this year, good fruit is gonna cost us.

The good fruit of a life lived for Christ comes with its own costs. Our lives must be led surrendered to the will of God according to Scripture and with constant listening for, seeking out the impressions of the Holy Spirit with regard to our thoughts, words, and behavior. The fruit of the Holy Spirit comes at the cost of our own way. If you think about it, the desire for fruit and the determination to apprehend it in a manner other than through obedience to God, was man's downfall. Because of sin, our flesh remains conditioned to taste the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, etc., in ways other than through the sometimes difficult, sometimes time-consuming work of the Holy Spirit. Instead of submitting to His authority, we manufacture love in multiple relationships or in the possession of things. Instead of drawing near to God in prayer and devotion, we manufacture joy in attaining status or wealth. Instead of resting in the true peace of Jesus, we manufacture peace by cutting off difficult relationships (I don't mean dangerous) or seeking answers wherever they may be found. We are trying to grow our own fruit. And it is rotten to its core; poisonous and leading to separation from God, not unity with God.

How, exactly, is the fruit of the Spirit developed? Let me point out, the fruit of the Spirit is not the "fruits" of the Spirit. This is a union, not a buffet. Character is developed in a way that is dependent on and requires the cooperation of other characteristics. For instance, the other day, I heard the voice of Old Me handling a situation. I was annoyed, snarky, impatient. I communicated to others that my being kind was of less importance than my being on time; that my being kind was of less importance than my getting my own way. New Me, the me that imitates Jesus and His apostles, however, values and places kindness above the desires of my self. It's not behavior modification; I must value kindness before I can willingly, regularly place it above my own comfort. That value is cultivated by love, fruit of the Spirit. That value is cultivated by self-control, fruit of the Spirit. That value is cultivated by gentleness, fruit of the Spirit. As character is developed in me, it is developed as a union: peace manifested in goodness and faithfulness which produce further peace, all of which condition me to patience and bring fullness of joy.     

If you've ever enjoyed a delicious fruit salad, it's quite a different experience than a simple fruit basket. In a fruit basket, apples remain unpeeled, uncut, and easily separated from whole bananas or grapes. But the marriage of flavors in a fruit salad is what makes it most enjoyable. Yes, there are individual ingredients, but they are exposed to one another, peeled, diced, and they function as a whole. The juice that remains in the bottom of the bowl is fruit juice --not "fruits" juice, though it contains hints of all the flavors. Likewise, the fruit of the Spirit is the entire character of the Christian life; not a checklist of ingredients. It is developed at the discretion of the Holy Spirit and as much as we are willing to cooperate with His work. So, how much are you willing to lay down for the sake of your sanctification; for the sake of Holy Spirit growth in you? It might cost more than a ten-dollar watermelon, but the benefits will last throughout eternity!

 

In His Image

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness;"

~ Genesis 1:26a

It seems as though recently I have been given some unique opportunities to look into the faces of women I do not know. The journalist asking me questions about my motives for pulling weeds all afternoon. The vendor discussing calories and soaps and barbeque. (Yes, this is usually what happens when I go out for the day.) Or the artist sharing with me her dream to gain exposure and move her inventory. I look into the faces of those with whom I regularly meet and think to myself, "These are my sisters." But the ones I meet in some sort of passing transaction or abbreviated moment of commonality? It is their eyes that draw me to wonder. It is their smile in which I give thanks. It is the symmetry and solidarity of their features that causes me to contemplate the perfect glory of God.

When I began working, I had one goal in mind for my growing finances: contact lenses. My vision was (and is) so bad, the lenses of my glasses were ridiculously thick and caused my eyes to appear as little more than dots surrounded by large plastic frames. My mother --always one to keep it 100 when it came to my dreams --reasoned, at least glasses hid my large nose. So much for symmetry and solidarity of features when looking in the mirror. But God is an artist. And while I've never come to love my large nose, I've come to share it with a couple of children and realize it's not the worst thing about me. Far more important that I bear the image of my God in my words and my attitude than fixate on the condition of tangibles I cannot change. Far more important that I see the beauty in others, that I see the image of God in them, than worry over my perceived physical imperfections.  

In his essay, Presence: The Gaze of Beauty, Curt Thompson (Ordinary Saints, 2023, p.217) talks about the Artist who brought more than order to chaos in the creation of this world, but beauty. When God declared all He created as "good," He declared it beautiful as well. Thompson adds:

God is not only calling something beautiful that He sees to be so, true as that is. ...the beauty that God sees emerges as a function of God looking at it. Beauty appears as a direct result of being seen by God. His gaze, His presence--draws beauty forth, for His nature can do nothing less. 

What a privilege it is for mankind to not only bear the image of the Everlasting God, but to look for it in others; to create beauty in this world by searching for it in places of chaos or imperfection or familiarity or difference. Imagine finding beauty --creating beauty by discovering it in a whirlwind of dead leaves and dust or staring into a bathroom mirror at a large nose. Or creating beauty in the dozens of questions launched at you each day before you've had your coffee, or in the face of your enemy.

This world could use less ugly and more beauty. Differences should not divide us into feuding, abhorring camps. We are all of one race, the human kind. We have all been planned and fashioned by one God, the God of Scripture. We are His masterpiece, created for His glory. Oh, what beauty there is in regarding those who refuse to acknowledge Him as casualties in Satan's useless war against the True King, rather than enemies. Oh, what beauty there is in praying for them, speaking life into their situations, rather than dismissing them as chaotic, less than, common, or "the other side." God created this world and all those in it for a purpose. Let us spend greater time noticing His image in the faces of others and in so doing, join our Creator in producing beauty where ugly threatens to destroy.   

Midweek: Something Different

I sat with someone a little bit ago and tried to impart some of my GenX wisdom. Of course, the Bible was my preferred reference point; but there are things I've learned along the way that, whether specifically mentioned in Scripture or just supported by biblical principle, were worth sharing. Today I share them with you.

1. That which must befall us must befall us; that which must pass us by must pass us by. In other words, there is a sovereign God who orchestrates all of life and death, who brings rain on the just and the unjust. Our lives are the story He is writing (and I'm not talking about Christians exclusively). Whether we acknowledge Him, obey Him, ignore Him, or deny Him, He has the final say in what happens. That, however, does not provide us some fatalistic pass. We are to plan and work and pray for His kingdom to come and His will to be done --all with the express understanding God has the final say. If we are His, we are enabled to accept that with joy and peace; if we are not His, we go the way alone and with fearsome uncertainty.

2. It ain't over 'til it's over.  Thanks to Yogi Berra for this one. Until a person is in his or her grave, we pray for their salvation. Until God tells us to leave our church for another fellowship, we remain in prayer and fight valiantly for the local family to which we belong. Until doors and windows and keyholes are closed, we keep doing the thing God has called us to do. Until our children are with Jesus or we are, we parent them in whatever capacity God gives opportunity. Until our heart beats its last, we pray, we hope, we give thanks, we work, we seek peace, we engage in the ministry of reconciliation --all for the glory of God. Like Jacob, we wrestle for the blessing of servanthood and surrender... until it's over.

3. Kavanah. In short, Kavanah is the Jewish practice of utmost reverence and intention as we petition, adore, and quietly sit before God. We may use posture or movement, scents or sounds, pauses or intentional breathing to assist us with focus and draw us into knowing before Whom we stand; revering and surrendering any sense of self before the almighty, eternal God through His Son, Jesus Christ. 

4. Expectation is the thief of joy. The expectations we often set for ourselves and for others may be good, honorable, biblical, and the very fruit of God's promises, but to put it bluntly, we are entitled to none of them. As disciples of Christ, we are called to work and pray --whatever outcome God allows. When the results are unfavorable, it is common to abandon obedience or worse, become disillusioned in our faith. But obedience is obedience whether we receive the tangible, immediate, expected results of it, or not. God always honors the prayers and the work of obedient saints even when (or, perhaps, especially when) those things do not yield the results we anticipated. The joy comes from obedience to our King, not the results produced. If expectations are the incentive for obedience, our compliance will vacillate based on the fulfillment of those expectations; we will never know the joy of having endured for the sake of love for and fealty to our Father who designs outcomes with an eternal perspective.  

5. Philippians 1:6. When I feel like a failure, when I know I've not done my best, when the process seems slow, when I come to God, day after day, knowing that the same inconsistencies and sins reside within me that plagued me the day before, I trust. God called me to Himself --the evidence of His work in me. For as long as I continue to return to His well day after day and moment by moment, God's work continues. I encourage you to grab on to the assurance and comfort in this verse and never let go. It is a process with which we must cooperate, but it is a process that works in God's time. 

Biblical Identity Isn't a Losing Battle

Last week, I came across some notes from an old sermon. Biblical Femininity is the Gospel High Ground in the Gender War. It is unlike me not to have credited this to a pastor or teacher so, my apologies, I did not. But as I read over the notes, I began to wonder if the person who originally spoke these words had any idea where this "gender war" would go; that, at a point, gender would become "fluid" or more than binary or up for debate. Perhaps the person did not, but God certainly did; and these principles are timely even years later. Using them as a framework, I share what I've been given:

The feminist movement, outside of being used by the enemies of God to accomplish their king's purposes, developed from the abuse, disregard, discrediting, and silencing of a group of people --women. As men's hearts were drawn from God and godly masculinity, they failed as leaders and lovers in their homes. They did not take responsibility for their roles in the way Scripture commands, and they did not cherish their bride and their children as our God does His. As humans are wont to do, however, we swung the pendulum radically the other direction; despising marriage and the raising of children in the fear of the Lord, railing against husbands and men in general, and putting upon women a burden we were never meant to bear and framing it in a huge lie as "autonomy, freedom, and power". We could have career and motherhood (as though motherhood is not). We could be the heads of our homes and the breadwinners (Who needs a man?). We could kill inconvenient children. As a matter of fact, we didn't even have to be women if we didn't want to be! 

But isn't that what God said would happen? In Genesis 3, Adam and Eve discover the generational consequences of their disobedience. Verse 16 ends with, "Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you." Relationships corrupted; ours with God, ours with one another. Only Jesus can restore them.

For years, I found playing sports, hanging out with boys, dressing in a much more masculine way to be a safer place than "trying to be feminine." If I failed, if I was awkward and unrefined, there was no judgment --at least, not from the inner voice that condemned me; a voice that emerged because of damaged relationships. My world was hard on girls who didn't fit the feminine model; who weren't Perfect 10s. I looked for a way to escape the judgment. I found it in a more masculine personality. According to the sermon, this is the battleground: You are what you look like. We see this shift today. Rather than donning a wardrobe that reflects the work of God in us, we build our wardrobe to identify our-selves; it's all about what we decide. Ask my husband; we go to a restaurant, I look at the menu, select what I want, but --let's put it this way --shortly before the server comes, he'll ask, "What are you not getting?" Why? He has learned that, though I say I've made my selection, my mind will change at least twice before I actually place my order. This is how some determine identity today. What a scary battleground on which to try to survive, much less thrive! Modesty, femininity, identity doesn't begin with what you wear or feel, but with your core beliefs. When we believe we are created in the image of God, created with love and purpose by a perfect Creator, we can, by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit, walk in that identity with confidence and dress accordingly.

Here are some practical questions for structuring our lives around these biblical truths:

    Husbands: Does your wife know your care, enjoy your affection, and experience your admiration? Who has your wife become as a result of knowing you?

    Wives: Does your husband find courage and understanding for the battles he faces as a man in this world? Does your husband know your respect, and do you cultivate that respect for him in your children?

    Teens: are you seeking your parents' wisdom and evaluation as you relate to the opposite sex?

    Single men: Are your interactions with women determined by clear biblical convictions?

    Single women: Does your conversation include "man bashing"? Are you praying for all men in leadership? 

This is but a rough outline of the words spoken that day, but I trust the Holy Spirit has spoken to you in some way. Identity is important, and our "outward man", our temperament, the clothes we wear, reflect what is in our hearts. But today's society is all about following trends and being relevant, conforming to the zeitgeist. And the onus is on each individual to keep up. That is contrary to following Jesus. He never changes; Scripture never changes. God's truth never moves the goal posts and never leaves us without a Helper. Biblical femininity --biblical identity, for that matter, is the high ground, the place of victory in any conflict. 

A Tale of Two...

This is a tale of two Phinehases two Phinehi two guys, each by the name of Phineas. Not a name common to American culture, for sure, but it wouldn't take much to find two very different Michaels or polar opposite Pams. And these two Phine-- guys are dissimilar without doubt. 

Phineas Number One was a grandson of Aaron, Moses' brother. Aaron was, of course, a priest as was his son, Phineas' father. In Numbers 25, we find the people of Israel rebelling against God and committing all manner of sin with the people of Moab, a heathen country. As Moses is rendering judgment on the people for their wicked acts, Zimri, a man clearly unable to read the room or, perhaps, possessing a death wish, arrives to show off his new wife, the pagan daughter of a pagan Midianite chief. Phineas runs them both through with a spear.

Psalm 106:30, 31 celebrate Phineas' zeal for God:

Then Phinehas stood up and intervened,
And the plague was stopped.
And that was accounted to him for righteousness
To all generations forevermore.

Phineas Number Two was the son of Eli, a priest of Israel. Phineas and his brother also served as priests under their father's authority. The record of their misdeeds and consequences is found in 1 Samuel. And, yes, I did say "misdeeds." This Phineas was of less godly stock than his predecessor, the grandnephew of Moses. This Phineas and his brother used their position to exploit the people, gain whatever they desired for themselves, and dishonor the name of the Lord God. Sadly, their father didn't remove them from office or expose them publicly, but merely gave them warnings, warnings that didn't bear any weight to those so defiant and self-centered. Needless to say, their father, Eli, was held accountable by God, as were they. All three men dies on the same day, ending the priestly line of Eli.

They shared a name. They shared an obligation and an office. But they couldn't be more different. So, what can we learn?

First of all, throughout Scripture the deeds and misdeeds of mankind are recorded to serve not only as a warning or model, but to understand who our God is, longsuffering and abundant in mercy, forgiving iniquity, but by no means clearing the guilty (Numbers 14:18). He is sovereign and holy, merciful and just; He will not be mocked. But He loves His children and desires that none should be lost; warning and working, urging all who will to turn to Him. 

Additionally, Eli's son, Phineas, was given a father, a spiritual guide, and the Torah. He had every opportunity and was without excuse in his disobedience. Phineas, the grandson of Aaron, had the same background; he chose rightly in his reverence for God and the holiness of His people. When it comes right down to it, our own choices are those for which we will be held accountable. The decision is ours, whatever situation we are in, whatever our upbringing.

Third, in obedience, there is blessing. In disobedience, there is cursing. Let me be clear, relationship with God is not some quid pro quo arrangement. But those who follow after Him, who serve Him and honor his name will know the blessing of an eternal life --eternal in quality: new, resurrectionary, sure, hope-full! Those who are self-seeking, who mock God and His precepts, who reject the truth will suffer --if not on this earth, throughout eternity.

The outcome of Phineas #1's obedience was very different from the outcome of Phineas #2's disobedience. Despite the similarities, their choices are what made the distinction. What will the choices you are making yield? Will the path you choose set you apart from others? Are you comfortable with the thought of being held accountable? Have you surrendered your will to Another, the One named Jesus, who will stand in your stead when your life here has ended? Are you choosing each day to be zealous for Him?

Midweek: Spurgeon and the Church

Have we got any Spurgeon fans out there? Charles H. Spurgeon, known as "The Prince of Preachers", compiled a large body of work over his lifetime. His no nonsense, call to action manner of expositing the Scriptures has challenged many to greater study. This edition of Spurgeon and the Church from Thomas Nelson Bibles could be a wonderful addition to your Spurgeon collection or the start of an appreciation for his devotion to his Savior. The complimentary copy I received in exchange for this review will be going on my bookshelf right next to my copy of Spurgeon and the Gospels.

This New King James Version edition of the Acts, the Epistles, and Revelation will be released on July 7, 2026, but is available for pre-order now. It comes packaged in a printed cardboard sleeve. The book's cover is engraved and stitched brown Leathersoft™ (Black is available as well). The title on the spine is printed in goldleaf, but sadly, is not engraved. That would have been a nice touch. There is a presentation page, a blue satin bookmark, and gilt-edged pages. Wide margins provide ample space to journal one's own thoughts. I will, however, caution you that the pages are thin: gel-type pens and highlighters will likely bleed through, and excess pressure of a ball-point pen may cause indentations on the next page. The type is 9.5-point Comfort Print®, and the book comes with Thomas Nelson's lifetime guarantee. Prior to each chapter, there is an appropriate writing from Spurgeon to challenge and promote thought. Compared to the length of the Scripture in each chapter, the commentary is small; if you are using this as a daily devotional, you will spend more time reading Scripture than a man's thoughts which, as a very wise woman once said, is "how it should be." (Even if it is an anointed preacher like Spurgeon.) 

If you are looking to enhance your daily Bible reading or present someone with a gift that gives more than a few moments of satisfaction, I would encourage you to consider the NKJV of Spurgeon and the Church. Amazon is currently offering the ability to pre-order for $18.98 and christianbook.com is taking pre-orders (personalization available) for $17.39. 

Humble

In 1973, Hanna-Barbera released their big screen cartoon production of Charlotte's Web, based off of E.B. White's award-winning book. I fell in love with the movie the day I sat with dozens of children in a theater with its grand velvet curtains and dangling chandeliers, watching the film on a class trip. It was a different time. It was a time when values were basically taught from the same book. To be kind was important. To do your best was everyone's goal. And to be humble was foundational. White's book celebrates Wilbur's humility with Charlotte's crafting of this message in her web. The "miracle" of such an event lends credence to the character of this famous --yet, humble! --pig.

In 1 Samuel 9, we are introduced to Saul, son of Kish from the tribe of Benjamin. Now, the tribe of Benjamin was the smallest of Israel; they'd been almost completely erased by their own countrymen because of their refusal to side with the rest of Israel against murderers (Judges 19-20). Additionally, Saul's family was one of "the least" of their tribe. Saul had come from humble circumstances. In fact, when he encounters Samuel, who is out looking for the man God would have him anoint as the first king of Israel, Saul is looking for his father's donkeys which have gotten loose. A humble farmer boy, wandering the hills, searching at his father's behest. Saul even balks when Samuel treats him with honor and tells him he is to be king. Who am I? Sounds very humble, doesn't it?

Well, there's something of a difference between being humble of character and humble of circumstance. We see it often. The would-be politician who is out shaking hands and kissing babies, grinding each day on the campaign trail. The people love him (or her) and he wins the election by an overwhelming majority, only to completely "forget where he came from," as they say. Suddenly, he's collecting a big check from the taxpayers but not showing up to vote on their behalf. He's running for greater office and devoting his time to further vain promises and self-promotion; this time winning over a new body of constituents with his Aw-shucks rendition of humility. He was never humble of character, merely humble of circumstance. There is nothing new under the sun.

Saul certainly didn't invent this game, but he's a great example from waaay back. The history continues: Saul obeys, follows the instructions given by God through Samuel for a bit, until he begins to feel superior, confident. After all, he'd been made king, he was in charge, and things were going to happen as he decided. When God whittled down Saul's army that the victory might be God's alone, Saul called a stop to it (1 Samuel 13:1-14). When God gave instructions that the Amalekites and everything they'd touched were to be wiped from the face of the earth, Saul decided otherwise (1 Samuel 15) and tried to buffalo God's prophet (God's proxy) into believing he'd complied. So much for humility.

Scripture calls us to be humble. That humility is such that we may be required to live amidst humble circumstances: chronic sickness, poverty, a lesser social status or even perpetual ridicule from those around us. But it is humility of character that bears those things well; that gives glory to God and feeds a grateful heart; that prays for those who keep us down or who walk in wellness and financial gain. Humility of character is the willingness to accept whatever God gives, in His time, in His way, and counts it all joy. Humility of character is what others might say of us, what others might print in the "miracle" of a banner above our lives; but we cannot say it of ourselves, and we cannot surrender it to our circumstances. Humility of character is crafted by the Holy Spirits in our hearts as we repent and give our lives to His work moment by moment. Even in these very different and trying times.

 

Love and Like-Mindedness

I was just going to say that! 

If you have a great marriage, if you have a bestie or a sibling who is like a bestie, if you've found someone --or a group of "someones" --with whom you just click, chances are you've said these words on more than one occasion. Like-mindedness. It's great when it just seems to appear naturally, but is it possible to develop "same brain" among people so diverse?

In Philippians 2:1-4, Paul urges the Christians in Philippi to be likeminded with one another:

Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. 

Pretty amazing, given there were more than two or three people in the church in a city known for welcoming travelers and immigrants. Imagine! It's hard for a family of four to agree on takeout much less dozens, hundreds, or thousands of people from varied backgrounds and nationalities coming together to plan an outreach event. But Paul goes on to explain how this is possible:

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. (v. 5-8)

Have the mind of Christ. All of you. In sharing the same dreams, for the same purpose, in the same way --humbly --we develop like-mindedness among our brothers and sister in Christ. When we look at folks who have been members of the same church for dozens of years or couples who joyfully celebrate anniversaries in the double-digits, we are seeing, in most cases, the product of this development. These people didn't just "fall into" a church where everyone thinks as they think; they didn't just "happen to marry" the person most like them. The development of sameness supersedes whatever evidence there is of differences.

Look at the friendship between David and Jonathan presented in the Old Testament. They were worlds apart in the specifics and circumstances of their lives. One was the discarded, youngest son of a farmer, sent daily into the fields to tend sheep and support his brothers who did "the real work." The other, the eldest son of the king of Israel, raised in a palace for the purpose of one day assuming the throne. (Because of the love and shared purpose between these two men, some have even gone so far as to trot them out as a homosexual couple. For certain, that is not the case. Their shared purpose in life --the shared purpose that drew them in such close friendship to one another --was bringing glory to God; they would not have done anything to bring Him dishonor or offend Him.) So different, but they were wholly devoted to the same, the only God. In 1 Samuel 14:6, Jonathan confidently asserts God is able to save by many or by few. In 1 Samuel 17:37, David confidently asserts God, who saved him from the lion and the bear is able to save him from a large man. It was this certainty in the God of Israel, that bound the two as brothers. Like-mindedness. And from that shared devotion, the two loved each other as they loved themselves.

Let me just backtrack for a moment to the misapplication of their love mentioned before. We are called to love our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:37-39; Mark 12:30, 31). David and Jonathan did that. But what does that mean? People struggle with all sorts of self-esteem issues; the root of which may very well be self-centeredness. When one's love for oneself is so perverted, how can we love others? The world defines love as approving and affirming, always being nice to people we view as oppressed or marginalized. If we are loving others as we love ourselves, this definition makes clear the way we see ourselves: worthy of approval and affirmation, an underdog deserving of a fair shake. Is that true? Is that love? That's the real problem; loving rightly. It's not about loving oneself enough or in such a manner. To love is to love according to God's word, rightly; not just in feeling or passion. Love is so much more! If it doesn't emerge and mature from a common source, the perfect singular Source of whom love itself is part, it cannot be love. The world, typically, does not understand that love because without like-mindedness in Christ, everyone is chasing after what seems right to them; there is no common thought, no common worship, no common purpose. Perfect love, however, can be realized when like-mindedness is present. 

This is how David and Jonathan loved. This is how believers in Philippi loved. This is how we are to love. In like-mindedness, drawn to and by the same pure love of God who is love.

Midweek: Tracing Edition: Engaging the Scripture Word by Word (NKJV)

Are you familiar with "verse mapping"? According to The James Method website:

Verse mapping is a technique used to gain a deeper understanding of God's word. It is a method of breaking down a verse by identifying and defining keywords, historical context, alternate translations, and cross references.

Verse mapping usually begins with a great cup of tea and a verse from a word-for-word Bible translation. Using a journal, highlighters, a concordance or Bible dictionary, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, one digs deeply into the verse, examining historical context, word meanings, other biblical references, and finally, personal application. Bible tracing is similar. Like verse mapping, Bible tracing engages left and right brain; analysis and logic meet creativity and intuition for full immersion into Scripture. 

Thomas Nelson Bibles has given me the opportunity to peruse their New King James Version of the New Testament in the Tracing Edition. The copy I received free of charge is bound in brown Leathersoft™ over board for a sturdy yet attractive cover. The front cover is stamped with a beautiful image of a shepherd and his sheep, and the back cover is marked with the words of Matthew 24:35. The spine is exposed with a Smyth-sewn binding that allows the book to lie flat when open. It arrives in a sturdy box, is complete with a presentation page --perfect for gift-giving, and it carries Thomas Nelson's lifetime guarantee. Included in the front matter are ten topical Bible study suggestions; subjects like anxiety, comfort, the Holy Spirit, community, and others. At almost two full inches of thickness and containing only the New Testament, this is a sizeable text --there are no additional study aids, maps, or articles; reason being, the font is much larger (17 point) than most Bible editions in order to facilitate tracing. The print is single-column, lending to a more casual, comfortable style, and is in a lighter grey, rather than black, print. The paper is of a heavier weight to support highlighting, and the margins are wide for notetaking.

Personally, I've never done verse-mapping or tracing, but I can see the benefit of tracing repeated themes throughout a chapter or book, tying the whole of it together and collating specific truths. And there is a clear link between handwriting and cognitive function. Is there a better way to keep your mind sharp and your heart pure? This edition from Thomas Nelson would be an excellent start to your journey in tracing the Scriptures or help someone you know as they seek to grow in the Lord. An edition like mine is currently available on Amazon for $30.98 or at christianbook.com for $30.88. A grey cloth over board edition is available as well.    

Parenting Me

I stare at the tiny screen, noticing her facial expressions --my expressions. I look at her eyes --my eyes, my mother's eyes looking back at me from across the world. These video calls with my daughter are, at times, like looking into a mirror. Even the things that stress her or the words she uses to my grandchildren. Revealing much of who I was at that stage of life.

I turn toward our youngest here at home, not across the world but beside me. I do not see my eyes in his. He does not share my facial expressions --yet. But still he reveals. Our interactions often show me just who I am. Rigid. Annoyed. Arrogant. Fixed on controlling everything around me. Ugly. As he looks to meet my gaze, I turn away. As he seeks to make a connection with this far-too-busy person, I keep my answers short. 

But by the grace of God, I often hear the voice. He belongs to me.

And I soften. 

I have been called to this. I have not been called to laundry or paying bills or even to writing and teaching --at least, not first. I have been called to be his mother, their mother, wife of my husband, friend to my neighbors. Relationship. A daughter of the King; not just a proselyte or devotee. We --all of those who would come, are not merely saved to go our own way in obedient servitude, blindly following instructions. We are brought into relationship with the God who created us, the Judge who served our sentence, the King who sits on the throne of heaven. I am living the life of a daughter by the hesed of my Heavenly Father; not because I am not flawed and sinful, selfish and misguided. I am running this race, yearning to obey because He is worthy; not because I am trying to earn His favor, to meet His gaze or make a connection. The connection has been made. My gaze has been met. Though I am flawed and sinful, selfish and misguided, I have His favor through the Son. 

For all of my impatience revealed to me in shortened bedtime prayers and unwillingness to give yet another hug when tucking in... For all of my anger revealed to me when I've said, Stop teasing the dog, for the fourth time that morning... For all of my pride revealed when I use the I-told-you-so tone... For the death grip I have on clean floors and tidy circumstances revealed when milk is literally spilled... For all these things, there is grace. My Father loves me more than my getting it right. My parenting, as wobbly and broken as it is, does not sway His love for me. And I am drawn ever closer to Him.

The lesson is not just how failed I am; it is not only what is revealed in me as I parent our children, or be a wife to my husband, or be a friend to my neighbor. The takeaway is how good our Father is! His love for His children is as transformative as it is boundless. He forgives and lavishes grace, yes; but His Spirit works to then reveal His character in us. Like spiritual DNA passed from Parent to child, as we experience more of Him we become like Him. And as I become more like Him, I can want for my children to become more like me. I can, with confidence say to them, "Imitate me as I imitate Christ" (1 Corinthians 11:1). I can look at their selflessness and see my own. I can look at their humility and see my own. I can look at their beauty and see my own. Not achieved or earned by my own hand; but because my Father loves me and cares enough to parent me.

Valuable Time

"I mean, you're out here giving of your valuable time on a Saturday..." the journalist teased a response. But somewhere in the back of my mind the idea of time and its value was teasing me. Our conversation continued, we exchanged information, and she walked off to speak with others who were "giving of their valuable time" that day. Being left with more than a few moments to think, my thoughts finally came together, and here's what came to be...

What gives time value? After all, time is nothing more than units of measurement strung together to create larger units of measurement. Seconds become minutes become days become decades. Is there value in the ticking of a clock or the turning of a page? Time gains value through what we do with it. If we're spending the day doom scrolling, is there value in that? Or do we look back at those units of measurement and determine we have wasted them? If we spend a morning having coffee with friends or cleaning the park or flipping mouse-shaped pancakes for our children, those moments become more than mathematical increments; those moments have gained value.

The night before my family and I and others met that Saturday morning, our youngest and I read Matthew 6:19-21:

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Treasure. Treasure in serving others. Treasure in smiling. Treasure in standing for what is right. Treasure in taking the Gospel wherever we go; in being the light of the Gospel to a dark world, a world hurting and broken, a world looking for answers and shouting its fear. Treasure that draws our hearts even more deeply into itself. The more we give of what we ourselves have received, the more we fall in love with the Giver. When we regard ten minutes as an opportunity to encourage a neighbor, that is treasure. When we consider an afternoon to be a park weeded and made beautiful for others, that possesses value. When we view years as training up our children, kissing their boo-boos and stoking their imagination, we cannot place a price tag on that. When we count months or years as the privilege of caring for a loved one with dementia, we understand the value of that time the moment our loved one is gone. Therein lies the value. Not in the seconds or minutes or days themselves, but in what we will do with them. And in doing something eternal with those increments, with the rise and fall of the sun again and again, with the blare of horns and the falling of confetti every 365 days --in doing something of substance with what we have been given, we make valuable time. It is the very giving of time that makes it what it is, treasure. Without the giving, minutes are nothing more than groups of sixty seconds strung together, an hour is nothing more than 1/24 of a day; time remains nothing more than units of measure. Giving of our "valuable time" is only possible because it has been given. To others, for others, and even on Saturdays.

  

Midweek: Concern or Anxiety?

But I'm just concerned.

Nothing seems to be working. I'm just trying to figure out a way...

Sure, we get concerned. Sure, we don't give up after the first try. But when does "concern" become anxiety? When does perseverance become defiance or obsession? I know I said last week was the last installment of our series on anxiety; but I was cleaning my office the other day and came across some notes. On anxiety, of course. I figured they were worth mentioning.

So, how do we know when we've crossed from simple problem solving or resolution and tenacity into something much less godly? Well, that's our Number One: We are more interested in what we want, in the outcome we have planned, than what God wants. God wants us to walk in His peace (John 14:27). God wants us to abide in His power (John 15:7). God wants us to do all things to His glory (1 Corinthians 10:31). Can it be the time for street preaching is over? Can it be the contribution the shelter has counted on for years is not coming --by God's design? Can it be the plans we have made are not God's plan for us? When we're not okay with the answer to those questions being Yes, when we're plotting and fixing and managing ad nauseum just to achieve the outcome we think is preferred, we've gone beyond perseverance and concern. (Chances are that we've left behind prayer as well.) And we are deep into the woods of anxiety.  

Number Two: We are hurried/pressured into making unsound decisions. Concern prays, looks at the options, gathers information, and makes decisions based on facts and the Holy Spirit's direction. But anxiety? Well, you've heard the sales pitch before: If you sign with us today, we'll give you a free estimate on that new bathroom you've been wanting. Satan's got a few of his own as well. If you don't tithe this month, you can afford it. Or, If you don't take the overtime work is offering this Sunday, they won't ask you again. Or this one, God hasn't answered; He's hanging you out to dry. Better figure it out yourself. Anxiety takes all of the weight and places it on us when Scripture clearly says we are to cast our cares on Jesus (1 Peter 5:6, 7).

Number Three: We are constantly agitated. Concern might have us quiet, praying throughout the hours of the day, lifting the situation and its varied dimensions as they appear up to the Lord. But anxiety causes a physical response: grinding your teeth, snapping at drivers, avoiding eye contact with your children, blind to the beauty of cloudless skies and chirping of crickets. I'm just hyper-focused. Maybe, for a period of time; but if you go through life feeling tense and annoyed by everyone and everything, you are wrong. Plain and simple, cut and dried. (Personal hang-up here.) We are made for relationship, with our Creator and with others; if we can't find joy in any or all of those things, we need a change of heart. And maybe a Sabbath or two (Isaiah 40:31).  

Number Four: We are constantly mulling the situation over, talking it out even when our ability to do anything is at zero. Concern may be the initial response; concern may lead us to seek answers or take action; but once it has been established there is nothing in our power to be done, we must relinquish all our plans, our desires, our emotions to the Lord. Any more thinking, ranting, drinking, eating, pacing, smoking, or stressing over it is anxiety. The jury is out and what are you doing? The test results will take a week; have you slept at all? You've trained them and prayed for them; are you able to keep your hands off of your adult children's lives? Yes, we have concerns --who wouldn't? God gave us emotions. But those emotions are there as warning lights on the dashboard of our lives, to send us to our knees and draw us to Him. All of that late at night, staring at the ceiling, obsessing over where you will ever find the time to clean before guests arrive --it's not the best use of your time before a busy day; common sense will tell you that. But worse than that, it's anxiety. Better to pray God's will be done and be amazed at how He handles the situation! (Philippians 4:6, 7)

Anxiety is the thief of peace. We willing lay down the gift of God's presence in our circumstances because we want control. Will God do it the way I want it to be done? Hopefully not. The God of the universe, the God who knows the end from the beginning, the God who calls things that are not as though they are, the God who loves His people with an everlasting hesed --this is the God who wants to handle outcomes and carry burdens. This is the God who hears our concerns and will walk with us in the peace that dismantles anxiety.

Missed Opportunities

Our youngest dug in. He was so angry. A friend had been harsh with him; but the truth is, he'd been asking for it all day, pushing every button he could to get the wrong sort of attention. He got it. "Look," I said, "I know you're angry, and maybe your friend really took it to another level. But when we refuse to apologize, we say more about our character than about the other person's wrongdoing. Unforgiveness and pride will make you miserable; not him." Good talk, right? Very motherly, very wise. He wasn't having it. He dug in further. 

I dug in. I was annoyed. Our youngest had been carrying on for hours, breaking every rule known to man. He was angry we'd disciplined him earlier in the day. Starved for attention and stuck in the house (Whose punishment is this anyway?!), he tormented the dog, stood on the chair, threw paper all over the floor, paced the kitchen. He'd finally decided to go get something to do. "Mom, is your office door closed?" Nope, I replied curtly; indicating he was not to "go exploring" in the basement. I remained seated, unwilling to help him despite my idleness, despite his willingness to find something constructive to do. 

Sin, for sure; but missed opportunities as well. We often rue the call for an interview that never came or the stomach bug that laid us up the day of our sister's wedding; these are missed opportunities. We pity ourselves and sorrow over those events that went on without us. We are self-centered creatures. But what about the compliment we never gave or the gentle words we could have spoken instead? What about the prayer we could have prayed, or the gentle hand we never laid on a grieving father's shoulder? These, too, are missed opportunities. Our youngest missed the opportunity to apologize and restore relationship. I missed the opportunity to love him in his rebellion and show him mercy. And I think it safe to say, we have all, on occasion, missed the opportunity to obey, to be salt and light, to be a part of what God is doing in this world and bring Him glory. We might not think of it often, but God's commands and the heart-prickings of the Holy Spirit are opportunities to join with Him in doing something miraculous; bringing hope to the hopeless, freeing the captive, comforting the grief-stricken. When we refuse to restore relationship or show another mercy, we are not just petulant, selfish and sinful children; we have relinquished the gift of partnership with Christ Himself. 

Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.

Jesus' words to Martha (Luke 10) remind us not just to prioritize, not just to slow down and pay attention to important things, but to seize the opportunity for relationship and quiet when it presents itself. 

Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me."

We all know the story (Jonah 1-4): rebellion, a hungry fish, repentance, and still more bitterness. God's summons to a prophet was not just an executive order, but an invitation also; for Jonah to celebrate with a city full of new believers, brothers and sisters grafted into God's plan, brothers and sisters Jesus commended almost a thousand years later! Jonah chose resentment instead.

But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 

That's some tough stuff there (Matthew 5:44). The other challenges Jesus offers in His sermon are no easy thing either. But we are not alone. He has given His Holy Spirit to help us become the type of people who are not easily offended, who forgive quickly and love abundantly. We have only to be willing to accept His offer, to say Yes! to following after Him, listening to the direction and conviction of the Spirit. We partner with Jesus in giving the Father glory with our lives. What an opportunity!

Throughout Scripture, men and women were called to partner with our Savior in doing the will God on earth. Did God need the help of Samson to defeat the Philistines? Did He need a small boy to hand over his lunch that thousands might be fed? Of course not, but for those who were willing, to listen, to share, to be the hands and feet of Christ, these were most gracious, generous opportunities for humanity to be a part of something wonderful and "impossible". It is no different today. God is calling you to do something. It might be great; it might be small. Listen and prepare to seize the opportunity. To refuse is to lose.