Braggin' Rights

 2 Corinthians 19:17:18

Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

¹⁷ “Whoever boasts should boast only about the Lord.”  ¹⁸ What people say about themselves means nothing. What counts is whether the Lord says they have done well.

I read this the other day and had a strong urge to get up on a high horse.  It's a tricky thing to feel like you see something clearly...more clearly than someone else...and still stay within the bounds of what you saw so clearly in the first place.  Exactly...one of life's riddles. 

It is easy to point out and recognise when someone is boasting and bragging about the things they've done and accomplished.  And per this scripture, it doesn't get them anywhere.  But whenever I start to climb onto one those high horses, and I have several available, just waiting for a ride, I can't even get a foot into a stirrup and I see the other side of the riddle. 

It is the false humility side of this that jumps off that horses back and right into my face.  You see, that's the tricky part.  I read this verse and automatically start pointing fingers...but I am aware enough to realize this puts me on that same level of the boaster. 

It's not what one says about themselves, or even what someone else says about someone that matters.  It's what God says.  The way I see it, if we find ourselves boasting, whether it's true or even if it's just about how humble we are, we've just made it worthless. 

This might take me the rest of my life to perfect...but I want my braggin' to be about God and I want God to be the one braggin' on me.

Worth Something

Matthew 18:10

New Century Version (NCV)

 

¹⁰ "Be careful. Don't think these little children are worth nothing. I tell you that they have angels in heaven who are always with my Father in heaven.

 

After another long week of work, a long day of wearing shoes that were too cute (i.e. uncomfortable) all I really wanted to do was was head home, kick off my shoes and start relaxing. 

 

The kids that I pick up for church on Sunday were in a bind, though.  The family was out of food and no way of getting any for a few days.  So, instead of going straight home, I stopped at the store and spent a few more minutes in those cute shoes.  I dropped the groceries off, said "hi" to the kids, "no problem" to the parents and finally headed home. 

 

A lot of people would discount the value of these children and/or their parents.  The kids aren't always clean.  The house is messy.  And the children are destined to continue the life they are being raised in on into adulthood. 

 

Except - they have people in their lives who have read Matthew 18:10.  The sweetness and innocence of these children shines even through the dirt.  They just need need someone to care about them, to hug them, to say, "I love you", to go thirty minutes out of their way to make sure they have food.  This all became very clear as I drove home, the small inconvenience of it that I had felt faded with thoughts of compassion and thankfulness. 

 

Look around you, find a child that society has put on the lowest rung and be an earthly angel to them.  They are worth something. 

Don't Move!

Psalm 16:8

King James Version (KJV)

⁸ I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

The further back I put God, the less stable my life becomes.  This goes much deeper than just day to day activities.  Whether or not you are committed to a church.  Even if you read a Bible chapter a day.  Or pray an allotted time every day.   

I read this scripture and what struck me was the mention of the "right hand".  In scripture, this is generally known as a symbolism of power.  Now, I am not Bible scholar, nor do I claim anything other than an average I.Q.  But, it seems to me that if we put God into the "power" position in our lives...yeah, we won't move. 

Of course, I advocate for church, reading the Word and praying.  The problem is when those things become the replacement for the power.  But if He is put in that power position, church, the Word and prayer come alive and no longer are just activities.

So, if one is feeling unstable and like the everyday things are lacking, maybe some prioritizing is in order.  Put God first and forefront and let Him have the power position. 

Not for Nothing

Romans 5:3-4

New Life Version (NLV)

³ We are glad for our troubles also. We know that troubles help us learn not to give up. ⁴ When we have learned not to give up, it shows we have stood the test. When we have stood the test, it gives us hope.

I was sitting here feeling a little bit sorry for myself about a few things and decided it was time to put some of my feelings to words.  So, I went to a place where I occasionally make a notes of scriptures, thinking that I should be able to find something that would apply to how I'm feeling right now.

Well, once again, God does His thing.  The very first scripture I looked at was this one.  Initially, this selection makes me want to shout "I am NOT glad for my troubles!!!"  But, as I read through I realize, of course,  that's not the point.  I am confident that God understands my initial reaction....He's not dumb...no one is "glad" for troubles or down times or dry times, etc. 

I don't like trouble.  Or anything that smacks of it.  The glad part is knowing there is a process and a purpose.   That changes my perspective quite a bit.  With the strength of God, I can press on and not give up.  I can stand the test.  I can have hope. 

I am very glad for things that give me hope.  And for the all patient One who knows just when to "say" the right thing and remind me that it is not all for nothing. 

Head In Hands

Philippians 3:12-14

New Century Version (NCV)

¹² I do not mean that I am already as God wants me to be. I have not yet reached that goal, but I continue trying to reach it and to make it mine. Christ wants me to do that, which is the reason he made me his.¹³ Brothers and sisters, I know that I have not yet reached that goal, but there is one thing I always do. Forgetting the past and straining toward what is ahead,¹⁴ I keep trying to reach the goal and get the prize for which God called me through Christ to the life above.

Doesn't this just say it like it is?  A conversation today inspired me to write tonight, but my mind has already been thinking along these lines.  The past, whether it is our own mistakes or whether it is hurt that someone else has caused, can be a huge distraction.  Most of us tend to beat ourselves up over things that we can't go back and change.   I guess, that's why we do the beating - it feels like the only thing we can do about it.  And it is a recipe for defeat and bitterness.

In any kind of race, if one is always looking back, you can be guaranteed to not be the winner!  Your pace will slow and you will go off track.  Looking back and/or inflicting punishment on ourselves for bad choices, missed opportunities, or whatever it is that one has to look back at will cause the same thing. 

The only way to move forward towards something is to let what is behind you go.  It doesn't seem to be human nature to do this, as I mentioned, most of us have given ourselves a few bruises here and there.  So, when we feel the inclination to kick ourselves, look back and remind ourselves of what we did or what someone else did to us, we need to take our head in our hands and turn our face towards the goal, forget the past, keep reaching for the prize. 

The Main Thing

1 Corinthians 13:1-3

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.

Sometimes this is a hard one to wrap your head around.  We get so stuck on doing the right thing, we leave out the main thing.  Doing the right thing is obviously important, but apparently, it doesn't impress God too much if you leave out love.  I think it is safe to assume that this directly relates to the two greatest commandments, love God, love your neighbor.  The other eight commandments are important, but here's the thing, if you are obeying the two greatest, the other eight fall into place. 

Same with gifts of the Spirit, etc.  If you have love, those gifts mean a lot more.  I've personally known people who have great gifts and seem pretty well accomplished (spiritually) and yet some of their actions leave you wondering.  (i.e. The List) 

It would seem that operating the gifts and obeying the other eight is fairly simple...and that must be why the two greatest are about love.  That can seem complicated at times.  I will be the first to admit that I certainly have not perfected the whole love thing...but am working on putting it in it's rightful place.  First. 

The List

Matthew 5:44-45
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

⁴⁴But I tell you to love your enemies and pray for anyone who mistreats you. ⁴⁵Then you will be acting like your Father in heaven. He makes the sun rise on both good and bad people. And he sends rain for the ones who do right and for the ones who do wrong.

The reader may have noticed that my blog has been silent for a couple of months, I've lost track of exactly how long, actually.  This has not been for lack of inspiration or opinion.  (heavy on the opinion, I'm sure)  But for lack of time!  And I do believe that it has to do with the scripture above.

Forgiveness has long been a confusing thing to me.  Well, I did finally figure out what it is.  It is to not hold someone accountable for the wrong they have done.  But how does one do it? How does one feel it?  These questions have burdened me for some time.  There have been "things" that I have had a hard time moving past and letting go of.  And I've had a unsettling suspicion that this could mean there was not true forgiveness on my part. 

Through a couple of different people and some prayer, this portion of scripture was brought to my mind to the point of me finally being honest with God about it.  I can't pray for people/situations that I'd really rather not think about at all!  But if I am pushing something out of my mind and basically ignoring it, what is that?  Obviously, that it is not moving on, not letting go and certainly not allowing the healing power of God to take care of it. 

So, sparing the boring details, as I became honest with God about my feelings about praying for those who have mistreated me, the answers to my questions was right there in front of me.  Obedience.  Don't hold your "enemies" accountable for what they do.  (Don't worry, this doesn't mean they aren't accountable...just not to you)  And pray for those who have hurt you.  I realized that all this took was for me to obey it...sounds easy.  Not!  To phyically speak the names on The List took just about all the energy and intestinal fortitude I had! 

Since then I have not even had time to post on my blog.  Life has gotten very busy...with really good things.  I can't help but see that obedience to the Word of God is so important.  What will be released in your life when you obey?