Have you heard?

It’s going to happen.

At some point in our lives, even if we try to avoid it, we will hear gossip.  As believers in Christ Jesus, when gossip inevitably hits our ears I believe we have a responsibility to respond with action. 

True or false, we are now privy to secret knowledge about someone else’s life. 

Let’s challenge ourselves to keep the following three responses in mind.

*First, step in their shoes. True or false, we put on glasses of grace, mercy, empathy, and love.  We try to determine what they might be going through. What could be the possible cause, weakness, or struggle that led them astray?

 *Secondly, before taking one more step we start praying. If we listened to the gossip, we are now held responsible.  Secretly start battling in prayer for the persons involved. Take it as a direct assignment from the Lord. Pray over the situation, the people involved, the possible struggles, and for God to intervene, heal, and convict.

 *Thirdly, stay silent. Loud in prayer, quiet in voice. We should tell no one what we heard. As though our life depended upon it, let's hold ourselves accountable before God to not continue the cycle of gossip.  

***(Obviously, if this gossip contains any illegal reports or form of abuse you would report to authorities.)

“Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense, but a man of understanding remains silent.” Proverbs 11:12

The Month of No Electronics

A couple of months ago, my husband and I made the decision to take away our children’s electronic devices. 

Each child had a kindle fire, and while we originally thought it would be useful for educational games it had morphed into a prison for their minds. They came home, did homework, then headed straight for their electronic game. 

If you asked them a question they answered without looking up. If you needed their attention it took a whole 10 seconds for them to exit their electronic world before entering into reality to be able to formulate a coherent and appropriate response. They became moody, easily angered, and eerily quiet.

We knew something had to change.

We were watching this electronic device steal their childhood right before our very eyes.

My husband and I sat them down and explained why we were making the decision to take away their electronics, cold turkey, I might add. They grumbled and complained, but we stuck to our decision. We started by saying, “let’s give it one month and we will re-evaluate.”

They asked for a couple of days if they could have their electronic before they finally accepted our decision. And then, something absolutely wonderful began to happen. They pulled out old board games and played together. They went out doors and created games. They started riding their bikes and building ramps. They dug for worms, gave them a bath (which killed the worms) and then gave it a funeral. They jumped on the trampoline and planted seeds. THEY BEGAN TO LIVE AGAIN.

It's now been three months and I recently commented on how much I have enjoyed watching them play and live life together since getting rid of the kindles. My daughter responded, “Oh yea! I forgot we had kindles” THEY HAVE NOT EVEN MISSED THEM!

I’m not saying they will never pick up an electronic. I simply write this to encourage any of you who have considered being the “mean parent” and taking away the electronics or seriously cutting back. I write this to encourage you. I write this because sometimes it’s nice to know someone has your back. Sometimes it’s nice to not be alone.  And sometimes it’s just nice to stand together as parents.  

One Brick

This quote below explains my heart’s desire for today and every post, I share. Each post is personal to me, and I try my best to “re-express truths” that God is teaching me.

“Strive to re-express a truth of God to yourself clearly and understandably, and God will use that same explanation when you share it with someone else. But you must be willing to go through God’s winepress where the grapes are crushed. You must struggle, experiment, and rehearse your words to express God’s truth clearly. Then the time will come when that very expression will become God’s wine of strength to someone else. But if you are not diligent and say, “I’m not going to study and struggle to express this truth in my own words; I’ll just borrow my words from someone else,” then the words will be of no value to you or to others. Try to state to yourself what you believe to be the absolute truth of God, and you will be allowing God the opportunity to pass it on through you to someone else.” My Utmost for His Highest.

I heard a story of some people visiting a military school, and they noticed several students on their hands and knees assessing the courtyard with pencils and clipboards in hand. They asked a senior student walking by, “What are they doing?”  The senior replied, “Each year the upperclassmen ask the freshmen how many bricks it took to finish this courtyard.” The people asked, “So what is the answer?” The senior replied with a smile, “One.”

As I think on that little story I am reminded of myself. Too often I try on my own strength and knowledge to solve all of life’s problems. I get on my hands and knees, exerting all kinds of energy to uncover the solution, when if I just stepped back and sought wisdom from above the Lord promises to help me, lead me, and guide me.

The Lord has recently done just that for me. I became aware of some major struggles in my life that were holding me back spiritually and causing anxiety. I was simply blinded by my own vain attempts to do things my way that I failed to see the root of my struggles.

What was the root of my struggles, my anxieties, and my problems? One simple brick.

The fear of the Lord. A foundational truth that is paramount for believers in Christ- to fear the Lord.

I have struggled for years trying to lay this brick of truth. I first struggled in my childhood with how could I fear a God that I loved so much. I grew to understand that fear meant respect and moved on from there thinking I had that brick fully laid. I deduced that I loved my earthly Father, I respected my earthly Father, and as a child I feared my earthly Father when I disobeyed which led me to obedience. So, the same is with my Heavenly Father. I am supposed to have love, respect, and fear for my God because it is for my good. It pushes me on towards obedience. It keeps me from death.

To fear the Lord is of utmost importance. And while I understood the verse I didn’t fully live it out. This put a crack in my foundation that has led me to the sin of pride which has branched off into emotional insecurity,  the need for people’s approval and their validation, in turn making them my god. I unknowingly feared man more than god. Such a dangerous and exhausting way to live.

When we fear man more than god, when we serve the creature instead of the Creator we are walking with one foot in the door spiritually speaking and one foot out. We are lukewarm.  We are full of fear, nerves, and anxiety. We may attempt to live boldly for Jesus, but if we can’t proclaim that to someone when the rubber meets the road for fear of humanly rejection then we are letting people be our god.

This happens daily for most of us. We are commanded in Romans 1:17 that the righteous are to live by faith. When we live un-righteously we are suppressing the truth to the world around us. You see the righteousness of God is revealed to the unbelieving world by your faith! Romans 1:17 says “the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith.” Does that make sense? Your obedience, your faith, reveals FAITH to others. It reveals salvation that comes through Christ.

Romans is very clear in 1:21-24 “For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal men. Therefore, God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves.”

They exchanged the truth about God for a lie. They worshiped and served the creature rather than the creator. Romans 1:25 paraphrased.

Romans then gives a list of sins that are happening all around us. And while you and I may not be participating in this list of sins are you giving your approval to those who are? Look at Romans 1:32 “Though they knew God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.”

We are ambassadors of Christ (2 Cor. 5:20) Yes! We are called to LOVE one another (Romans 13:8) but in your LOVE check yourself. Are you loving them on towards death? Or are you loving them on towards LIFE everlasting? When you approve or don’t say anything for fear of being labeled “judgmental” you are bowing to the creature instead of the creator. And sometimes that creature or false god is what others think of you and sometimes that creature or false god is yourself. We need to ask ourselves the question, “Who is my God? Who do I live for? Who am I most concerned about pleasing?”

Is the word of God saying we need to arrogantly, rudely and obnoxiously start proclaiming people’s sins to them? No! We are to listen to the voice of our God, go where he leads, speak his truth with love and courage, all the while praying for courage to not fall into the sin of desiring man’s approval over Gods approval.

If you take it a step deeper we are truly acting more for our own good than our neighbors. We don’t say anything or stay silent on a subject because we selfishly don’t want to be rejected. That is loving ourselves more than our neighbors. We say we are loving them and accepting them, but that is often not the case. We are scared people pleasers who fear rejection from man, hurting our image, over God.

Here is the deal and hopefully the closing;

All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.  We are only justified by his grace through the gift of Jesus Christs death on the cross. Through redemption, through our Savior we are made new. We are not perfect, but we should never abuse his kindness and grace.

Personally, here is my scripture prayer to help me say goodbye to insecurity and hello to fearing God.

I want to take “You shall have no other gods before me” seriously.

“He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. (Psalm 40:2) “Whoever walks in integrity walks securely. (Proverbs 10:9) Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; (Isaiah 42:1) “I am hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3) “I am never alone. God is always with me.” (Psalm 9:10) I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you;” (Isaiah 42:6) “Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored and I love you!” (Isaiah 43:4) “You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, and my servants whom I have chosen.” (Isaiah 43:10) “I have not been given a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind.” (2Timothy 1:7 “Cast off the works of darkness, put on the Armor of Light.” (Romans 3:12) “We make our aim to please him” (1 Corinthians 5:6-9) “O Lord, be gracious to us; we wait for you. Be our arm every morning, our salvation in time of trouble.” (Isaiah 33:2) “He will be the stability of your times, abundance of salvation, wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is Zion’s treasure.” (Isaiah 33:6)

Lord, as I live for you each day, as I parent in your name, as I walk this world as your child, I pray that I will seek to only serve you. I pray that I will not seek anyone’s approval other than yours. I will fail and make mistakes, but help me to only care what you think and to give myself grace and room to grow.  I pray you help me to not seek validation for my strengths, weaknesses, or decisions from anyone but you God. You know me inside and out. You created me in my mother’s womb, you know my every desire.  Let my every decision be based on your word. Amen.

Below is a free printable card of the verses above.