Today is my 465th blog post. What is important about this? Not a thing. I just noticed it today, and thought I really don’t have that much important or edifying to say, and yet I have 465 posts. I have my favorites. Sometimes I go back to the beginning and read some of what I wrote. Have yet to find any that I would take back. I have taken some criticism on a few, and been mocked once or twice, one in specific titled God is Good and that comment still hurts today. But wounds heal, scars form and I still believe God is good, regardless! (This is where the child in me sticks her tongue and goes phttttt!) I think of Psalm 37: 14-15 The wicked draw their swords and string their bows to kill the poor and the oppressed, to slaughter those who do right. But their swords will stab their own hearts, and their bows will be broken.
I also often think of this verse from my theme song The Broken Hallelujah
You say I took the name in vain
I don't even know the name
But if I did, well really, what's it to you?
There's a blaze of light in every word
It doesn't matter which you heard
The holy or the broken Hallelujah
This scripture and this verse from this song both have attitude. This verse makes me want to be on the receiving end of the wicked, not be the wicked. Take aim at me, but God’s Word says you’ll be on the receiving end. And I love this verse from the song because really, what’s it to you? I answer to God. The biggest lesson I learned is that I can’t make anyone happy. I can do all the right things. I can immerse myself in good deeds, looking right, acting right, pretending to be happy and it’s not worth a crap. I now view everything through Scripture. What does God’s Word say? Steve and I have had several discussions about this, right and wrong. I even had two lengthy discussions over profanity and cuss words and what’s right and what’s wrong. Maybe someday I’ll share my opinion on this. You’ll probably be surprised. I’m now back to show me in the Bible where it’s wrong. If you can’t, get over it. I get causing your brother to stumble, and being all things to all people and sitting at the king’s table, etc. But I don’t want to be that Christian that is worried all the time about appearances and who is watching me and what are they seeing. I want to be a Jesus freak. Over the top, in love with Jesus Jesus freak.
They called Jesus a glutton and a drunkard. Talked about him eating with sinners. Showing love on the Sabbath by healing. I want to live the way he did. Loving the unloveable. Going to where the unloveable is. Sitting with them. Talking with them. Not posturing for the religious and obeying their rules. Worrying that my dress is modest? My skirt is long enough. My kids are playing baseball and volleyball...again instead of youth camp, youth group, etc.. I don’t want to worry about the second shot of tequila glass of wine or the R rated movie or the color of skin on the young man my daughter is dating. (I have two bi-racial granddaughters).
Where sin is called sin in the Scriptures, I’ll call it sin. Where it’s not, I won’t. When it happens, I will forgive, lovingly and completely, because that’s in the Bible too.
This made me think about opinions and advice. I have an opinion. On everything. Except where to have dinner Friday night. CARRIIEEEEE! Help!!
Steve met with a running coach this week. Wanted to see if he needed to change anything up. Spent an hour and a half with him talking, reviewing his training plan. Coach didn’t watch him run, told him there was nothing wrong with his running form. Looking at his training plan, he made two suggestions. One, quit weights. Not gonna happen. Steve knows that ultra running and weight lifting are diametrically opposed, but won’t quit either activity. Two, split some of his longer runs into two runs. Run an extra day during the week and twice on Saturdays. This he is going to try. Steve asked someone who knew more than he does. He listened to what he had to say, and he evaluated the advice with his personal goals, and based on this, decided what, if anything needed to change.
There are people I ask for advice and for their opinion. And listen closely and weigh carefully what they say. There are people that I avoid their advice and opinions as much as possible. When I ask, I really want to know. I want to hear your thoughts and then see how they fit with mine. With me or against me, it makes me think and look at all angles before I make a decision. This has served me well in the last several months. I received valuable advice that I put in practice. Jenny & Sheila, priceless words of wisdom that I bound to my heart. Carrie, words of encouragement, insight and unwavering loyalty that I’ll never forget. Words and behaviors I will remember and pass on to others if the situation ever warrants it. Hopefully I’ll never have to use them because I don’t want to see anyone in pain.
I want my words to never be like I’ve sharpened a sword or strung my bow, aimed for slaughter. (Although I may stick my tongue out and Phtttt at you) I want my opinions and my advice and my words to be kind and loving, even if they disagree with you, kind and loving.
I think of Matthew 7:
ReplyDelete2 "For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. 3 "Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 "Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' and behold, the log is in your own eye?
It's one thing to lovingly correct another believer in an effort to help them stay in communion with God, but it's something entirely different to judge the actions of others because they don't line up with your own convictions. It takes a great deal of discernment to know when having that glass of wine is okay and when it might cause someone else to stumble. That's something each believer has to decide on their own and it shouldn't be up for debate by other believers. "You drank a glass of wine? You sinned." Bull.
We have a spiritual responsibility to work out our own salvation, not the salvation of others while at the same time having enough wisdom to know that as believers, we are under scrutiny by non-believers and the choices we make should reflect, first and foremost, our desire to see the lost get saved. The choices we make directly impact that.
While you & I know, Patsy, that the length of our skirt or the beverages we drink (to use your examples) shouldn't be the ultimate factor in whether or not a non-believer chooses Christ, the fact is, non-believers ARE judging us based on those things. That's where discernment is key.
Il Vicino!
ReplyDelete@Carrie always a good choice.
ReplyDelete@Jenn well said.
ah, Discernment. Motivations. Judgment. All that which is in the heart. That which God truly knows and we can make assumptions about.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad in the end it's HE who is in charge of my heart and my eternity and not those around me who think they know me.
Wait. wait. I take that comment back. Or make amends to it! I walked away from the computer and was instantly convicted. I do it too. I judge on what people wear, especially when I don't know them. I can't stand it when women wear tops that show cleavage, because I have heard how it affects men. So I judge. Who am I to do that? a sinner struggling to get through like a lot of others.
ReplyDelete@Jules I like that lost comment - a sinner struggling to get through like a lot of others. Except I would say like ALL others.
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