The Doctrine of Justification

In today’s society we often look at situations that we are involved in (and inwardly feel we shouldn’t be) and rationalize/justify them with a host of reasons.  When we rationalize something it means we explain the situation with plausible reasons even if they aren’t true or appropriate.   The justification process is in trying to show or prove the situation is true.  An example - Government says everyone must have health care and tries to regulate the provider of that healthcare. Government officials do not have to be regulated by their own standards and can opt out of the regulated healthcare.  Now, I can just see the wheels burning and the excuses flying and that’s where we start rationalizing and justifying why and it is therefore no longer a simple equation.  Yes, both groups wind up with healthcare, so you can win that dispute if you want to, but it isn’t equitable.  If you start qualifying with wealth, race, sex etc. you are rationalizing. 

Illegal immigration is another.  Many would like to come across our borders to live what they believe is the American dream.  There is a waiting list, a “right” way to become a citizen.  Those who choose not to enter our country this way usurp our laws and in my opinion make a mockery of all of us who have to abide by those laws.  I don’t have first-hand knowledge on the horrors of oppression and I do not wish harm to anyone, but legality is not a conditional thing.  Any explanation of condition earns the mark of justification through rationalization.  Ok, I’ve ruffled a few feathers I’m sure with these are 2 examples.

I am not morally better than anyone.  I am a sinner, who daily struggles with being real in my walk, yet believes that Jesus came to absolve all of our sins.  He is the common denominator for all of us, whether we believe in Him or not.  At some point, we will all have our turn facing God and having to answer for the lives we chose to live.  I’m reading the book, “Hero” by Derwin Gray, and the chapter I’m on is the one where he talks about wearing a new suit.  Derwin was a former football player, now a Pastor at Transformation Church.  In his youth, Derwin was poor and he watched a movie “Trading Places” where the main character is taken from being poor, given a new suit, a job and money and he seemingly changes.  So, Derwin using the same equation, buys a new white suit when he makes it big time in the NFL (an acronym, and I quote him, meaning “Not for long”).  When wearing the new suit, Derwin feels clean and proud and avoids anything that will make him “dirty”.  What he shares in this chapter though, is our outside cover is just that, if our inside character doesn’t equal what our outside suit is, we are a façade of cleanliness.

Homeowners, do you pamper the outside of your homes or even the insides of your homes making everything appear to be “right looking” but have family lives that are so out of control with abuse, or addictions or discord? Or loneliness or depression? Isn’t it difficult to keep up that type of scenery!  I know so because at one time or another we have all faced something that makes our lives out of sync and we have to act “as if”.  Do you think widowhood is easy in a couples’ world?  A neighbor of mine just said this yesterday stating her widowed friend told her this.  Then thinking of Robin Williams and I would never have guessed he was such a tormented soul, but the mask he wore became his burden.  What is reality?  With whom can we be real?  We even delude ourselves!  We get trapped into a role and can’t seem to find our way out because too often pride stands in the way.  We are afraid of looking weak, so we continue to persevere in our misery with lies that fool no one but ourselves. 

What is the answer? Put on the Jesus suit.  What’s that? I can give a brief description here but I suggest further reading in the Bible.  Jesus suit = Love.  At Transformation Church there is a saying: Upward, Inward, Outward.  It means love God completely (Upward), love ourselves correctly (Inward) and love others compassionately (Outward).  The Jesus suit!  Putting it on daily, means we get unstuck, because we aren’t focused on ourselves, even when we are loving ourselves, because it does say “correctly”, meaning understanding that we are a valued child of God.

This piece is all over the place in its subject matter, but the point is in here somewhere!  And the point is that we need to stop making excuses for everything and go back to our roots/core and take a stand.  How?  Is there a guide line to follow?  Let me leave you with this one, I found it to be pretty powerful – We are all wearing the Jesus suit, whether we want to or not, how does it look on you?  See, when I borrow someone’s clothing, I find myself more conscious of getting it dirty…just saying!  When we meet with resistance rather than taking offense, try thinking that the perpetrator of discord is not liking how their Jesus suit is fitting them and they like how yours looks and can’t understand why it is different.  In response you can keep your suit clean with words of affirmation or sink to their level and risk getting a blemish on yours.

 

Looking up!

Thoughts a Plenty: The Joy of Being

This morning as I casually sipped my coffee, perusing a
daily devotional I was smacked in the heart with a profound realization.  The magnitude of this realization would have registered on a seismograph in the 8.0 area of the Richter scale (earthquake terminology).  I invite you to look into your own lives and hearts, if you aren’t too terrified to do so, and I say that, because once I opened this door, I found I could not shut it and the subsequent sobs left me trembling.

By now most everyone knows I’m widow at the age of 58, and lost my parents all within the same year.  I moved with my best friend to the beach in March and we weathered the loss of both her parents within 3 months of each other.  On, the happier side of life, I became a grandmother not once but twice within 25 days of each other.  And it is here I will begin my story.

For part of this past week, I spent time with my grand-daughter Kylie.  She is really
sweet and just coming into her own personality.  This is such an important time, because as she learns the ways of the world, it will affect her entire life.  Kylie was born with a frown, and she looked so much like my own mother who had the same frown etched into her forehead, that it caused me to laugh out loud.  What the heck does a little baby
have to frown about within minutes of entering the world?  Since that time, her face has erupted in smiles and coos, sneezes, burps and giggles.  Although she does make the sounds of crying, her tear ducts have yet to produce a single drop.  Many times I call
her “sound” her “faker” cry.  New parents quickly learn to differentiate between the various cries of their children.

I digress.  Babies are for this discussion, viewed as a blank slate and until they learn otherwise, they exemplify joy at their deepest level.  I have witnessed stress melt from the bodies of those who come in from work and hold a baby.  Left on their own,
the two (baby and caregiver- whomever that may be) develop a rapport oblivious
to others at that given moment.  Having experienced this, it made me wonder what happens to make us lose that joyousness?

It dawned on me, it boils down to how we experience love, which happened to be the topic of my devotion.  The commentary associated with John 13:35 described love this way: “Love is more than simply warm feelings.  It is an attitude that reveals itself in action.
How can we love others as Jesus loves us?  By helping when it’s not convenient, by
giving when it hurts, by devoting energy to other’s welfare rather than our own, BY ABSORBING HURTS FROM OTHERS WITHOUT COMPLAINING OR FIGHTING BACK
(emphasis added – my own).  This kind of love is hard to do.

Back to babies.  Babies are free to be who they are, up to a certain age anyway, then
they have to conform into a world that has the potential to rob them of all the
little joyous things we value so much – a giggle just because; a fart or burp
because they have gas, a cry (with or without tears because they need something
and don’t know how to communicate it any other way.)

A few weeks ago, as I was travelling with my friend, for some odd reason, I got the giggles.  I don’t know what struck me funny, but I laughed so hard, I couldn’t see – and I was
the one driving.  Nothing funny was said, I just split open and erupted in laughter. And it felt good.  My friend kept asking me what was funny and I couldn’t answer her, which made me suspect for the rest of the evening- no I hadn’t had anything to drink.  See what I
mean?!  My laughter was contagious?  Maybe?  Or maybe I was scaring her?!

This morning after my reading I came to the realization that the world wants us to qualify joy and that reduced me to tears.  When had this invasion of joylessness invaded my world?  Why had I allowed myself to be robbed and why do I allow it to perpetuate?  There is a time and place to be serious, but it doesn’t have to encompass all 24 hours of the day, 365 days of the year!  I have had people question my judgment, call me names, laugh at my inadequacies and made me feel less than and sometimes worthless.

It also made me think of when we have been wronged or have been the person who has been unforgiving.  Really?!  We hold grudges?  Seems ridiculous when one faces the loss of
lives and I truly mean that.  I wish I would have realized that before having gone through what I have, but I now have no time for people who just want to be hateful because they have been offended.  Who has the right to judge?!  Get over it.  Unfortunately we are the only ones who walk in our shoes, everyone else has their own pair!

So, I’m fighting back.  I am not going to let Satan or anyone else take what I deem to be most precious – my joy!  I have walked the lonely path of depression (a sadness that persists beyond description).  I have “controlled” my urges to be silly because I was afraid of what others may say or think.  And you know what?  Everyone is way too caught up in their own mini-dramas to know that life is too damn short. 

I looked at the last pictures I have of my son and me at differing times holding my husband (his father) just before his passing. I looked at the picture of my sisters standing next to my Dad and also the last picture of 2 of my sisters and myself standing with Mom.  These captured for me how fleeting time is.

So, laugh, cry, sing, and shout.  Stop silencing your inner you for the world’s critics because I have a little secret for you – they aren’t happy either and they want to share their misery with you.  In some warped way, if they can make you feel bad, they feel better. 

God’s love is not selfish, it is selfless.  He wants us to feel the joy for all that has
been provided by Him graciously!

Invite me, I love a good laugh.  There's nothing like a great giggle (with or without the baby!)

Looking up!

Faithful? Trusting? Belief? What do they mean?

God is faithful.  Do you know it?  Do you feel it?  Do you believe it?  If I take myself out of the equation, because I filter things, or maybe I should say I unknowingly allow Satan the invitation to filter my thoughts, then, and only then does it seemingly make sense to me.  God promises and He delivers, no ifs, ands or buts.  The problem is my thought processes are limited and therefore when things don’t get done the way I think they should be done, or in the time frame I believe to be sufficient, I am left in doubt.  Too often I believe we set ourselves up for failure.  We also set God up.  Do we pray for silly things as proof of God’s love and devotion to us?  Definition of silly things – winning a game (either ours or our favorite sport’s team), passing a test when we haven’t put in the work of studying for it, expecting to win the lottery and therefore not working to be financially sound, can you add to the list? 

God is faithful to me daily for all the little things I overlook each and every day.  I have my health, loved ones, a roof over my head, food to eat, and so much more.  I take these things for granted expecting more and yet, when I stop and think about all that I do have and then think of those less fortunate than I, I am ashamed.  God gives us life, not problem free life.  Problems are our way of growing in life.  On Sunday, I heard through Joel Osteen about palm tree strength.  In a storm, a palm tree bends over to a point where it might even touch the ground.  In this state somehow its roots are strengthened, whereas an Oak might just uproot and fall.  After the storm, the palm has “bounce back” technology built in, and when it stands upright, it is stronger than before.  Now, as we face our problems, don’t we also share in that bounce-back ability? 

So, if we are challenged with difficulties – lack of health, addictions, financial difficulties, chronic illnesses either ours or our loved ones, does that mean God is not faithful?  I think I have a difficult time grasping bad things happening to good people; as well as understanding that we go through seasons.  I think we get our minds wrapped around negativity and can’t see the forest for the trees in regard to our blessings.  Our eyes get stuck on the moment and we choose not to see the big picture. 

It takes more muscles to frown than to smile and yet, we actively pursue the frown workout when we choose to stay stuck in negativity.  Does it feel good in this place?  It doesn’t for me, and yet I stay rooted here.  Why? 

Because we follow the path of least resistance.  Is it better to stay in the known “hell” than try to move out into the unknown?  We may believe this to be true, because we already know how to adapt to what we are experiencing and we fear the unknown. 

Last story – a man was hiking on a mountainous trail admiring the view.  He came to a treacherous spot and had a choice to make, go the easy, longer way or take the shorter more difficult route.  The man was secure in his abilities almost to the point of egomania, so he chose the shorter way.  As he is hiking, his feet slip and he finds himself dangling from a tree limb with his grasp weakening.  His time is short and his attempts of pulling himself up are futile.  Out of the blue, he calls to God for help.  God answers him, but first asks him a question.  The question was “Do you trust me?”  The man feels his grip sliding, but the question annoys him?  “God, I need your help now!  Not a lecture!”  God replies “Well, if you trust me, let go.”  The man now is angry and says “if I let go, I’ll fall and die!  How can I trust you with that being your answer?”  God says once again to him, “If you trust me, let go.”  The man, begrudgingly acknowledges his trust in God, feeling he doesn’t have a choice and he lets go.  When he does, he drops 4 inches onto a ledge.  The man didn’t see the full picture in his dilemma, but God did and does for each of us!  Do you trust God or are you and I only confident in what we know and see? 

I’d love to know what the man thought after this – did he feel tricked by God or was he grateful?  What would you feel?  Do we only know God in difficult times?  In good times is there no God?  Final thought – God admittedly states that He is jealous for our attention.  If the only time we think of Him is in our problematic state, might He be keeping us there to keep us near Him?  Hmmmm…..thought provoking to say the least!

Attitude - a new one needed?

Do you know the story of Mary and Martha from the Bible?  Mary is the gentle, laid back woman who sits mesmerized at Jesus’ feet while her sister, Martha, complains about doing all the work in preparation for houseguests, namely Jesus and his entourage.  In Luke 10:39 and 40 paraphrased by me, Martha comes to Jesus and says “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work?  Tell her to come and help me.”

As noted in the Woman’s Friendship devotional, Martha’s problem isn’t in her having to serve the meal, she is quite capable, no, her problem is in her attitude toward serving.  Further down in the reading, it suggests that she had a major attitude adjustment after her brother Lazarus died for 4 days, because once again, when she was serving a meal to Jesus, she didn’t stomp around her kitchen bemoaning her circumstances.  Death (even though her brother Lazarus’ death only lasted 4 days) had shown her what really matters.

At the end of the reading there is always a prayer and then a quotation.  I loved this one.  It goes “The higher and truer knowledge we have of the goodness and unselfishness of God, the less anxiety, and fuss, and wrestling, and agonizing, will there be in ones worship.”  Hannah Whitall Smith.

I can’t speak for anyone but myself, I admit to moaning and groaning when life seems too hard, or too unpleasant or when things don’t go the way I want them to.  As I mentioned yesterday, I am shedding my cocoon and in its shedding I will encounter trials.  And as the story goes about the butterfly, without the trials, I won’t get the caca off my wings to be able to learn to flap them and be able to fly.  Trials are to life as weights are to strength training, but at the core.  God is at the core, He gave us life, but we still are the ones who have to live it.

While I sit here typing this, knowing I need to gather up my stuff and head back from the beach to finish packing up the house for our subsequent move to the beach, I am dreading this endeavor, but to get to point C, I have to add points A and B.  There are no ifs, ands or buts.  Complaining about it only serves to make the task more difficult.

Dreading the task at hand doesn’t get it done.  I have said the serenity prayer 3 times today already!  “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.”

Bruce is not coming back to life – I can’t change that and wouldn’t want to change it.  He is a treasure stored in heaven.  Selfishly I want him here with me, but to have seen heaven, there’s no way, I would want him to have to settle back into a world of pain and suffering, doubt and disappointment, sadness… I on the other hand, am still here and God is giving me the courage to step out and see the beauty that can exist amidst the heartaches described above.  Did you see the shift.  Heaven is perfect, our world is fallen, but with the right attitude, our world can and is beautiful. 

Am I fearful of changes? Absolutely, but I trust that God is leading me to a place of beauty.  Will it be perfect?  No, not until the day I die and enter heaven, but it can be pretty darn good, as long as I keep my attitude where it needs to be.  See, the thing is, my journey isn’t complete until God says so.  Could I have stayed where I was and ventured out beyond my home – sure, but I felt that God wanted me to take a different path.  Does it mean giving up the comfort of the “family” I have left?  Yes, but as I keep learning, painful trials are what makes you grow.  Without growth, there’s no life.  I have fulfilled my parental duties, we raised our children to the best of Bruce’s and my abilities.  Leaving them to stand on their own two feet (soon to be 6 feet per couple) isn’t as selfish as some try to make me think.  Rather, I hope to be showing them that life continues on.  That there can still be joy after sorrow.  That they too can not only cope, but survive and thrive on their own.

When health becomes an issue, the wagons circle for protection which is great.  But the pioneers of yesteryear, knew they had to keep moving on and as difficult as it was, they mourned and pulled up stakes and continued their trek to destinations unknown.  Without the brave doing so, would we have ever founded America, or California or any of the states in between?

We of aging parents or as the aging parent forget that as people we still have hopes and dreams and as long as we are physically able, we need to be able to live those dreams.  As children of aging parents, we wonder why they balk at our insistence to know what is best for them.  Really?  Didn’t they diaper us?  And while we may now be diapering in reverse, don’t think for a minute that they don’t cringe at the role reversal.  As a widow, I am grateful that my kids don’t look at me as being incapable, but many times that is the exact attitude that is adopted when a parent dies.

Attitude is the key to living life.  What does yours say about you?  Circumstances will be what they may, but we can choose our attitudes about the service we provide.

 

Looking up!

 

BArb

When I look in the mirror, what do I see OR What does my face say about me?

I just read an interesting tidbit about Thomas Jefferson.  At some point in his presidency he and his entourage were trying to cross a rain swollen river.  They looked for its narrowest point and were about to cross, when a man stood up at its banks and looked each man in the face.  Thomas Jefferson was near the end of the group and as he was about to cross, the man asked if he could ride with him.  Thomas Jefferson said yes, and the man hopped on behind him.  Once they had crossed, the man slid to the ground thanking TJ.  Another man, came up to him and asked him how he had dared to ask the President of the United States to take him across the river.  The man was appalled, and stated that he didn’t know that TJ was in fact the president and apologized profusely.  He then added that as he looked at each man, only Thomas Jefferson’s face/eyes said yes, all the others had a look of “NO” on their faces.

I was looking at a picture of myself taken shortly after Bruce had passed.  It was taken at Atlantic Beach, and I was a bit sunburned, but in delving deeper I noticed a “softness” in my expression.  Now, I know that as much as I would like this to be my everyday look, it isn’t.  But at that particular time, having had the most profound “worst” already happen to me (although I continued to be battered that year), I realized that the most important thing in life was about loving others regardless of anything and I do mean anything.  I was at that particular moment in a numb state or protective bubble, having been placed there by God.  There is no good way to describe that other than to say, I didn’t care about personality defects, bad attitudes, bad circumstances or any other negativity.  In retrospect, I was being comforted by the hand of God – although I will admit that I didn’t know it at the time.

As I am in the process of shedding my cocoon now, I am becoming aware that as I step back into life that I am once again “bothered” by what people say and do.  I again am becoming prideful and wanting things my way.  But here is the thing, now I am aware of it and even more profound is the fact that once aware of being blessed, to be heading back in this direction is NOT something I want to be doing.  The key to seeing is in the eyes and I don’t mean that to be a pun.

When one experiences a death of a loved one (or in my case several in the course of a year) one has a choice.  You can become bitter or better.  You can try with all your strength or whatever term you want to use to stay or regain control or you can become aware that none of life is really in our control and then relinquish that need to try to lay claim to it.  That is the softness you see in the eyes – the actual “giving up” and instead relishing peace.

Another interesting thing I read was about an atheist who was dying.  A hospice volunteer was trying to ascertain this woman’s stand with Christ.  She spoke and prayed with her daily, and finally the dying woman said that she was an atheist and had no interest in changing.  Later in her last days, this woman began hallucinating about being tormented by fire climbing up her legs. 

While these two very different readings might be a stretch to be tied together – the central theme in the message is about peace, beyond our understanding.  When we are unwavering in our desire to control or to put it another way, be the god of our own destiny we are claiming in a manner of speaking atheism.

Look in the mirror what do you see?  Do you see the glint of steel – the look of no one is going to “get” me?  Or do see the softness of acceptance and with it the peace of knowing that even though we may be undeserving, we are accepted and loved unconditionally!

 

Looking up!

Barb

I surrender or did I?

How do you know if you are convicted?

Last night at a woman’s Bible study I struggled with the right words to ask this question.  Interestingly, the right words popped out at me this morning, from commentary by Joyce Meyer.  She said, and I quote “I lived a defeated life for many years simply because I was not fully surrendered.  I accepted Jesus as Savior; I had enough Jesus to stay out of hell, but I had not accepted Him as my Lord in every detail of my life; I had not accepted enough of Him to walk in victory – and there is a difference.

These words showed me my lack of conviction.  Ouch! Ouch and ouch again.

What constitutes a defeated life?  Well, should I describe some of the attributes of mine?  Prideful, fearful, doubting, obsessing about control or lack of it, I can go on, but that ol’ prideful thing stands in the way!

The commentary also stated that any area of our lives that we hold separate from God, is an area where we cannot be filled with His Spirit.  Reworded – any area that we hold separate from God remains dark.  The specifics – “your time is His; your money is His; as are your gifts and talents, your family, your career, thoughts, attitudes and desires.  He wants to be involved in every area of your life; how you dress, the friends you choose, what you do for entertainment, what you eat….and so on.”

I realize that all of the above has been stated and restated.  I’ve read it over and over, but finally, the light bulb is coming on for me.  You see, as Joyce stated above, I believe I have enough Jesus in me to stay out of hell, but I’m not living in victory.  Victory should be feeling buoyant, not overwhelmed.  Joy should be expressed in your walk, your talk, your eyes but unfortunately for many, myself included, the problems of the day (I was going to say world, but I need to start smaller) show up in our posture, our gait and the deadness in our eyes.  As a photography student, I am especially drawn to my subject’s eyes. Do you see the sparkle knowing that they are engaged and you can look into their souls?  Or do people’s eyes seem flat, disconnected?

So, I asked, how do you fully surrender?  I don’t think my problem is that I haven’t tried, it is more that I find myself giving but taking it back.  I have definitely come to understand surrendering control in some aspects, you can’t lose loved ones and not comprehend the loss of control you feel.  I can even say at this point after 17 months, that I am at peace knowing that I have added 3 more souls to my treasures in heaven.  Surrendering to acceptance of that is huge!  But I think my question of surrender is deeper than that!  How does one agree to open their hands to what hasn’t yet taken place?  God gives us the choice of free will, and He gives us a mind and somehow Satan gets into the mix and we become hoarders of the imagination, ie – The What Ifs, the saving for a rainy day, the you better plan ahead mentality.  And all these put the dependence on me, myself and I, rather than in trusting that God is the sole provider of everything in our lives!

This is the stuff I’m talking about, the non-victorious way of life that confounds me daily.  The advice given, talk to God.  Read His word.  Surround yourself with others doing the same thing.  Good advice!  God says that in our weakness, He is strong.  I thought I was doing all that!  The problem is that I’m too busy to listen, to settle myself to hear what is being said!  Anyone?  My coffee cup says around its rim “Peace, be still” does anyone see the oxymoron in that?  Caffeine and be still just shouldn’t even be in the same sentence!

Finally, at the end of the commentary Joyce states “Complete surrender to God brings good change into our lives.  Surrendering to Him actually opens the door to the things we desire, and yet we waste our time and energy trying to obtain access to them in our own way.”

I pray that God reaches into all of our hearts and allows us each to have the eyes of our hearts opened in such a way, that we become convicted of the need to surrender, once and for all, those things we keep hidden.  “For Jesus said to the people, “I am the Light of the world, if you CHOOSE to follow me, you won’t be stumbling in darkness, for you will have the light of life.”

Now, I wait in hopeful expectancy, that from my heart to His, He will see my desire to surrender all, once and for all and that I will be allowed to walk in victory and joy!

Looking up!

The Chains that Bind us

I just purchased a new devotional in the last few days and today’s reading left me in awe.  The biblical contribution was from 2 Timothy1 v. 16 and it detailed the tale of a friendship.  “May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not afraid of my chains.”

I stand (ok, I’m sitting) before all, and say that I am guilty, guilty because I use to be one and on occasion am still one who is afraid of guilt by association, of those who differ from me.  I have, although I ask God daily to show me the way out of the judgment seat I sometimes find myself in, held others to a standard of my own choosing, rather than let them be the masterpiece of the Creator. 

The more I live, the more I better grasp that no one is exactly like another.  And it is in each individual’s uniqueness that I find myself able to learn the value of life.  Losing 4 significant people who helped to shape me into the person I am, leaves an impression.  The loss of even just one life, if it is allowed, can change you to being more sensitive to those around you.  Sometimes we hold too tight to what we have or have had, to be able to get through the day....I get that, but in the grasp or grip of terror, that something else might be forever taken away, what are we not able to accept because our hand is fisted?  Life is fluid, not stagnant.  I know only too well, the desire to go back to what once was, but you see, I can't and while that makes me sad, being held captive to what was, only serves to keep me despondent.  We all question situations, but we must be careful that we not paint ourselves into a corner with no way out.  And yes, I am aware that it works both ways, but ultimately the decisions we make are our own.

I’ve recently been watching Downton Abbey.  In season 3, the housemaid Ethel becomes a prostitute after being rejected for having had a bastard son with an army officer, who was only too willing until consequences played out.  The “cook” from the neighboring household refuses to stay in the employment of the lady of the house because she doesn’t want to tarnish her reputation, whereby the lady of the house, bids her good day, sticking up for the young mother, (who has left the profession trying to get her life back in order) in the manner much like that stated in 2 Timothy 1 v.16.  The young mother is getting a second chance, but the cook, stands in judgment believing she is in the right and thinking the Lady of the house will side with her.  Surprised?  Why?  Didn't Jesus do the same thing with Mary Magdalene?  If He forgives, what right do we have NOT to?  He has forgiven us...time and time again.  I'm beyond grateful!

Whether we know it or not, we are all bound by chains.  We may just happen to think our chains are more respectable than someone else’s and I’m sorry to say, that is only true in our own eyes.  I am not some holier than thou person, but I have had my eyes opened to the plight of discrimination that has nothing to do with any of the usual contexts (color, age, sex).  Discrimination of any flavor is not becoming and then I find in my saying that, I become guilty yet again for my own judging attitude!  Filters can and do change the picture.

Lord, my prayer is that we each learn to accept and appreciate the masterpieces of humanity that you have created.  Let the troubled find their way to you.  Let the Jesus in me, learn to respect the Jesus in them, because when we do not allow it, we are saying that we have the right to judge another’s character, without knowing all that has gone into its shaping. 

Lord, I offer myself to thee, to build with me and do with me as thy wilt.  Release me from the bondage of self, so that I may better do THY will.  Take away my difficulties so that they may bear witness to those I would help of Thy love, Thy power and Thy way of life!  May I do Thy will always!

 

Looking up!

Barb