Month: July 2016

Words

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“Sticks and stones may break your bones, but words will never hurt you.”

When I was in 8th grade, a guy told me I couldn’t be his Valentine because his friends thought I was ugly. Those words have stayed with me since they were spoken. I may not identify with them as much as I once did, but for a very long time, I did some stupid things to validate my worth and receive the approval of others.

“She used to be ashamed of her story, now she’s excited to tell them about God’s mercy, favor, and glory.”

I have made some awful mistakes in my life, many I have confessed to and many I have not. I guess this could be said for any of us. We confess just enough for people to believe we are transparent, but keep plenty close to the vest.

“A…heart like his mama’s”

One of my biggest complaints of Jake is how differently he treats me versus how he treats others. I complain that he is so polite to others whilst treating me not so nice.

His heart is definitely like mine. Last night, Jake reminded how mean I am to him. I have said some cruel and heartbreaking things to him throughout the years, which have obviously stayed with him. I have crushed his spirits, devalued him as a person and a young man. All the while sharing with others how “far” Christ has brought me.

Am I negating the distance I have travelled? Absolutely not, but how can one proclaim being a lover of Christ when she is not loving the most special gift He has blessed her with? Have my words hurt my son as deeply as the words spoken to me by an 8th grade boy?

“You are being too hard on yourself”

Am I? Or am I taking advantage of all the mercy, favor, and glory God has showered on me? Am I no different than the person that hurt me with his words all those years ago? Am I still the self-absorbed child that sought validation by putting others down because I was once hurt?

“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light.” – Ephesians 5:8-13

May Your conviction produce a change and not be easily forgotten.

Know It All

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Several years ago, someone questioned my beliefs of speaking in tongues. He didn’t argue with me, he just wanted to know why I believed what I believed. I wasn’t sure how to answer him. A trustworthy person, earlier in life, had taught me something, and I adopted it as my own belief, no questions asked. Now the question was being asked. And I had no response.

Because of that experience, I have really become a student of the Word. I don’t want to just take on something because it sounds true. I want to be able to back up what I believe if ever questioned. In addition, I also like to ask the question that was asked of me “why do you believe that?” That question, as it did for me several years ago, has sparked many a conversations. Unfortunately, it has also sparked many arguments.

When did it become wrong to question someone? Is it that offensive to know someone’s thought process on his or her beliefs? Have we become so defensive that everything is interpreted as attack? Are our beliefs so absurd we would never want to share our reasoning with a person who genuinely wants to know our thoughts on the matter? Could we not learn from one another by questioning others? Is this not what Proverbs 27:17 mean when it says: “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another”?

Could it be that when we question someone’s beliefs, we get to know him or her a little better? Or if we are the ones being questioned, could it be an opportunity to share our beliefs with someone who may believe as we do? We are so quick to tell people when we are right and they are not, that we often forget that there is only One that knows it all and we are never too wise to learn something new!