trust

Following Donkeys

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I have mentioned before in several of my blogs about my love for a lot of the Old Testament stories. David and Goliath, Jonah and the big fish, Moses and the Israelites, and Joseph, just to name a few. What I love even more is re-reading them as an adult and seeing some of the layers that I never saw as a child. That is the incredible thing about scripture, it is layers deep and miles wide. It isn’t just some dusty old book of history. It is truly alive and well and meant for us to get something new from every single day.

Recently, I was reading the story of Saul being anointed as king and I was struck by his humble beginnings. Starting in 1 Samuel 9, we read of a handsome and apparently tall young Saul who was simply sent on an errand with a servant to find his father’s lost donkeys. That journey ended up lasting 3 days and took him right to where God wanted him to be.

That’s how God often works. He doesn’t always take our life’s paths straight from A to B, no, sometimes we end up at Q before we finally circle back and hit B. He also often uses our daily mundane, even frustrating, tasks to accomplish His plans for us. I am sure Saul was a little annoyed and verse 5 even tells us that he even tried to convince his servant to turn back. However, the servant said that they ought to press a little further and inquire of the man of God in the town they had reached. That man of God just so happened to be the prophet Samuel, and he already knew Saul was coming. “Now the day before Saul came, the Lord had revealed this to Samuel: ‘About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him ruler over my people Israel; he will deliver them from the hand of the Philistines. I have looked on my people, for their cry has reached me.’ When Samuel caught sight of Saul, the Lord said to him, ‘This is the man I spoke to you about; he will govern my people.’” 1 Samuel 9:15-17 NIV.

God used the mundane daily grind to lead Saul exactly where he needed to be. Maybe He is doing the same for us? Could those daily inconveniences and frustrations be guiding us down the very path that God has for us? Maybe those annoying donkeys are actually guiding us straight toward our anointing. The question is, will you keep going like the servant wanted to, or will you turn back and quit the way that Saul wanted to? What I love about this story is that God place that unnamed servant with Saul to encourage him when he was about to give up. We all need that from time to time. That encouragement was the very thing that led them to the anointing. Let us be like that servant to each other. Encourage each other through the long, hard journey, maybe that breakthrough is right around the corner!

Put The Baby In The Basket!

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If you have read very many of my blogs, or listened to any of my prayer requests, you probably know that one of my struggles has always been to let go and trust. Now, don’t get me wrong. I can trust with the everyday stuff. I don’t struggle knowing that God will take care of us from day to day. However, it seems like no matter how many battles and victories I have seen, I still hesitate when it comes to the big stuff.

Maybe you struggle with the same thing. I don’t handle change well, just ask my husband about that. I analyze and over analyze things that I know will cause big changes. It is my Achilles heel. Deep down, I know that God always works the big stuff out. Honestly, He works it out better than I could ever imagine. I just struggle to let go.

So many stories throughout the Bible point out to me my lack of trust. One of those stories that I have really been thinking a lot about is the one about Moses’ mother in Exodus 2. “About this time, a man and woman from the tribe of Levi got married.  The woman became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She saw that he was a special baby and kept him hidden for three months. But when she could no longer hide him, she got a basket made of papyrus reeds and waterproofed it with tar and pitch. She put the baby in the basket and laid it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile River.” Exodus 2:1-3 NLT

I wish so much that there was more in scripture about her. It doesn’t even mention her name in these verses, although it is revealed to be Jochebed later in scripture (See Exodus 6:20). I just can’t help but ask what she saw that made her know that he was a special baby? Whatever it was, it made her defy the Pharaoh, who had ordered all male babies be killed by throwing them into the Nile river (See Exodus 1:22), by hiding her baby for 3 months until she could not longer keep him hidden. It was at that point she did something that I am not sure I could have done as a mother of a 3 month old. She prepared a basket and placed him in the very river that he was supposed to be killed in. Her faith is incredible in doing that! I want so badly to know about the inner turmoil she was dealing with when she placed him in the basket. The fact that she waterproofed the basket shows that she had faith the God would protect her baby boy. If you know the end of the story you will know that Moses ended up being raised in the household of the very man who wanted him killed, by the Pharaoh’s own daughter, and eventually went on to save the Israelites.

I imagine that Jochebed never even imagined what God had in store for her little boy. All she had in mind was his survival, even if it was in someone else’s home. However, that single scary act of faith saved an entire nation. I truly believe that God wants to do the same things in our life. He wants to take those frustrating, scary, and seemingly impossible situations and use them for His purposes. He knows what we are going through. For whatever reason, he also allows those situations to happen. Nothing is wasted in the Kingdom of God. Romans 8:18 (NIV) tells us, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” Was that ever true for Jochebed! So many blessings came through her. Not only did Moses survive, but as it turns out, he came right back to Jochebed for a time and she got to nurse him until he was old enough to take back to the palace. If you haven’t read the story through the lense of Jochebed, I encourage you to look at it from her perspective and see all the miracles that only God could have created. Her only job was to step out and put the baby in the basket!

So, I challenge you (and me), regardless of what challenge you are dealing with: PUT THE BABY IN THE BASKET!

A Better Resolution

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It’s the beginning of January! As we ring in a new year, it likely means that you have made some new year’s resolutions. As a matter of fact, we are already more than a week into 2022, you may have already given up on those resolutions by now. I stopped making resolutions years ago. I decided that if there is something I want to change, I don’t need to wait until a new year rolls around to do them. That being said, I might just change my mind this year.

The past 2 years have been crazy for most of us, myself included. I have rejoiced in the new births in my family, as well as grieved at the loss of family members way too soon. I have made new friends, and seen the loss of friends. I, just like you, have had times where I felt on top of the world, and times where I felt alone in a pit of despair. If I had to get real honest, 2022 has already started off a little difficult. Many of the issues of 2021 have found their way into this new year as well. I want this year to be different.

If you know me very well at all, you would know that I am a podcast gal. I listen to several different podcasts, primarily ones with a Christian leaning. I often listen to them while doing housework (it makes the mundane more tolerable). Yesterday, I was listening to a sermon and was struck with something that has now been working on me for the past 24 hours. This wasn’t a new message by any means. I have heard similar things from dozens of ministers in the past. However, there is something about the space I am living in right at this moment that made it hit me a little different. The pastor was talking about a well known verse, 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NIV). “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.“

Like I said, not an unfamiliar verse. However, he pulled out a church camp move and talked about replacing the word love with your name. If you have never done that, please do. Fill in the blanks with your name: __________________ is patient, __________________ is kind. __________________ does not envy, __________________ does not boast, __________________ is not proud. __________________ does not dishonor others, __________________ is not self-seeking, __________________ is not easily angered, __________________keeps no record of wrongs. __________________ does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. __________________ always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

If that doesn’t mess with you just a little (or massively), you are either perfect or lying to yourself.

Wow! Oh, how I fail miserably when I put myself in those verses. So, I want to make a better resolution this year. I want to allow God to change me from the ground up to better fit the mold of those verses. I want to be a more loving person this year. It isn’t easy. I struggle with so many of those, specifically keeping record of wrongs. When I, or someone I love, are betrayed, that’s hard to let go of. It is also hard to be patient and kind during stressful times.

As we cautiously enter this new year, let us set aside our self-serving ways, and really make our goal to learn to love others better. Jesus himself said it best when He said, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” John 13:34 NIV.

The Loneliness of Mary

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I love Christmas! However this Christmas felt a little weird. It has been so windy here that we weren’t even able to do much outside yesterday without being miserable. Instead, we had a pretty lazy day watching movies and just hanging out around the house. As I watched all the movies it occurred to me how romanticized Christmas has become. Either it is this magical thing that revolves around Santa and gifts, or it is almost presented as a fairy tale when it comes to the story of Jesus.

I don’t think either of those ends of the spectrum really do the holiday justice. I even worry about my own kids. I don’t want them to miss out on the fun parts of Christmas, but I also want to make sure that they know what the day really means. I have to work hard myself to not lose the real meaning in the mess of the hustle and bustle.

Reflection on Our Blessed Mother, Mary – Diocese of Orlando, Florida

It occured to me this year as I was reading back through the story of Jesus’ birth how lonely Mary must have felt. In the modern world we live in, we are so much more accepting of teenage, unwed mothers. However, in Mary’s day that would have been enough to get her stoned in the street. We tend to glaze over it calling her blessed among women, which she is, but she probably didn’t feel that way at the time.

*disclaimer: this is simply my thoughts and opinions on the issue, not necessarily stated in scripture*

Picture if a teen girl tried to convince you that her pregnancy was the Son of God, not the result of her indiscretions. I imagine that there was a lot of rumors, dirty looks, and down right cruelty from the people in town. I would also imagine that may be part of the reason that she went and stayed with her relative Elizabeth for 3 months (see Luke 1:56).

It is no secret that women can be cruel to each other. To be perfectly honest, I have struggled my whole life to have close, intimate female friendships that went any deeper than surface level. That is largely because women are sometimes vindictive and hold onto grudges. This isn’t to paint women in a bad light, it is simply something that I sadly have experienced too many times. As I think of Mary, I believe she endured a tremendous amount of cruel words and accusations. Mary really had no one but Elizabeth who could possibly understand a miracle pregnancy. It was probably a pretty lonely place to be. Now, I am sure that Joseph did his best to understand and listen to Mary, but I bet there were times where she just wept because she felt alone. I think that all of the frustrations she likely dealt with during her pregnancy are largely part of the reason she “treasured in her heart” so many of the things after Jesus was born (see Luke 2:19 and 2:49-51).

Although none of us are pregnant with the Messiah (he doesn’t come back that way), I believe that we all carry our own burdens and frustrations. In this world of social media and cell phones, we are more connected than ever but in many ways so much more alone. We all carry things that we feel no one really understands, and they likely don’t. It makes me so sad how disconnected we can become from each other. However, just like He did for Mary, God does have a greater plan. We are never promised a life with no frustrations. We can, however, take heart knowing that rather than repeating the cycle of pain, we can use our own pain as a catalyst to be more empathetic and compassionate to others. I imagine that Mary had a soft place in her heart for the rest of her life for women who were unwed and pregnant. I also imagine that she probably tried to give people the benefit of the doubt before passing judgement. The compassion of Jesus shows that his mother was a compassionate person.

My prayer as we enter the new year, is that any pain, disappointment, or frustration that we may be dealing with, may be the very thing that in the year 2022, will lead us to the next level of what God has for us.

Marked Moments

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“Nothing is a surprise to God; nothing is a setback to His plans; nothing can thwart His purposes; and nothing is beyond his control.”

This quote was spoken by Joni Eareckson Tada, one of the most unlikely people to speak such a thing because she has been a quadriplegic since the age of 17. This quote speaks volumes to me. I believe with all my heart that God is in control, I just wish I could get that through to my head sometimes. I know that I don’t always act like it, but I do know it’s true.

I believe that there are moments that can change the trajectory of our lives in an instant. Some of my own examples include asking a friend of mine to a college formal (I ended up marrying that friend), getting laid off from a job I thought I would have forever, making the decision to become a teacher, and having a sweet surprise 3rd child, just to name a few. Those moments may be exciting, or devastating, but they mark us in a way that we are never quite the same.

I absolutely love the story of Joseph (It starts in Genesis 37). He goes through so many things leading from the dreams to the palace. His troubles all started because of a combination of his bragging ways and his evil brothers selling him into slavery. This lead him to eventually end up in prison. However, all the sorrows he went through, became the catalyst to become the 2nd in command in the palace. He needed these experiences to refine him. To humble his ego, learn to submit to authority, and always do the right thing, even when it ended in wrong results.

I can’t help but think the same is true in our own lives. Every experience, every setback, every frustration, and every triumph are all designed to take us from where we are to where God wants us to be. However, it is up to us to push through the hard times with integrity. When we don’t, we may end up needing to learn those lessons again.

I teach a lot of juniors and seniors. In Texas, they have to take and pass a lot of tests to graduation high school. When they don’t learn the lessons needed to pass the first time, they have the opportunity to try again. In order for those kids to be successful they must be in tutorial classes and re-learn much of the information. God does the same with us. If we fail the pride lesson, he gives us more opportunities to learn humility before we are ready for the next lesson. He never gives us a test we aren’t prepared for. However, He may give us a test we really don’t want. That’s the part I don’t like.

I want to refer back to the quote I started with. “Nothing is a surprise to God; nothing is a setback to His plans; nothing can thwart His purposes; and nothing is beyond his control.” Joni has now been wheelchair bound for over 50 years, yet has reached hundreds of thousands of people with her ministry and was also instrumental in helping the Americans with Disabilities Act get passed. I am sure she had no idea at the age of 17 the impact that she would have. I am also sure that 50 years from now, you have no idea what purpose the challenges you are going through are going to serve. Now, you may not be headed to 2nd in command of a kingdom or leading a worldwide ministry. But maybe you, like me, have a few kids, grandkids, or people who look up to you that see how you live your life and face your challenges. What they see from you will minister for generations to come, in good or bad ways.

We all have moments that mark our lives. Let’s use those marked moments to propel us into the next level of what God has in store for us.

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

For Such a Time as This

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I truly believe that God places us exactly where He wants us for a specific reason. That being said, it is not always easy to act like I believe that. It’s incredibly easy to get pulled into the muck. It’s socially acceptable to gripe, complain, and belly ache about every little thing that doesn’t go my way. I hate that. I want to be the person who enjoys the moments on the way to the destination.

As I look back though my past, I can see the fingerprints of God all over the difficult times in my life. I know the value of having worked for an employer who was not a person of integrity, it makes me want to be a person of integrity all the more. I now realize how valuable the struggles of being overlooked for a job, because I now realize that would not have been a good fit for me plus it taught me how to have a good work ethic. I get why, in my first couple of years of teaching, my opinion wasn’t really listened to (because honestly I was mostly wrong and didn’t have the knowledge yet to even have an opinion on many things). I get all of that. I am thankful for every twist and turn that my life has taken to lead me to where I am at today.

That sounds great, but I still can’t manage to think that way while I am in the middle of a frustration. It’s especially true when I feel like I am being wronged, whether by a stranger or a friend. In my innocent little world, everyone needs to just assume the best about my intentions, needs to be kind to each other, and shouldn’t make up lies. Unfortunately, that isn’t how the world works.

We can take heart though.

I was recently re-reading one of my favorite Bible stories about a young woman, through no fault of her own, was ripped out of her home and found herself married to a king (one of many wives I might add). I am referring to Esther, of course. Now, as amazing as it sounds to be married to the king, for her it meant hiding who she really was (a Jew) and having to seek permission to come have a conversation with her husband. Not exactly ideal if you ask me. If you know the story you know that because of the fact she was in the palace, she was able to help save the Jewish people who were scheduled to be wiped out. If you don’t know the story make sure to check out the book of Esther, it is a pretty quick read. One of my all time favorite parts of that story is a line by her uncle Mordecai, “Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?” Esther 4:14 NLT.

So I say to you, who knows if perhaps you weren’t __________________ for such a time as this. Fill in that blank with whatever difficult thing you are dealing with. Who knows, maybe the situation you are in at this very moment, is exactly what you need to accomplish the next thing God has slated for you?

Build a Monument

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Ancient Israelites didn’t always do everything right (remember that whole 40 years they took to make an 11 day journey thing). However, one thing they did do over and over very well was to remember and celebrate what God had done for them. Throughout the pages of scripture, there are feasts and celebrations to commemorate various things that God had done for His people. I love the idea of feasts, but there is something that was done that I love even more.

Time and time again, whenever the Israelites had overcome something because of God’s divine help, they would often build a monument or a memorial to always remember what had occurred and how God had helped them. When the Israelites crossed into the promised land, the first thing they did was get 12 stones to represent the 12 tribes and build a monument to remember what God had done for them (see Joshua 4). There are numerous other instances throughout scripture of people building a monument at a place where they had seen God do a miraculous thing. Jacob put up a stone monument on several occasions in Genesis. Now, these monuments weren’t necessarily huge or elaborate as we may imagine when we think of modern-day monuments in our world. No, often these would be simple and made of a stone or several stones that were placed in strategic places to remind the people who were doing it of the miraculous work God had done in their lives.

My favorite mention of a stone monument is the concept of an Ebenezer stone in 1 Samuel, right after the Lord had helped rescue the Israelites from the Philistines. “Samuel then took a large stone and placed it between the towns of Mizpah and Jeshanah. He named it Ebenezer (which means “the stone of help”), for he said, “Up to this point the Lord has helped us!” 1 Samuel 7:12 NLT. I love that concept! I think we all need a few Ebenezer stones of help in our life to help us to see how “up to this point the Lord has helped us”.

I just recently crossed the 12 year anniversary of a life-changing time in my life where I lost a job and found myself in the middle of many course corrections that have led me where I am today (if you don’t know the story you can read about it in some of my older blogs or in my book here). As I thought back to where I was and where I am now, this concept of an Ebenezer stone came to my mind. My Ebenezer is not a stone monument I built, rather, it is two buildings that I used to work at. Every single time I see those places I can’t help but smile and remember how far I have come and how much my life has changed. When I feel discouraged or frustrated in my current circumstances (which can happen as an educator in the Covid era), I think about those Ebenezers in my own life and just thank God for all He has done for me and all he is doing for me, whether I know it or not.

One of the “Ebenezer Stones” in my life. Every single time I see this place, I remember all God has brought me through

So I want to challenge you. What is your Ebenezer? Is there a place or time that you know that “up to this point the Lord has helped me”. Take some time to think about that concept and find a way to acknowledge that and thank God for all he has done in your life.

Joy Comes Through Letting Go

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I have a confession to make.

I am a recovering Pharisee. That’s right. I have lived a good chunk of my life like those dudes in the Bible that Jesus called a brood of vipers (See Matthew 12:34). As a teenager, I was one of the most judgemental holy-rollers you would have ever met. If you were breathing air in my general vicinity, you can almost guarantee I was passing judgement on you while at the same time thinking I was better than you. Honestly, I look back at my teenage self and cringe just a little. Granted, it kept me out of trouble back then. I was a very reliable designated driver and wore a white wedding dress with pride. However, I know that I pushed people away in the process, and if I got real honest with myself, likely even pushed some of them away from God.

In the Bible, the Pharisees were the super religious people who knew every word of scripture, but really never took that knowledge and used it to help or love anyone else. They were so busy trying to find every fault in anyone that they couldn’t even see their own shortcomings. They couldn’t even see the very Messiah they had been waiting for right before their very eyes. What a shame. How many miracles did they miss out on because they were too busy fault finding, judging, and condemning to see what was happening before their own eyes.

Philippians chapter 2 does an amazing job of addressing those of us who live their lives so focused on what others do wrong that they miss out on what God really has in store for them. “Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” Philippians 2:1-4 NIV

When I think of my own life, I have found so much joy in the moments that I am encouraging others. However, that isn’t always an easy thing to do. It is so much easier to get pulled into a “what about me?” mentality and simply worry about life through the lens of how things will affect me, or the “at least I am not like them” mentality and look at others as less than. Sometimes (oftentimes) it is inconvenient to think of the needs of others above our own. And sadly, sometimes we will get burned when we do offer help to others. A little further in Philippians 2 it says this: “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus. Who, being in very nature a God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man ,he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!” Philippians 2:5-8 NIV.

In order to find joy, we must let go of ourselves. We must let go of the selfish ambitions, judgements, and lofty opinions of ourselves. We must strive a little more every single day to put on that humility that Jesus had and choose to serve others. We need to stop striving for the approval of man, at the expense of our relationship with God. We must choose to value others above ourselves, regardless of how difficult that my be at times.

I am a work in progress in those departments. I still struggle in so many ways. But my prayer is that tomorrow I will be further in the path to being like Christ than I am today and that this time next year I will be even further in that process.

You Think Your Boss Is Rough

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Angry boss with face getting red Royalty Free Vector Image

We just finished VBS week around here. The last several years (10 if I recall correctly) I have been cast with the job of story lady. It’s interesting because every single year, without fail, I tend to learn something new. Either a story I am not super familiar with or maybe a small part of a familiar story that I never thought about. Sometimes it is intertwined in the scripted story, but often it comes from me going and re-reading the stories in the Bible before I tell them. That was the case this year. 

Our story was about when David was running for his life from King Saul in 1 Samuel. We talked about how God hears our prayers and the focus was Psalm 86. We also talked about how when we deal with being treated unfairly or dealing with hard things, God is there for us. Such a good lesson for kids. However, when I was reading the story from the Bible in preparation, something else stood out to me. David was the commander of Saul’s army, a high position that Saul himself gave to David. Essentially David was a very loyal employee of King Saul. David was the kind of employee that all the bosses I know, including my very own husband, would love to have. He was loyal (a trait that can be hard to come by), hard working, honest, never complaining or whining, and really really good at what he did. He was so good, that it made him famous. Unfortunately, his fame is what got him in the trouble he was in.

Through his military triumphs, David became more famous than the king himself. That is not a good position to find yourself in, especially when you are serving a king with an ego. If you go back and read the story, you will find that Saul wanted to kill David, which is what sent him into hiding in the wilderness. David had every reason to want to kill Saul to save his own life. However, time and time again, David made the choice to not harm Saul (please, if you are not familiar with the story, take the time to go read starting in 1 Samuel 18). I think there is a lesson for all of us in that action. David didn’t spare Saul because he was afraid, rather he spared him because he was God’s chosen person in authority over him. He knew it wasn’t his position to do harm to the very man God had chosen. 

Let me explain. We all have people in authority over us. Maybe you have an incompetent jerk of a boss, difficult family relationships, or any number of people who may have some sort of authority position who don’t have your back. Our human nature wants to have revenge in those situations. We want to participate in the slander of that person, or worse yet we want with all that is within us, for that person to fail (and maybe even take steps in order for that to happen). However, even if we don’t agree or like the person, we are called, like David, to remember that no one is given any authority without God knowing it. Our job is to serve with loyalty, honesty, and integrity while we are under their authority. But, just like David, there may come a time when we simply need to leave. Maybe it means quitting a job and moving on or maybe it means getting rid of a toxic friendship that is destroying your marriage, or possibly making drastic changes in your own life to get away from that situation. 

No matter what we are dealing with, we are called to honor those in authority. Honoring does not mean we agree with everything they say. What it does mean though is that we respect the position God has given them. I know I haven’t always done that right. I have my fair share of regrets in that department. I want more than anything to learn how to do that better. I want to be a person people are glad to have on their team. I want anyone in authority over me to identify me as someone who is dependable, honest, hard-working, and loyal, not as someone who will stab them in the back, not do the job well, or can’t be trusted. I hope all of us will strive for that!

“Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.” Romans 13:1-2 NLT

Who are you, really?

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I wrote this a few years ago but thought it was worth sharing again!

                It’s that time of year again, high school and college graduations are going on nearly every weekend in May and into June. This time of year, I always think back to when I was about to graduate from high school and college, and how smart I was back then. Of course, I say that sarcastically, because looking back now I see how little I knew about life. It’s so easy in your teens, and early twenties to be so sure of your life’s path. We build our identities so much on what we do, who we know, and even what kind of clothes we wear or vehicle we drive.  However, none of those things are eternal. Jobs change, in both expected and unexpected ways, friendships definitely change, and material things go in and out of style and eventually end up worn out and tossed aside.

               So, who are you, really? If all the fancy clothes, “cool” friends, money, and talents were suddenly stripped away from you, what. would remain? Are you a person that does whatever it takes to fit in or be admired? Or perhaps are you willing to go into tremendous amounts of debt just to look the part of someone wealthy? Or maybe you are willing to compromise and “fudge” your beliefs a little at work or school because you don’t want to be called a prude? On the other hand, maybe you have a firm set of beliefs and are unwilling to compromise on those just to fit in with the world?

                Those are hard things to think about, because we have such an attachment to status. I know that when I first graduated college, my identity revolved so much around what I did that when I suddenly found out that my location was closing and I was being laid off, I was crushed. It was at that point that I really had to start figuring out who I was, beyond what I did or who I knew. I had to go back to Genesis and realize that I was formed in the very image of God and regardless of who I was or what I did to earn a living. I also had to remember that God had a plan for my life and He wasn’t surprised in the least about the fact that I was being laid off. “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5 NLT.                At that point, my sincere hearts’ desire turned toward walking the path God Himself had laid out for me. I started praying more than I ever had before. I chose to put my focus on one thing: the approval of God Himself. That isn’t an easy task. In the materialistic world we live in, if you don’t run with the right crowd or have the fanciest house on the block, you can sometimes be looked down upon. Although having nice things is not a bad thing, letting those things own us is. It can also be challenging when you are not willing to bend on your morals, I have especially seen this as a teacher when kids are not use to being held to a high standard. It can be lonely at times when it feels like everyone else is just going along with the world. Whatever we do though, we need to focus on doing it as a witness of the gospel. “Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15 NLT. Whether you are a doctor or a garbage collector, that doesn’t really matter. Each one of us has a great commission from Christ to make disciples of ALL nations (See Matthew 28). We need to have an eternal focus in whatever it is we do for a living. We must have integrity, generosity, love, and honesty no matter what we do for a living. We also must be willing to stick to our morals and beliefs no matter who is trying to convince us to bend “just this once”.  I know that I have fallen short in so many of those areas. However, I pray constantly for God to use me to reach others.
                I pray for all my former students, friends, and relatives who are graduating that your focus would not be on the status of what you do, the money, how much stuff you have, or what others think of you. Rather, I pray that you would work every single day as if God Himself was your ultimate boss (Hint: ultimately, He is). Don’t become a fake person who changes depending on the people they are with. Be the person who, when others are going through a hard time and need a true and honest friend, they seek you out. Congratulations and best wishes to all of you! I can’t wait to see where your life’s journey will take you!