Posted: August 4th, 2010 |
Filed under: life |
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‘…if you’re content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself.’ -Jesus, Luke 18:14
How many times have you worked yourself up into a ball of stress and disappointment because you can’t seem to be who you think you should be? Being average makes you feel discontent. You wear yourself out trying to chase down the whisper in the wind. On stagnant days with no wind to stir the air, you wonder if you’ve done something wrong. Faith is easy when the voice is audible. Faith is built when you have to endure the silence.
If you want to be more than who you are, then you have to be yourself. The only sense this makes is that you don’t get to play a role in making yourself into who you think you should be. You’re just supposed to be. This covers those of you who are wearing yourselves out trying to do everything right. This also covers those of you who have messed up so bad, you think you’ve ruined everything.
“Do you want to stand out? Then step down. Be a servant. If you puff yourself up, you’ll get the wind knocked out of you. But if you’re content to simply be yourself, your life will count for plenty.” -Matthew 23:11
We’ve already been created into the wonder that we are. We don’t have to try to be who we should be. We’ve been playing that conformity game our whole lives. Trying to fit in so we can be approved and included. We are who we’re supposed to be and we continue to evolve through experiences that teach and mature. Everything counts. All of you is needed. Even your junk. Bring it all and be content. Pretty soon you’ll see your quirks as the source of your beauty and you’ll find who you are in Him, not in who you’ve tried to be.
You are extraordinary. Own it and don’t conform. Be honest about who you are and you’ll find out how much more nourishing that is for others. Beauty is found in scars. Jesus is found in the broken. His strength is in your weakness.
Posted: August 2nd, 2010 |
Filed under: life |
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Take particular care in picking out your building materials. Eventually there is going to be an inspection. If you use cheap or inferior materials, you’ll be found out. The inspection will be thorough and rigorous. You won’t get by with a thing. If your work passes inspection, fine; if it doesn’t, your part of the building will be torn out and started over. But you won’t be torn out; you’ll survive—but just barely. -1 Corinthians 3:13-15
When you are making your choices, everything you use to make them will be scrutinized. Absolute honesty is the only way to pass inspection. Justifications are not good enough. They may hold up the same way ‘wood, hay or straw’ hold up, but as soon as the Wind comes they’ll be shown for what they are. When the Fire comes, all of your secrets will be out and you’ll have to watch what you’ve built out of desperation turn into a pile of ash. You can do what you want, but you will get away with nothing.
‘Purified as in fire.’ You’ll learn to despise your excuses for choosing failure. You’ll learn to abhor ‘what you want.’ ‘Not my will, but yours be done.’ That’s not a joyful wrist flutter or a flower you stick in a prayer bouquet. It’s a scream. It’s the earth shuddering at its core. It’s an acknowledgment. It’s the submission before the death.
Is it that we don’t think God actually exists? Is that why we do exactly what feels good and make sure we’ve covered our bases just in case anybody asks? They beat the servants while the master is away. They take a nap while they’re supposed to be ready.
“The servant who knows what his master wants and ignores it, or insolently does whatever he pleases, will be thoroughly thrashed.” -Jesus, Luke 12:47
This isn’t some backwoods hellfire rant with a rattlesnake bite communion. This is a lesson from someone who’s been there. You may be thrashed and burnt, but you won’t be lost. ‘You’ll survive ‘ and have another chance to do it right. Nobody can make you do anything, but I can warn you about what’s down the wrong road.
“You don’t have to be a genius to understand these things. Just use your common sense, the kind you’d use if, while being taken to court, you decided to settle up with your accuser on the way, knowing that if the case went to the judge you’d probably go to jail and pay every last penny of the fine. That’s the kind of decision I’m asking you to make.” -Jesus, Luke 12:57-59
There is always grace. There is always forgiveness and mercy. Nobody can take that away from you. But don’t underestimate how or how much it will change you. Grace doesn’t give someone the last laugh. It changes them into someone who would choose differently if they’re ever in that situation again.
