You May Want to Get That

So there has been times I have been at nice restaurants with nice clothes on and I am looking and feeling pretty good. A group of people and I are having a great time and really enjoying the chips and spinach dip we are eating. After fifteen minutes of dialogue in which people are uncharacteristically looking at my mouth, then looking way, someone finally has the guts to point out that I have a huge piece of gross looking spinach plastered over my tooth.

Well I shudder and turn red because I embarrass easily and hate being the center of everyone's attention in a situation like this. But before I can focus on anything else, I remove the spinach from my tooth. I realize that nomatter how good I look in every aspect, this piece of spinach is what everyone is zeroing in on. 

The beauty of this situation is until the spinach is pointed out by another, or someone finds a mirror, the person has no idea and carries on with normal behavior. Yet, once we see and believe that its there, we will do whatever it takes to remove the defect.

I want you to have a proper view of your spiritual life. When sin is actively ruling you it is glaring and ugly to those around you, even if you can't see it. So make an effort to look in the mirror. Let pride and everything else aside and take an honest view of yourself. Are you the man\woman you want to be? How about the one God wants you to be? With our power of rationalization we can easily be blinded. We think that through our self will sin has no power over us because we would like to perceive ourselves as good people. I don't care what you have done, you are not a good person! You are a depraved human that has sinned against a holy God. Hopefully this has compelled you to desperately seek the grace of God with your whole being. You need reproof and correction because our flesh is weak. We have power over sin not by what we have done, but through the acts of the God we worship. We have to rely on His power.  So take a close look at your life and desperately ask the Lord to reveal your flaws so you may be clothed in righteousness. 

Secondly, it is awkward not only to have someone tell you that spinach is in your teeth, it is also uncomfortable to tell somebody else this. If a brother or sister points out something that they deem destructive of you in their life, I urge you to lay down any desire to judge them and pridefully think your ok, and carefully examine the area that they have suggested. This is very tough to do and you don't even have to agree, but at least honestly consider what they have said. On the flip side, if someone has spinach in their teeth they need to know about it! Graciously point out that out of love you see something inconsistent in their life. Here is my advice on the matter... before you rashly get in a habit of pointing out everyones flaws (which is very dangerous in itself) spend time in prayer and fellowship with that person. Develop a compassion for that person so that you speak out of pure motive. You never know how they will take it, but you want them to realize you are only telling them this because you love them and want the best for them. You are gaining nothing by helping them get the spinach out of their teeth, you are simply doing the role of a loving friend. 

I wanna leave you with a couple of passages:

Psalm 139:23-24- "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life."

This is a good verse to pray through with the Lord and then humbly accept however He answers you.

Proverbs 17:10 "A single rebuke does more for a person of understanding than a hundred lashes on the back of a fool."

Those who can take rebuke are considered wise in the eyes of God. Be considerate of the advice that loved ones give.

Trust the Little Things

I have an overwhelming desire to accomplish tasks in one sitting. Maybe its just a characteristic of a man that when you set your mind to do something, it has to be done. Yet, I have found this to be problematic at times. I will get so overwhelmed by the enormity of a task, that I will simply refuse to do it and put if off because of the stress that comes with tackling such a big project. While stressing over a big paper, I was recently advised just to take it one step at a time. What novel advice! You mean I can take it in smaller strides? Why it seems pretty obvious, this is advice I really needed to hear, and I think it applies to my spiritual walk as well.

I want my life to count for the Lord and I have many views (probably mostly wrong) of what that looks like. When I decide I want to learn the Bible, I want to learn the entire Bible right then and then get dissuaded by the daunting task. When I go to memorize scripture, I write down dozens of verses because I want to learn as many as I can only to be overwhelmed by the work I created. I seek to be a light to as many lives as possible, but then get guilt-ridden when I don't quite live up to the standard I created.

Maybe we need to just trust the small stuff. What if we devoted our lives to a few disciplines. What if we spent time and prayer and trusted it is useful and effective. What if we read our Bible each day and trusted that the Lord will provide us with wisdom as we continue to seek Him. What if we just committed to spending time discipling and encouraging those we have relationship with, and concentrate on asking the Lord to bring that one lost person to Him.

I in no way wish to limit someone's work in the Lord. However, God has not called an individual to reach the ends of the earth with the gospel alone. We are united as brothers and sisters and we commit together to praying for others and testifying to the truth. Lofty ambitions for the Lord aren't bad things but as John 15 says "Apart from me, you can do nothing." So plug into the vine. Do the small things and trust the Lord that His Spirit will do mighty works. Once you become faithful with a little, He will open your eyes to more things. God doesn't intend for His work to be overwhelming. It is likely that it will be difficult or uncomfortable, but He will gladly carry our burdens if we trust in Him. So commit your life to daily disciplines of communing with the Lord and sowing the relationships around you, and trust God for the power, strength, vision, and perseverance in your life.