#priorities

"Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." (Proverbs 31:30)

When I was a teenager, I struggled a little with Proverbs 31. I felt this woman set the bar impossibly high. (I know some of y'all feel me.) I mean, this woman spins and cooks and sews clothing (and bed coverings!). She's in real estate. She's in the fashion industry. She's a teacher.

She does it alllllll. She. Is. Exhausting. Whew.

It wasn't until I was an adult that I understood this woman wasn't actively doing all these things herself. She had servants. She managed her servants, and she oversaw her household. Once I realized this passage wasn't a standard I was expected to live up to, I was able to focus on the overall picture. And then I was able to see the most important part.

"... a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."

But let's break down those first two phrases.

"Charm is deceitful ..." Wow. That's contrary to what many people believe, isn't it? We think of charm and charming as good things. Just ask Cinderella. But did you know the word charm originates from a Latin word meaning incantation or magic spell? I imagine that's why it's referred to here as deceitful.

And what about beauty? "... beauty is vain ..." I doubt this one needs much explanation, but just in case it does, how about this: have you ever stood in the grocery checkout line and seen those tabloids with headlines that say Celebrities Caught Without Makeup! The cosmetic industry earns an estimated $95 BILLION each year. That's b-b-b-billion with a B. And lest you think I'm talking to women only, that figure includes skin care, hair care, and fragrance, so gentlemen, I'm looking at you, too. That's a lot of money dedicated to our outward appearance isn't it? And there's absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to look your best. In spite of my uniform of jeans and T-shirts, I do try to look halfway decent. ;-)

Now let's look at that last phrase once more. "... a woman [or man] who fears the Lord is to be praised." And there it is. THAT'S the priority.

When I fear (love and respect) the Lord, He is pleased with me. I am worthy of praise. And isn't that what we should all want?

Who is My Neighbor?

"But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you." (Luke 6:27-28)

Admit it, when you saw the title of this blog, you were expecting Luke 10, weren't you? Makes sense. I mean, the question prompted a pretty famous parable.

I work for a non-profit organization with an emphasis on loving our neighbors, so that's heard pretty often around the office. I also hear it or see it on a fairly regular basis on the internet. Facebook, Insta, Twitter, memes, and so on. You probably do, too.

And that parable in Luke makes it pretty clear what--or who-- Jesus meant when He told us to love our neighbors. Our neighbor is everyone.

But what about my enemies? Love my enemies? Do good to those who hate me? Bless those who curse me? Pray for those who abuse me? When the very human part of me only wants to hate, curse, and abuse in return?

But wait. Who are my enemies?

Seems like lately we spend an awful lot of time focusing on enemies. Other countries. People of other religions. People who eat broccoli (kidding, I'd be one of those folks). The number of things people can get bent out of shape over--become enemies over--is staggering.

Have you paid attention to the political arena lately? Wow. I've heard people who profess to be Christians spewing bitterness and hatred at our political leaders. I've heard the children of people who profess to be Christians spout disrespect toward or about the government. I may not always agree with our government, but where you do suppose a child learns our country's leaders are our enemies?

A gentle suggestion. The next time you're thinking about loving your enemies, ask yourself what you can do to make them a neighbor. If you're busy loving on your neighbors, you won't have time to dwell on your enemies. Sure, people who are clearly my enemy deserve my prayer (and perhaps a prayer for me, too, to be sure I'm not the cause of the enmity between us--yikes). But I don't want to spend a lot of time combing through my friends and acquaintances, cataloging every infraction, real or imagined, every disagreement, every political difference (no matter how divisive).

So while you're praying for your enemies--and I hope the list has grown shorter just since you started reading this blog--remember to pray for a softer heart in yourself.

I'll go first.

Grace and Truth, Truth and Grace

"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14)

I had a different blog planned--written, actually--and then I saw a post on a friend's Facebook page, and I was concerned they'd think my blog was directed at them. So I changed my topic on the fly. (I'll use the other one at a later date.)

In various parts of my life, I hear the phrase "grace and truth." Work, Facebook, Twitter. And that's not a bad thing.

But the other day I saw this: Truth without grace is mean.

That was it. I scratched my head a little and considered that. It didn't seem ... complete.

So I went to my friend Google, and typed into a search bar TRUTH WITHOUT GRACE, and sure enough, before I even finished, any number of suggestions popped up. The quote (attributed to a lot of people, so I'm not certain who actually said it first) goes like this:

Truth without grace is mean. Grace without truth is meaningless. Speak the truth in love.

Ahhh, that makes so much more sense. Jesus was full of grace AND truth.

We live in a world that seems inclined to offer a lot of grace without a lot of truth. I know, I know, that sounds contradictory to my last blog about being more positive. But being positive without honesty is disingenuous.

Jesus loved sinners. He did. He talked with them, He ate meals with them, He even made them His apostles in some cases. But He never allowed them to continue in sin.

Grace AND truth.

We have to extend both to others. Because Christ gave us both.

Think on These Things

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." (Phillippians 4:8)

I think most of us have negative thoughts from time to time. No judgment from me, because I do, too, occasionally. So agreeing that we all get a little negative from time to time, let's stop and think for a minute, how much time do you think you spend with negative thoughts?

I've mentioned in this blog before that I believe social media leads to a lot of negativity. Again, no judgment here, because I have a lot of fun with social media. That doesn't mean I don't occasionally find myself grumbling about things I see there.

But what do you suppose it would do for my attitude if I practiced Phillippians 4:8 every day? What would it do for your attitude?

True. Honorable. Just. Pure. Lovely. Commendable. Excellence. Worthy of praise.

I feel better just thinking about thinking about those things.

So for this week, whaddaya say we just stop. Just stop engaging with negative posts, negative arguments, and negative people. Stop making negative comments. Stop posting negative posts.

Instead, post things that will inspire or lift people up. Things to make people laugh or smile. Things to make people feel good.

Sometimes I don't have a FOOD FOR THOUGHT. This is one of those blogs. Just spend the rest of this week practicing Phillippians 4:8.

See if your whole life doesn't get better. Make someone smile this week.

A Love Song

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
    and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
    and the flame shall not consume you." (Isaiah 43:2)

We recently finished reading the book of Isaiah in our daily Bible reading. Isn't it wonderful the way you can read something in the Bible, then read it again later and get something new? The verse above is one of those new things to me. I've read Isaiah before. More than once. But this last time, the verse (and the one before and several after) just stopped me in my tracks. And when I asked friends on Facebook to tell me their favorite scripture, this was one of them.

I remember as a child being puzzled about how God could be everywhere. Surely, I'm not the only one. We'd sing that hymn about an "all-seeing eye," and honestly? I thought it was weird.

As I grew--in both years and faith--I understood a little better. And then I had children. Having children changed my perspective, my understanding of God and His love for me.

Funny how that happens.

This passage, this promise to the Israelites, is so tender, so moving! I encourage you to read the whole chapter. If you just finished it with our congregation, read it again. And again.

In the first verse, God says, "You are mine." In verse 4, He says, "...you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you ..." And it just goes on like that! Like a love song from God. It's beautiful!

If I believe God loves me, that He will be with me always, how can I be anything less than courageous? Oh, wait! That's how He started the book, isn't it? Telling us to be strong and courageous (Isaiah 1:9). And then He circles back and gives us a reason.

Funny how that happens.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:

• God has promised to be with us. Look back at your past and write down times He's been with you. Remember those. Praise Him and thank Him for those times. And be assured He will always be with you.

Have You Buried Your Talent?

"So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents." (Matthew 25:28)

You're probably wondering why I chose this verse to blog about. I mean, it's not very uplifting, is it? The guy who had one talent had it taken away and given to the guy who had ten. Doesn't seem fair, does it? Ah, but why did he have it taken away?

Because he didn't do anything with it.

In contemporary vernacular, the word talent applies to a special skill, some inherent, others cultivated. But the word originated as a measure of weight, later a sum of money, and finally, the word we're familiar with. Singing. Dancing. Painting.

A gift.

God has given all of us gifts. I'm not talking about spiritual gifts. I'll leave that discussion for theologians and scholars. I'm talking about plain old, everyday gifts like the ones I mentioned above.

So what's your gift? Have you unlocked it? Have you found the key to whatever talent God blessed you with? Because I believe God gave everyone something that can bring others to Him.

Sure there are those obvious gifts. Preaching and public speaking. Those musical folks who write hymns and songs of praise--even song leaders. What about those Bible class teachers who get their students excited about studying God's word?

I know what some of you are saying. But I don't have a talent like that.

So what? Maybe your talent, your gift is a quiet spirit that draws others to pray with you. Maybe your gift is a gentle heart that shines with the love of Christ. Maybe your gift is the heart of a servant, willing to wash the feet of others--a meal to a grieving family, a card or visit to someone who's sick, a phone call to a shut-in to let them know you're thinking of them. Could a load of laundry for an overwhelmed new mother be our modern-day equivalent of travel-weary feet?

God expects every Christian to lead others to Him. And he's given every single one some gift to aid in doing that. Find your talent. Put it to use in His service. Don't bury it because you think it's not as important as someone else's gift.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:

• Think about that one specific thing people admire about you--your kindness, your ability to learn and quote scripture--maybe it's cooking. That may be the gift God wants you to use to minister to others, to show His light and love. How many ways can you use that gift?
• Pray for opportunities to use your gift to bring glory to God.

Through a Jesus-Shaped Lens

"'A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.'" (John 13:34 - 35)

I'm pretty active on social media. I also listen to the radio, television, even random conversations when people seem to think their cell phone chatter should be public. I doubt if I'm telling you anything you don't already know, but people seem to have forgotten common courtesy these days, much less love for their fellow man.

It's not unusual to read comments from complete strangers screaming (okay, typing) some of the most horrible things at each other on social media. News reports regularly include people accusing people of being [insert insult here]. Protesters screaming obscenities at other groups. Groups whose entire existence/job seems to be to insult the opinions, traditions, beliefs--even wedding trends!--of everyone else.

Several months ago, the friend of one of my Facebook friends mocked my faith and my belief in God as the Supreme Being. I didn't even know the guy, but because his friend liked my post, he felt he had a right to mock my faith. Seriously? Who does that?

Sadly ... a lot of people do these days.

I don't think I need to tell my readers--I have to assume you're Christians--this kind of behavior is about as far from Christ as one can get. So I'm not going to preach at you (besides, I know other people much more qualified to do that).

I'm just going to leave you with that scripture up there and an encouragement to truly, truly treat everyone you meet this day with love.

Look at everyone you come in contact with through a Jesus-shaped lens. See them through His eyes, with His love and compassion.

And that's it.

Love one another.

Legacy

"Tell your children of it,
    and let your children tell their children,
    and their children to another generation." (Joel 1:3)

I know a lot of people who have pretty dramatic stories of how they came to know God. Stories of broken homes, broken families, broken lives. Drugs and alcohol. Darkness.

To hear them tell their stories is moving, to say the least. Inspiring. Humbling to hear what God has done in their lives.

By comparison, my own story is pretty anticlimactic. Born to faithful, godly parents, raised in a strong, scriptural church ... the congregation I still attend, actually. Mom and Dad made sure I had a foundation that would remain solid my whole life.

And then I read a passage like this one, and realize anticlimactic is just fine when it comes to how I came to know the Lord. My parents followed those instructions. They told me (and my siblings) about God's works, His promises, His faithfulness. And we've told our children. And our children are telling theirs.

That's a legacy of faithfulness.

Don't think for a minute I believe I can get to heaven on my parents' faith. But their belief in, obedience to, and worship of God certainly put me on the right path. The path to a relationship with Christ.

One of my favorite stories in the Bible is in Luke 5. Jesus is teaching in a house filled with people. I can see it, can't you? People leaning against walls and sitting on the floor because all the chairs are taken. People standing in doorways and looking in windows because they can't fit in the house.

And then there's those guys. The ones who bring their paralyzed friend to be healed. And they can't get anywhere near Jesus. So they turn around and leave.

No, of course not. They climb on top of the house and tear the roof off. They lower their friend down to Jesus. And He heals their friend.

So who carried you to Jesus?

Maybe it wasn't a dramatic story. Maybe it was just ... the powerful faith of two loving parents. And I thank God every day for those two people.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:

• If you're able, thank the person (or persons) who led you to Christ. Maybe you've done this before, but I think it bears repeating.
• Spend some time in prayer, thanking God for that person, too.

Thinking of Heaven's Grace

"And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb." (Revelation 21:23)

I sang a song on my way to work this morning. I know some of you know it, but some of you may be unfamiliar with it. It's called Alone at Eve, and it was my father's favorite hymn. I always liked it, too, but it took on new meaning after Daddy died.

You see, the lyrics talk about God's power and might. His mercy, His love, and His truth. But it's that last verse that gives me chills.

Closing my eyes at eve and thinking of Heaven’s grace,
Longing to see my Lord, yes meeting Him face to face;
Trusting Him as my all where-so-ever my footsteps roam,
Pleading with Him to guide me on to the spirits’ home!

I can read the verses in Revelation that describe Heaven, the New Jerusalem. I can read about the streets of gold, the gates made of pearl, the precious jewels, all the beauty I can't even begin to imagine. But then I remember that verse from chapter 21.

The glory of God is the light. Christ, the Lamb, is the lamp.

And I think of my parents. And of so many Christians who've made it to that home. They've met my Lord. Face to face. A blessing worth so much more than gold or jewels. A blessing beyond my comprehension.

The chorus of that hymn is breathtaking in its own right.

O for a home with God, a place in His courts to rest,
Sure in a safe abode with Jesus and the blest;
Rest for a weary soul once redeemed by the Savior’s love,
Where I’ll be pure and whole and live with my God above!

So that's it. I can't add anything to the knowledge we have the hope of living with our Creator, worshiping at His very feet. If my words bless you today, I'm happy. If they made you curious, talk to me. If I can't answer your questions, I promise I can find someone who can. But for now ... I'm going to sit here, close my eyes, and dream of Heaven's grace.

Competition and One-Upping

"Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep." (Romans 12:15)

I love this verse. First, anything that entails rejoicing is my cup of tea. But it's more than that. It's the idea of rejoicing for others.

We live in a world where competition is fierce. The Olympics. March Madness. The Super Bowl. World Series. Sports of every kind imaginable available to watch 24/7, all year long. Sports I didn't even know were sports. And people take their sports teams very seriously. Spending crazy amounts of money to participate--or just watch, in some cases. Spending crazy amounts of time watching them.

Competition in schools is unbelievable. As a parent, I know the pressures many high school students face every day to not only succeed, but to excel. To earn a better grade, a higher GPA, a higher class rank. Because all of those influence the college they'll attend and how much funding they might get. And a higher class rank means you'll get more funding. Some colleges and universities won't even talk to a student who's not in the top ten percent.

But it's more than that. Ever heard the phrase "keeping up with the Joneses?" Know how long that's been around? Since 1913, and Arthur R. Momand wrote a comic strip by the same name. Over 100 years, friends. More than a century of trying to have what everyone else has, if not more.

Actual studies have been conducted regarding social media and its effect on those who use it. Findings have shown spending time on social media can cause depression. Know why? Because, to many, it's a big competition. Sometimes, yes, it's intentional, though not always. But we spend so much time looking at everyone's perfect lives--at least they appear perfect, right?--we begin to feel our own lives aren't good enough.

Her home is so nice. Much nicer than mine.

He makes so much more money than I do.

He/she is so much smarter, prettier, funnier, more organized, more creative, the list goes on and on. And often ... it's not even true. I mean, if I post a cute picture of my cat or one of our dogs, I'm absolutely blurring out the needs-to-be-vacuumed carpet. If I take a picture of my delicious meal, I'm cropping out the splatters on the stove and the backsplash. Through the magic of filters, cropping, blurring, and Photoshop, my life is perfect.

Not.

But I also post my own foibles. Cuts and kitchen disasters. The horrible trumpet vine in our back yard. Other small glimpses of insanity or clumsiness. I'm kind of an open book.

So the next time you see a post about someone's wonderful vacation, new car, new home, new job, new whatever amazing thing they have ... rejoice. Rejoice in their blessings, their victories. Be happy for them. Thank God for their celebration.

And the next time you see someone's cute dog or adorable kid, know there's very likely some imperfection blurred or cropped out.

And the next time you see someone's injured foot, cut finger, crumpled fender ... or worse ... weep with them. Let them know you hurt for them. Do what you can to lift them up.

It's that simple.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:

• For the next week (longer if you choose, but at least a week), when you see someone's post about something good in their life, be sure you comment in a positive way. And yes, say a prayer of thanksgiving for their blessing.

Sing!

"Sing praises to the Lord, who sits enthroned in Zion! Tell among the peoples his deeds!" (Psalm 9:11)

Did you know there are over 200 references to music and singing in God's word? The longest book in the Bible--Psalms--is made up of 150 songs. Songs of praise, songs of sadness, repentance, you name it, it's in there. This might make one believe singing is important to God.

That's tongue in cheek, of course. Singing is important enough to God that he commanded it (Colossians 3:16, Ephesians 5:19).

I often wish I had a better grasp of music, beyond F-A-C-E and every good boy does fine. Then maybe I could pour out my praise the way David did. But even though I don't have that particular skill, God blessed us with so many talented songwriters. When I was a kid, I guess I thought all the songs had been written by those folks who were long gone, like Fanny J. Crosby or Tillit S. Teddlie. Imagine my surprise (and elation) to learn people are still writing hymns and songs of praise.

But it doesn't matter if it's a new song or one that's several hundred years old, when I sing, I can express my praise and love through music. Music is an expression of joy--even God sings for joy. Did you know that? Read Zephaniah 3. The prophet tells how the Lord will restore Israel, and he says God will exult over the people with loud singing.

I know there are people out there whose life doesn't include music almost 24/7, but song is such a blessing from our God. How can we not return that gift to Him by singing His praises? And in the process, how can we not be comforted, strengthened, encouraged, lifted up?

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:

• Think of some of your favorite hymns, old and new. How do those songs help you in your worship? How do they lift your spirit and encourage you?

Have Mercy

"For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment." (James 2:13)

I'm not a huge sports buff. Possibly because I'm not very athletic. Actually, I'm pretty much a total klutz. I trip over my own feet. I run into walls. I do enjoy watching young people play sports. Between them, my two kids played soccer, T-ball, baseball, football, volleyball, basketball, and ran track. So I do understand most sports, I'm just not crazy about watching them on TV.

Having said all that ... I can appreciate a good sports metaphor. I think it's safe to say the phrase, "three strikes, you're out!" is one of--if not the--most well-known. Of course we apply it to baseball, but we also use it in law enforcement settings, work settings--dare I say, even dating settings.

Three strikes. Think about that for a minute. Let that sink in.

One ... two ... THREE.

Not much, is it?

Think about the people you love the most. Think about the third time you messed up--burned dinner, let the car run out of gas, didn't clean your room (I know at least one teenager reads my blog), forgot to run by the bank, didn't buy bread (my faux pas for the week) ... the list could go on and on. Substitute your own foibles. I'm guessing most of us have committed the same error three times on at least one or two occasions.

Now imagine your loved ones pointed to you, then the door, and said, "That's your third strike. You're out."

But that's crazy. Someone who loves you will give you more than three chances. Exactly the way God does. Over and over and over again.

And now, think about someone from whom you've withheld mercy. Someone you've judged and punished. Your punishment might have included harsh words, unfair treatment ... maybe you cut them out of your life--sometimes with no explanation.

Now think about God again. How many times He's shown you mercy. How can we do less?

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:

• Is there someone (maybe more than one) you've judged unfairly? Not given a second or third chance? Not shown mercy? Go to them. Forgive them and ask them to forgive you for being hard-hearted.