Life – Page 55 – Growing 4 Life

The Diamond Ring

Leave a Comment / October 12, 2010 March 7, 2014

I can still remember it like it was yesterday. We were having lunch at Pizza Hut. I looked down at my hand. The diamond–the one that my husband had lovingly given me when he asked for my hand in marriage that Thanksgiving break so long ago–was gone. My heart was sick. The symbol of our love was gone. Instead I was left with a ring that had a large gaping spot where the shiny stone had spent the last 17+ years. But it was just a thing–an inanimate object.

Another incident I am reminded of happened a few years ago. We were talking in the kitchen. Our kids were with friends in the basement. That night a girl that had never been to our home came with another friend. The group of young people were having a great time playing Wii together. All of a sudden, this sweet girl came upstairs with a tear-stained face, while our daughter informed us that she had accidentally thrown the Wii remote into our brand new 42″ flat screen TV, cracking the screen. Oh, our hearts sank. It was a very recent purchase. But, again, it was just a thing–a possession.

Matthew 19:16-22 tells the story of the rich, young ruler. A young man that wants to follow Jesus. Sort of. Verse 21: “Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” As we continue to read on, we see that the young man went away sorrowful because he had great possessions and was not willing to do what Jesus asked.

Does that mean that it is a sin for Christians to have wealth? Or is it more about our attitudes about our wealth? I believe a poor man can be just as possessive and greedy about his new 19 inch TV as a wealthy man can be about his new airplane. It is all about our attitude.

Matthew 6:21 tells us that where are treasure is there our heart will be. I think that is a question we all need to ask ourselves. What do we truly value? My husband has been such a great example in this. He values me and his kids more than he values his stuff. This means that when we accidentally damage something (like a car!) he does not hold it against us, raging and blowing up in anger. It also means that our house is a fun place to be because he is not worried about others ruining his “property”, but instead he wants to share the blessings we have been given by the Lord. I would tend to be the opposite. I am thankful for my husband’s good example in this area. It has challenged me to re-think the values I place on the “stuff” in my life and has actually been very instrumental in changing my attitude.

Of course, we need to be good stewards. It is that fine balance, as always. Caring carefully for the blessings, but not becoming attached and possessive about them.

Most of us here in America or any other Westernized country, no matter where you find yourself on the “income” scale, have been tremendously blessed materially. While we need to be very thankful for the material possessions we have been blessed with, we also need to always be thinking how we can use them for God’s glory, instead of how to use them to fulfill our selfish desires. A challenge indeed!

Turned Around

Leave a Comment / October 8, 2010 October 8, 2010

This is an actual conversation (not exact words)–

BOSS: So, if you would like to eventually become a supervisor you need to step it up a bit. You need to improve your attitude.

EMPLOYEE: Yeah, but I do not have any incentive to do that.

This young employee’s thought is that in order for him to step up and do his best, he should be given financial incentive. Come again? What happened to the natural process of stepping up to do a difficult job, doing your best, and then being rewarded for that behavior? It seems like so many have it all turned around. Anyone who deals with employees, or children, for that matter, sees this on a regular basis.

Reward me first. Like that is going to change how they perform. This sense of “entitlement” has permeated our culture. I see it in my kids. “I deserve this” is not said, but certainly implied often.

What happened to hard work for hard work’s sake? For a sense of accomplishment? And most importantly, for pleasing God with an honest, hard day’s work?

Colossians 3:23-24 were my homeschooling theme verses. I would quote this to my kids often when they complained of school work. I still try to keep it mind as I go about the mundane duties of being a wife and mother. I still quote it to my family now and again, as well! It says:

And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; foryou serve the Lord Christ.

When we do the work the Lord has set before us, we are doing it for Him. Not for others. Not for ourselves. But for Him. And we are to do it heartily.

Heartily, according to Dictionary.com, means:

1. in a hearty manner; cordially: He was greeted heartily.

2. sincerely; genuinely: He sympathized heartily with their plight.

3. without restraint; exuberantly; vigorously: They laughed heartily.

4. with a hearty appetite: The campers ate heartily.

5. thoroughly; completely: I’m heartily sick of your complaining.

Personally, I find this word rather convicting. Am I doing my daily work “heartily”? I know the answer is oftentimes “NO”.

These verses also inform us that material, earthly rewards are just an extra reward. Our actual, eternal reward will be given to us by the Lord. Am I working for my eternal reward, or am I focused on the reward I receive here on earth? Perhaps we are focused on a paycheck or a raise or maybe on receiving a compliment or praise from someone we respect. It is so easy to get caught up in these things.

May we be challenged to do our best today…for the Lord…whether we be in school, at work, or at home. We all have tasks set before us each day. May we accomplish our tasks heartily, as unto the Lord, not to men!

Aging with Grace

Leave a Comment / October 5, 2010 July 11, 2014

I am forty-four years old. 44! When I was in college I thought 40-somethings were OLD and, I guess if I were honest, somewhat irrelevant to my life. I was young and excited about the future before me. The last 20 years have flown by in a blur–so filled with activity and new experiences and busyness. And now much of what I was looking forward to is in my past, to some extent. Things like falling in love and getting married, having babies, and buying a home. I feel blessed beyond measure to have experienced each of these things. Some of you have had other dreams–maybe it was traveling the world or being a missionary or owning your own company. Many of us, by this time in our lives, have seen the fruition of some of our dearest and most important dreams. So now what?

Now what do we look forward to? Age spots? Wrinkles? Gray hair? Eyes that can’t see as well? Should my priority be to make myself look as young as possible? I can use all kinds of powders and gels and creams and I can eat right and exercise–and they may delay the process of growing old–but they will not stop the process of my body aging. We cannot stop the clock.

In this culture, where physical beauty and youth are so highly valued, it is sometimes easy to feel very irrelevant. We feel like we have little of value to offer young people. They seem like they know it all. But, if I think back on those days, I know two things without a shadow of a doubt–

One (and, by far, the most important): I didn’t know it all, I only thought I did.

And two: The adults who influenced me–the ones I would listen to–were the ones who cared deeply about me.

The Bible says:

Job 12:12 Wisdom is with aged men, and with length of days, understanding.

Proverbs 16:31 Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained by a righteous life.

Proverbs 20:29 The glory of young men is their strength, gray hair the splendor of the old.

There is a natural occurrence of getting wiser as you get older. Yes, there are some exceptions to this. I am sure we can all think of at least one. But most of us, as we experience joy, devastation, even endless days of routine, will be learning. Learning to grow in a deeper walk with God, to trust Him, and to walk by faith. Over the course of the last 20 years, I have learned that I do not have all of the answers. And I have learned that I still have much growing to do on this journey.

But I have also learned how to handle some things in a godly way. And I am learning how to react and respond to the things I cannot change. And, as this learning process occurs, whether we are 22 or 52 or 91, we have learned something that could help a person coming behind us in this journey of life.

May we care deeply about those coming after us. May we share the wisdom that God has granted us through our experiences of living life. And may we continue to look to Him and His word as our final authority. We must remember that it is not our opinions that matter, but what God says. If we live that and speak that and share that, maybe God will use us to help a younger person in need of guidance. Let’s turn our eyes outward and use these years to glorify God and help others along their way!