Floods of Words!

Lord, help me control my tongue;
    help me be careful about what I say.

Psalm 141:3 

Let me say this right up front, I am, by nature, an Introvert.  That does not mean I am anti-social, or that I don't like people, or anything of the sort. As a matter of fact, I like talking with people and enjoy teaching when possible.  Being an introvert simply means, I am perfectly comfortable with silence and have no urge to fill the silence with words.

Having said that, let me ask you something...Remember in Ephesians6:10-18 where the Bulldog Apostle Paul reminds us to armor up each day before we go sauntering out into the world?  Well........one thing he doesn't mention (because they really didn't have them available at the time) was a mouth guard.  We are told over and over, throughout Scripture to "be still" and "be quiet."  But do we? Jesus often took time to get away from the crowds (or try to) so He could have some time to listen and talk with His Father. 

Have you ever heard a child talking, just to be talking, and they start repeating things they had overheard (much to the chagrin of the parents)?  One of the things I remember most about my growing older years (still haven't reached the growing up part), was to "hush" or "shush" or "be quiet."  The older I have gotten, the more I am appreciating that insistence, because whenever I talk just to fill the void of words, I usually will taste shoe because I put my foot in my mouth.

When my bride and I have the opportunity to go out, it doesn't matter where we sit (or are seated), there will eventually be either a screaming child or a VERY talkative group seated next to us.  This happens when I go to get coffee and read as well.

But look what the Psalmist says, "Please keep me from saying something hurtful, unhelpful, stupid, or just talk to keep from listening."  

I remember my Grampa once told me, "Want to keep from saying something that'll get you in trouble?  Then don't say anything!"

Can You Understand Me Now?

Give me understanding and I will obey your instructions;
    I will put them into practice with all my heart.

Psalm 119:34

Here is yet another confession:  I don't always understand what I read in the Bible.  That's right, sometimes I will read something and sit there through two, maybe three, cups of coffee pondering what I read and end up with a headache.  

I told a friend about my dilemma and he smiled and simply said, "You're overthinking it.  First, Ask God to show you what He wants you to understand from the passage.  Second, brace yourself because what He reveals to you may be so very simple that it blows your socks off."  I was stunned!  Then he went on to tell me that we tend to make the Scriptures much more complicated than they truly are. 

Here's a little tidbit that may just put me out of a job, but thought you should know anyway.  Early in the church, the priests and monks came from wealthy families and were usually very well educated.  Most of the people could not read much and very few could read the Latin, Greek and Aramaic which the Scriptures were written.  Now, the average household has at least 4 Bibles (might be in the attic, on the coffee table, under that wobbly table leg).  But if we follow the simple counsel of asking God to make the Scriptures make sense to us, ask what He wants us to take from the passage, you'll be astounded how clear the messages will be.

One other thing....I grew up reading the King James Bible.  No offense to this translation, but I don't know too many who regularly speak to their friends that way.  Pick a translation or more that is easier for you to understand.  That just a start.  

What Do You Think?

Be a good citizen. All governments are under God. Insofar as there is peace and order, it’s God’s order. So live responsibly as a citizen. If you’re irresponsible to the state, then you’re irresponsible with God, and God will hold you responsible. Duly constituted authorities are only a threat if you’re trying to get by with something. Decent citizens should have nothing to fear. Do you want to be on good terms with the government? Be a responsible citizen and you’ll get on just fine, the government working to your advantage. But if you’re breaking the rules right and left, watch out. The police aren’t there just to be admired in their uniforms. God also has an interest in keeping order, and he uses them to do it. That’s why you must live responsibly—not just to avoid punishment but also because it’s the right way to live.
Romans 13:1-5

I have heard many questions, concerns, and opinions on the events which have occurred in Charlotte recently.  And I have also been asked my thoughts on the issue.  What I have heard and read show me that we are a society in turmoil.  It is as though we are bound and determined to tear our country apart from the inside out, and it is heartbreaking to see all this divisiveness!  But here's something to think about, this is nothing new!

The Apostle Paul wrote to the church of Rome, and indirectly to us, that if we do what is right, we have nothing to fear from those in authority.  But if we choose to disobey authority, then we will be punished, and rightfully so.

If you break the law, you are subject to punishment.  If you don't like the law, that does not exempt you from obeying it.  Does this mean every law is absolutely correct?  I doubt it.  

For example: "When approaching a four way or blind intersection in a non-horse driven vehicle you must stop 100 ft from the intersection and discharge a firearm into the air to warn horse traffic." At the time, this law made sense and was expected to be obeyed. Failure to obey led to punishment.  Now, we look back on such laws and scoff at their seeming stupidity.

The argument has been made to me that Law Enforcement is evil and overbearing.  You can say my opinion is skewed if you wish, but my opinion is just that....MINE!  Are there some bad law enforcement officers?  Yes!  Are there some good ones? Absolutely!  Where we tend to get into trouble is when we make broad accusations.  Are there bad people in this world? Yes!  Are there good ones? Absolutely!  

Whoever does wrong is wrong!  It's that plain and simple.  Are there those who get away with doing bad things?  For now, but their day will come, as it will for each of us, when we will stand before God and give a FULL ACCOUNT of our lives.  

Here's the best way I can make this point: YOU do what is right!  Because YOU are the one who chooses what YOU do.  

Now, as far as who's lives matter......whose air is it we breathe?  Have we become so divided that only paisley people can breathe this air while the plaid people can only breathe the air that's over in their part of town?  When we begin to see that Jesus' sacrifice wasn't just for some people, it was for ALL people.  We are the ones who choose to accept this or not, and that decision will play out in how we treat each other.

Got A Warrant?

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.

Psalm 139:23-24 

 

The photo you see is Arko.  Arko is one of the K9 officers of the Richland County Sheriff's Department and he is very good at his job.  His job?  Searching and finding.  Having witnessed a K9 perform a search, I can attest to the fact that not much escapes their attention.  When the K9 shows up on a scene, people tend to get nervous if they have something to hide.

 

Now, if Arko showed up to search you or your property, would you be nervous?  As good as Arko is, God is even better.  Why?  Because God already knows everything about us (good and not-so-good and even the stuff that could go either way).  So when the Psalmist writes "Search me, O God, and know my heart" he is asking God to search not just his body, but his mind, his intentions, his spirit and is giving God permission to TEST him to seek if there is ANYTHING that God would find offensive.  

 

Here's the thing:  God doesn't need a warrant!  But God's not mad at you or out to get you either.  God uses every single situation to Teach us or Reach us.  Sometimes that means getting our attention (usually in ways we don't like).  But God is always reminding us that if He didn't love us, He wouldn't bother to try to Reach or Teach us.

 

Consider that for a minute.

Details Details Details!

He counts the stars
    and calls them all by name.

Psalm 147:4

 

Have you ever looked into the night sky and felt so small and insignificant? I have.  It's humbling and sometimes depressing feeling so small.  Yet here's something I have learned through 54 years (stop laughing) of doing life wrong: If we weren't important to God, we wouldn't be here.

 

Think about this, God could very well have stopped with Adam and Eve.  And when they disobeyed, God could very easily decided "Okay, I'm done!  This isn't working.  This isn't what I wanted."  But instead, not only did God NOT give up on us, He provides us so many reminders of how much He cares about the details.

 

He put all the stars in place and named each and every one of them.  Even the stars we haven't discovered yet. God cares about us so much that He created some incredibly beautiful flowers so we can enjoy the bright colors and scents.  God instilled within us the ability to love, that a pretty big detail.

 

Consider how detailed the human body is:

1. Approximately 80-90% of what we perceive as "taste" actually is due to our sense of smell.

2. Your heart beats about 35 million times in a year. During an average lifetime, the human heart will beat more than 2.5 billion times.
3. Your body has about 5.6 liters (6 quarts) of blood. This 5.6 liters of blood circulates through the body three times every minute. In one day, the blood travels a total of 19,000 km (12,000 miles)- that's four times the distance across the U.S. from coast to coast.
4. The heart pumps about 1 million barrels of blood during an average lifetime - that's enough to fill more than 3 super tankers.
5. If all arteries, veins, and capillaries of the human circulatory system were laid end to end, the total length would be 60,000 miles, or 100,000 km. That's nearly two and a half times around the Earth!
6. Even though its thickness averages just 2mm, your skin gets an eighth of all your blood supply.
7. The skull looks as though it is a single bone. In fact, it is made up of 22 separate bones, cemented together along rigid joints called sutures.
8. If a human adult's digestive tract were stretched out, it would be 6 to 9 m (20 to 30 ft) long.
9. Red blood cells may live for about four months circulating throughout the body, feeding the 60 trillion other body cells. Red blood cells make approximately 250,000 round trips of the body before returning to the bone marrow, where they were born, to die.
10. Human hair grows about 1/4 inch (about 6 millimeters) every month and keeps on growing for up to 6 years. The hair then falls out and another grows in its place.
11. The average healthy mouth produces about 600 milliliters of saliva each day. That's enough to fill a 12-ounce soda bottle.
12. The fastest nerve cells are carrying messages along their axons at an amazing 130 yards per second (268 mph).

 

God is pretty amazing when it comes to details of life.  And here's the most important part of all this....God knows YOUR name, knows ALL about you, and loves you anyway. 

 

Odd Ducks!

Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?

James 2:15-16

I am a FIRM advocate of St. Francis' approach to ministry: "Go out and PREACH the Gospel every day!  And if you must...use words."  As a Chaplain, I can tell you with quite the amount of certainty, we are called to be ODD DUCKS!  You see, it is not our job to show up on a scene, whip out our Bibles and begin preaching or conducting religious services.  We are expected to meet needs.  To be honest, there have been many times I have ridden with deputies or have been called to a scene and the first thing I am told is, "Don't God me!  I don't want to hear it!"  And I don't.  I will fetch some water, or some tissues, or hand out some Tootsie Rolls, of just sit there quietly.  

Think about the Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan.  What do you think would have been the wounded man's response had the Teacher of the Law or the Pharisee had arrived and started preaching to him?  Well, if I was the wounded man, I would be praying hard that I would bleed out or that the ambulance brakes might slip, just this once, and put those two chuckle heads out of my misery!  But it was the Samaritan who got the Chaplain's job right!  He didn't preach!  He didn't try to convert! He didn't try to deliver a message that would "rock your world."  Instead, he met them injured man's needs for aid and comfort.

When people are in crisis, they don't need or want a sermon!  When people are hurting they don't want to hear how God loves them!  When people are grieving, they don't want to hear the Gospel message (wonderful though that message is).  During the floods last October, people came together and brought food, water, clothing, and shelters were set up.  Many churches opened their doors to be places where people's need could be met.  But never once did I hear of a church that said, "You have to let us PREACH to you, PRAY with you, BAPTIZE you, and ADD YOU TO OUR MEMBERSHIP ROLLS, before we will help you!"

When people are hurting or in crisis, first we have to render aid.  THAT is our sermon!  We can pray silently for them while we are providing that bottle of water or that box of Kleenex.  Remember: "No one cares what you know (or what you have to say) until they know how much you care."

I have heard this over and over: "Not every preacher can be a Chaplain!"  And here's the part most of us don't get, being a Chaplain is everyone's job!  Not just mine.  We are called to meet people's needs, as best we can and let our actions be our sermon!

Sounds easy doesn't it?   Try it sometime.

 

Seriously?

But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do,
    what God is looking for in men and women.
It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor,
    be compassionate and loyal in your love,
And don’t take yourself too seriously—
    take God seriously.

Micah 6:8 

 

Ever have to talk with someone who takes themselves so seriously that even the mosquitoes have to make an appointment to land on them?  One such person came to me the other day and the following exchange ensued:

 

Person:  "I'd like to discuss something with you if I may."

Me: "Absolutely! Let talk.  What may I do for you?"

Person: "May I be serious with you?"

Me: "Okay, but who were you with that other person you were talking to?"

Person:  *Blank Look*

Me: "I'm sorry.  If we take ourselves too seriously, we will miss out on so much of life."

Person: "You're Kidding."

Me: "Nope, today I'm Paul."

Person: "So you're telling me to lighten up?"

Me: "Yep!  Lighten up and give yourself a break!"

 

We all know those people who are so tense and serious that you wonder how their blood has the audacity to move about their body.  Sometimes I even wonder if the "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" has actually happened.

 

Why do we take ourselves so seriously?  I admit it....for years and years I was what my grandmother called a "worry wort" because I would worry about everything.  And I can tell you, from experience, being too serious all the time tends to repel people and cause health issues.

 

Look at what Micah reminds us that God has instructed us to do:

     1.  Be fair and just!

     2.  Be compassionate!

     3.  Be loyal!

     4.  Don't take yourself so seriously!

     5.  Take God seriously!

 

Have you noticed a theme throughout the Bible?  Focus on God FIRST!

 

Hmmmmm.....   

Words, Words, Words!

When you talk, do not say harmful things, but say what people need—words that will help others become stronger. Then what you say will do good to those who listen to you.

Ephesians 4:29

Imagine if our words actually had weight and substance and force and sharp edges.  Would we be more careful before we threw our opinions or blame or gossip to others?  

We must be wise when choosing our words.  Our words DO carry weight!  The do leave scars!  They can destroy a person's self-perception.  They can obliterate a person's reputation, family, and career.  

Did you know that just the opposite is true too?  Our words do carry weight.  When we encourage someone, their performance usually improves.  Our words can enhance someone's reputation, help heal a family, and boost their career as well.

Our words......be careful which you launch and to whom and about whom.  Before you speak, would you want the same said of you? 

Faithful or Faithless?

Whoever can be trusted with a little can also be trusted with a lot, 

and whoever is dishonest with a little is dishonest with a lot. 

Luke 16:10 

 

Ever told someone you'd do something and then you decided later that you didn't want to do it, so you didn't.  Instead, you made an excuse.  Would you call that being "faithful"?  Yes, I'm trampling my own toes too.

 

I have yet to find anywhere in Scripture where we are told we are going to want or enjoy everything we agree to do.  However, I have found where we are instructed to take our vows, promises, commitments seriously and always be quick to fulfill them.  

 

Think about this, are you going to count on someone who constantly gives their word yet gives excuses when it's time to fulfill their promise?  How far are you willing to trust that person?  Now, do you have a friend you can trust implicitly? Why is that? Could it be they are faithful?

 

When we are faithful, we do what we agreed to do, whether we like it or not.  Here's the point God emphasized with me, it's not so much the deed but our faithfulness to do the deed that makes us truly faithful.

I Don't Get It!

Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, 

but someday you will.”

John 13:7

Ever had something happen and you thought, "What the....?"  God seems to do things and allow things that we don't understand.  

At the time, I didn't understand why God allowed me to have open heart surgery at the ripe old age of 43.  But NOW I believe that, had I not had the surgery, Eric Skidmore would not have come to visit and plant the seed in my mind to become a Law Enforcement Chaplain.

At the time, I didn't understand why God would let me screw up life so many times without giving up on me.  But NOW I believe that each time I screwed up, I learned something that can be used to help others now.

At the time, I didn't understand why God would let me be so miserable while I was working for a church.  After all, aren't church folk supposed to be all nice, wonderful, kind, supportive and not be judgmental?  NOW I believe that God was showing me how NOT act.  

I don't always understand the "whys" and "wherefores" and the "are you kidding me" events of life, but God is the one with the plan, and He has a part for me to play in this plan, and for that I am pretty okay with (most of the time).  

Do I still wonder "What the...?"  Absolutely!    

Do I still question? You bet I do!

Do I still not "get it" sometimes?  Oh Yeah!

But I know, eventually it will make sense to me.  Usually when I've stopped wondering so hard about it.  

Morale Is A Problem!!!

Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ. But if you do what is wrong, you will be paid back for the wrong you have done. For God has no favorites.

Colossians 3:23-25 

 

You're probably not going to like what I'm about to say, but I dare you to read it anyway.  People tell me how their morale is low because of  (insert your favorite reason here: not enough money, hours too long, boss is too demanding, coworkers are suck-ups, etc.)

 

Well....let me tell you the REAL reason your morale is low...look in the mirror!  Here's what I mean: 

     *     your boss could promote you and give you a raise, but that would only raise your morale for a while, then the downward spiral would begin again. 

     *      Your job may require long hours.  But you were the one that accepted the position knowing the hours would be long.

 

The point I'm trying to make is simple:  The only person who can boost your morale is YOU!   YOU are the one who decides if you are going to do your best or not.  If your supervisor tells you to do something (provided it's not illegal) then it's your responsibility to do it.  If you choose not to do it, then be prepared to accept the consequences.  

 

A good supervisor or boss knows that if they make their people look good, then that boss or supervisor looks good.  And the opposite is also true.

 

I don't like doing everything that is expected of me, but I do it because I want to do a good job.  Now, I may rant and cuss in the car to and from, but when I am on scene I do my best.

 

My boss does have high expectations.  And I knew that when I began working here.  I don't expect an "Atta Boy" every time I do my job well, because eventually the "Atta Boys" will become meaningless.  I do, as most of us, thrive on positive reinforcement, but my morale is MY responsibility!

 

Do your best in EVERYTHING you do, because God is the one you are really working for and His rewards program far exceeds any plaque, certificate, trophy or raise!

  

 

Just A Little...

We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us.

2 Corinthians 1:8-10 

 

The night had been spent tossing and turning because my mind kept running through my calendar for the the next day to make sure I had not forgotten to enter an appointment (my mind doesn't seem to be able to keep track the way it used to). 

 

Plus, I had forgotten to pick up my prescription for sleep meds.  

 

Plus, so far this year, let's just say I am truly looking forward to 2016 being over.  

 

PLUS I still have classes to facilitate and get the needed materials together and in order.  

 

PLUS family issues to deal with.

 

PLUS I have a list of projects that need to be completed.

 

PLUS.....PLUS......PLUS......the load never seems to get lighter and the stress never seems to let up, does it?

 

It was one of those days where I realized there was not enough coffee in the Universe to give me the strength to complete everything that was staring me in the face from my calendar.

 

To say I felt more then a bit overwhelmed would be an ENORMOUS understatement!!!

 

Then today's passage was this morning's devotional, and I breathed a prayer of gratitude that even history's most energetic, stubborn, and dedicated Apostle felt overwhelmed.

 

As I sat with my coffee pondering today's passage, I couldn't help but hear the James Bond theme song in my mind along with his famous catch-phrase "shaken....not stirred."  Now, I'm no James Bond and am not a fan of martinis, but I realized that I NEEDED to be shaken in order to be stirred into action (see what I did there?).  The fact was, I had gotten complacent and had forgotten that it's okay to say "I'm sorry, I just simply cannot fit another thing into my calendar today."  It's okay to take care of myself.  It's okay to realize that I am not a superhero who can wear tights (wipe THAT image from you mind if you can) and who can swoop in to solve everyone's problems.  It's OKAY!

 

The Apostle Paul was stressed and overwhelmed to the point he thought he would die!  That is pretty overwhelmed!  Jesus even was so stressed over His upcoming trial, torture and execution that He had sweat droplets running down His face like blood.  So feeling overwhelmed is okay...we are in good company.

 

I realize this is a bit of a long read today, and I thank you for reading this far, but let me give you a few PRACTICAL ways of helping alleviate some stress:

     *    Take care of yourself.  Yes, I just punched myself in the face on that one.  If you don't take care of you, then how can you take care of others.

     *     Realize that you have only 24 hours in each day, and some of that time needs to be spent resting and sleeping.

     *     Learn to limit what you need and want to do each day.

     *     When you feel overwhelmed, don't be afraid to ask for help.  Even if it's just to unload some of the stress by talking it out.  Sometimes a different perspective can alleviate stress.

 

It's okay to be human....you are in good company! 

I Have Lots of "Friends".....

A man of many companions may come to ruin,
    but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Proverbs 18:24

 

I am often astounded by the number of "friends" people have on Facebook.  I am even more astounded by the people we so willingly call friends.  One person contacted me on Facebook to ask me a question, when I looked at their profile I saw they had over 500 "friends."  

 

Way back when I was growing up, with the baby dinosaurs, I was taught that there are only three kinds of people in life: 

*     Strangers (people we have not met), 

*     Acquaintances (people with whom we have met and will greet in passing) and 

*     Friends (those who would not only stick with you through anything and everything, but probably were the ones who got you into trouble in the first place). 

 

The photo for today is of my buddy.  His name is Woody Bear.  When I come home from work, or the store, or from the mailbox, or from taking the trash out, Woody Bear greets me like I have been gone forever.  When it is time for morning coffee and Quiet Time, Woody Bear is right there with me wanting to be close and wanting to remind me that he loves me.  I can tell him ANYTHING and he'll not change his opinion of me.

 

Be careful of who you allow to get close to you.  Remember Julius Caesar?  He allowed Brutus to get close to him and Brutus ended up helping kill Caesar.  

 

Don't like drama? Go through your group of friends and drop the ones who create drama.  Don't like sushi?  Go through your group of friends and drop the ones who insist you have to eat sushi.

 

WE select our friends.  Make sure you are a Friend worth having.  Benjamin Franklin once wrote: "If you would have a friend, first BE a friend!" 

 

 

Oh I Would NEVER Do That!

So be careful. If you are thinking, 

“Oh, I would never behave like that”

—let this be a warning to you. 

For you too may fall into sin. 

1 Corinthians 10:12 

 

 Think back on your life for a moment.  How many times have you ever said "Oh, I would never do that"?  How many times have you ending up doing exactly what we said we wouldn't?

 

We all have this image of ourselves and our future.  We all have made plans for our lives.  How many have thought, "I'll finish school, get a good paying job, get married, have a couple of kids, take vacations, and when I retire it will be someplace awesome!"  I was one of those people.  When reality gave me the worst thrashing I'd ever had, plans change, and goals are altered or even eliminated.

 

But here's the point I want you to focus your thoughts on: The example you set is not so much what you do, as much as it is what you do with what happens next.  We set an example for others every moment of every day.  For example, let's say I had a late night at work and was tired when my alarm went off the next morning, but I decide I need to come into work anyway.  When I arrive, I can barely keep my eyes open, so instead of asking if I can take some leave time to get some rest, I decided to take a little snooze at my desk (the snoring and drool on my desk would be a true giveaway).  What kind of example am I setting for those who see me?  "Well, if HE can sleep at his desk, then it MUST be okay."

 

We are reminded over and over in Scripture to THINK!  This includes making good decisions, because there is ALWAYS someone watching our example.  

 

There is an old adage that says: "Never say 'never' or you will ever do your 'never' forever."

 

Learn

My troubles turned out all for the best—
    they forced me to learn from your textbook.
Truth from your mouth means more to me
    than striking it rich in a gold mine.

Psalm 119:71-72 

 

 

Today, I have spent 54 years on this Earth, every single one of those years have been filled with errors, mistakes, rebelliousness, and bad decisions.  I have managed to mess up my life in so many ways and so many times, that I am surprised to wake up this morning.

 

However, one of the things I can also say about all this time is that I have learned (hopefully) from many of the mistakes in life.  I am not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but I can tell you that I am grateful for second chances.  

 

Did you know:

     *   David had been fired from every job he held.  Finally, while working at a gas station, he was frying some chicken in the back for lunch, and a customer liked what he smelled so much that he wanted to buy David's lunch.  The story of David's cooking got around and before long, the gas station opened a lunch counter for David's fried chicken.  You know him as Colonel Harland David Sanders of Kentucky Fried Chicken.

 

     *   Tommy didn't do so well in school.  In fact, he had trouble paying attention to the lessons.  His own teachers told his mother that Tommy was "too stupid to learn."  But Tommy was a tinkerer and eventually invented the incandescent light bulb.  We know him as Thomas Alva Edison.

 

     *   Theodor wrote books that told stories for children using nonsensical rhyming and rather odd drawings.  27 editors rejected his first book.  However, I am willing to wager that every adult reading this today has read "The Cat In The Hat" by Theodor Seuss Giesel, known to us as "Dr. Seuss."

 

Let me ask you, how many times did it take you to learn to leave the hot stove alone?  Probably just once, and God allowed you a second chance.  

 

We get in trouble when just refuse to learn from our mistakes.  We all know someone who makes bad choices and decisions and yet never seem to learn.  God has told us that He allows some things to happen to us for the purpose of teaching us.  Don't forget to put on your thinking caps today. 

Radiate!

As water reflects the face,
    so the heart reflects one person to another.

Proverbs 27:19 

 

Have you ever watched a pet see their reflection in the water for the first time?  Child do this too.  They either want to fight with it, play with it, or are afraid of it. I saw a documentary on some tribes in places like New Guinea or deep within the Amazon, who believe their reflection truly reveals their spirit and they also believe that cameras steal their spirit (which is held within the photo).

 

Think about how much time we spend looking into reflective surfaces, making adjustments to our appearance, checking to make sure we didn't spill any of our lunch, are our seams straight (if you are military, check your "gig" line to make sure you are squared away).  We spend vast amounts of time looking at our reflections.

 

One television program I used to watch with so much regularity that I purchased the DVD, was called "Keeping Up Appearances."  The main character's entire life revolved around the appearance of perfection and putting on airs to convince others she was of the "upper crust" of society.

 

However, this devotional is not about what we look like.  Our actions tell more about us than our appearance.   Some of the most physically attractive people have some of the most ugly hearts.  

 

My bride and I watch HGTV and enjoy the home repair programs.  One episode of one of the programs, which is no longer being aired, the home flipper told his crew to paint over the rotting wood so they could sell the house before the rot was discovered, he called it "sugar coating" the house.  How often do we do that?  We want people to see us as more than we are? 

 

Are you caring?  Your actions will prove it.  Are you obnoxious? Your actions will prove it.  

 

Rule of Thumb: "Your Actions Prove You!"