Set Your Sights On Things Above
We so quickly get our eyes off God. Let's get back into
perspective.
perspective.
How many times do we forgive? This question was asked in a recent message being preached at my church. The preacher pointed out that the Pharisees taught the people they only had to forgive three times. We all sort of laughed at this thought. Religious leaders telling their people three times was the most you had to do? Only three? How silly were they...I thought in my head.
But then, I realized something. How many times do we actually forgive someone in our day to day life? How many times can someone come up to you (or me) asking forgiveness for the SAME thing, before we write that person off as not worth our time anymore? I think if you look back on reality, you'll see it's about three times. That's about as tolerant as we get - no seriously, don't get defensive, look at how we each really react to each other. After three times we proverbially wipe our hands of that person. This is the point where some of us put up those memes about there being a point beyond which someone just can no longer be tolerated, or we make a long Facebook post about people taking advantage of us, or misusing us and how we just don't have time for that sort of people. Guess what? We're all Pharisees. Peter said seven times...do I forgive seven times...and we laugh again. Yet in reality, Peter was pushing it beyond where most of us would draw the line, and I'm telling you, seven times forgiving the same offense? It's way beyond what most of us would ever be willing to do. Now remember, forgiving someone doesn't mean putting it in the back of your mind and ignoring it. That's where fungus grows - in a warm dark spot where you try to ignore it. That's not where forgiveness grows. If you're still thinking about it, stewing over it...counting it...then you have not forgiven. If that offense is brought up in your presence, and it immediately throws you into a bad mood, or brings all of it back up in your heart again, then you have not forgiven. No, you haven't. You've buried it. Not the same as forgiving. An unforgiven offense will resurrect itself over and over again, like a recurring character in The Walking Dead. So looking at myself realistically, we don't even do as good as the Pharisees did, much less what Peter tried to say. I daresay none of us come close to attaining Jesus' standard - of 70 times 7...for the same offense, mind you. Remember, true forgiveness means NOT washing your hands of the person who has offended you. In the very least, you can pray for them. So today, just starting with today, forgive until you lose count. Forgive like it was the first time. Forgive like it'll be the last time you'll need to forgive it.
7/7/2014
Don't forget the Good KidsSo that's not weird, right? To ask that people not forget the good kids... I mean, who's good really? None of us, right? But I think you know what I mean. There's some kids who were raised in a Christian home, have been in the nursery, Jr. Church, and on into the youth group all their lives, they volunteer faithfully, they help clean up after events, they're just always there. And they're not faking it. No honest, not faking it at all. First let me tell you - I feel the 'good kids syndrome' deeply. I am in no way perfect, but at times I've been accused of it. And no, for the most part I wasn't faking it either. (but that's a whole 'nother post so we won't go there...yet...just wait for it though.) I'm talking about the kids that honestly want to do what's right. Kids that want to serve God, because they love God. This little bit I'm writing here is a plea - the ministry leaders, youth workers, Jr. Church leaders, and yes, respectfully even a plea to pastors. Please don't forget the good kids.
In your honorable attempts to minister to those hurting, often rebellious kids, don't forget the ones that are sitting quietly in their seats, hands folded, just waiting to be picked for the quiet seat prize. You can't ignore the ones that are constantly giving you problems - I understand. They need to be rewarded when they have a good day. But please, let the good ones get that prize sometimes, too. The ones that don't always seem to need the incentive to do right. You know, I can hear it in my head now .... "Well, we're supposed to be willing to serve God without rewards." Yes, true, but how good are you at that as an adult even? Honestly. I need rewards still. God knows we need rewards - He promises them to us because He knows we need the incentive. How much more do little kids need them still? ............................. But my plea is about more than just a little quiet seat prize. It goes deeper. This is burdening my heart right now. I see kids growing up in church, being told to keep their noses clean because that's what God wants. And guess what - that's what many of them do. Then what do we do? We ignore them in favor of the one who went astray, and then has come back. We give the opportunity to minister to those who have done things, then repented and come back to God. (Please, please don't mistake my words here - I love the prodigals as much as you do, I've worked with many and love them as part of my own family - but this particular post isn't about them this time, so bear with me, k?) Those kids ought to be given those opportunities, yes. But the ones that never went astray ought to get some attention, too. These are kids just waiting to be used. They're waiting for some word of encouragement that their faithfulness meant something. To you. Yes, we know it means something to God, but sometimes we all need encouragement from someone with 'skin on,' right? What use is it to preach that we ought to stay right with God, if we then ignore the kids that are staying right with God? Ultimately this is a plea for balance. I believe God is a God of balance. Imbalance in either direction is not His ideal way. So I'm not saying ignore one group over another. I'm saying lavish attention on the prodigals, the rebels, the ones constantly demanding your attention through constant correction - then at the same time lavish attention on the quiet ones, the ones sitting and waiting for a favorable eye to be turned upon them, the ones doing what's right because it's right. So please, next time you're looking around at the kids under your teaching, remember there are both types of kids sitting there. And both types need you equally. The quiet ones might not seem as urgent to you, but believe me, ignoring them has far-reaching consequences. These kids grow up into adults who wonder why they're overlooked, set aside in favor of someone with a more... shall we say 'sensational'... testimony. They begin to wonder what their place is in the church, and what all this has been for if it won't help other people around them. They're even sometimes told they can't minister because they've never experienced going off and being a prodigal son. This causes huge frustration, disappointment, and ultimately despair of ever being used - because they 'can't minister', but they can't go off and be a prodigal either because they truly want to do what's right for God. It becomes a vicious cycle then - they get discouraged so they just do what it takes to get by in church...living right, doing what they're told, but no longer willing to go the extra mile. Then their leaders lose any confidence they had in them, and they wind up relegated to the 'always willing to do clean-up' category, but nothing more then that. What are they left with? You know, in all honesty, I think this is where much of the ‘mossy-backed-Christian’ syndrome comes from. It’s a vicious cycle, and it needs to be broken.
7/4/2014
Guest Post Time!My daughter, Colleen, wanted to write this post. She's very passionate about many things, and this is straight from her heart. After having a not-so-good day in my social life, seeing this image (above) in my newsfeed really got me thinking. I crave social interaction. Often times too much. I’ll find myself rearranging my priorities to just fit someone else's wants which isn't particularly healthy. I am a people pleaser to the max. If I can make someone happy or help them, I will try my best to do so. Whether it be dropping whatever I'm doing at the moment to give someone a ride, offering comfort over the phone to a long distance friend or spending many weekends planning a wedding. Honestly, I enjoy being there for my friends.
I am blessed to have more than one or two best friends. A couple of them are long distance but the rest are here in town. Having more than one best friend brings some complications into life. Sometimes I have to choose between them who I'm going to hang out with that night. The decision isn’t always easy. I love them all but I can’t be in two places at once. I cannot make each one of them first priority all the time. The one problem I have with this quote is making someone a priority in your life shouldn’t be so that they’ll make you one in theirs. If you really love someone you should do it because you love them not for what they’ll give you in return. A true friend will stick beside you even if you are the one pushing them away. They’ll be there for you no matter what. This doesn’t mean you should let someone walk all over you. You have boundaries that should be respected. If someone is treating you wrong, remove yourself from the situation. You do not have to let them treat you like a door mat. Putting a loved one's needs above yourself should be your main goal though. A friend is there for support. Be the best friend you can possibly be and eventually you will gain good friends. As Christians, we should be putting other people before ourselves anyways. We don’t treat other people with kindness and love just so we get the same in return. We do it because it’s the right thing to do. Jesus died on the cross for all of humanity knowing full well that thousands of millions of people would curse His name and reject Him. He made us first priority even though we often times make Him a mere option. You shouldn’t live your life as a door mat, letting whoever comes along treat you however they want. But you shouldn’t live your life making yourself your first and only priority. The biggest blessing anyone can receive is by being the greatest blessing to someone else. |
AuthorI'm Sherry Chamblee, aspiring author of Christian fiction, mom of six, wife to a cool dude, and caregiver to his granny. Besides that, I am just little old me - it's just a phrase, I'm not really old, honest. Check out my new release!
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