"Drink more coffee! Do dumb things faster with more energy!"
I have cut back on the coffee, too bad it hasn't helped with doing dumb things faster, with more energy! Have you ever done something and afterwards felt just plain ridiculous? How about saying something and then feeling "lower than a snake's belly in a wagon rut?" Yes, I am a master of this. Like the ride shown above, I have forced myself to get on out of peer pressure or sheer stupidity, only to be sick and feel worse afterwards. No great decision-making application there. Have you ever bought an outfit that was meant for another body type, just because you convinced yourself it would work? When you got to church you ducked behind every SUV, pew, wall, anything to hide your poor choice? Yes, all of these are familiar to me.
I believe God allows us to pull some "dumb stunts", not just the major sins that will hurt us, but less-than-perfect actions that will cause us to stop and say, "I'm not all I'm cracked up to be!" Every once in a while God lets us "fall on the ice" just to show us we are human and not super-heroes.
Luke 7:40-50 - I love this truth from the Bible and have shared it with many girls at our church. I need it myself on a regular basis.
40And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on. 41There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. 42And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? 43Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. 44And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. 45Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. 46My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.47Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. 48And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.49And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? 50And he said tothe woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.
We will love more the more we're forgiven! Wow! No wonder our love levels grow as we age! I have to make decisions on a daily basis and have made some doozies. After pulling an especially dumb stunt I asked the Lord and then my pastor to forgive me. They both did! I was still feeling pretty low and embarrassed from the "fall". On my way out of the church building one of my friends and helpers asked about what to do about a college lady who just pulled a dumb stunt, not breaking a handbook rule. My first and only reaction was, "Let's give her a warning, explain the problem, and give a little growing grace." I felt much better when I was able to pass along the love and forgiveness!
Our shortcomings allow us to go to Jesus' arms and get a big hug, ask for forgiveness, and know what unconditional love is all about.
The next morning I was still giving myself a hard time, Jesus stopped the night before, I was still "what iffing". I emailed someone who I thought I might have hurt with my actions to ask for forgiveness. I received this response: "I was so relieved when you did that! It made me know that you are human and gave me hope to go on one more day!" She will never know how those words helped me stop kicking myself. All of us are only human, by the grace and love of Jesus we can try our best to faithfully serve him. We might all cut back on the coffee...did I say that?
No comments:
Post a Comment