I drop by the Stuff Fundies Like website every once in a while. I try to limit my time because I tend to believe that sometimes that it is just not profitable for me to spend too much time on. Today, I took a minute and read around.
I found this today. I am amazed, and not in a good way. I thought that this must be an old fundy document from somewhere, but if you click the link, it is up and live online…. wow.
You know we have been so blessed to have the ministry that God has given us. We get to know people we would never expect to have been in our lives. We are blessed continually by them all. Yes, we get hurt, but God blesses us more abundantly that we could ask or think!
With the ministry we have, we have had much more cause to spend time downtown. You know, DOWNTOWN … with the people….the place we only go when we have “Official” kind of business…that place that is a dichotomy of the the well dressed professional and the poorly dressed local… that place we all like to pretend doesn’t really exist.
Several times, I have had time to just sit and watch. My heart is continually broken. So much hurt. So much brokenness. So much bitterness. My heart breaks for the hard professional who scurries about their business and walks past the masses smugly. My heart breaks for those being passed and looked down upon. So many people, so many stories.
Now, I know that so many of these people are in their current circumstances by their own devices. I realize that there are people that you can help and no matter what will use and abuse you. I know this. We have seen it. But, just think if our circumstances solely relied on what we deserved to get! I don’t get what I deserve because I am covered by GRACE. But, we chose to walk by those that we feel are just getting what they deserve?
A friend of ours just spent time with another friend down at Janet Wattles. She was broken at the sight of the people. The people that were hurting. The people who were sick. The people who just longed for positive human contact. Her words reminded me of my first few visits to heart of our city.
The people.
So many people.
So much pain.
So much hurt.
And, what are we doing about it?
Sometimes, it just takes a smile. Some people just need a smile. A kind look.
You never know how God may use you. You just have to be willing.
You have to be willing to give a little something of yourself.
You have to be willing to let go of a little something.
You have to step out of your box.
Who knows how God may use you.
I have a gift. A gift that my mother is not so proud of. I have the gift of sarcasm.
I am pretty sure that God felt I needed a double helping of this gift, because he has truly blessed me. Now, I have looked and looked in the Bible, and have yet to find it in the list of spiritual gifts, but I haven’t given up on looking quite yet.
I like my sarcasm. I like the fun. I like the funniness. I like the laughter. Long ago, I made an effort to try and not use my sarcasm for evil. I learned from close personal experience that it can be so hurtful as I was on the receiving end more often. But, alas, sometimes, I am not so nice. I turned more toward self depreciating humor and that gets the biggest laughs, and we all know it is just FUN to LAUGH!
A little while ago, God starting to deal with me about my mouth again. The Bible is far from timid when dealing with the subject, and I am guessing that some of those verses may have been written with my picture in the back of Solomon’s mind.
The mouth is such a powerful tool. A tool for great good, and a tool for destruction. What was I using it for?
Besides all the verses dealing with a foolish tongue, what about all the verses dealing with His praise? “His praise shall continually be in my mouth.” It is pretty hard to put a cheeseburger in your mouth, if there is a hot dog in there already. It is pretty hard to have my mouth full of praise continually, when I have it full of sarcasm that cuts.
Praise. Continually? Thankfulness. Gratefulness. Joy. Peace.
I have been challenged to be a more POSITIVE voice. Sure, you can have fun, but it can’t be at other’s expense. It can’t be at my OWN expense either.
When, I spend my time insulting the creation that God has made, I am doing NOTHING to glorify God. I am fearfully and wonderfully made! God made me the way He chose – mouth and all. He knew the issues I would face, and the problems that plague me. He knew my strengths and my weakness and He chose me “before the foundation of the world.” and I go around KNOCKING His choice?
Lately, I am been seriously challenged in my resolve to be more positive. Life is full of the same circumstances faced by my sarcastic alter ego, but my response to such circumstances MUST be different. Instead of verbally lashing out at the situation or the person, I have to wait and think a whole lot more! It is like trying to rewire my brain. I know that I am not capable of such work. I know that He who began a good work in me will finish what He started.
Don’t we serve an amazing God?