June 9, 2015

What Is Your Self-Worth Worth?

Do you ever feel beaten down? I do too.

The following story puts our self worth in perspective. You may have heard this encouraging analogy before. It bears repeating…

A conference speaker held up a $20.00 bill.

In the auditorium filled with people, she asked, ‘Who would like this $20 bill?’

Hands started going up.

She said, ‘I am going to give it to someone, but first let me do this.’ She proceeded to crumple up the bill. She then asked, ‘Who still wants it?’

Still the hands went up in the air.

‘Well,’ she replied, ‘what if I do this?’ And she dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with her shoe. She picked it up, now crumpled and dirty.

‘Now who still wants it?’ she asked.

Again the hands went into the air.

‘My friends, ‘ she continued, ‘we have all learned a valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20.

Many times in our lives we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make, the circumstances that come our way, or hurtful words spoken to us by people we love and sometimes even strangers. We may feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what happens to you, you will never lose your value–dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to God (our Creator and the Lifter of our heads) and to those who love you.’

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” –Ephesians 2:10 NLT

The worth of our lives comes not in what we do or whom we know, but by WHO we are because of WHOSE we are.  You are worthy, friend.  You are God’s masterpiece.

Reflect:

–How can you relate to this story? Please comment.

Renew:

–“So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” –Genesis 1:27 NIV

–“A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.” –Proverbs 31:1-2 NIV

–“And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” –Matthew 10:30-31 NIV

Recharge:

–Name three people you will encourage this week and let them know how much you value and appreciate them.

June 2, 2015

Different Season, Different Fire

This glorious pre-summer weather invigorates me. Invigorates me so much so that I felt the urge to clean out my fireplace recently. It’s the annual spring rite of passage. Many life lessons are learned in this tradition…

I love my fireplace. I love even more the warmth and beauty of a wood-burning fire roaring and flickering in that fireplace. After a long, cold winter of cozy fires, all that is left are the ashes, ash-covered iron grate, and the sooty, tiled walls inside the fireplace.

Winter is over. These ashes remind me of my own life’s ashes I have endured this winter…ashes I still struggle to write about…surviving a serious six-car accident, hit by a drunk driver. My heart overflows with humble gratitude that God spared my life miraculously. With ongoing physical therapy, court hearings, and insurance woes, it’s time to clean out my heart’s ashes. It’s a different season, time for a different fire.

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven…He has made everything beautiful in its time.” –Ecclesiastes 3:1, 11 NIV

I prepare myself for the mess. Placing gloves on my hands, I gather a few plastic bags and double them. Carefully I use the metal ash shovel and begin scooping the gray, dusty ashes, dumping them in my bag. Gross.

Next comes the heavy iron grate. It fits awkwardly into a plastic bag, and I walk it clumsily outside to the backyard shed, closed away until next autumn. It had done its job well.

Scoop by scoop all the ashes are removed from the fireplace.  The blackened, sooty tiled walls and floor of the fireplace remain. With my cleaning spray and cloths, little by little the true color of the tiled walls and floor peak through. The fireplace is clean again and ready.

Years ago I bought a mirror and had it cut the dimensions of my fireplace back wall. Retrieving the mirror from the hallway closet, I clean it off, and gingerly place it in the back of the fireplace. It fit perfectly, reflecting the light pouring through the windows across the living room.

My favorite part comes next. Inside the fireplace I insert my old, multi-tiered wrought iron candle holder. I place the fresh, white pillar candles on each pedestal and light each one. Setting the torchiere down, I get off my knees and sit back a few feet. The mini flames reflect in the mirror, dancing. Glorious. Breathtaking. It’s truly a different season, different fire.  

Is that not what we are called to do, to shine God’s Light, to be His reflection?

“In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that Light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the Light; he came only as a witness to the Light. The true Light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.”  –-John 1:4-9 NIV

Are you still sitting in the ashes of the winter’s fires like I had been? Let’s clean out our ashes, friend, and use them for our good and His glory.  It’s a different season; time for a different fire from the same Source.

May your soul be reinvigorated to reflect the Light of our Lord. Shine, my friend, Shine!

“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives Light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.“ –Matthew 5:14-16 NIV

Reflect:

–What winter ashes might you have in your life that need cleaning out? Please comment.

–How do you or will you shine and reflect God’s Light?

Renew:

–“The Lord sends poverty and wealth; He humbles and He exalts. He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; He seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honor.” –1 Samuel 2: 7-8a NIV

–“Do not put out the Spirit’s fire.” –1 Thessalonians 5:19 NIV

–“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” –Galatians 2:20 NIV

Recharge:

–What will you do this week to “let your light shine?”

May 26, 2015

Planting Seeds or Pulling Weeds?

If your yard is anything like mine, as much as I enjoy the flowers, plants, and green grass, weeds are popping up everywhere. Earlier this spring, I spent so much time planting seeds, bulbs, and bushes. Now that they are growing and the weather is warmer, weeds are inevitable.

It seems I spend much more time now pulling weeds and trying to keep the plants and bushes groomed, fertilized, watered. Caring for a yard and garden takes work.

How about our marriages, our family, our friendships, our coworkers? All those relationships can have weeds of problems grow up in the middle. It takes work to keep the weeds out, to water and fertilize the relationships.  Weeds can be dangerous, stunt growth, and even choke your yard and your relationships.

Telling people about Jesus is different, though. We are to plant seeds about Jesus and His love and salvation.  Pulling those “weeds” of non-believers is God’s job.  We are not to judge.

“Jesus told them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared…’The servants asked him, “Do you want us to go and pull them up?”

‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grown together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters; First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.'” –Matthew 13:24-26, 28-30.

As we go about our days, may we tend to the gardens of our hearts with love and tender care, planting, fertilizing, watering, and even pulling weeds of  obstacles out of our relationships.  Keep planting seeds for Jesus, friend. He will harvest them in His time.

PS Congratulations to Joan (ajhjrobert@comcast.net) and Kathy (kmknutson@gmail.com) who were randomly selected from last week’s comments as winners of Lysa TerKeurst’s book What Happens When Women Walk in Faith. May the book strengthen your faith as it has mine. It is so humbling to reach each of your amazing comments from May 19th’s “Finding Faith in the Fog” Proverbs 31 devotional. God is with you.  To God be the Glory!

Reflect:

To whom have you planted seeds about Jesus and His love recently?

How are you tending the gardens of your relationships and your heart?

Renew: 

“I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.” 1 Corinthians 3:6-9

Respond:

What seeds will you plan to plant for Jesus this week?

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