Scripture

“Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe, as you hold on to the word of life.” Philippians 2:14-16a NIV

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.” Philippians 4:4,5 NIV

“I can do everything through Him, who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13 NIV

Observation

My favorite book of the Bible, with so much of it underlined in mine.  Like my last post on Romans 8, it was so very hard to choose the best verse(s) to focus on.  Imitating Christ, Shining as Stars, Pressing on Toward the Goal are 3 of the titled sections in this book. So very convicting, as I compare my normal human nature to that of the sinless nature of Jesus.

Application

It’s so easy to complain. I, who have so many blessings, can so easily fall prey to a bitter and complaining spirit. 1) “The line at the store was so long and the cashier was so slow.” 2) “The kids take up so much of my energy.” 3) “I’m the only one around here who cleans up this place.” 4) “My kitchen isn’t big enough.” 5) “There is so much laundry to do.” etc, etc, etc….

For each of these complaints, there is actually a blessing on the flipside. 1)We have money to be able to go to the grocery store and buy plenty of food for our family. 2)We are so blessed with 5 healthy, well-behaved children. 3)We have a house to live in. 4)We have a kitchen with running water, an electric stove, dishwasher and refrigerator. 5)We have a washing machine and dryer and our clothing drawers are full.

The normal US household compared with the majority of people in this world is more than blessed with convenience, money, and health and in all actually excess of everything! Really, what do I have to complain about?

When was the last time I portrayed a consistent example of “shining like a star” or “rejoicing in the Lord always” or “letting my gentleness be evident” to my husband and children?

Why then is this book of Philippians my favorite, if it shows me all my faults? Because it also gives hope! Philippians 4:7 says that if we are in communion with God, that His peace “which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Chapter 4, verse 13 says that our strength comes through Him, which enables us to do all things. Also in chapter 4, verse 13 we read that “God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”

So my application is  to train my mind, with the help of Christ of course, to focus on the positive in my daily situations and not the negative, which just breeds more and more negativity.

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things… And the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:8,9b

Prayer

Heavenly Father,

I have so much to be thankful about. So many blessings to count, but yet so often I focus on what I think I have the right to complain about. Please forgive my ungratitude. You are so good to me! Please, by Your strength alone, give me a grateful and uncomplaining spirit and help me to look on the blessing flip-side, when I feel tempted to complain. Thank you for the amazing and wonderful example that we have in Your Son, Jesus Christ.

In His glorious name,

Amen

Beckie (look2thehills)

Earlier today I spent time outside in my modest garden. Over the last few years I have found great peace and solace as I tend to each of its plants. Interestingly enough, each plant has its own personality and subsequent needs. Some require little water or attention (the monster) whereas others are quick to advertise when their need for water or pruning is not adequately met (the poopy purple plant).

I find that as I take the time to care for each plant, I often hear “nature” speak to me. Sometimes it’s a message about what needs to be pruned in my life. Other times it’s about the need to care for others. While more often then not it’s a message about slowing down and letting go of the day’s burdens. Clearly, plants don’t care about the current global economy or the debate on health care in America. No matter what the world at large is focused on, each plant simply goes about it’s business of growing towards the light and digging for water.

If plants could speak in a voice everyone could hear I wonder what their keynote message would be. Perhaps something like:

1. Don’t worry about the rain, just store up what you need and let the excess runoff.

2. Never pass on an opportunity to soak up the sun light.

3. When that big thing comes at you with pruning shears, don’t fret, what is removed will be multiplied.

4. No matter how bad the fertilizer smells, it’s good for you.

5. Just because your neighbor has bugs does not mean you have to invite them over to your pad.

To learn more about this topic contact Dr Marilyn at www.DrMarilyn-EAW.com

Pride + People = Anger.  In contrast, a humble spirit is not frustrated by people.   From ~ Boomer in the Pew (A study of Esther)

There is a strange strength conceived in solitude. Jesus every little while withdrew from the crowd. Oh, for the tonic of waiting upon God! From – Streams in the Desert 12.4.09 ~ (SITH)

1 Peter 3:8-12

Be tenderhearted, be courteous. 1 Peter 3:8

Why are we sometimes courteous and sometimes not? Courtesy blossoms in a heart that is humble, whereas selfishness is the root of rudeness.

I remember reading a story about a plainly dressed man who entered a church in the Netherlands and took a seat near the front. A few minutes later a woman walked down the isle, saw the stranger in the place she always sat, and curtly asked him to leave. He quietly got up and moved to a section reserved for the poor.

When the meeting was over, a friend of the woman asked her if she knew the man she had ordered out of her seat. “No,” she replied. Her friend then informed her, “The man you ordered out of your seat was King Oscar of Sweden! He is here visiting the Queen.”

The woman was greatly embarrassed and wished she had shown the king the courtesy of giving up her seat. But it was too late. He had left.

Some of us find it hard to be courteous when we’re driving our car, making our way through a crowded store, vying for a seat at a sports event, or even getting in line at the church potluck. Difficult as it sometimes may be, though, courtesy should be one mark of every Christian. —hgb

O Lord, transform our selfish hearts, and help us always see that gentleness and courtesy describe how we should be. —anon

If you’re not very kind, you’re not very holy.

Judging others…this is one of the most difficult topics to discuss for Christians. It is extraordinarily difficult to feel judged, to react when someone comes to you with a criticism of your behavior, and to accept when you may not be living up to the example set by Christ. But the question remains: is it ever appropriate to judge others?

The answer according to Scripture is yes. But are there certain conditions that must be met for judgment to take place appropriately? Again, a resounding yes. What does Jesus say about judgment in the Sermon on the Mount?

“Do not judge lest you be judged.
For in the way you judge, you will be judged;
and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.
And why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye,
but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?
Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck
out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye?
Your hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye,
and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”
(Matthew 7:1-5)

Jesus is saying that at times judgment of your brother is appropriate. But a very important thing must happen first: directly addressing your own sin (taking the log out of your own eye). By doing this first, you will then be able to see clearly to approach your brother about his sin. Part of addressing your own sin first is prayer and knowing the Word of God — these actions will further allow you to be right in the eyes of God before you correct your brother.

God has many purposes for judgment. James 5:20 tells us, “…let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death, and will cover a multitude of sins.” Galatians 6:1 says, “Brethren, even if a man is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, lest you too be tempted.” Salvation. Covering sin. Restoration. Building up one another and the body of Christ.

Kay Arthur provides an excellent summary of the issue of judgment in her book Lord, I’m Torn Between Two Masters:

“A careful study of [the] scriptures — including Matthew 7:1-5 — shows that judging is not forbidden. Irresponsible behavior, wrong doctrine, and sin must all be discerned, clearly identified, and dealt with…Righteousness is to be upheld, the gospel is to be earnestly contended for. Judging, therefore, is not wrong if it is done properly. It is fine to correct a brother as long as you do it in a spirit of gentleness, as long as you are spiritual, realizing that you are not above temptation yourself. It is all right to judge as long as the motivation of that judgment is love of God and love of your neighbor. The goal of judgment, remember, is not to condemn but to restore.

It is all right to judge as long as we judge with a righteous judgment, a judgment that is in accordance with God’s Word. We may judge dogs and swine, false prophets, sin, wrong behavior, and wrong doctrine. But we cannot judge the motives of a man’s or woman’s heart. But above all…we must continuously judge ourselves!” (pp 226-227)

On a recent trip, a friend sent me an email with the header: “Things to watch for…” with the following message:

“I find letters from God dropped in the street, and every one is signed by God’s name, And I leave them where they are, for I know that wheresoe’er I go, Others will punctually come for ever and ever.” Walt Whitman

Makes me think of the 23rd Psalm…”surely goodness and mercy shall follow…” surround us, meet us, greet us, embrace us. Eyes open, hearts open, things to watch for: truth in the midst, goodness at the core, the still small voice, love from every direction, peace welling up within us, the power of gentleness, the strength of sweetness, the laser certainty of love, the unavoidable authenticity of being.

Whispers, messages, inklings, dawnings, nudgings, awakenings. Things to look for….here, here, everywhere here.

A friend of mine bought his girlfriend a birthday present over two months ago. The present was to be a completed paint by numbers picture. Unfortunately, she has yet to receive the completed painting. Last I checked, the painting was about 25% done and the man swears his girlfriend will get the completed gift by Christmas. We’ll three months late is better than never. In all seriousness, aren’t there times in our lives when even the most straight forward projects get placed by the wayside in favor of the day-to-day tasks vying for our attention?

Along the lines of waiting for “things” – I myself have recently experienced a few delayed starts. For example, I recently bought a new computer bag which had to be immediately returned due to a malfunctioning handle. Cutting to the end of the story, I ended up saving an addition sum of money on an already discounted bag because the bag was reduced an additional 10% between the first and second purchase dates. Similarly, I finally decided to buy an external hard drive to back-up computer files, etc. but when a friend braved the “black Friday” crowds to purchase one for me, he was told they were out. Upon his return home (around 5:30am black Friday) he went on line and found one for less money and with a better warranty.

As we near the end of 2009 it’s true, some of us have not obtained all that we would have liked this year. For some (like my friend’s girlfriend) it’s a gift. For others it’s a need such as a new job to replace the one lost due to the economic downturn. Yet for others, it’s something in between a gift and a need; such as a new computer bag. So what’s to be made of all this? What can we deduce when we did all we could to paint inside the lines but despite our efforts, did not get the result we wanted? Conversely, what if we took a chance to paint outside the lines, taking a risk and trying something new, but still failed to obtain the goal?

Well, as best as I can see, good things do truly come to those that wait. Economies have life cycles to them, change has its seasons, and the race is not always won by the swift. So what’s this mean for us all? I’m going to go out on a limb and say that our good things are coming, we’ll pay less for them, and they will be what we should have when we should have them. To that end, I’m happy to announce that I’m going to extend my discounted life coaching offer through the end of 2009. While I can not predict when the economy will be in full swing again or when your new computer bag will arrive, I can safely say that by taking the time now to ensure you maximize your skills and talents, you’ll be well positioned to fill it with life’s blessings.

To learn more about this topic contact Dr Marilyn at www.DrMarilyn-EAW.com

Reading:  As the visions during the night continued, I saw One like a son of man coming, on the clouds of heaven; When he reached the Ancient One and was presented before him, He received dominion, glory, and kingship; nations and peoples of every language serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not be taken away, his kingship shall not be destroyed.  (Daniel 7:13-14)

Observation:  After reading this first reading to my boys this morning, my son started singing, “You are the everlasting God”.  I find that interesting since the visions preceeding these verses were quite an ominous vision of the world controlled by different forms of beasts.  I find it important to note that after these verses that I chose for my journal today, the author of Daniel does not stop talking about the four beasts and even talks about the fear that he still possesses even after seeing the vision of the son of man receiving his dominion that would be an everlasting dominion that would not be taken away.

Personification:   Humility (Gentleness)  I will try and display the fruit of humility to everyone that I meet today and for the rest of my life.  My only act of confidence will be in the fact that the will of God will be done in our lives.  I will try and not act as if the knowledge of when the king will return is within my understanding and true wisdom exists only in the knowledge of what God is doing in my life.

Prayer:  Lord, help me to understand your will for me in my life and what you are calling me to at this present moment of my life.  Please direct my will to be in communion with yours at all times.  In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

I wanted to clarify a couple things about my last post.  I want to start by stating a couple of ABSOLUTES that I follow in my life.  I try my best to approach these ‘absolutes’ with the heart and mind like a child would have.

#1. God is Good! Nahum 1:7

#2. He is able to do more than I would ever dare to ask or hope. Ephesians 3:20

#3. Jesus said that we could ask anything…ANYTHING!…in His name and it would be given.

I don’t know why people who follow Jesus, who have faith for healing, and who pray for healing don’t receive it sometimes.  I don’t have that answer.  But, because of the 3 things I stated above I refuse to say that it was because God didn’t want them to have it.

In all honesty, God can do anything He wants.  If He wants me to have cancer, and He wants me to die because of that cancer, then who am I to question God.  But, I refuse to believe that might be the case because that type of belief gives me room to not pursue with all of my heart that which Jesus paid for on the cross.

I personally believe that God doesn’t want anyone to have cancer, the same way He wants everyone to be saved…yet, people are still perishing and will go to Hell.  Why do people still get cancer and die when prayed for? Why are people still going to go to hell? I don’t have those answers.

It’s like I’m a gambling man.  I’m going to go all in on the side that I have the best chance of winning…in this example, getting healed.  Matthew 11:12 talks about taking the Kingdom by force, and faithful praying is forceful!!

Yes, we all have to die.  God Himself limited us to 120 years.  But, why do we accept cancer and other diseases that cause insurmountable amounts of suffering, as okay ways to die.  I am sure that these diseases will continue to take the lives of faithful followers of Christ.  But, just because it claims one life doesn’t give us the right to pray for ‘whatever God wants to do.’ God did what He wanted to do.  He came to earth and paid for all iniquities and transgressions.  And, then He left us in charge to go out and claim what He paid for.  WE OWE HIM WHAT HE PAID FOR.  He is not here to claim it, it is up to us.

How would you like to pay for a car in full by emptying your bank account, but, due to circumstances, the only way you get to enjoy the car is if your friend picks it up for you.  All they have to do is go to the dealership, ask for the keys to your car, and drive it home to you…but, they never even went to the dealership because they thought you might not want it…WHAT? You paid for it up front and in cash, but you might not want it.  That’s crazy!…C-R-A-Z-Y!!!

Again, I don’t have the answers to all of the hard questions.  And, I’m not trying to search out those answers.  I will just stick to the absolute truths in the Bible.  Due to the busyness of the world, I have a hard enough time going after the Truth with all of my heart, so I don’t have time to waste throwing in my own ‘what-ifs’ and ‘it didn’t work that way for them.’

Right now, there is a friend of my wife’s family who is a younger man (45-55 yrs old) who has been told he has  just a few months to live because of cancer.  He has a two children I think, and both are still in high school. I will never agree with the thinking that Jesus paid for all iniquities except his, and that God wants him to leave this world with two children whom he is still raising. I can’t!   His name is Kevin.  Kevin’s life may very well depend on my faith to live.  Please join with us in praying for his miraculous healing!!

O.K., O.K. – enough already! All right, it’s really time to achieve that life goal already… Sound familiar? Have you hit that place, have you entered that season of life, or have you simply gotten fed up with being fed up? Goals, daily to-do-lists, action items, the list goes on and on. Sometimes, rather than rush in, we have to stop and take a moment to breath, a moment to prioritize our to-do-lists. Often this process is called “slowing down to be quicker”.

Years ago when I was a police cadet our range master explained the concept of slowing down to be quicker. Now while I don’t anticipate having to focus on shooting a felon in the commission of a crime any longer (given I’m no longer a police officer), the range master’s words have stuck with me over the years. In short, the concept reminds us to slow down (i.e., don’t get caught-up in emotions or adrenalin) when there is work to be done. As we know, often when we rush through a task for whatever reasons, we run the risk of creating a less than optimal outcome. That “less than” outcome then leads to a need to redo the work which causes the task to take longer than it would have had we slowed down and done it right to begin with. As you can imagine, law enforcement work does not lend itself to “do overs” when lives are at stake.

While the majority of our work does not result in life ending outcomes, there are times when the work choices we make alter our lives or the lives of others for better or worse. If you are finding yourself in a conundrum regarding your current workplace choices, now may be the time to slow down to be quicker. Every day we impact the lives of those around us; in positive or negative ways, but never with total neutrality. It’s often been said that those around us either bring us up or bring us down. As you make your workplace choices each day you’ll want to ensure that you have solid counsel around you. People who have your best interest at heart and who do not possess ulterior motives regarding your success. For a free 30-minute introductory consultation on slowing down to be quicker contact Dr. Marilyn at info@DrMarilyn-EAW.com or 01-408-340-0561.

To learn more about this topic contact Dr Marilyn at www.DrMarilyn-EAW.com

In my devotions today I read Malachi 1. I want to share verses 7-9 and 13b-14 (NKJV).

       7 “ You offer defiled food on My altar,
      But say,
      ‘ In what way have we defiled You?’
      By saying,
      ‘ The table of the LORD is contemptible.’
       8 And when you offer the blind as a sacrifice,
      Is it not evil?
      And when you offer the lame and sick,
      Is it not evil?
      Offer it then to your governor!
      Would he be pleased with you?
      Would he accept you favorably?”
      Says the LORD of hosts.
       9 “ But now entreat God’s favor,
      That He may be gracious to us.
      While this is being done by your hands,
      Will He accept you favorably?”
      Says the LORD of hosts.

      13b “ And you bring the stolen, the lame, and the sick;
      Thus you bring an offering!
      Should I accept this from your hand?”
      Says the LORD.
       14 “ But cursed be the deceiver
      Who has in his flock a male,
      And takes a vow,
      But sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished—
      For I am a great King,”
      Says the LORD of hosts,
      “ And My name is to be feared among the nations.

So in Leviticus and such earlier books, God tells His people to offer a male (sheep/goat/etc), unblemished. At the very beginning of this command I would venture to say that most obeyed it, but then what happens? We get to the last book of the Old Testament and God is speaking, through the prophet Malachi, to His people once again about what He requires.

He looks down and sees that His people are no longer paying Him the respect due. Verse 6a, “A son honors his father, And a servant his master. If then I am the Father, Where is My honor? And if I am a Master, Where is My reverence? Says the LORD of hosts…”

Just to sum it up, I was convicted about what I give to God. I rarely, if ever, give Him the best of my time or efforts.

“And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” (1 Peter 1:17-19)

WHAT A PERFECT EXAMPLE HE HAS SET FOR US! He was perfect and unblemished and that was His sacrifice…FOR US! He has given us eternal life; it’s time I tithe on the gifts He’s given. If He has given me eternity, what shall be “my 10%?” I’d say that my lifetime, in all of it’s entirety, is what I need to give. 

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” (Romans 12:1)

[sidenote: The Hebrew word for unblemished is "tamiym" and means: complete, whole, entire, sound, healthful, wholesome, unimpaired, innocent, having integrity...]

Purpose today to give back your first fruits to the Lord.

From time to time, or if you are anything like me – everyday, we are faced with decisions. While some decisions are easy when viewed through moral or ethical lenses, others are not as black and white. For example, which of two jobs to take, what college to go to, whether or not to attend a particular event; the list is endless. For those types of grey decisions we can often benefit from some form of decision making tool. When choosing a tool to help gain clarity, we should seek one that weighs all sides of each option equally. One tool that accomplishes this goal is a decision matrix.

Below is a decision matrix template. Notice box A represents the question “If I do “xyz” (fill in the blank) the best thing that can happen is (fill in the blank). Box B represents the question “If I do “xyz” (fill in the blank) the worst thing that can happen is (fill in the blank). Boxes C and D work similarly and answer the questions “If I don’t “xyz” the best (C) and worst (D) things that can happen are (fill in the blanks for each question).

The decision matrix in practice

Let’s say you are contemplating starting a new restaurant business. You might have the following answers to each question:

A. If I do open a new restaurant the best thing that could happen is that I’ll be doing the work I love.

B. If I do open a new restaurant the worst thing that could happen is that I’ll go bankrupt and lose my home.

C. If I don’t open a new restaurant the best thing that could happen is that I won’t risk going bankrupt and won’t have to worry about losing my home.

D. If I don’t open a new restaurant the worst thing that could happen is that I’ll never know if I could have had the career and life of my dreams.

O.K. now you have four different outcomes clearly represented in your answers. Two reflect doing something and two reflect not doing something. The real question now becomes which options (those tied to doing or not doing) can you live with and be most at peace with if they were to occur? Would you be able to best accept your doing or not doing outcomes? Once you answer that question you can then begin to move towards that decision with clarity and peace knowing that whether the decision results in the best or worst outcome, you will be able to move forward with gratitude for having taken that action.

To learn more about this topic contact Dr Marilyn at www.DrMarilyn-EAW.com

I googled, “devil death entered the world” and this is the video I found on the videos page.  All glory be to God for revealing his plans for our salvation…

Reading: But by the envy of the devil, death entered the world, and they who are in his possession experience it.  ( Wisdom 2:23)

&

Is he grateful to that servant because he did what was commanded?  So should it be with you. When you have done all you have been commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.’”  (Luke 17:9-10)

Observation: I could have very easily taken the easy road and just chose the verse from Wisdom to journal on today and said that God was trying to speak with Wisdom to me through this first verse of the first reading today.  I mean how often do the readings start with the last verse of a chapter?  I guess by choosing to journal on this verse from Wisdom and the two verses from the Gospel I can show that God is revealing not only the negative that is in the world because of the devil, but also the fact that his unprofitable servants may not always manifest themselves as the great and wonderful people that they are, because they are acting out of obligation.  By the Word of God, they are acting out of obligation and that is not necessarily a bad thing.

Personification: Humility (Gentleness) It is only through true humility that I can be doing the will of God.  I am going to try to be more cognisant of the fact that there are true believers that act out of obligation rather that their own volition and that is ok.  It would be better for me to see the good in everyone, rather than to try and pick out the evil.  It is my job to join the other unprofitable servants in line doing God’s work, so that more of us that are acting out of obligation to our master can come forward and join in the battle for the souls that are crying out.

Prayer: Lord, help me to stay faithful to your call by your grace.  Please do not let me think highly of myself in any regard other than my allegiance to your will, for I believe and you know that it is only by following your will that I can truly be saved from myself.  I ask this, as always, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

“Try some tenderness” Those are the only words in a song by Three Dog Night that I really remember from the lyrics that used to be popular back in my younger (much younger) days.  But they are three really great words, and they come to mind at times when I am dealing with members of my family.

In the last blog I talked about being firm with kids and that there was a “time” for that in parenting.

But there is also a time for showing a gentle, tender spirit.  Who can resist tenderness?  Think of the last time someone was kind to you and the response that brought in return.

I remember once in particular when I was in a nasty mood, feeling like the whole world and everyone in it was a negative.  I was in a grocery store at the time and I don’t remember the details; only that right in the middle of my bad mood, a perfect stranger said some kind words to me.  Suddenly, with just one person’s gentle spirit , the world was to me a better place.

Our kids get in nasty moods too; and kids who have daily struggles from their limitations can really feel the heaviness of that load at times.  That’s the time to “try some tenderness,” being that one person whose kindness can make the world seem like a better place to be.

Gentle tenderness does not come naturally to me.   But  I’m committed to make it part of who I am.  We don’t have to be resigned to live with our weaknesses.  By God’s power and grace, He can transform us  “to the image of His Son” (Romans 8:29)  He can make even me a gentle person!

So, yes, be firm with your kids, especially in helping them gain self-control (because without it, it will be difficult for any parent or caregiver to be consistently gentle toward them) but all the while, sprinkle in a good portion of kindness— Try some tenderness.

Babies need to be touched, held, rocked, hugged and comforted. Although my little cousin is two, he still wants his mother to hold him. I have seen them do this and it is the sweetest thing.

When I was growing up there times when I wanted to be held. I grew up living with my grandparents who did not show affection towards me because “I was not their child”. I did not belong to my parents either, because they gave me away. I really do not know whom I belong to, I always felt that no one really wanted me.

However, there was one person. My Godmother who lived far away always made me feel, that she wanted me. For a week every summer she would take me to her house in the country and every winter, she would take me to her house in the mountains. We used to go strawberry picking in the summer and go skiing in the winter. I loved being with her so much.

I remember that there was always a rocking chair in her room. I used to sleep next to her. When I would have bad dreams she would sit with me in the rocking chair and hold me until I fell asleep. I remember that so vividly, her gentleness and how safe I felt in her arms. It was something that I had never experienced before, and we liked it a lot. It was very different from when I had bad dreams at home. I think being with her is what good special feels like. I always pretended that I was her child.

I have been thinking about my Godmother a lot lately. Maybe because she was the only true family member I had. She rescued me during childhood. She made me know what good touch and feeling safe was. When it was time to go back home I would always be so sad and would ask her if she could hold me in her rocking chair one last time. That is how we would end every week for as long as I can remember.

For those two weeks every year, I was safe, and I felt like I belonged.

I miss her a lot since she died, sometimes I visit her grave and I talk to her. I write her letters about everything. It has been almost ten years. I have her name tattooed on my body because she is my angel.

Every time I think of the word “gentleness” I think of  the Humorist Jack Dickson and all of a sudden I don’t wanna be gentle. Dickson founded a group for wimpy people called the “Dependent Order of Really Meek and Timid Souls.” When you put just the first letters together, you form the word “Doormats.” Their official motto is: “The meek shall inherit the earth, if that’s OK with everybody!” Diskson even outlined their goals and purpose in a pamphlet titled “Cower Power.”

It’s a little over the top, but sadly, that’s how a lot of people see Christianity, and it’s how many Christians see gentleness. But, in the Bible, gentleness has nothing to do with weakness or a lack of internal strength or being a doormat. In fact, it means quite the opposite: The very best meaning of the word gentleness is “strength under control.”

The word we variously translate gentleness, humility or meekness had a very rich meaning in ancient Greek. They used the word to describe a wild animal that had been tamed for a purpose. Picture a powerful racehorse that has been trained to do exactly what its rider tells it to do. It knows when to run with all of its might, and when to hold back. Power brought under control. Strength harnessed to serve. It’s strength under control. The whole idea is upside-down to our ears, but that’s exactly what Paul has in mind when he lists gentleness as the eight fruit of the Spirit.

Throughout this series on the fruit of the Spirit, we’ve explored the roots of each fruit in the very character of God. We are called to love because God loves. We are called to be faithful because God is faithful and so on. But, what about this fruit? In what sense is God gentle, meek, or humble?

Technically the word is never applied to God. God is not poor, lowly, and humble as we are. But it would be a mistake to assume that God is equated with brute force. If meekness is strength under control, then in an important sense God is meek. Maybe that sounds strange to your ears. After all, don’t we commonly think of meekness as weakness. Perhaps your picture of God isn’t big enough for a meekness. Only when we put away our expectations of who God is are we able to see the true God revealed in Jesus Christ. A God who is not weak. The life of Jesus proves that God is meek. God doesn’t use brute force, power or coercion, but a self-sacrificing love. That’s the way God gets things done. And that may come as a surprise for some of us who like to think of God as “the power guy.”

In the book of Revelation, John looks for the conquering Lion who can open the scroll and its seven seals. But instead, he sees a Lamb. The Lion is the Lamb. And the way of the Lamb is the way of the cross. Those kinds of surprises, those kinds of twists of our expectations are not limited to the end of the Christian story. When we look for a king born of royalty, we find instead a baby wrapped in strips of cloth lying in a manger. When Jesus begins his public ministry we expect him to put John the Baptist in his place, instead we find Jesus humbly approaches John in order to be baptized by him. When we look for Jesus to take the world by storm, to win over all those who have power, influence, and prestige, we find instead a traveling preacher and healer who spends most of his time with the outcast. When we look for the conquering hero to make his move, to enter into the royal city on his white stallion to signal to all that the time has come to establish his kingdom, instead we see Jesus enter Jerusalem on a humble donkey. When we gather with him for the last time in that upper room, expecting to get our marching orders and to honor him by pledging our allegiance to him, instead we find him washing out feet and calling us friends. When we look for a deliverer who will crush the opposition through superior force, we find instead a servant-messiah who allows himself to be crushed and bruised for us.

You gotta ask yourself: what kind of God is this? And here is the answer: This is the One true God who restores order by turning everything upside-down to establish a new kingdom. The kingdoms we construct exalt the rich, the powerful, the proud, and the aggressive. The reign of God is quite different. It’s upside-down.

In this upside-down kingdom, humility is exalted. Jesus speaks of this upside-down nature in the Beatitudes where he tells us that both the poor in spirit and the meek are blessed. Did you ever notice that the meek don’t take the world by force, but instead they inherit the earth. It’s given to them. And closely linked with that theme is the all to familiar chorus that those who exalt themselves will be humbled, but those who humble themselves will be exalted.

This is the main point of our parable today. Jesus says that two men go up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and one a tax collector. The natural assumption is that the Pharisee is the devout person and the tax collector is a sinner.

Sure enough, the Pharisee steps away from the crowd to maintain his purity before God, and launches into a list of all his religious accomplishments. He does everything right, according to the standards of the day, obeying all the religious rules. He’s basically telling God what a wonderful and amazing person he is. And in terms of keeping God’s law, he is way above average.

Then the tax collector bows his head, beats his breast, and admits he’s a sinner. He’s feeling so ashamed that he cannot even raise his hands and look up to heaven, which is the standard position for first-century prayer. The tax collector doesn’t make any boasts or excuses — he just asks for God’s mercy.

In a surprising twist, Jesus concludes the parable by saying, Read 18:14

The tax collector restores his relationship with God by asking for forgiveness, while the Pharisee moves farther away from God by boasting of his righteousness. In other words, one is humble enough to see the need for forgiveness while the other isn’t.

Christians are called to to be humble. In Colossians, Paul puts it like this: Read Colossians 3:12

So, how do we cultivate this fruit Paul called gentleness that we better know as humility?

At least one thing we can do is pretty small, but has the potential to make a big impact. It comes from an old, old idea that was popular in the earliest days of the church. The saying went like this: “Prayer is the seed of gentleness and the absence of anger.” I think this is the case because prayer brings us into God’s presence. And so we should enter into prayer and God’s presence with a profound sense of humility. This is why so many Christians throughout the history of the church believed it was appropriate to kneel for prayer. It’s not that kneeling helps God hear your prayer any better, but it helps remind us that we are talking to the Almighty, creator of heaven and earth, One True God. It’s true that because of Christ we can boldly come before God with our prayers, but we also must come in humility with a healthy sense of our shortcomings and confessing our sins and asking for forgiveness.

And it’s important for us to acknowledge our own sinfulness. Because that can help us treat others with gentleness. Remember the story in John when Jesus is confronted by the angry and self-righteous crowd who’ve brought before him a woman caught in adultery? The amazing moment in this story happens when Jesus doesn’t join in the frenzy, instead he quietly bends down and writes in the dust, then he says “let the one who hasn’t sin throw the first stone.”

Hearing that, the mob walked away, one after another.  Then he says to the woman, go and sin no more. Like the woman’s accusers, I’m often tempted to lash out at others when I allow myself to think higher of myself than I ought to. In that moment of anger and self-righteousness, it’s pretty easy to convince myself that I’m somehow better than others. My guess is that you can relate to that. But, if we were to remember that we’re very much like other people, especially when it comes to sinfulness and the need for God’s grace, then we might be more likely to respond with gentleness. Offering that person the same grace we’ve been freely given.

And hopefully over time, we’ll become a little more comfortable living upside-down with gentleness seeing it has strength under control rather than weakness. Let me pray for us…

You may have seen the shocking youth message that Paul Washer preached a few years ago doing its round on the internet but you may not know WHY he preached it. Below is an interview which will give you the background as to why he preached this message.

And if you havent heard the message, then please listen to it below. Youth leaders especially, please take note.

Imagine if while you were on your way to work the unthinkable occurs. You’re on the freeway driving the same commute you’ve driven for the last seven years when suddenly, everything stops. Literally, the car in front of you comes to a complete stop. You swerve to avoid rear-ending that car and subsequently land yourself in a ditch which ultimately makes you eligible for a very expensive ride to the hospital of your choice. The only problem is that when you arrive the team of medical professionals discovers you are “dead on arrival”. That’s right, today was your last day. Now that you are deceased, now what?

Well as you can imagine, not many of us wake up on any given morning and correctly anticipate the event that will ultimately cause our passing. However, what we do (often falsely) anticipate are the myriad of issues, topics, and events that will never actually come to pass. That’s right; we often spend our days worrying about what will never come to pass while totally missing the boat on the one storm that will sink it. So what’s a human such as our selves to do about this dilemma? Well, for starters, what would happen if we lived like we had limited time left on earth? Would we be kinder? Nicer to strangers; nicer to ourselves? Would we give ourselves permission to breathe in between the day’s action items? Would we be more intentional about accomplishing tasks with long-term benefits?

Oh, the options. Oh, the choices to be faced each day. Well actually, maybe there really aren’t that many choices after all. Maybe all we really need to do is to live like we have the power to positively impact those we come across each day. When we live an intentional on purpose life then no matter what day our parking pass on earth expires, we make our exit with the calm assuredness that we lived like we were dying. Wow, can you imagine folks getting together at your life celebration service with nothing but stories to compare about how knowing you helped them become better and more loving humans? As we enter the holiday season take some time to think about what truly matters, how you can stop worrying about what probably won’t happen, and start focusing on seizing the day because one day, it will be your last…

To learn more about this topic contact Dr Marilyn at www.DrMarilyn-EAW.com

It is a favorite device of the enemy to make people content with a fair outside semblance of these graces [gentleness and humility], not examining their inner hearts, and so fancying themselves to be gentle and humble while they are far otherwise.  And this is easily perceived, because in spite of their ostentatious gentleness and humility they are stirred up with pride and anger by the smallest wrong or contradiction…If when stung by slander or ill nature, we wax proud and swell with anger, it is a proof that our gentleness and humility are unreal, and mere artificial show.  When the Patriarch Joseph sent  his brethren back from Egypt to his father’s house, he only gave them one counsel, “See that ye fall not out by the way.” And so, my child, say I to you.  This miserable life is but the road to a blessed life; do not let us fall out by the way one with another; let us go on with the company of our brethren gently, peacefully, and kindly. Most emphatically I say it, if possible, fall out with no one, and on no pretext whatever suffer your heart to admit anger and passion.

From Introduction to the Devout Life by Francis De Sales

Brushstokes

Lead me into temptation –
and let there be no boundaries to your whisper
as I caress the longing of my inhibition.
It is not enough to love you that I embrace this desire
for my heart is swollen with aspiration.
Might I not be able to hold you within my arms
then I shall hold you in my
- Dreams.

© Charles Coakley Simpson 2009