Shades of Grey

Today I got to thinking about what we, as Believers, are to do when we see another Believer doing something that we don't think they should be doing.

And so I spent an little time digging around in The Word to see what it had to say.

Please know that my humble blog post is simply that. My humble findings as I sought to find some answers.

Please, do not take this as all there is in Scripture on this subject.

Just know that I wanted to share what I found, because I think this is something we all may wonder about and need to know.

OK, back to the subject at hand....

Now, sometimes that "thing" is black and white sin.

And Scripture tells us what to do.

"Be alert. If you see your friend going wrong, 

correct him. If he responds, forgive him.

Even if it's personal against you

and repeated seven times through the day,

and seven times he says, 'I'm sorry,

I won't do it again,' forgive him."

--

Luke 17:3-4

•

If a fellow believer hurts you, go and tell him—

work it out between the two of you.

If he listens, you've made a friend.

If he won't listen, take one or two others along

so that the presence of witnesses will keep things honest,

and try again. If he still won't listen, tell the church.

If he won't listen to the church,

you'll have to start over from scratch,

confront him with the need for repentance,

and offer again God's forgiving love. 

--

Mathew 18:15-17

• 

Go easy on those who hesitate in the faith.

Go after those who take the wrong way.

Be tender with sinners, but not soft on sin.

The sin itself stinks to high heaven. 

--

Jude 22-23

And sometimes it's not necessarily black and white.

Sometimes it's just something that we feel is wrong for us.

And so, we start to think it is wrong for everyone else, too.

Forget about deciding what's right for each other. 

Here's what you need to be concerned about:

that you don't get in the way of someone else,

making life more difficult than it already is.

 --

Romans 14:13

•

Cultivate your own relationship with God, 

but don't impose it on others.

--

Romans 14:22

•

Don't pick on people, jump on their failures,

criticize their faults— unless, of course,

you want the same treatment.

That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging.

It's easy to see a smudge on your neighbor's face

and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own.

Do you have the nerve to say,

'Let me wash your face for you,'

when your own face is distorted by contempt?

It's this whole traveling road-show mentality

all over again, playing a holier-than-thou

part instead of just living your part.

Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face,

and you might be fit to offer

a washcloth to your neighbor. 

--

Matthew 7:1-5

So, do I just sit back and stew if I am concerned about my brother or sister and what they are doing?

Do I just go along and "live and let live"?

Here is a simple, rule-of-thumb guide for behavior:

Ask yourself what you want people to do for you,

then grab the initiative and do it for them.

Add up God's Law and Prophets and this is what you get. 

--

Matthew 7:12

•

Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray.

Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers,

letting God know your concerns.

Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness,

everything coming together for good,

will come and settle you down.

It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces

worry at the center of your life. 

--

Philippians 4:6

I think that first of all we should pray for them. We should lay our concern before the Lord. 

Make your worry a prayer request.

And ask the Lord for the opportunity and the words to share your concern.

Watch the way you talk... Say only what helps, each word a gift.

--

Ephesians 4:29

•

Make a clean break with all cutting, backbiting,

profane talk. Be gentle with one another, sensitive.

--

Ephesians 4:31

As I looked through The Word this afternoon, what really jumped out at me is that I need to make sure that I am living a life wholly devoted to my Lord. 

I have enough on my own plate to be worrying about what is on yours!

I want to live in a way that points others to Jesus, instead of pushing them away because of my judgmental criticisms. 

Oh Lord, help me to love You and others with all that I do and say!

On my mind

What is on my mind, should I say, in my mind, is so important.

The thoughts that are going on in my head affect what I do and say.

When my thoughts are whirling and accusing, I find myself lost and overwhelmed.

My thoughts can separate me from Jesus.

When I allow myself to listen to and believe lies, I am locked up in a prison of darkness and despair.

Those lies filling my head are toxic to me and everyone around me.

Recognizing those lies and shining the bright light of Truth on them causes them to shrivel and die.

Lies lose their power in the Light of the Word.

 

Far too often I find myself wallowing around in the dark, dreary places. 

But when I choose to step into the Light, He lifts me up. 

I've been reading Colossians the past few days and I have not made it out of Chapter 1 yet. 

This morning these words have been speaking to my mind and my heart:

You yourselves are a case study of what he does. At one time you all had your backs turned to God, thinking rebellious thoughts of him, giving him trouble every chance you got. But now, by giving himself completely at the Cross, actually dying for you, Christ brought you over to God's side and put your lives together, whole and holy in his presence. You don't walk away from a gift like that! You stay grounded and steady in that bond of trust, constantly tuned in to the Message, careful not to be distracted or diverted. There is no other Message—just this one.  -- Colossians 1: 21-23

I am so thankful that because of what Jesus did for me on the Cross through His death, I can stand before God, holy and blameless, without a single fault.

Now that is something to keep my mind focused on!

I was reminded of this hymn today and the words speak my desire today.

May the Mind of Christ, My Savior


May the mind of Christ, my Savior,
Live in me from day to day,
By His love and power controlling
All I do and say.

May the Word of God dwell richly
In my heart from hour to hour,
So that all may see I triumph
Only through His power.

May the peace of God my Father
Rule my life in everything,
That I may be calm to comfort
Sick and sorrowing.

May the love of Jesus fill me
As the waters fill the sea;
Him exalting, self abasing,
This is victory.

May I run the race before me,
Strong and brave to face the foe,
Looking only unto Jesus
As I onward go.

May His beauty rest upon me,
As I seek the lost to win,
And may they forget the channel,
Seeing only Him.

 Amen!

New Normal

I've come to realize lately that it is time to start moving out of "Survival Mode" and start moving forward in several areas of my life.

Ever since that wonderful day back in July 2008 when I discovered 5 days after my 40th birthday that God was blessing us with another child I have been in a sort of "Survival Mode"; just getting the basics done, allowing for morning sickness, achy joints, a large swollen belly, exhaustion, then on to the new baby, adjusting to no sleep, nursing again, cloth diapers (yep, had to throw in something new for the 5th baby!), adjusting to 5 instead of 4.....

I really tried to just let myself walk through this time without holding myself to expectations that I had to return to "normal" as fast as possible. I have been trying to enjoy the journey more, trying to let God show me how to do this, instead of trying to live up to impossible expectations I come up with on my own or instead of trying to live up to what I see others doing in their lives.

I have done pretty well with this. I have had my days of sinking into the sea of expectations, but I have come out of those times much quicker than I have in the past. I think that I was able to do this because I allowed myself to "be" instead of "do".  Again, I had my struggles, but I think it helped me so much to remember that I was learning something new, adjusting to a major life change and that it was OK t to take my time and find my way through to a "new normal".

As I have been thinking about this new year and what God has for me and our family, I have been starting feel the nudging that it is time to be seeking what He wants to do in me, how I should be moving into and forward our "new normal."

I have been feeling a new desire to more fully embrace my calling as a wife and mother. To go further and deeper with God. To allow things to be stripped away, to grow and be more of what God has made me to be.

That can be a little overwhelming, to say the least.

Yesterday I was reminded of something my sister shared with me a few years ago when I was struggling with my calling. I was feeling tied down and wanting to be free. God helped her see through my words into my heart. He spoke to me through her and reminded me of what is most important. This is what she said:

"I was thinking some more and remembered some thoughts I had as I was reading through Genesis this past winter. When I read the passage about Noah, I thought that building the ark was a really big job for God to ask Noah to do. Yet God supplied just what he needed to do the job. But Noah had to do the work. God is asking me to do a big job of raising three daughters and be a loving wife. There are days it feels like I'm to build an ark so to speak. Yet God provides just what I need day by day to carry out this job as long as I keep my heart and mind focused on Him. If I do it on my own, it doesn't go well and I want to quit."

 I love that!

While I may not be building a huge boat in the middle of a desert where it has never rained, I am doing a pretty huge task, one that I certainly cannot do on my own. But when I am not connecting with the Lord, when I am not spending time with Him in His Word and in prayer, when I am not thanking Him and praising Him and not asking Him for strength, wisdom and guidance, I might as well be trying to build an ark... because without Him I can do nothing.

I am weak. He is strong.

He is my Provider.

He wants me to do well. And I can only do that when I am focusing and relying on Him.

And so, as I walk forward into my "new normal" I intend to stick close to Him. Staying up close under His wing, letting Him show me the next step to take.

Be what you were made to be

I was watching a show on TV the other night.

This show is a music show that showcases 5 different bands. There are 5 different stages all in one room and each band takes its turn playing, one after the other.

As I watched I realized something.

Each one of those groups are completely different from each other.

And each has a different sound, look, feel.

The bands that really stand out as you watch the show are the ones that fully embody the style they are. Their look, their sound, their moves. When they fully embrace who they are as a band and go full force in that direction, they are believable, enjoyable, unique.

And it reminded me of what God says about how He made each of us.

We've each been made to be different. To do different things, to meet different needs.

And yet to work together as we fully walk in the roles we have been given.

That's when we stand out. That is when we accomplish what we have been created to do. That is when we are fully who we have been made to be.

So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ's body, let's just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren't.
 Romans 12:6 - The Message

Fresh Air and Sunshine

This afternoon I snuck outside to be in the fresh air and sunshine.

Ahhhh!

I am so thankful for the warm breeze and the blue sky today.

My friend Mary often talks about knowing what "fills your cup". Well, I think that I can definitely say that being outside in the fresh air and the sunshine "fills my cup".

I need time to sit and think, to soak up the sun and let the breeze blow away the clutter in my head.

I brought my Bible and my notebook outside with me. Those are a couple of things that also "fill my cup".

I read Proverbs 13 today and jotted down some of the verses that jumped out at me. Here are some that I wrote in my notebook:

Those who control their tongue will have a long life; a quick retort can ruin everything. -- vs. 3


Pride leads to arguments; those who take advice are wise. -- vs. 10


People who despise advice will find themselves in trouble; those who respect it will succeed. -- vs. 13


The advice of the wise is like a life giving fountain; those who accept it avoid the snares of death.  -- vs. 14


A person with good sense is respected; a treacherous person walks a rocky road. -- vs. 15


If you ignore criticism, you will end in poverty and disgrace; if you accept criticism, you will be honored. -- vs. 18


Whoever walks with the wise will become wise; whoever walks with fools will suffer harm. -- vs. 20

What jumps out at me from these verses is that we are not meant to do this life alone. It is very important who we surround ourselves with and to whom we listen to.

I am so thankful for the wise people God has brought into my life. I am blessed to have some wonderful advisers in my life.

So, now I'm wondering... now that I have posted this, will I be having to listen to a bunch of criticism soon? I better be careful how I handle it.

Removing What Gets in the Way

"...seeing well is the art of subtraction.

Shift to see. This is the art of subtraction."

-- from Ann Voskamp's blog post "Fine Art of Subtraction" at Holy Experience

So often I am distracted by the extras. Too many things get in the way — block my view from the realness that is there — the truth. Too often I focus on the clutter — the things that irritate, annoy, anger. What lies beneath is the treasure — what is real, what is vital, what belongs. In my rush to get rid of the clutter I trample over the tender shoots — blocking the way once again to connection, relation, understanding.

To shift I must pause.

Rethink.

Carefully move my position to remove the distraction.

Change the way I think.

 

"Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." 

Philippians 4:8

"Don't copy the behaviors and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think."

Romans 12:2

Changing the Way I Think

"Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect His will really is." Romans 12:2

I need the way I think changed.

I can't do it.

Especially when I am choosing to listen to and believing lies.

Lord, help me to hear and believe what is true.

Please transform me.

Please change the way I think.

"Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. If your sinful nature controls your mind, there is death. But if the Holy Spirit controls your mind, there is life and peace." Romans 8: 5-6