A Little Dirt

When I was playing basketball at the University of Toledo, my coach, Bob Nichols would constantly talk to us about the importance of overcoming adversity. He would tell us that adversity will come, that is guaranteed; but the key was how we handled it.

Most of the time I wouldn't pay much attention to him. I was in college and I thought I had life all figured out. As I have grown older and hopefully a little wiser I now understand that what Coach Nichols was talking about was absolutely correct.

I was reminded of this when I received this in an email from David Jeremiah:

A little girl walking in a garden saw a particularly beautiful flower and promptly picked it because she felt it was too pretty to be in the dirt. She then took the flower home and rinsed the dirt off with water. Shortly thereafter, the flower wilted and died. When the owner of that garden saw what the little girl had done, he exclaimed, "You have destroyed my finest plant!" "I'm sorry, but I didn't like it in all that dirt," said the girl. The gardener responded by saying, "I chose that spot and mixed the soil because I knew that only there could it grow to be a beautiful flower."

Sometimes we become like that little girl, fixated on the dirt of our life instead of seeing the beauty and growth that will emerge in time. But once we have experienced seeing the hand of God in our life, we have assurance that we can trust Him in His sovereignty. So, if it feels like nothing good will ever come out of what you are going through, be patient and steadfast, knowing that God "plans to give you a hope and a future" (Jeremiah 29:11).

Loving Those Who Make You Mad

If you are like me, there are people you work with you make you mad. You know, the ones who know just the right things to say or do (or not do) to set you off.

So how are we supposed to act toward these people? Can we do anything to change them?

The Bible tells us we are to love our enemies. But how can this help?

David Jeremiah shares this story which sheds some light on this:

In the mid 1930s, a German Protestant pastor was abducted from his church. Suspected of aiding and abetting Jews, he was thrown into prison without a hearing, a trial, or even a phone call to his family. The prison guard outside his cell hated everyone associated with Jews and purposefully skipped the pastor's cell when meals were handed out, made him go weeks without a shower, and gave him the most difficult job on the labor gang. The pastor, on the other hand, prayed that he would be able to love this guard with God's love. As the months went by, the pastor smiled at the guard, thanked him for the few meals he did receive, and even got to talk about Agape love. The guard never said anything; but he heard it all, and one night he cracked a smile. The next day the pastor received two meals and was able to shower for as long as he wanted. Finally, one afternoon the guard personally made the long-awaited call to the pastor's family, and a few months later, he was released.

It is against our human nature to love someone like that prison guard; but through His power, God can give us the ability to love the unlovables.

Treating them poorly because they are treating us poorly is what our human nature tells us to do. However, this will not help to change them. Only by showing them Christ's love can they be changed.

Our Power

There is a story told of a woman who went to a jeweler to have her watch fixed. The jeweler disappeared to the back and soon returned with it running perfectly. Surprised, the woman asked how he could fix it so soon. He told her it only needed a new battery. "Battery? Battery? Nobody said anything about a battery. I've been winding it every morning!"

I received this story from Dr. David Jeremiah in an email devotional. While it seems silly, this is they way many of us live our lives. We take things into our own hands without realizing the power we have through the Holy Spirit. I know I am guilty of this very often.

With God's help, I am committed to listening and being open to the guiding of the Holy Spirit in my daily activities. So will you join me?

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you . . .Acts 1:8a

Critic or Construction Worker?

I recently received this email devotion from Dr. David Jeremiah. While he is talking about church leaders, I believe the same holds true for our employers and the leadership where we work.

Let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.Romans 14:19

One of the best ways to edify your church is to build up your pastor. Church members tend to expect perfection from their pastors, but they aren't likely to get it. They've got to realize that pastors are imperfect humans serving other imperfect humans in an imperfect environment. Along the way, they'll make some blunders. Blessed are those pastors who have supportive, patient, encouraging members to build them up.

Have you been a little critical of your church staff? Your deacons or elders? Your Sunday school class? Your fellow members? Have you spoken critically of your church? The Bible says, "Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers" (Ephesians 4:29).

A builder needs to have the correct tools in order to construct a sturdy building. Our tongues should be a trowel of love spreading the cement of graciousness—not a wrecking ball shattering the nerves of others. If you've had a sharp tongue, replace it with love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control. Edify one another until He comes.

"Knowledge, in itself, does not edify. It is love that edifies; it is love that builds up." W. A. Criswell