With so much emphasis on our privacy, in America, because of fears of being scammed or our identities being stolen, etc. it really got me thinking how a lot of times our American rights and freedoms get in the way of our Christianity. Case in point...our privacy. I do know that we do have to protect ourselves from people who will take advantage of what we say on social medias. Finding out when we leave on vacations thus robbing our homes and so on. But are we too private? We tend to build a wall around ourselves so high that no one can see in. That way we can hide our faults, our flaws, our sins. We want people to like us, but we don't like ourselves at times. We feel guilty for the stupid, thoughtless, selfish, things that we do, say or think. If others KNEW what we are really like, they wouldn't like us. We give the appearance that it would be almost impossible for anyone to attain our perfection. Not one single person in the Bible, other than Jesus, was made out to be perfect! I believe God chose to show that on purpose. I believe He wanted to prove that it was impossible for anyone to be "good enough" to be holy. If we could, there would be no point in Jesus dying for our sins.
Then there is the idea of our rights. Yes we have rights in America that I cherish. But it stifles us spiritually. It makes us selfish and self-centered. We spend so much time and energy defending our rights that we neglect spreading God's good news that we can be forgiven and adopted by him. I will give up ALL my rights for that privilege!
I am not saying that we need to lay down and be trampled or allow others to be exploited without a fight. I am talking about more minor things. Being disrespected or defending our honor.
Someone said something today that offended me. My first reaction was to explain why I do what I do and why what they said was mean spirited and almost a slap in the face. I thought about blogging on that subject. As the day wore on, I realized that I would only be doing that out of justifying myself. I could possibly offend that person with my blog. I don't want to do that. I want Christ's love to flow through me not, what is my rights, or freedom of speech. When we concentrate on our rights we forget about others.
I feel like I am rambling on and on. I want so much to impress, we as Christians need to take our walls down. When others can't reach us...we can't reach them either. There isn't anywhere in the Bible that says its okay to be private.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Sunday, February 12, 2012
This world is not my home.
After getting word of a friend whose son was killed in a car accident this weekend, a flood of emotions have overcome me. It takes me back to a horrendous time in the life of our family. Back to when our granddaughter and daughter-in-law were killed in a car accident. Some things are distinct and some things are a blur.
I can see the police officers standing at our door, but I don't believe I could recognize those men today. I remember my son falling to his knees, my husband and younger son sobbing, but I don't remember crying. I remember crying a week or two later when I saw my granddaughter's hand-prints on the window where she liked to look outside. It was months before I could finally wash those precious prints off. I ached for my son, I ached for my daughters who were best friends of my daughter-in-law long before my son and her fell in love. I ached to hear my granddaughter say "I see you Grandma." every time I was watching her from behind a camera lens. She would have been 18 this week. I feel sad that I never really got to know my daughter-in-law very well because she was so shy. I know God has a plan for every thing that happens to his children. It is hard to let go and trust Him. For years I had been very fearful for the rest of my family. It is one of the biggest reasons I pray daily for their spiritual life, so that when the end comes we will be together forever in the presence of God. I have gotten better at trusting God to take care of my family, but I still have moments. My heart goes out to my friend and her family. God has a plan for them I know. And sometimes God sends blessings to ease those pains. Like the blessings of my son's remarriage and his precious children that have been added. God is good all the time. This world is NOT my home. Like the song says...'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops, what if Your healing comes through tears, and what if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near. What if my greatest disappointments or the aching of this life is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy. And what if trials of this life, the rain, the storms, the hardest nights, are Your mercies in disguise.
I can see the police officers standing at our door, but I don't believe I could recognize those men today. I remember my son falling to his knees, my husband and younger son sobbing, but I don't remember crying. I remember crying a week or two later when I saw my granddaughter's hand-prints on the window where she liked to look outside. It was months before I could finally wash those precious prints off. I ached for my son, I ached for my daughters who were best friends of my daughter-in-law long before my son and her fell in love. I ached to hear my granddaughter say "I see you Grandma." every time I was watching her from behind a camera lens. She would have been 18 this week. I feel sad that I never really got to know my daughter-in-law very well because she was so shy. I know God has a plan for every thing that happens to his children. It is hard to let go and trust Him. For years I had been very fearful for the rest of my family. It is one of the biggest reasons I pray daily for their spiritual life, so that when the end comes we will be together forever in the presence of God. I have gotten better at trusting God to take care of my family, but I still have moments. My heart goes out to my friend and her family. God has a plan for them I know. And sometimes God sends blessings to ease those pains. Like the blessings of my son's remarriage and his precious children that have been added. God is good all the time. This world is NOT my home. Like the song says...'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops, what if Your healing comes through tears, and what if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near. What if my greatest disappointments or the aching of this life is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy. And what if trials of this life, the rain, the storms, the hardest nights, are Your mercies in disguise.
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