Spread By The Least Expected

        

https://www.inaturalist.org/guide_taxa/512070

 When my youngest son was in elementary school he was quick to share the Gospel with his peers and expected them to respect his feelings and his beliefs!  This doesn’t mean he expected them to necessarily agree with him, but was undaunted by those who did disagree with his views.   Holding fast to what he believed, he shared the message consistently.  When I was a young person, my sister and I, like my son, had zeal for sharing Christ, but I don’t believe my sister or I was as strong as my son.

         The bloodroot flower of the Great Smoky Mountains, with its white petals and gold center grows along waterways in forested areas.  The Native Americans used this relative from the poppy family, as a source for making red dye.  What I find most fascinating, however, is how the plant seeds are spread!  The seeds of the bloodroot are part of a soft structure, attracting ants.  The ants eat the tissue and add the seeds to their nest, where they are protected, germinated and grow! It seems so unlikely that this plant has the potential to spread, grow and thrive through something as lowly as the ant!

         Isn’t planting seeds of the Good News what we’ve been commanded to do?  My son shared the gospel despite the odds, teasing and tormenting he received.  The ants spread the seeds of this plant because they used it to line their nest!

         A special young lady, at the tender age of fourteen, just went to be with Jesus.  She suffered for many years with terminal brain cancer.  Despite her pain, she was funny and loving and more than anything, she loved The Lord.  She was quick to let her extended family know what was right and wrong according to her understanding of Jesus.  She memorized Bible scriptures and shared them with family and friends.  Her impact on the lives around her was astounding.  That was especially apparent at the memorial service for young Emma.  The church was running over with standing room only, with friends and family who wanted to show their last respects. 

         Have you ever thought about who will notice when you leave this life?  Have you ever wondered what people will remember about you?  What legacy will you leave?  I admit, I have.  In fact, as I sat in that sanctuary, I couldn’t help but wonder if I were to leave this life today, who would come?  Oh, I’m certain my family and probably some close friends, but what about people who scarcely knew me?  Have I made a Christian impression on others that people would recognize?  This fourteen year old girl certainly filled that criteria.  She made a difference in every life she touched.  She touched people because she loved with the love of God. 

         I challenge you to reflect on your life and ask yourself if people see God in your behaviors and through the words you say.  This is what God wants from us.  I know I want to spread God’s word like my young son or my young friend who just left this life.  I want to be like the ant that inadvertently spreads God’s message by the way I live my life and in the words I share.  I hope you do, too.

A New Creation

           

            As a teenager, I loved to watch the Miss America or Miss Universe pageants.  I was spellbound as the beautiful young women crossed the stage.  Not only did the contestants have beauty, but skills and intelligence.  I enjoyed every single segment as I had my own tally sheet to see which one I thought would win; who stood out among her peers.  After each of these events, I would daydream about how I could experience such a glamorous event. 

            I only participated in these affairs in my dreams since it takes many competitions to be able to participate in one at that level.  It takes a fair amount of wealth to be able to afford the    clothes, gowns and travel required to participate.  It also requires a certain degree of experience, that partly comes from participation, that enables a person to be able to speak well and have the knowledge necessary to compete intellectually. Our family simply didn’t qualify!

            But, undeterred, I was determined to alter who I was.  I attempted to “modify” my diet, read to educate myself, as well as, do the best I could in school.  Eventually, however, as the weeks passed, following the pageants, the dreams would diminish ….until the next year’s pageants came around again.

            It’s human nature to want changes.  We are often looking for ways to change something about ourselves; looks, financial status, careers, education and more.  Businesses do this, as well as governments.  Political figures are elected for just this purpose. They campaign, telling all who will listen how they will change the “landscape” of their particular state, whether economic, educational, or other—and all for good!

            As I pen this, our country is going through all kinds of changes.  Between the political climate, the unusual weather patterns, medical challenges, personal agendas for climbing the corporate business ladder, environmental concerns, educational policies and religious differences, change is inevitable, even if neighbors, relatives, children and spouses disagree!

            With disagreements come predicable adamant and sometimes loud and ugly words in an effort to make a particular opinion clearer.  That isn’t always the case, however.  It seems the deeper we dig in our heels to say our way is right, the less and less it appears likely!  We grow weary and sometimes just give up….not give in, but give up!

            As Believers, sometimes we take this same perspective in our spiritual life.  We are inspired by someone we’ve heard, a miracle we’ve witnessed, or a relationship we’ve developed with God.   But then time, and “life” interferes, and we lose our excitement, our dedication and passion to push forward toward our desired changes, much like the elected politician or my beauty queen dream. 

            We place our “spiritual life” on the shelf, as we allow the world to diminish our resistance to worldly behaviors, attitudes, perspectives, thought processes and even the company we keep.  I encourage you to reflect on your “dreams of alteration” to the person you are, compared to the person you would like to be.  Do your alterations align with God and Biblical principles, or are they more in line with the world?  Are you happy and content with the person you see in the mirror?

Loving Others With Your Passion

        

          A young woman visited our church congregation some time ago before her trip to a foreign, third world country, to do missionary work.  She would be teaching primarily young children, but given the area she would be in, explained it would be impossible to even give those she loved, information about exactly where she was. I found her passion and follow through amazing! 

         Passions that make a difference doesn’t require crossing the ocean however, and teaching in a foreign land.  Consider Debbie Fields who started her business selling homemade chocolate cookies that has grown into a business of over 4,000 employees.  Bill Gates is another visionary who in eighth grade, being passionate about computers, designed early video games.  We can’t forget Walt Disney who was persistent with his  art work and finally came up with a Mickey Mouse animation that grew into a huge business! 

         Everyone likes Kentucky Fried Chicken!  Colonel Sanders took a long ten year journey perfecting his “Secret Recipe” and selling each piece of chicken for five cents before finally finding someone who believed in him.  The rest of that story is history!  And finally, Shania Twain is another perfect example of humble beginnings, who at age eight, sang in bars to help make money for the family.  It wasn’t until her twenties before she made it to Nashville to become a huge star. There are plenty others who contend for role models as visionaries who didn't give up on their passion!

         God has gifted many of us with skills and talents we may not give a second thought to.  We are skilled at mechanics, sewing or quilting, cooking, teaching, conversing, cleaning, or a hundred other skills.  We may have a heart for the aged or very young, those who are in prison, or the poor.  We have expertise unique to us, in our area of the world, in which we live!  It’s when we use the proficiencies, which are “acting on our Godly passions” to aid those less fortunate, that we answer the call of God asking “Whom shall I send?”     

         Each of us are afforded opportunities every day to act upon our personal abilities that would in some way help another person, but very often we hold back because we are worried about “political correctness” and wondering if there will be someone who would misunderstand our motives.

         Perhaps you’ve even considered buying a sandwich in a fast food place for a homeless person, or volunteer to serve food at a shelter, visit a children’s hospital, or nursing home.  Following through can be daunting, considering the world we live in! 

         Certainly we all have our “own worlds” that are nothing less than busy!  It’s hard to find a time to commit to act on our Godly passion, when our own family already needs us.  But I encourage you to consider how you might be able to encourage someone else.  Send that note or visit a nursing home, or even take food to a shut-in, in your very own community.  There are countless ways to use your knowledge and capabilities to “love on” another person. 

         It’s during these times “of loving,” God will shine brightly through you, and enable you to share.  People all around are starving to be accepted and loved.  It may not be easy to reach out, but if you can pull on your courage, asking God to show you how, your unique passion for your community will be a very special gift for another person in need. 

         Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!  Share your passion…..share your love!