Sin will take you further

August 9, 2015

You may be done with the past, but the past isn't done with you.  Or, as Galatians 6:7 puts it:  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

Good morning!  Yeah, I'm still pondering the movie from the other night that Steve and I watched, "The Gift."  It's led to quite a few interesting conversations, including bullying, human behaviour, and consequences of sin.  

Back in our day of growing up in the late 70s, early 80s, bullying wasn't much of an issue.  Oh sure:  there were whispers that occasionally became known to those who were murmured against.  At my high school, there were three cheerleaders that ran the school.  I didn't know it at the time, but when our 33rd Class Reunion took place a couple of years ago?  Several gals refused to come because of the hurts they had suffered at the hands of these 3 girls who have now gone on to become paragons of virtue.  I never was a part of their clique and didn't feel anything besides just not being "good enough" to be in the popular crowd but these others?  Maybe I was blind then, too self-involved to notice that they suffered daily from the impact made that so left an impression that 33 years later they still could not get over it.

Steve, on the other hand, told me a couple of would-be tales that might have involved stronger bullying tactics had he not been around.  His was an unspoken presence, an understood "don't mess with that one" that others seemed to just pick up on and not try to wreak havoc on one whenever he was around.  I guess they (the would-be bullies) sensed that because Steve was such a good guy, no ugliness would be tolerated in his presence.  Maybe ugliness isn't the right word, for my husband is no saint.  He's as human as the rest of us but...But there's just something different about Steve, something intangible, something that makes you want to be better when he is around because...because he is a saint.  He is a representative of God.  Then and now.  It's not something he has to proclaim on a t-shirt or place an ad about on a billboard.  No, there's just something different about him that makes you want to be different too.

Reminds me of Jesus.  Seriously.  I have said this many times and probably will say it again:  Steve is the closet thing to Christ that I have seen in the flesh.  People are drawn to him.  No, he doesn't have a bunch of followers (unless you count his 3 grandsons that want to go everywhere he goes) nor does he have 
a crusade to complete--except that of striving each day to be more like Jesus.  Which is what I think we all should aim for.  And if we did?  If we all chose to emulate the characteristics of Christ?  If we all took the time to tend to one another's needs instead of creating chaos for them?  If we all helped put the pieces back together of a puzzle that should never have been taken apart to begin with?  Oh my.  The things we could accomplish!

"Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."  Friends, today I want to encourage you and to warn you.  Be careful little mouths what you say.  Be careful little feet where you go.  Be careful little hands what you do.  And be careful little ears what you hear.  Don't listen to lies, to enticements, nor to schemes of man that will hurt another.  Stand up.  Be a light not a stone.  "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad."  (2 Corinthians 5:10) 

Don't be foolish, folks.  Sow seeds of good and reap harvests that are beautiful and becoming to our Jesus.  Won't you?

Let's pray!

Dear Lord God, as we go about our days today, help us to--as much as possible--forget what is behind and strain toward the prize of God, for what is ahead, so that we may as much as possible live peaceably among man.  We can't do it in our own strength, Father, so please nurture us this day and the next ones as well.  May we be vessels of glory unto You, Lord God, is my hope.