So, yesterday, it was pretty much confirmed that I am an emotional leper. I think to a certain degree, we all are or can be at certain points in our lives. We all have moments where our emotions make us sick and attempt to destroy us, where they spread uncontrollably like a wildfire and threaten the people around us, where they send us away: disconnected, untouchable, and ashamed. But good news for us, and the main focus of today’s blog: The same Jesus who healed the physical lepers of the New Testament is still in the business of healing the emotional lepers of today.
One article I found about leprosy had this title, “Biblical Leprosy: Shedding Light on the Disease That Shuns.” Now, that is a powerful image. How often are we shunned by the emotional conditions of our lives? I know I am. I REFUSE sometimes to be touched by others. I run. I hide my face and heart in shame, embarrassed that insecurity, anxiety, and fear are sometimes written all over my skin, plain as leprous nodules.
But…Jesus always finds me. It never fails. Wherever I want to run to, He’s there before me. When I’m ashamed, He lifts my face. When I feel like my emotional leprosy has been fatal to me and my relationships, He saves and then He restores…just like He did in the New Testament. In Luke 17:11-19 it says:
“Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, ‘Jesus, Master, have pity on us!’ When he saw them, he said, ‘Go, show yourselves to the priests.’ And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, ‘Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?’ Then he said to him, ‘Rise and go; your faith has made you well’.”
From my limited knowledge, in New Testament times, lepers were the outcasts. Those infected with this disease lived their lives apart from the rest of the population (leper colonies, anyone?) When they had to be around others, they walked with hands over their mouth and the word “Unclean” on their lips, ready to warn any unsuspecting person to stay away.
From this passage of Scripture, we see Jesus healing ten lepers and only one returning to Him to give thanks. I have heard many messages centering around this passage that chose to focus on the lack of thankfulness of the nine who did not return to Jesus. However, when examining this Scripture in the light of emotional leprosy, I thought about something else. What if the nine did not come back because they couldn’t let go of their old way of looking at themselves? What if, in their heart of hearts, they doubted whether or not they had been made whole and set free? What if they believed their disease would come back because it was not a permanent healing?
Jesus had healed them. Fact. Jesus had overcome EVERYTHING. Fact. But, He couldn’t make them believe it. He could not make them live like they were free. The one leper that returned to Jesus could have refused to believe that he was fully, completely, and utterly healed. He could have maintained the mentality he had always used when thinking of himself. He could have remained one of the “Unclean,” one of the “Untouchables.”
We are the same way. Jesus has set me free and healed me from every anxiety, insecurity, and fear. He has broken down every stronghold of addiction, pride, greed, and anger. Every emotionally leprous thing has been OVERCOME. But, it is up to us to live it out. Because, you see, we are either healed or not healed, free or enslaved, victims or overcomers. Our God does nothing half-way. His work is complete. So, we must live based on the truth and our faith NOT on feelings. We must throw ourselves at His feet daily and thank Him for setting us free. I had to do this very thing this morning. Curled up before him like a kitten at the mercy of someone so much stronger and capable than myself and repeating the words to Kari Jobe’s Steady My Heart:
"I will run to You because I know that You are the Lover of My Soul and Healer of My Scars."
If He says we are free, that’s it. End of story. So, we throw ourselves before Him and allow our feelings to catch up with our reality, even when it seems like we struggle with the same emotional issues, even when we don’t feel free. We thank Him for the TRUTH that we ARE.
And, then He lifts our face and tells us once again that our faith has indeed made us well.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Emotional Leprosy: Part I
A few weeks ago, I was reading a chapter in Joyce Meyer’s The Battle Belongs to the Lord where she mentioned the concept of “Emotional Leprosy.” Now, it was mentioned in a small portion of one sentence, but the idea struck me and has stuck with me since then, fermenting in my heart and mind. Recently (finally), I was able to put pen to paper about the topic…or finger to keys. This blog has gone through many stages, lots of turmoil and upheaval, and several drafts, but here it is.
What is leprosy? Webster's Dictionary defines it as:
A chronic infectious disease caused by a mycobacterium (Mycobacterium leprae) affecting especially the skin and peripheral nerves and characterized by the formation of nodules or macules that enlarge and spread accompanied by loss of sensation with eventual paralysis, wasting of muscle, and production of deformities.
Well, that’s a mouthful. Now, while I DEFINITELY don’t want to use this blog to clarify the various types of bacteria or go into the difference between nodules and macules (Is there a difference? Anyone?), I do think that we can gain a large amount of understanding about emotional leprosy from the definition of its physical counterpart.
Let me preface everything said from here on out with this one statement: I AM AN EMOTIONAL LEPER. Everything written here, I’ve done. In fact, I haven’t just done… I DO. But, even in my flaws and struggles, He still speaks truth.
From our good buddy, Webster’s definition of this infectious disease, we can also define emotional leprosy as chronic, growing, spreading, desensitizing, paralyzing, wasteful, and deforming.
First, emotional lepers are those who struggle with chronic emotional issues, the issues that appear over and over and over again. It is not just losing your temper once; it is continually struggling to keep your cool when minor things go wrong. It is not a moment of insecurity that you tuck into the back of your mind; it is insecurity that you dwell on, are consumed by, and that throws you into a tail spin.
Secondly, emotional leprosy comes from emotions that grow…often growing so speedily that they are soon out of control. Fear is no longer a natural, understandable response to a threatening situation; it has grown into your go-to response to every situation.
Third, leprous emotions are never restricted to one person. They suck others in. They spread to everyone around you. So much so, that soon the people who love you, the people who need you to be who you were created to be, the people whom you love and would sacrifice for are overwhelmed in the mire and muck that you’ve introduced into their lives. Like a virus, it rapidly passes from one person to another in quick succession. You’re insecurity can make others insecure. You’re fear can feed the fears of others. And, you’re wrong if you think your emotional chains are only ensnaring you.
Fourth, and in my opinion, one of the most damaging products of emotional leprosy is that it desensitizes you to the troubles of others. You become so wrapped up in your own little world that you fail to influence the world around you. Every conversation somehow circles back to your own issues. Every other problem pales in comparison to your own. Other people are floundering and struggling, but you don’t see. In all honesty, you don’t even care. You are incapable of feeling for other people. Emotional leprosy breeds selfishness.
Fifth, as believers, we are in trouble when our emotions paralyze us. I’ve experienced times, in fact, in brutal honesty, I’ve experienced times in the last three weeks where my fear has paralyzed me, where my insecurity left me frozen where I stood. I couldn’t go back (my mind knew better than that), but I couldn’t go forward (my heart was not focused on Jesus). There is no growth. There is no movement. There is just stagnation, paralysis, and eventual uselessness.
Sixth, emotional leprosy wastes the lives God has given each one of us. It wastes our talents, strengths, and gifts. It pains my heart to look back on my moments and days wasted because I chose to wallow in fear, anxiety, and insecurity. He has a plan for us. As believers, we affirm this statement in our hearts and minds. He has made us for more than these struggles. We cannot allow our emotions, bondages, and addictions to keep us from fulfilling His plan and purpose. We cannot allow our emotional leprosy to waste our spiritual muscles. Each day, each moment, can be spent in accordance with His plan, or it can be wasted. The choice is ours.
Lastly, if left unchecked and not dealt with, emotional leprosy can permanently scar and deform us. Our wounds, sometimes self-inflicted, but always dwelled on, elevated, and nursed by personal choice come to define us. We walk around as the Emotionally Deformed. We enter into relationships with others with the following excuses: “I can’t trust because…” “I refuse to love others completely because…” “I won’t feel deserving and secure because…” Our emotions become our label, our label for our relationships and ourselves.
Woah. I’m a complete emotional leper. Anyone else?
Well, Praise God, this isn’t the end of the story. Come back tomorrow for the best part: the fairytale ending.
What is leprosy? Webster's Dictionary defines it as:
A chronic infectious disease caused by a mycobacterium (Mycobacterium leprae) affecting especially the skin and peripheral nerves and characterized by the formation of nodules or macules that enlarge and spread accompanied by loss of sensation with eventual paralysis, wasting of muscle, and production of deformities.
Well, that’s a mouthful. Now, while I DEFINITELY don’t want to use this blog to clarify the various types of bacteria or go into the difference between nodules and macules (Is there a difference? Anyone?), I do think that we can gain a large amount of understanding about emotional leprosy from the definition of its physical counterpart.
Let me preface everything said from here on out with this one statement: I AM AN EMOTIONAL LEPER. Everything written here, I’ve done. In fact, I haven’t just done… I DO. But, even in my flaws and struggles, He still speaks truth.
From our good buddy, Webster’s definition of this infectious disease, we can also define emotional leprosy as chronic, growing, spreading, desensitizing, paralyzing, wasteful, and deforming.
First, emotional lepers are those who struggle with chronic emotional issues, the issues that appear over and over and over again. It is not just losing your temper once; it is continually struggling to keep your cool when minor things go wrong. It is not a moment of insecurity that you tuck into the back of your mind; it is insecurity that you dwell on, are consumed by, and that throws you into a tail spin.
Secondly, emotional leprosy comes from emotions that grow…often growing so speedily that they are soon out of control. Fear is no longer a natural, understandable response to a threatening situation; it has grown into your go-to response to every situation.
Third, leprous emotions are never restricted to one person. They suck others in. They spread to everyone around you. So much so, that soon the people who love you, the people who need you to be who you were created to be, the people whom you love and would sacrifice for are overwhelmed in the mire and muck that you’ve introduced into their lives. Like a virus, it rapidly passes from one person to another in quick succession. You’re insecurity can make others insecure. You’re fear can feed the fears of others. And, you’re wrong if you think your emotional chains are only ensnaring you.
Fourth, and in my opinion, one of the most damaging products of emotional leprosy is that it desensitizes you to the troubles of others. You become so wrapped up in your own little world that you fail to influence the world around you. Every conversation somehow circles back to your own issues. Every other problem pales in comparison to your own. Other people are floundering and struggling, but you don’t see. In all honesty, you don’t even care. You are incapable of feeling for other people. Emotional leprosy breeds selfishness.
Fifth, as believers, we are in trouble when our emotions paralyze us. I’ve experienced times, in fact, in brutal honesty, I’ve experienced times in the last three weeks where my fear has paralyzed me, where my insecurity left me frozen where I stood. I couldn’t go back (my mind knew better than that), but I couldn’t go forward (my heart was not focused on Jesus). There is no growth. There is no movement. There is just stagnation, paralysis, and eventual uselessness.
Sixth, emotional leprosy wastes the lives God has given each one of us. It wastes our talents, strengths, and gifts. It pains my heart to look back on my moments and days wasted because I chose to wallow in fear, anxiety, and insecurity. He has a plan for us. As believers, we affirm this statement in our hearts and minds. He has made us for more than these struggles. We cannot allow our emotions, bondages, and addictions to keep us from fulfilling His plan and purpose. We cannot allow our emotional leprosy to waste our spiritual muscles. Each day, each moment, can be spent in accordance with His plan, or it can be wasted. The choice is ours.
Lastly, if left unchecked and not dealt with, emotional leprosy can permanently scar and deform us. Our wounds, sometimes self-inflicted, but always dwelled on, elevated, and nursed by personal choice come to define us. We walk around as the Emotionally Deformed. We enter into relationships with others with the following excuses: “I can’t trust because…” “I refuse to love others completely because…” “I won’t feel deserving and secure because…” Our emotions become our label, our label for our relationships and ourselves.
Woah. I’m a complete emotional leper. Anyone else?
Well, Praise God, this isn’t the end of the story. Come back tomorrow for the best part: the fairytale ending.
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Amber
Today's your birthday, beautiful girl. You're 27 today... man, you're getting old. :) I love you, sis. You're sassy, funny, witty, and charming. You're generous, strong, independent, and intelligent. Take time to celebrate you today, and know that from South Carolina, mom, dad, and I are celebrating you too!
Mr. Potato Head... and a pose, of course.
One line will suffice: "Happy Birthday, Bethany!!" Said in your best fake voice! :)
Matching outfits. Because we're that cool!
Why do you always have to be posing?
Have you bitten a child, yet?
Love the face... I think you still do this face when something is going on that you are not too happy about.
Why would mom ever let me wear my hair like this... and why, in accordance with the sister code, would you let HER let ME?!?!?!
Oh my word!!! Look how little our boys are!!!! :(
Daddy's girls. Always!
Beautiful girl!
You are loved. And remember, "A sister is a little bit of childhood that can never be lost."
Mr. Potato Head... and a pose, of course.
One line will suffice: "Happy Birthday, Bethany!!" Said in your best fake voice! :)
Matching outfits. Because we're that cool!
Why do you always have to be posing?
Have you bitten a child, yet?
Love the face... I think you still do this face when something is going on that you are not too happy about.
Why would mom ever let me wear my hair like this... and why, in accordance with the sister code, would you let HER let ME?!?!?!
Oh my word!!! Look how little our boys are!!!! :(
Daddy's girls. Always!
Beautiful girl!
You are loved. And remember, "A sister is a little bit of childhood that can never be lost."
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Remind Me Who I Am
Jason Gray has become the soundtrack for my life. His lyrics are not complicated or overly theological. However, they speak to me. They speak directly to my situation, struggles, and fears. It has become a habit for me to listen to this song every morning during my quiet time... that's how much I love it and relate to it.
So, if you have time (and I strongly suggest you MAKE time) look up this song and others on YouTube.
Remind Me Who I Am:
When I lose my way and I forget my name: Remind me who I am.
In the mirror all I see is who I don't want to be: Remind me who I am.
In the loneliest places...
When I can't remember what grace is...
Tell me once again who I am to You.
Tell me, lest I forget, who I am to You.
That I belong to You.
When my heart is like a stone and I'm running far from home: Remind me who I am.
When I can't receive your love, afraid I'll never be enough: Remind me who I am.
If I'm your Beloved, help me believe it.
Tell me once again who I am to You.
Tell me, lest I forget, who I am to You.
That I belong to You.
I'm the one You love. I'm the one You love. That will be enough. I'm the one You love.
Ah, the soundtrack for my life.
So, if you have time (and I strongly suggest you MAKE time) look up this song and others on YouTube.
Remind Me Who I Am:
When I lose my way and I forget my name: Remind me who I am.
In the mirror all I see is who I don't want to be: Remind me who I am.
In the loneliest places...
When I can't remember what grace is...
Tell me once again who I am to You.
Tell me, lest I forget, who I am to You.
That I belong to You.
When my heart is like a stone and I'm running far from home: Remind me who I am.
When I can't receive your love, afraid I'll never be enough: Remind me who I am.
If I'm your Beloved, help me believe it.
Tell me once again who I am to You.
Tell me, lest I forget, who I am to You.
That I belong to You.
I'm the one You love. I'm the one You love. That will be enough. I'm the one You love.
Ah, the soundtrack for my life.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Unsettle, Uproot, Unleash
This is the first year my resolve has been made of something more, something more than superficial "to do's" which ultimately end in failure and self-contempt.
This is the first year that I really allowed God to shape my resolutions. And the three words He gave to me, I believe are going to rock my world and change my life, my being, my ALL.
Unsettle. Uproot. Unleash.
I resolve...to allow God to unsettle me. To unsettle my fears, insecurities, and perceptions. I desire and pray for Him to unsettle the way I perceive Him, others, and myself.
1. I want to explore more deeply who my God is. I want to KNOW him, to recognize His voice more quickly and hear Him more clearly than I ever have before. I want to be awakened in the night at the sound of His call. I desire a relationship as natural as the exchange of Cardon Dioxide for Oxygen, but JUST as necessary for survival.
2. The Holy Spirit will be my guide in loving others. I will listen to what He says about the people in my world. I will respond to His promptings and be an encouragement, a safe place, a protector, and a friend. I will be the tangible example of God's love to the people who fill my life and bring such color to it. I won't merely stand on the sidelines while the battle is raging around us. I will get in the trenches with those who need me the most.
3. Through His power, He will take off the self-deprecation and fear smeared spectacles through which I have viewed myself. My Creator, Savior, and Friend will tell me who I've been, who I am, and where I am going. And, if I should forget over the course of this journey, He will remind me.
I resolve...to allow God to uproot any and all things that are not of Him. 2012 is to be a year of FREEDOM. Freedom from past pains, memories, bitterness, and judgments.
1. With Him by my side, I will face the memories and moments that have tied me to unforgiveness and insecurity.
2. God will peel off every label I've placed on myself or allowed others to place on me. The only label that remains says: Daughter of the King. I will choose to believe that I am who HE says I am... even when my feelings don't match up.
I resolve...to allow God to unleash me on the world. To unleash the joy, light, love, hope, compassion, and strength that are within me.
1. I will no longer look down, run away, or hide. I will not act as if my God made a mistake when He made me. I will be me, so that He can be glorified.
2. I will use my gifts and talents for His glory. No more comparisons. No more
excuses. From the songs I sing to the cookies I bake. And from the words I write to the ones that flow from my mouth... May He be seen in every facet of my life.
3. Through His power, I will be fierce at heart. I will love, encourage, and sacrifice for others. I will carry His light into the darkness.
So, there it is. With three words, three simple words, God has already started to rock my world. Who would have thought that an entire blog-worthy resolution could come from three words?
Will this resolution be hard? Already has been...
Will I want to take 99.9% of the things I have written back? That's a yes...
But, will it be worth it? Absolutely. This fact is undeniable.
It will be hard. I mean, without God, each of these things will be IMPOSSIBLE. However, I have to ask myself: How much is freedom worth to me? How much am I willing to risk in order to live an abundant life?
Because after all is said and done, after the introspection, the inner battles, and the breakdown comes the breakthrough...
Now, that's a resolution worth keeping.
This is the first year that I really allowed God to shape my resolutions. And the three words He gave to me, I believe are going to rock my world and change my life, my being, my ALL.
Unsettle. Uproot. Unleash.
I resolve...to allow God to unsettle me. To unsettle my fears, insecurities, and perceptions. I desire and pray for Him to unsettle the way I perceive Him, others, and myself.
1. I want to explore more deeply who my God is. I want to KNOW him, to recognize His voice more quickly and hear Him more clearly than I ever have before. I want to be awakened in the night at the sound of His call. I desire a relationship as natural as the exchange of Cardon Dioxide for Oxygen, but JUST as necessary for survival.
2. The Holy Spirit will be my guide in loving others. I will listen to what He says about the people in my world. I will respond to His promptings and be an encouragement, a safe place, a protector, and a friend. I will be the tangible example of God's love to the people who fill my life and bring such color to it. I won't merely stand on the sidelines while the battle is raging around us. I will get in the trenches with those who need me the most.
3. Through His power, He will take off the self-deprecation and fear smeared spectacles through which I have viewed myself. My Creator, Savior, and Friend will tell me who I've been, who I am, and where I am going. And, if I should forget over the course of this journey, He will remind me.
I resolve...to allow God to uproot any and all things that are not of Him. 2012 is to be a year of FREEDOM. Freedom from past pains, memories, bitterness, and judgments.
1. With Him by my side, I will face the memories and moments that have tied me to unforgiveness and insecurity.
2. God will peel off every label I've placed on myself or allowed others to place on me. The only label that remains says: Daughter of the King. I will choose to believe that I am who HE says I am... even when my feelings don't match up.
I resolve...to allow God to unleash me on the world. To unleash the joy, light, love, hope, compassion, and strength that are within me.
1. I will no longer look down, run away, or hide. I will not act as if my God made a mistake when He made me. I will be me, so that He can be glorified.
2. I will use my gifts and talents for His glory. No more comparisons. No more
excuses. From the songs I sing to the cookies I bake. And from the words I write to the ones that flow from my mouth... May He be seen in every facet of my life.
3. Through His power, I will be fierce at heart. I will love, encourage, and sacrifice for others. I will carry His light into the darkness.
So, there it is. With three words, three simple words, God has already started to rock my world. Who would have thought that an entire blog-worthy resolution could come from three words?
Will this resolution be hard? Already has been...
Will I want to take 99.9% of the things I have written back? That's a yes...
But, will it be worth it? Absolutely. This fact is undeniable.
It will be hard. I mean, without God, each of these things will be IMPOSSIBLE. However, I have to ask myself: How much is freedom worth to me? How much am I willing to risk in order to live an abundant life?
Because after all is said and done, after the introspection, the inner battles, and the breakdown comes the breakthrough...
Now, that's a resolution worth keeping.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Weakness is Weakness
"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." ~2 Corinthians 12:9
There it is. God uses our weaknesses. Christians everywhere agree. I mean, this verse makes it pretty clear. However, it seems to me that there is a huge difference in the way the Body of Christ views physical weaknesses versus emotional ones.
Physical weaknesses are the things we accept. Ligaments are torn. Lungs are asthmatic. Migraines can be inherited. We feel free to tell our brothers and sisters when we struggle with these things. We ask for prayer openly.
Emotional weaknesses are the things we hide. We plaster on a smile when all we want to do is cry. We fake it with small talk. We bury it beneath activities and full schedules. No one around knows about these weaknesses until the dam breaks and the flood threatens to sweep everything away.
This is wrong. And it is not only wrong, but it is also disastrous.
Fear. Depression. Loneliness. Anger. Anxiety. Addiction. All of these issues are real to the many people who struggle with them, but so few people want to admit that they are battling these overwhelming emotions. Why?
Is it sometimes because Christians lose their patience with these weaknesses? I don't think I've ever heard a Christian tell his brother or sister, "So what? Your back has been causing you pain for two years...Get over it, already! Suck it up and move that box!" But, do we treat people with emotional weaknesses with the same amount of patience and care? Or do we tell the fear-ridden: "That's a silly thing to be afraid of!" The lonely: "Stop focusing on yourself so much!" The anxious: "Put yourself out there!" The depressed: "You've got to get over this stuff and move on!"
Fact: God can use all weaknesses. Fact: The Body of Christ needs people, and people come in unlimited varieties with different strengths, hang ups, and weaknesses. God can use all physical and emotional weaknesses if we let Him. As one devotional I recently read mentioned, He will turn our MESS into His MESSAGE. He does not want us to remain where we are. He does not want us to remain bound to anger, depression, guilt, grief, or fear. And through HIS power, we will overcome.
The overcoming of weaknesses, whether physical or emotional is EQUALLY miraculous. Seeing a person who has struggled with blindness suddenly be able to see IS JUST AS miraculous as seeing a person who struggled with trust be able to love and let others in. It is God who is responsible for both miracles. It is God who comes in and transforms. If there is no difference in the miracles, then why do we treat people differently? Weakness is weakness.
There it is. God uses our weaknesses. Christians everywhere agree. I mean, this verse makes it pretty clear. However, it seems to me that there is a huge difference in the way the Body of Christ views physical weaknesses versus emotional ones.
Physical weaknesses are the things we accept. Ligaments are torn. Lungs are asthmatic. Migraines can be inherited. We feel free to tell our brothers and sisters when we struggle with these things. We ask for prayer openly.
Emotional weaknesses are the things we hide. We plaster on a smile when all we want to do is cry. We fake it with small talk. We bury it beneath activities and full schedules. No one around knows about these weaknesses until the dam breaks and the flood threatens to sweep everything away.
This is wrong. And it is not only wrong, but it is also disastrous.
Fear. Depression. Loneliness. Anger. Anxiety. Addiction. All of these issues are real to the many people who struggle with them, but so few people want to admit that they are battling these overwhelming emotions. Why?
Is it sometimes because Christians lose their patience with these weaknesses? I don't think I've ever heard a Christian tell his brother or sister, "So what? Your back has been causing you pain for two years...Get over it, already! Suck it up and move that box!" But, do we treat people with emotional weaknesses with the same amount of patience and care? Or do we tell the fear-ridden: "That's a silly thing to be afraid of!" The lonely: "Stop focusing on yourself so much!" The anxious: "Put yourself out there!" The depressed: "You've got to get over this stuff and move on!"
Fact: God can use all weaknesses. Fact: The Body of Christ needs people, and people come in unlimited varieties with different strengths, hang ups, and weaknesses. God can use all physical and emotional weaknesses if we let Him. As one devotional I recently read mentioned, He will turn our MESS into His MESSAGE. He does not want us to remain where we are. He does not want us to remain bound to anger, depression, guilt, grief, or fear. And through HIS power, we will overcome.
The overcoming of weaknesses, whether physical or emotional is EQUALLY miraculous. Seeing a person who has struggled with blindness suddenly be able to see IS JUST AS miraculous as seeing a person who struggled with trust be able to love and let others in. It is God who is responsible for both miracles. It is God who comes in and transforms. If there is no difference in the miracles, then why do we treat people differently? Weakness is weakness.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Children's Church Lessons
This previous Sunday was my second run as a team leader for Children's Church. And while I believe that as a team, God is using us to teach the children of our church some things about Him and His Word, I also believe that He is using the children to teach us... or, at least teach me!
This week, we talked about following God's way. One specific Object Lesson was about following His way of compassion. I explained to the kids that compassion is feeling for someone else. You see someone else in pain or in need, and you feel for them. However, compassion doesn't stop there. Compassion is not JUST a feeling; it is an action. You see a need, and you do everything within your power to make it better or to make it right. Compassion doesn't merely notice the feelings of others, but it responds to those feelings in the appropriate way.
Seems simple enough, right?
Well, the lesson kind of hit home for me Sunday because of the actions of one of the precios boys that I am blessed to get to watch grow up. He was sitting on the front row with the others boys his age. After all young gentlemen had filed in, I noticed a new child sitting by himself on the back row. Already nervous about facing the strange experience of Children's Church, the boy was doubly nervous now. The only person he knew was one of the girls who was seated across the room and three rows ahead of him.
I went over to my friends' son and told him, "See that boy on the back row. Well, he's new, and he has not made any friends yet. Would you mind helping him feel included today?" Without hesitation or a second thought, he got up, walked to the back row, and sat down. After introducing himself, he asked the boy's name and stayed by his side the entire time. He even played on his team in a game, and when the competition was over and the two headed back to their seats, he patted him on the back and said, "You did really good."
And all of this took place BEFORE the Object Lesson on Compassion was taught. God works in mysterious ways, right?
It was simple to that child. A need was brought to his attention. He could do something about it. So, he did. End of story. No questions asked. No arguing. No, "Aw, why me?? This is really not a convenient time!" He felt for someone, and he did what was in his power to make it right.
How often do I do this? Do I see the needs around me as opportunities to show the love of Christ, or, do I care about others only to the extent that it does not mess with my plans or my neat little world? Am I filled with a love that does not allow me to stand still when things around me are wrong? Or, is compassion merely a feeling that does not extend to action? If so... it's basically worthless.
We can all learn alot from the children in our lives.
This week, we talked about following God's way. One specific Object Lesson was about following His way of compassion. I explained to the kids that compassion is feeling for someone else. You see someone else in pain or in need, and you feel for them. However, compassion doesn't stop there. Compassion is not JUST a feeling; it is an action. You see a need, and you do everything within your power to make it better or to make it right. Compassion doesn't merely notice the feelings of others, but it responds to those feelings in the appropriate way.
Seems simple enough, right?
Well, the lesson kind of hit home for me Sunday because of the actions of one of the precios boys that I am blessed to get to watch grow up. He was sitting on the front row with the others boys his age. After all young gentlemen had filed in, I noticed a new child sitting by himself on the back row. Already nervous about facing the strange experience of Children's Church, the boy was doubly nervous now. The only person he knew was one of the girls who was seated across the room and three rows ahead of him.
I went over to my friends' son and told him, "See that boy on the back row. Well, he's new, and he has not made any friends yet. Would you mind helping him feel included today?" Without hesitation or a second thought, he got up, walked to the back row, and sat down. After introducing himself, he asked the boy's name and stayed by his side the entire time. He even played on his team in a game, and when the competition was over and the two headed back to their seats, he patted him on the back and said, "You did really good."
And all of this took place BEFORE the Object Lesson on Compassion was taught. God works in mysterious ways, right?
It was simple to that child. A need was brought to his attention. He could do something about it. So, he did. End of story. No questions asked. No arguing. No, "Aw, why me?? This is really not a convenient time!" He felt for someone, and he did what was in his power to make it right.
How often do I do this? Do I see the needs around me as opportunities to show the love of Christ, or, do I care about others only to the extent that it does not mess with my plans or my neat little world? Am I filled with a love that does not allow me to stand still when things around me are wrong? Or, is compassion merely a feeling that does not extend to action? If so... it's basically worthless.
We can all learn alot from the children in our lives.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)