A Visual Display

Spring is in full bloom.  The trees in my back yard have beautiful blooms, my tulips open each morning with the sunshine, and I've had to begin pulling weeds.  My husband and I traditionally anticipate the first peeks of green that pop from the ground, reminding us that consistent warmer weather is just around the corner.  That warmer weather has begun to settle in and I am overjoyed, especially as I step outside and breathe in the aromas that make my husband sneeze but make me giddy with delight: tulips and lilacs and hyacinths and blooming pear trees. We've begun taking evening walks again; partly for our dog's benefit and  partly to enjoy nature's visual spring glory.  If you didn't know anything about weather, or the change of seasons, it  would still be obvious that there is something happening in the world.  Nature provides an amazing visible display that declares winter is over and it's time for the earth to awaken and treat our senses to it's incredible wonder.

God reminded my heart this morning that the distinct obviousness of Spring is a wonderful visual of something He expects  of me.  I was reading Ephesians 2:1-10 this morning, reminding my heart of truth: God is rich in mercy; He loves me with a great and wonderful love; He has given me the incredible gift of salvation; He is renewing me; and He is creating me to be a masterpiece.  The Holy Spirit challenged my spirit with questions like: how am I influenced by this present age? How am I still governed by my sinful self? How and where do I want to indulge the desires of my human nature? How and when do I give into the impulses of my mind? The Holy Spirit was asking me to deal with some hard stuff and I felt myself wanting to gloss over the questions and not really deal with them.  Somewhat in "distraction mode," I decided to read the passage of scripture in different versions. 

I love how God just keeps nudging me in ways that I don't always notice.  The clincher came when I read Ephesians 2:7 in The Passion Translation: "… we will be the visible display of the infinite, limitless riches of his grace and kindness, which was showered upon us in Jesus Christ." As I was reading, I was also staring out my window at my tulips, and God drew some connecting lines for me.  Just like the tulips and the trees blooming in the back yard give me a glorious visual that Spring has truly settled in, I am to be a glorious visual that Jesus Christ has settled in my heart.  People should get an aroma of Christ when I enter a room.  There should a distinctiveness that declares Jesus has changed me.  I am to be a visible display of immeasurable, exceeding,  undeserved kindness.  I am to be a visible  display of remarkable compassion.  I am to be a visible display of grace, undeserved favor and mercy. 

My mind now reads Ephesians 2 with a side note of "I'm to  be a tulip, declaring the truth that Jesus has come." It's a little easier to handle the questions the Holy Spirit used to prod my soul, when I imagine myself growing to be the most beautiful tulip.  I want to declare His glory; be an expression of His excellence.  I want to be freed from the weeds that the world wants to grow around me, that detract from the beauty of my blooming.  Jesus is making me to be a masterpiece, and I'm imagining a tulip.

A Little Nudge

There have been various times in my life when people have given me a little nudge to try something or do something. Those little nudges have led to the discovery of new things to enjoy.  In High School a friend wanted to try out for a play, and she nudged me to do it with her. It opened a door for one of the major activities of my High School life!  Several years ago, a friend nudged me to start my own  business, and with much fear I allowed myself to be pushed.  Eight years of running my business taught me so much, broadened my skill set and renewed a confidence in my abilities to persevere.  I've been nudged to taste new veggies  (hello delicious jicama!), attempt a new sport (golf anyone? Or Barre?), and try new fashions (okay, that doesn't take much of a nudge…).  I've been nudged to go for evening walks, read a book, try a recipe, spend an afternoon exploring, attempt the l-o-n-g-e-r hike, play a new game, and the list goes on.  Each of us have people in our lives who nudge us now and then to step out of where we are and step into something fresh.

Do you remember the Bible story of Mary and Martha?  They were throwing a dinner party and Jesus was coming.  Martha was putting all the plans together and Mary was her assistant.  Jesus arrives in the midst of the preparations, and Mary takes the opportunity to sit at his feet and listen to the conversation that takes place around her.  She is soaking in every ounce of Jesus that she can.  When Martha picks up on the fact that Mary is no longer helping, she falls apart a bit and complains to Jesus and asks him to basically tell Mary to get her little behind in gear and help with the preparations!  Jesus softly corrects Martha with the statement that Mary has chosen what is best, and He's not going to take it away from her.   

Fast forward a bit.  Mary and Martha's brother Lazarus has gotten really sick and they send for Jesus to come heal him.  When you are good friends with the Messiah, there are times you just have to pull the Friend Card.   Jesus comes, but he purposefully delays because he has plans  to reveal the glory of God.  When he reaches the outskirts of town, it's Martha who is leaving all the responsibilities at home to come talk with Jesus.  Martha learned to depend on Christ, to come to Him for her needs, her strength, her comfort.  Mary is back at home with the mourners, caught in a cycle of grief that seems to be overpowering her.  After Martha talks with Jesus she goes back home.  John 11:28 says, "Then she returned to Mary.  She called Mary aside from the mourners and told her, 'The Teacher is here and wants to see you.' " Mary needed a little nudge.  Mary needed to be prompted to see beyond what was right in front of her, to believe in what she didn't yet fully know. 

I've been like Mary.  I've been so distracted by the circumstances of life that I haven't run immediately to Jesus.  I needed someone to nudge me.  I've experienced moments when I've grieved over what is not to be, and I became overwhelmed by my loss.  I needed someone to nudge me.  I've watched hopes and dreams fall by the wayside and I've drawn into myself out of disappointment and deep discouragement.  I  needed someone to nudge me.  I've faced situations that are beyond my ability to comprehend and I've become frozen by fear and uncertainty. I needed someone to nudge me.

As I caught a glimpse of that precious moment in John 11:28, I was reminded of the truth that we are the body of Christ.  We are called to work in unity, together, filling in the gaps for one another.  Ephesians 4:15,16 says, "… we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way  more and more like Christ, who is the head of the body, the church.  He makes the whole body fit together perfectly.  As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so  that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love." (NLT)  Sometimes my "special work" may be to nudge someone to go to Jesus.  Sometimes, I need someone to nudge me so that I can be "healthy and growing and full of love."

Jesus didn't come so that we would be saved and then journey life alone.  He came so that we could have relationship with Him.  Do you need to be nudged to sit awhile with Jesus?  He's waiting. He's able to handle whatever you are dealing with.  He's prepared to bring about new life.  Go ahead… let me nudge you a bit… go to Jesus. 

Perhaps you hear Jesus whispering a name to you of someone you love.  Perhaps she needs a nudge. Maybe God is calling you to love another member of His body enough to help him grow, and he needs to be told that the Teacher is near and wants to speak with him.   Go ahead… let me nudge you a bit… step out in obedience.

Sometimes, we all need a nudge.

Be Set Apart

I've heard before about the idea that being holy means being "set apart." I get the idea that I am to be different from my typical selfish human response. And I've realized that sometimes that feels so very overwhelming! How different am I supposed to be? Am I supposed to be different from others in EVERYTHING I do? Won't people think I'm a freak?
Sometimes God makes unique connections for me so that I have a visual. There's a story in the Bible (John 8 to be specific) where Jesus is hanging out in the temple. The story reads in such a way that you get the idea Jesus goes to the Temple every day so that he is where the people are, easily found and readily available. The narrtive opens with the Scribes and Pharisees finding him. They drag in an adulterous woman and in the Amplified Version it says they make her stand in the center of the court. The visual in my mind has these men pushing an embarrassed, mortified, barely covered woman into the center of a wide open area and then quickly distancing themselves from her presence. I imagine them pointing at her and with loud voices telling Jesus, and everyone in the vicinity, her sinful story in descriptive detail. They intentionally draw attention to her faults and failures, more concerned with their agenda than the individual they ridiculed. It's as if they never really saw her.
As I saw the story play out in my imagination, I was horrified. My heart was weeping as I realized they were stripping this precious woman of her value.
I wondered if I've behaved like the scribes and the Pharisees. Do I get so intent on my agenda, my things to do, that I strip another person of his or her value? When I'm in a hurry at the store, am I rude to the person helping me with my purchase? As I push my cart through the grocery store, am I considerate to the elderly man creeping slowly down the aisle in front of me or to the mom trying to shop and corral three grumpy children? When I'm driving home and am focused on all the things I still have yet to do, do I glare, obviously annoyed, at the cautious driver I zip around?
I know if one of my friends brought this line of thought up and asked me if I thought she was acting like the Pharisees, I would aim to reassure her with the idea that she wasn't acting with the same intentionality as the Pharisees in the story. But when I tried to rationalize my own behavior, I had to face the truth that when I act in such a manner, I am concerned with only me. To live as someone "set apart" I need to become more aware of ALL the choices I make. I can't assume that all my reactions are godly; I need to take the time to process and purposefully choose each behavior. I need to be in tune with my emotional state, and be honest about selfish or unkind behaviors that could come from uncontrolled emotions. I don't want to fall into the habit of  believing my agenda is more important than any person I encounter.
God wasn't finished giving me visuals; He continued to reveal the story to my imagination. I'm aware that in the story, the author emphasizes Jesus writing in the dust. I've participated in discussions contemplating the idea of what Jesus was possibly writing in the dirt. As the scene played out in my mind, I was struck by the idea that Jesus didn't stare the Pharisees down. Jesus made his statement and then went back to occupying himself with drawing in the dust. He honored the inherent value of the Pharisees by providing them the opportunity to face their own sinful choices without condemnation. He treated them in the exact opposite way that they had treated the adulterous woman. I know that when I've been in a "serious discussion" (translation: argument) with someone, and I've just delivered my zinger line, I want to keep my eye focused on them. I want that moment when I'm proven right. When I act in such a manner, I'm choosing my agenda over valuing another person. Jesus' example shows me a need to stand for truth AND then I need to allow truth to do its work all by itself.
God still had more to teach me from this encounter. Jesus chose to look at the woman no one else wanted to see. He looked at her, he talked with her, and he accepted her where she was in that moment in time. He didn't ridicule her, condemn her, chastise her. Jesus offered the woman three things: forgiveness, hope and freedom. Jesus offers her forgiveness when he tells her "I don't condemn you either." Then Jesus tells her "Go. From now on, sin no more." (John 8:11, Amplified) With a simple "go" Jesus instructs her to move forward from this moment and live life. Jesus doesn't want any of us to be stuck in a moment that brought overwhelming fear, ridicule or pain. Jesus offered this precious woman hope that she didn't need to live as a victim or with bitterness. Lastly, Jesus offers the woman freedom from the sin that had trapped her in a life that was all about selfish desires. Jesus values who she is by challenging her to live as she was created to live: honoring the One who forgave her and gave her life hope.
Jesus set an example for me to accept people where they are, period, no conditions. Jesus set an example of offering forgiveness before someone changes his or her behavior. Forgiveness is a gift emphasizing someone's God-given value. Jesus' example teaches me I am to encourage others to move forward in life; I am to value others and choose to treat them in a way that doesn't encourage an attitude of bitterness, or leads them to believe I see them as one who is unacceptable or unforgiveable. Jesus' example provides me with the purpose of discipleship. When I value others, I believe they can be more than they imagine with the help of the Holy Spirit. God places people in each of our lives to influence for His glory and He calls us to make disciples; to teach others the ways of living a God-honoring life.
First Peter 1:15, in the Amplified version says, " [Be set apart from the world by your godly character and moral courage]. " I'm not to physically set myself apart from others. This world may not be my home, but it is my current residence. While I'm living here, I am to live out Jesus' example, showing  godly character and moral courage → just like Christ did with the adulterous woman. It's time to set aside my selfish agenda and choose to treat others kindly, see each individual's value, stand up for truth, offer forgiveness, hope and freedom. It may sound a bit overwhelming if I had to do it all on my own. Thankfully the call to be holy, the command to be set apart, comes with the gift of the Holy Spirit. 
To God be the glory.