Don't Go Hungry

"Pray without ceasing" 1 Thessalonians 5:17


Three short words (makes them easy to memorize ) yet so much power! It's amazing to me that such a short verse could be so loaded in content. It can, as well, come across as an impossible command. However, in my quiet time with God this morning, I spent some time in prayer meditating on the meaning behind those words and found it to be an attainable command through God's grace.

Before we become overwhelmed by this concept, let me point out that God knows we have careers, daily to-do lists, and so forth. He knows that we can't spend all day every day on our knees in prayer. What He wants from us is to give Him recognition at every opportunity, to come to Him when we need guidance and to be so in tune to His will that we reflect on that as we handle all decisions which come our way every day.

When I think of incessant prayer, the first thing which pops into my mind is Daniel. Here was a man who was told not to pray to his God by law. Nearly everyone around him was succumbing to the pressure and he had a choice to make. When faced with the decision, not only did he stand firm and refuse to cease praying, he did it three times a day! He made going to God in prayer throughout the day his top priority---- even over his own life. What a model for us to follow. Jesus did the same. He stayed in constant communication with His Father in heaven throughout His life on earth, even to His death on the cross.

On a personal level, I look forward to a small group study I have once a week with some wonderful sisters in Christ. We have the opportunity to share and grow together spiritually. God uses them in mighty ways to speak to me and I pray I'm an open vessel for Him to speak through me as well. Anyway, the group facilitator gave such a neat reminder on prayer yesterday which led me to spend more time meditating on 1 Thes. 5:17 this morning. She said when it comes to time spent with God, we have to think about it being a daily thing. After all, we don't just eat to nourish our bodies once a week. It's a daily occurrence without much thought. When we're hungry, we eat. So, the question I had to ask myself is "Why is it so easy to get off track in staying in a state of prayer throughout the day?" I mean, I go to God in prayer each morning. I prayer over all my meals. I send up petitions to God in times of need. However, how often do I pray to God "just because" throughout my day? How often do I give Him the recognition for the little things? In pondering that, I'm reminded that we're creatures of habit. We do things without even thinking because those things are what we're used to doing. We don't think twice about getting into the car and tuning into our favorite radio station on our commute because it's what we do every day. We turn on the TV and watch our favorite shows because it's our habit of relaxation. Yet for these things to become habitual, we had to do them over and over. After awhile, those routines became habits.

In order to make incessant prayer become a habit, we have to purposefully practice it first. In asking God to reveal some ways this can be achieved, He's laid on my heart a few ideas: 1) Since we have to eat to survive and many of us take the time to say a blessing anyway, why not make the blessing have more purpose? Rather than saying "God is great..." before a meal, make it a time to talk with God. He wants a relationship with us. The way we get to know other people is by talking to them. He wants the same from us. Take time to do more than just thank Him for the food. Reflect on who He is, reflect on the blessings of the day, etc.... Make mealtime prayers meaningful. Our children will be the first to tell you that ritualistic prayers aren't allowed at the table because we aren't truly talking to our Father when we say them. 2)One of the things the Lord laid on my heart recently is how much time is wasted throughout the day which could be spent in communication with Him. So, I've begun praying for ways to fill those time slots with things of real value. For instance, when I arrive early in the carpool line at school, I try having verses printed on index cards I can take out and work on scripture memory and just talking with God. Admittedly, I'm quick to get on the cell phone in those moments and call a friend. Yet God desperately wants to be that Friend. So, I can fill mundane moments or short lulls in my day with spurts of prayer, 3) having a list of prayer requests in different places--- my nightstand, in the car, in an office desk at work, etc.... helps me to remember the importance of praying on the behalf of others 4)making it a point to both begin and end the day in prayer --- God is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, and that should be no different in our lives. 5) Making a point to memorize His word so that I can talk with Him about it in prayer and share it with others when needed.


I need a lot of improvement in this area. God has really laid it on my heart that I need to come to Him throughout the day in communication. I want to hide His word in my heart that I might not sin against Him. You wanna join me? Let's fortify our lives through prayer and the Word.

Oh Mighty Counselor, why do I so often seek counsel in others when you're right there waiting on me to talk with You? You are worthy of praise all day every day! Life has no meaning without You. Thank You for communicating with me. Thank You for your unconditional love, care, and desire for that which is most important in my life. May it be my heart's desire each day to spend time in prayer and communication with you. May it be such a habit that it comes as naturally as eating lunch. Lord, I want it to be such a habit that scriptures flood my thoughts all day long in the good and bad points of the day. You desire my love and devotion and it's the very least I can give. Thank you, Father for your sacrifice. Thank you for giving me thirst for Your Living Water. May it always be my heart's desire to be pleasing to you. I pray that I continue to grow in You in such a way that even though my thoughts aren't your thoughts and my ways aren't your ways, they'll begin to conform more to that likeness. Thank you for hearing my prayers. In Jesus' name, Amen.

We Are Free!

There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:1







I don't know about you, but the above verse makes me breathe a huge sigh of relief! Whew! It's a huge relief to me to know that as much as I mess up, I'm forgiven. I'm not condemned.







Last Sunday in my Sunday School class we were discussing how James 2:10 tells us that if we stumble at just one point in the law, we're guilty of breaking all of it. That verse alone is a blatant reminder of how we fall short in keeping the Ten Commandments. It makes me so thankful that Christ died on the cross so that I wouldn't have to fear my lack of perfection. I know there's no condemnation for my failures. Otherwise, I could look over the past week alone and fret over my failings. I fail in ways that I don't even realize sometimes. I could easily let those shortcomings consume me. Sadly, there are times where I have let my past failures consume me. I've fretted over them. It's one thing to have a godly sorrow over our failures. Such sorrow brings us to a point of repentance where we turn from those failures and seek God's face. However, it's another thing altogether to allow shame to consume us. As I was reminded this week in my bible study, shame holds us back from godly potential. It is a snare used by Satan to make us feel worthless and unworthy of God's love. It is a lie.





It's interesting, we have a wonderful senior pastor at our church who often tells stories of his family dog to help with our understanding of certain points. The stories are a precious application of God's Word. In hearing the stories, it reminds me of my own sweet black Lab mix from my childhood. The dog's name was Susie and she was the sweetest, most gentle, most loyal dog anyone could ever hope to have. How I loved that dog! I'd talk to her when I was happy about something. I'd hug her when sad. All the while she'd sit there as if she truly understood everything I was telling her. She was such a good dog. She was so good, in fact, I distinctly remember a time of her obedience after a trip to the grocery store. We had come home and parked the car in the driveway and went about unloading groceries. It was in the evening, so when we were done, we went in for the night. The next morning as we were making breakfast we discovered the bread for toast was nowhere to be seen. We looked and looked but couldn't find it. So, I volunteered to go outside to check to see if it was still in the car. As soon as I opened the door, I saw Susie sitting by a loaf of bread which lay on the ground untouched. She sat right next to it but didn't try to open the bag or take any. I was amazed. It was so obvious she wanted some, but she'd chosen not to eat any.





In thinking of Susie, I remember her to be an obedient dog with a gentle nature. However, I do recall temporary disobedience. Just like us, she did mess up from time to time. In fact, there was one occasion where she'd messed up and made her remorse obvious. Being an outside dog most of the time, we had to have friends feed her when we went away on vacation. We lived way out in the country, so she was pretty easy to maintain. She just needed food and water, and in those days, she just roamed free. There really weren't any enforced leash laws where we lived. Well, she hated when we left her. It was typically the only time we saw her stubborn streak come out. On this occasion, I remember returning from our vacation and not being able to find her upon our return. We called her and called her the minute we got out of the car. We were panic stricken when she didn't come running at the sound of our voices. We immediately began searching while calling her. After about ten minutes, she slowly rounded the corner of the house with her head low to the ground and her tail tucked between her hind legs. What an unusual greeting compared to her normal jumping and barking. So, I just looked at her. "Susie, you did something. What have you done?", I questioned as if waiting for a reply. She knew, though. She was a smart dog. She slowly turned her back to me and began walking around the other side of the house as if motioning me to follow. On the other side, I found the reason behind her strange behavior. In vengeance for our leaving, she'd dug up some of my dad's beautiful rose garden. She had broken stems and completely uprooted some of it. And as I looked at what she'd done and then into her eyes, I could see remorse. She had acted out in haste and then had time to then about her poor judgment. She knew we'd be disappointed. However, all it took was for me to pat her on the head and tell her it was okay and she was soon jumping and nuzzling up against me as usual.



We're a lot like that. We're impulsive (at least I know I am!) and often do things without thinking them through. We don't listen to God's still small voice warning us against certain things. We jump right in with both feet and do things our own way. Afterwards, we're left feeling guilty over our disobedience. Unlike Susie though, we don't often get over it so quickly. We hold onto shame. We don't allow God to heal us. When in reality, we've already been forgiven. God just wants us to have sorrow over our mistakes to bring us to the point of turning from them and back to him. He doesn't want us to hold onto them. We're free! I don't know about you, but that is such a weight lifted from me. I can look back at times where I've failed, ask God to forgive me and bring healing, turn to Him, and never look back. I can press on. Just like Susie, I can love on Him again without any barriers between us. How thankful I am to know I can let go of past mistakes.







Father, thank you for forgiveness found in Jesus. I'm so glad to know past failures don't have to weigh me down. I know I can come to you with them and you can forgive me and still love me. You don't condemn me when I have a true heart of repentance. Thank you for the hope I have in you. And Lord, for any of us who have past hurts and sorrows, we ask that you bring healing so that we don't have any walls between us and you. We want to look full in your wonderful face. We want to be malleble for your hands to form us into the likeness of Jesus. Oh,, how I love you Father with all that I am. I'm so thankful for your forgiveness and healing. I'm thankful for your refuge and power over darkness. I praise your victorious name! In the name of the precious Son of God, Amen.

This One's For the Christians

"Therefore, I urge you brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--- this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--- His good, pleasing, and perfect will." Romans 12:1-2


I'm going to make a point from the beginning of this post like a racehorse charging out of the gate. If you've never surrendered your life to Christ, skip this one. Refer back to the third blog in January. Otherwise, the following could seem a little confusing. This post is strictly for the admonishment of Christians as placed on my heart over and over by the Holy Spirit.

Though it pains me to come in somber spirit, I've had a heavy heart. It may have a lot to do with a bible study I'm taking or just a bird's eye view of satanic attacks on Christians everywhere. Unfortunately, too many knees are buckling under the pressure. We're not prepared. We've neglected to put on the full armor of God as protection for the schemes of the evil one. When we're not prepared through the Word and prayer, we're vulnerable. The unfortunate thing is we've become lazy. We enjoy being entertained. If our preacher doesn't tell enough jokes, or he gets too "heavy" in the message, we tune it out. We are becoming a body of hearers, who become like a foundation of sand on which a home can be built. We're lacking in substance. If our hearts aren't truly focused and in tune with the Word of God, we won't be prepared when the evil one strikes.

Did you realize that Ezekiel 28:17 tells us that Satan was physically beautiful? He was cast out on account of his pride? We also know that John 8:44 calls him the "father of lies." When you mix the two, you have a toxin. Think about it: Why is sin so appealing? Based on the two facts we just discussed, we know that 1) Satan knows how to be appealing. He knows how to make the vilest of things appear attractive to us and 2) he knows how to deceive us as a complete counterfeit to all that is true and pure. That is, IF we make ourselves vulnerable to that. He knows to attack our thinking in ways that we can rationalize and justify. And unfortunately, the church is a target. He wants us to conform to the ways of the world. He wants us to fill our minds with that which is evil. It may be through music, television, movies, or internet. What we have to do is strengthen our relationship with God so that we can have the discernment to clearly see that which is evil in disguise. We must not be afraid to take a stand against that which is not of God. We can obtain discernment through the following: 1) scripture 2)prayer and asking God for wisdom with a pure heart, and finally 3) guarding our hearts and minds from that which is unholy. I may step on some toes when I say that we cannot take in movies and shows which blaspheme the name of God and think they'll have no impact. Why should we even be okay with that in the first place? It should break our hearts. It should sicken us. We're often quicker to take up for our child in a bully situation than we are to take up for our Lord!

So friends, please don't take offense to my words. I say these things out of love. I'm seeing too many divorces, sexual perversion, slander, abuse situations lately. As brothers and sisters in Christ, we must confront one another on such issues. We must take a proactive stance to protect ourselves as vessels of the Father. We must not be conformed but transformed by the Word.

If you know you are under attack at the moment, don't fear that it's too late or there's no way out of your circumstance. Pray to God in fervent prayer over your situation. Get in the word. Find a godly friend with whom you can share accountability-- this needs to be someone who is very strong in the faith. You need someone who will hold you accountable for your thoughts and actions. Lastly, don't underestimate the power of meeting together regularly with the body of Christ. We're commanded to do that.

A wonderful verse that I quote in times of temptation and trial is James 4:7 "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." I love that one because it tells me that when I submit myself to the will of God that the devil won't just go away, he'll flee! We who are in Christ have power over him. We aren't powerless and don't have to fear defeat or remain in the throes of sin.


Heavenly Father, I do come with a heavy heart today. I find it exceedingly difficult to hear of various trials that my brothers and sisters are currently enduring. Yet Lord, I know you have everything in your control. You are the omnipotent Lord of all creation. Father, I pray that anyone dealing with pride, bitterness, depression, abuse, lust, malice, addictions, or even those just beginning to be led astray would listen to your call now. Lord, may no one ignore that conviction to come to you for healing or repentance. I pray that they would know that there is an escape from sin. There is a way out. And Lord, if there is complacency in the heart of anyone reading this, help them to understand how that pains you and is not within your will. I pray for a healthy body of believers Lord. I pray that the lost will be able to clearly distinguish between God's children and the lost world. Hear my prayers, Lord, and intercede on their behalf. Thank you, Father for loving us through it all. Thank you for hearing my prayers. Father, I long to die to the selfish desires of my flesh that I may be molded in your likeness. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Happy Valentine's Day!

"This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." 1 John 4:9-10



Love is in the air! Candy hearts, chocolates, flowers, romantic movies. Valentine's Day is definitely a day for displays of love. In fact. one of the things I enjoy most about Valentine's Day is the thought and preparation for the day. It's great fun for my children. It's definitely one of their favorite days.



Over the last week, we've baked cookies in heart shapes and had fun decorating them. We had a wonderful opportunity to make Valentine's packages at our church and hand them out at a nursing home. The children had fun filling out cards and gathering up candies to give to classmates. There was also the search for the "perfect card" for my husband for the big day. It was all filled with excitement in organizing all the details to make the day a special one.



I think the thing I love most about Valentine's Day is the opportunity we have to look beyond ourselves. We get to show love to others and let them know what they mean to us. We have the opportunity to make others' smile. We get to bring joy to others. In fact, one of the things I love to see most is the preparation of classroom Valentines. Since my children are still fairly young, they're required to give Valentines to all classmates. What's wonderful about it is knowing there will be no child left out. All children will receive a Valentine. They all have something to open and get the wonderful feeling that others care about them.

It's good to feel loved and appreciated. However, no other relationship can touch the love our Father in heaven has for us. Since we are selfish creatures, our displays of love aren't without limitations. Not so with God. His love amazes me. I often disobey Him and I don't spend as much time with Him as I should. I get in a hurry and sometimes rush through my prayers to Him. It's funny, when I think about the repercussions that ensue following these types of behaviors in human relationships, I realize the depth of His love for me. If I fall short with people, there's often silent treatment, ostracizing, criticism, lashing out and sometimes, excommunication--- even if I've aplogized! God, on the other hand, when I go to Him with a pure heart of repentance, extends love. There's mercy there. He won't hold a grudge. He'll love me as He always has. What an amazing love that is! What a difference there is between the two. His love knows no bounds. I'm thankful for that!

So, on Valentine's Day, I'm so thankful for my husband and children and loved ones. I'm glad to have their love in my life. They are such blessings. But the real, enduring kind of love comes from the Father! I wish every Valentine's Day fell on Sunday. It's so appropriate to recognize the source of love and come to Him in worship on such a day as today. Let us worship our Father of love!


"Father, I adore you, lay my life before you. How I love you," Thank you for the love you show us Lord. Thank you that your love knows no bounds. You are Love! Thank you for loving us. May we show you love by coming to you in prayer, meditating on your word, obeying your commands, and loving others. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

A Healthy Dose of Reality

"You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below." Exodus 20:3-4











We've all heard this as one of the Ten Commandments many, many times. It's one of the "biggies." Yet we also tend to think it's something we have a pretty good handle on. If we're not hungering for money or success, if we're not too into things of monetary value, then we're good. Right? Wrong! Lemme share with you my little healthy dose of reality as put before me by my dear, sweet husband recently! It was something I needed to hear and something which served as a blatant reminder of falling back into the snare of our carnal nature.







I take the Word of God very seriously. Unfortunately, this hasn't always been the case. There was a time in my life where I slipped into a comfortable place of complacency. I felt like I could go to church, read a bible verse here or there, help in a few areas in the church and I was covered. I didn't really take the time for growth in the Lord. I didn't spend undivided time in His Word daily. I didn't come to Him in repentance for my sins. I allowed the sin barrier to come between us. There was no real desire to know Him better or be more like Him. I was fine with just cruising along. I could go to church and learn some from the pastor's message.







Over the years, I've always felt the conviction of the Holy Spirit in different areas since my conversion. In some of those areas I chose to listen. In other areas I chose to ignore the warnings. Over time, I began to realize the risk in not heeding the warnings that were laid on my heart. I began to see how God calls His children back to him. If we won't listen, He'll use whatever means necessary to pull us back to Him. He brings us to our knees with a broken and contrite heart. He does what it takes for us to depend solely on him and give Him all the glory and honor in our lives.

I'm learning that a lack of moderation in any area of my life with the exception of my spiritual growth will have a hindrance on my relationship with God and results in disobedience to His commands. This can occur specifically in the ways in which we invest our time daily. As my husband gently pointed out recently, I had gotten off-balance in the area of time management recently. Of course, I've been a hard worker and diligent in maintaining order in my household. I've met all the physical needs of my family. In the evenings, however, I've spent far too much time with my laptop in my lap surfing the internet. My justification has been that my husband was watching shows that were of no particular interest to me so I would just get online while sitting beside him. Unfortunately, I didn't think about the fact that this breaks down communication between the two of us. He was completely engaged in one activity while I was engaged in another. Unfortunately, the amount of time spent on these activities was becoming obsessive. So, my husband lovingly admonished me in this area. He reminded me of the importance of our time together. With a sheepish nod of agreement, I fully recognized his point.

The Webster's definition for idolatry is as follows: 1) The worship of a physical object as a god and 2)immoderate attachment or devotion to something. If we look at the second definition and take a careful assessment of our time and devotion, we may not like what we see. While my immoderate devotion was creeping up in the form of a laptop, it can hit us in many areas. We can be immoderately devoted to our children, putting their needs before that of our spouse. It can come in the form of devotion to our careers, our friendships, our belongings, and even church activities. It's so important to maintain a healthy balance. It's so difficult, I think, especially for women. By nature, we want to create a warm home, nurture friendships, be good mothers, be helpful in doing for others, etc... However, any one of those areas, if too much emphasis is placed there, over developing our relationship with God, builds a wall between us and our Father. Luke 12:34 reminds us that our hearts will be where our treasure is. We must carefully examine what it is we treasure.

How about you? How do you spend the bulk of your time? If you were to sit down and look at how you fill each minute of the day would it be an eye-opening experience? Are spending time on things which are self-serving? Are you placing more importance on things or people than God? If so, it's time to re-prioritize. I'm right there with you. We all have to take inventory. None of God's children are exempt.

Father, you are Holy. You are worthy of our worship. The desires of our hearts must be to you. He bow before your splendor and majesty. Your omnipotence amazes us. You reign over all. You are worthy of all we have and all we are. Father, help us in finding balance in our lives. We want to live a life pleasing to you. Please forgive me where I've misplaced my allegiance in my activities. Father, I know there's nothing wrong with rest. In fact, you command us to rest. However, I do know that we are to manage our time wisely. Please give me discernment that I may do that according to your Word. I long to be a good steward of my time and all to which you've entrusted me. Thank you, Father for using your gentle correction. Thank you for using my husband in that way. I pray that I may always be willing to be molded in your likeness. May my heart never be hardened toward you. I praise you because you are worthy of all praise. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Where's My Rolex?

"People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction." 1 Timothy 6:9



I heard a cute fictional story the other day which made me laugh but ponder 1 Timothy 6:9 as well. While I laughed at the out-of-whack mentality, I realized that it hit on a major issue we see in our culture. If you've heard it, forgive my very loose paraphrase.....

There was this man who'd hit the prime in his life. He'd made quite a success of himself by worldly standards. He had a big, beautiful home, nice cars, fine clothes, and all the latest technology. He had recently purchased another new car. It was a red Lamborghini. It was a sight to behold. He'd even shelled out $50,000 in upgrades for this new toy of his. Of course, immediately, he wanted to show it off! He decided to take it for a spin to see just how fast it could go! So, he took off and barrelled down the highway at a speed which other cars couldn't even register. He found it to be a little boring on the highway, so he decided to take off on a wild and crazy ride down some back roads. All was fine, until another car was pulling out in front of him and he spun out of control to prevent hitting the other driver. He lost control and crashed on the other side of an embankment.

Only a few moments had passed when, the man could hear a distinct sound of sirens in the distance. He'd been thrown from the car and couldn't clearly remember the details of what had happened. The paramedics rushed to the scene and tried to move the man to a stretcher. Unbeknownst to him, his left arm had been torn from his body. He didn't notice, though, because he was too busy looking at his car he'd wrecked. "My car. Oh no! My beautiful car!," he cried. Authorities couldn't believe what they were hearing. "But sir, you're badly hurt. We need to get you in the ambulance right away!," they said, while trying to snap the man into reality. "Oh, but officer, that car is my baby. I have $50,000 in upgrades on that little beauty," the man went on. Stunned, the officer looked him right in the eyes and replied, "Sir, you've lost your left arm. Don't you see that your life is what's important here?" In a look of horror, the man stared dumbfounded into the officer's eyes and shouted, "Oh no! My Rolex!!......"

As outlandish as this story sounds, many people have a similar mentality in terms of the importance they place on the things they acquire. They have a "white knuckle" grip on their belongings and a strong drive to continue acquiring more. It can get to a point where it becomes the driving force in their lives. They acquire more only to discover that it doesn't satisfy their desires. Unfortunately, such a mentality is fruitless and contrary to the Word of God. 1 Timothy 6:10 warns us that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. We cannot have a love for God and love for money at the same time.

How about you? Do you own your things or do your things own you? The more I grow, the more I realize the importance of discernment in areas of finances. While I've never been much of a spendthrift, I do have to carefully assess my motives behind ways I choose to spend money. Am I spending money on something which is necessary? Am I spending money on something which will be impressive to others? Is that my motive? Am I buying something with a designer label for others to notice when a cheaper label is much more practical?



Father, help us in making wise financial decisions. Help us to do what it right in your eyes with that which you entrust us. Most importantly, let us always remember to give you the tithes and offerings which belong to you. We want to be faithful servants in all areas. Please deliver us from any strongholds or any "sin which so easily entangles" so that there are no barriers between us and you. Thank you for growing us in your Word and granting us wisdom which comes from you. Thank you for strength where we are weak. May we be weak so that all power and wisdom in us brings all glory and honor to you. Thank you, Father. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Judging Others

"Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment." John 7:24











I was very fortunate to grow up in a Christ-believing, Christ-led, home. My upbringing afforded me the opportunity to learn many biblical truths. I'll be forever thankful and in great appreciation that my parents took me to church, convicted my heart of sinful thoughts and ways, and raised me in biblical principles. Although I falter on a daily basis and fall short, I thank them for the woman they've helped me strive to be. The simple truths they instilled in me I can pass down to my own children. I pray my children will feel the same appreciation toward their grandparents and take time to learn from their wisdom.







Among the truths my parents impressed upon me from an early age was that of treating everyone the way I'd want to be treated. I was always taught not to judge others based on appearances, status, race, etc... I held firm to that principle all throughout my early years. I cringed at the children who were chided and ridiculed in school to the point of befriending them. I tried to do that in all situations. I tried to be diligent in that effort throughout high school and college. It wasn't always the easy or popular thing to do. Perhaps it was a mix of conviction and just a plain old stubborn streak. I'm not sure what the cause, but whatever it was, I stuck by it.

In fact, I distinctly remember one such situation when I was waiting tables in college. I worked in a nice little Italian restaurant. Most of the customers were middle class, nicely dressed customers who were either on a date night or on a family outing. However, on this particular night, we had a couple of rough and rugged looking bikers walk through the door. Customers and restaurant staff alike actually turned heads when they walked through the doors of the restaurant. They came in with leather chaps, dressed all in black. They were tattoo laden with bandannas stretched over their long, wiry hair. Their skin, damaged by the sun, was leathery. In a nutshell, they really didn't go with the ambiance of our quaint little restaurant.







The night those men walked in wasn't a particularly busy night for the wait staff. Up to that point, we'd practically been fighting over any customer who walked in the door as our pay came mostly from tips. Yet we all stood in the wait station watching as the hostess seated these two. Undaunted, she walked into the wait station and asked whose turn it was to take a table. I knew it wasn't mine. I already had a few tables so I kept silent while waiting on the other waitresses to chime in. No one said a word. Again the hostess asked who wanted to take the table, I stood appalled as the others refused to take the table. So, I told her I'd do it.







That night made an indelible mark on me as I waited on those two men. They were very kind, polite men. They talked with me for a few moments and thanked me for the friendly service and smile. They were a very easy table. They'd only ordered a couple waters and some salads. When finished, they got up from the booth, called me in their direction, and handed me a twenty dollar tip for a ten dollar meal! My jaw dropped. I had never received that kind of tip before, and obviously, I never forgot it.







Now, let me be very clear, I did not tell that story to boast. Please don't misunderstand that. I pray that I never boast except to boast in the Lord. No, I told that story to lead up to what happened recently where I had not held to those convictions. It leads to a moment where I went home and hung my head in shame. It was a moment that helped me to recall those two men in that restaurant so many years ago.







In the more recent past, there was a man I'd run into on a daily basis during the course of my routine. He was a friendly man. He had a good nature about him. He appeared to be a very lonely man. I saw him on a regular basis in the gym where I worked out. The first few times I saw him, he'd just say hello to me and get on the cardio equipment next to me as I was finishing up my own routine. I'd just plug my music back in my ears and continue what I was doing. After a few times of this, he began getting on the equipment earlier on in my routine. I began feeling a little inconvenienced. He was a heavy man who had a strong odor as he worked up a sweat. What's more, he would talk incessantly as I tried to get my routine done an be on my way. After a few weeks of that, it was getting a little irritating. I began trying to find ways to avoid him. I'd try doing my strength training first and then going to the cardio equipment when he finished. Well, of course, he caught onto that and would have none of that! What do you think he did? He switched his routine too! So, I tried coming in later in the day. Then he started doing two-a-days! Ugh! What was I to do?







One morning as I was in the middle of my quiet time, I went to God in prayer asking him for opportunities to tell others about Him. I'll bet you can guess whose face came to mind instantly! Yep, "Gym Guy" was put before me by my Lord. God placed a burden on my heart for this man. How judgmental I'd been! I thought back over the times I'd watch the man walking through the gym looking for someone to care. He wanted someone to take a few moments to listen. He wanted someone to make him feel like he wasn't inferior. To think I'd honestly taken pride in the fact that I was a loving person. I didn't judge others. Wow. That was a nice little lesson on pride and judgment from the Almighty Himself. I had no choice but to ask forgiveness and determine I would be faithful in the small things.







As it turns out, the man had been badly injured years before and was trying to do some rehabilitation to regain some strength and get his body back to an ideal weight. I got to see God's marvelous plan at work when I revealed to the man that I had done some personal training on the side a couple years before and could tell him a little about his form and give him a few pointers in terms of nutrition. Then it occurred to me that this was what God wanted me to do. Jesus came to earth and spent much time meeting physical needs before confronting the spiritual condition of humankind. This poor man had just wanted someone to show some care and concern and I had been too busy. I hadn't looked at him and seen what God sees. Yet God had put me there to show him a love like His.



In the future, I hope I'm in tune enough with the will of God to see the needs of others. I hope I can share His love without judgment. I hope I'm not too busy to show I care. For I know if I become too wrapped up in judgment and my own ideals, I'm missing great opportunities. I'm missing out on the blessings He has in store for me. I certainly wouldn't want to miss out on that!





Gracious and loving Father, forgive me for being judgmental. How hypocritical it is for me to see the speck in someone else's eye without noting the plank in my own. Your word tells me that I am to first remove the plank in my own eye if I am to see clearly to remove the speck in my brother's eye. I'm sorry, Lord. I'm a work in progress. I'm gonna mess up sometimes. I desperately need your loving hand to guide me. I'm so thankful for your forgiveness and conviction in areas where I need vast improvement. Lord, I pray I would WELCOME opportunities to be a light in a dark world. I know that you won't always present opportunities as I would picture them. Open my spiritual eyes that I may see you at work around me. Thank you so much for loving me despite my shortcomings. I love you so very much. In the name of Jesus, Amen.