Platitudes

For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin,

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.  Hebrews 4:15,16

We all mean well, don't we?  A friend reveals bad news from their doctor-

A family member loses their job-

An unexpected death, finance or health problems come our way-

Someone confides in you about a situation, revealed only because they are seeking prayer.

And what do we do?

Speak platitudes.

We fill their ears with platitudes as if we know all the answers for which they seek.

We remind them to keep their eyes on the Lord, quote verses, which is all good, after all, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 says, "Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

But what I'm saying here is that often our good intentions of counsel are not needed at that specific time.

When approached by a hurting friend sometimes all that is needed is a listening ear.

It isn't about us, it's about them.

They need someone to listen to their hurt, not have us tell them about what we went through.  That can come later, but right now, just listen.  Leave the rehearsed platitudes buried.

God, help us to listen, love, and then leave the platitudes unspoken...

    Only You, Lord, truly know what they are going through-

    But that's just me!

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.  Proverbs 25:11

True Friend/Best Friend

I've been thinking a lot about friendships lately.  Best friends to be exact.   I think that term has been miss-defined.  It doesn't mean what it used to mean.  Friendships now-a-days are made because of how it will benefit one person in the relationship, while the other is left wanting and scratching their head.  In some friendships you will have a 'Taker' and a 'Giver.'  But in true friendships each person will be a Giver.

So-what kind of a friend am I?  And what types of friends and friendships do I have?  As I began to think about what a Best Friend is, I came up with a few ideas:

A Best Friend is:

    One who knows the good and bad about you but loves you anyway-

    One who can listen to your hurts and cry with you and one who can laugh with you in good times-

    One who can tell you hard things when they see something that isn't quite right-

    One who wants to spend time with you and remembers your special days-

    One who can be your total opposite and will still respect who you are as a person-

    One who you can trust completely with your whole heart-

    One who will help you grow in the Lord.

I think sometimes as women we think we need to have a Best Friend, and we picture what our Best Friends were like from our growing up years. Best Friends were made because we were next door neighbors, went to school together, or maybe an event or sports brought you together.  Best Friends can be exclusive, meaning you only have one true friend, or they can be all inclusive, meaning you can have lots of best friends because they are always there for you right when you need them!

And still, again, you can consider someone to be your best friend, and you may not be their best friend.  But that is ok.  We are to be the "Giver' in all relationships!

With all this being said, I know the One True Best Friend in my life is the Lord Jesus Christ who loved me, Saved me and will never leave me.  Then my husband is my best friend.  And although he is not perfect, (neither am I) he, too, is always there for me.

Proverbs 27:6 says, 'Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful."

A true friend will tell you the hard things.  There will be wounded times that will help us grow in the Lord and save us from further heartache, and a deceitful friend will flatter with kindness to get what they want for their own selfish reasons.  

I like to think of a wound from a friend that will cut deep, but scab over.  A pretty pink scar will remain to remind me of the depth of love my friend had for me.  She loved me enough that it hurt to help me see correctly and stay on the right path.  A wound from a deceitful friend never seems to scab over, and when I think of the hurt, it is like it happened yesterday, it never seems to heal.  It's because it was a selfish deceitful hurt.  A hurt that was camouflaged, disguised as love, but was really only for selfish gain.

So again, what type of friend am I?  What type of friend are you?

I want to be a True Friend, Faithful Friend and a Best Friend for those who need a friend-

    But that's just me!

"A faithful friend is a truthful friend."  Woodrow Krull

Pruning

Jesus speaking; John 15:1,2,8 "I AM the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples."

Every Fall a Tree Service Company drives into our little town to prune tree branches away from the power lines-

Yesterday the truck stopped at my house.  As I watched the man hack away at the living branches from my Ash tree and watching as he left behind the dead limbs on this tree, a thought entered my mind.

How differently my Saviour prunes me.  He gently removes growth that has become stunted by disease; maybe cares of this world?

He trims away infested boughs, impure thoughts, perhaps?

He breaks away the dead, brittle sticks that no longer produce anything of value...a critical spirit, bitterness, dead works?

And He leaves behind vines that will bear fruit in the days to come; maybe a word spoken in due season?

Sometimes pruning hurts.  Something is removed that I thought was necessary in my life, but The One Who can see the purpose He created me to be, knows better.

I'm thankful for the Master Gardener who loves me enough to snip away my brittle branches so that the hidden growth underneath will flourish and grow in the sunshine of His Light-to become more like Him!

    But that's just me!

Pruning allows what's left to blossom into something beautiful-anonymous

Sibling Rivalry

"Mom always did like you best!"  Tommy Smothers

From the beginning of time there has been one thing that seems to be a constant, it seems to never change.

Sibling rivalry.

There seems to be this mentality of who is the greatest, most popular, or most important?  

There are examples in the bible from Cain and Abel, Jacob and Esau, Joseph and his brothers, and even Jesus' own disciples.  (Luke 9:46)

People are often cast aside or quit because of sibling rivalry, all in the guise of favoritism.

Nothing gets resolved because of pride; after all, 'I didn't do anything wrong, it's not my fault they feel this way.'

Or is it?

When I was a kid there were moments of sibling rivalry.  I was the youngest of four children, so there were plenty of opportunities to quarrel.  My mom used to call these moments, 'being too big for your britches!'  Do you know how she handled such situations?  Three words:  "KNOCK IT OFF!"

We did too, because we knew if we didn't, the next thing coming would be the end of a wooden spoon on our fannies!

And just like rivalry never changes, neither does the answer to such rivalries.

Jesus says in Mark 10:44 "And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all."

So, the next time I feel my feathers being ruffled by what seems to be the unfairness of life, I will identify the problem of wearing too big of britches.  Then I will roll up my sleeves and get back to work.

    But that's just me!

"O Lord, above all things, make me a blessing to my comrades.  I am not anxious for a place or name, and if Thou canst better use me to this end at the rear than at the front, I shall rejoice.  But let me be a burning shining light to my comrades!"  Samuel Brengle

"Humility is nothing but the disappearance of self in the vision that God is all."

    Andrew Murray

Distractions

1 Corinthians 7:35b ...and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.

Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.  Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.  Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.

Proverbs 4:25-27

I have a black, yellow-striped garter snake slithering around in my salvia flowers.  I didn't see him until last night.  Unfortunately, my little puppy, Grace, spotted him as well.  Now, every time I let her outside to go potty, she spends most of her time searching for this unusual creature.

Distractions.

Something that will take your focus off of one thing onto another.

In Luke 10:40-42 we see that Martha was distracted too.  The bible tells us that, 'Martha was cumbered about much serving,' She was much too busy in the work, and not mindful of the One in whom she was serving.  In verse 41 and 42, Jesus said, " Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:  But one thing is needful: 

The devil wants to distract you.  He will use whatever or whoever he can to remove your focus and attention off of the Lord.  He can even use your service for the Lord as the distraction.

I've heard it said that if the enemy can't destroy you, he will distract you.

Ask the Lord to show you what may be distracting you from what is really important.  I already know that this afternoon I will be removing the salvia-

    But that's just me!

Don't let the noise of the world keep you from hearing the voice of the Lord-anonymous

    

Tripping Over Words

He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life:  but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.

Proverbs 13:3

I read this verse the other day and the first thought that came to my mind was, "Open mouth, insert foot!"

We've all been there, haven't we?  We said something that should not have been said, and you stand there in utter embarrassment facing the person you just offended.  You try to laugh off the faux pax, but all you want to do is crawl under a rock.

James gives us another admonition in James 1:19. He tells us, "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:"

Interesting verse because James is reminding the 'beloved brethren.'  Isn't it sad that this had to be said?  Shouldn't we as brethren already practice ready listening, few words, and love?  And yet, James had to remind the believers how to treat one another.

I was reminded that we as believer's often yield to our feelings and our flesh rather than yielding to the Holy Spirit of God.

According to Webster, Wrath means strong, vengeful anger.

To have to be reminded NOT to allow this to happen when conversing with other brothers and sisters in Christ is very telling.  

Pride is the root of such behavior.

There is an Amish Proverb that goes, "It is better to give others a piece of your heart than a piece of your mind."

When I speak, I want to speak slowly enough to remember that God is one of my listeners!

    But that's just me!

"Better to let them wonder why you didn't speak, that to wonder why you did."  Anonymous

"The testimony of the lips indicates the state of the heart."  Harry Ironside

Sharpener

"God, send me a friend that will tell me my faults."  Thomas Fuller

Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.  Proverbs 27:12

Whenever I think of this verse, the profession of a Blacksmith comes to my mind.  (Maybe, I've watched too many John Wayne movies?)

Their Smithy was usually located on the edge of town near the Livery Stable.  Easy access for those who travelled into town, and those leaving.  As you walked the street of the town, you would probably hear a familiar sound.  The hammering of iron against iron.  As you drew near, maybe the air became thick from the fire that constantly burned to keep the iron pliable.  Maybe you could hear the sound of sizzling when the completed piece of iron was placed in a nearby bucket of water that would solidify the completed project.  A tool, a farming implement, a horseshoe perhaps?  Something made to perform a specific task.

Hard work.

Sometimes friendships are hard work because they will require hard sayings.  Friends will, at times, have to set aside the joking and easy camaraderie to say, 'hard things.' If they really are your friend, that is.

"Spiritual friendship is eagerly helping one another know, serve, love and resemble God in deeper and deeper ways."  Tim Keller

It's not an easy thing to do, but when done right, when you speak the truth in love, and are genuinely concerned about the direction your friend may be going, it will allow your friend to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Your friendship will grow too.

"There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship."  Thomas Aquinas

Websters Dictionary defines sharpen as: to make sharp or hone.  Webster defines hone as: to make more acute, intense, or effective.

I had to ask myself, 'Do I care enough about my friend to make them more effective for Christ?  Or have I become a dull friend?'

I want true friends.  Those who can help me in my walk with Christ.

And I want to be a true friend, one who can help others in their walk with Christ.

    But that's just me!

"He is your friend who pushes you nearer to God."  Abraham Kuyper

"A faithful friend is a truthful friend."  Woodrow Kroll

I've Just Got to be Me!

For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.  2 Corinthians 10:12

I will never be an astronaut and fly to the moon.

I will never be a missionary in a foreign land.

I will never be known world-wide.

Isn't it funny how we compare who we are and what we do by those around us?  We try to measure our Service in the Lord by 'big things and little things.'  The world likes to categorize our worth by our accomplishments.

As a wife and mother, God created me to be a helpmeet to my husband and a godly example to my children.  The world thinks that is a small and worthless role to fulfill, but God thinks it's a great thing!

Don't let the world define your worth.

We know our worth through Christ.  He loved us so much that He died for us.  John 3:16

I need to remember that when God prompts me to do something and I obey, then I'm doing exactly what God wants me to do.  I am being who He created me to be. 

I want to encourage you to be who God created you to be.

I will joy in the work God gives me, serve in the place He has set me, and be the me He created me to be!

I may never be an astronaut and fly to the moon,

    but I can gaze up into the night sky and praise my Creator for the view from here.

I may never be a missionary in a foreign land,

    but I can share Christ with my neighbor.

I will never be known world-wide,

    But my Saviour knows my name.

And that is enough for me!

    But that's just me!

"You've made this day a special day, by just your being you.  There's no person in the whole world like you, and I like you, just the way you are!"  Fred Rogers