“THE GEM OF COMPETITION” – Mar 29

“But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.” 2 Corinthians 10:12b

I sit before my computer after a full night’s sleep, exhausted. I suffer from post-tournament exhaustion. My family and I have spent the last three days lost in the altered existence of the NCFCA Idaho Open. It is a strange world unto itself as days are consumed with alternating rounds of speech and debate. Days seem to endlessly stretch, yet pass in a blink.

I love these tournaments.  I love getting to watch the skills and talents of so many young people.  This year I had the privilege to speak to these competitors during the morning devotion on the opening day of the tournament. The following is a portion of what I shared:

 

This morning you will be embarking into competition. I love competition. Through competition, we get to test our skills and learn where we can improve. Obviously, this competition will be a test of your speaking and debating abilities.

However, I want to draw your attention to another test. It is a test that will be happening over the next three days, but will have no awards ceremony, there will be no ballots, no points will be tabulated and there will be only one Judge.

It is a test most competitors are unaware of and many will ignore.  You will all be competing in this test, whether you acknowledge it or not. However, you do have to submit yourselves to this test if you want the results and the subsequent value.

There is a gem in this competition beyond the superficial comparisons of who is the better speaker or superior debater.  I am interested in that, but what I care more about is your understanding of what is in happening in your own heart.

A glimpse of what is really happening in your heart can come from this competition, if you are attentive. That is my hope. I challenge all of you over the coming three days to be attentive to this important test. Believe me; it will be more important than any ballot comment  you may receive.

For those who will hear your name called for breaks, who will receive the NCFCA single clap of recognition, who will cross the stage on awards night, I encourage you at the brief instant of achievement to be attentive to your heart. That is the moment of your true test from this tournament. What will you boast in?

You will boast in something – you have no control over that; we were created to praise.

Therein lays the beauty of competition. Rarely, do we have so clear, so distinct of a moment to observe where our hearts will assign praise. It is why I love competition. It tests our souls; it informs us of what often lies hidden in our hearts; it draws it out and that is of eternal value.

2 Cor. 10:17 says: “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord. For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.”

I challenge all of you who will accomplish what you have come here to achieve; have the courage to honestly assess where your heart is assigning praise.

• Will you bask in your personal achievement or will you praise God for giving you the opportunity and the gifts;
• Will you show kindness and compassion to those who are disappointed;
• Will you be appreciative of all who made this opportunity possible;
• Will you humbly acknowledge your dependence upon God in that moment of success?

Learning this lesson is hard and you will learn that it must periodically be re-learned. Our human tendency is to want the praise of people but here, in this competition, you will receive a lesson on how to turn the praise of people into the praise of God.

That is a fragrant act of worship.

If you can learn that, it will be of value to you for a life time;
eternal value.

It can be a lasting treasure from this tournament.

For the rest of you, the majority who will not hear your name called, who will not receive an award, you have an opportunity to receive a gem that actually might be of more value than those who receive medals.

Paul tells us in 2 Cor. 12: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness….For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Cor. 12:9, 10b)

I challenge all of you who will not break; those whose memories will fail mid-speech; those whose arguments will crumble in debate; those who may be judged harshly – have the courage to honestly assess what your heart does when confronted with disappointment; when confronted with failure; when confronted with your weakness.

• Does your self-esteem rely upon the praise of people or does your value reside in the reality that you are a child of God – is God’s grace enough?
• Will you let a judge steal your joy or will you continue to walk in the Spirit and set you mind on the things of the Spirit – relying upon His strength?
• Will you seek to encourage others who might be similarly disappointed?
• Will you celebrate in the achievements of others?
• Will you take results that you did not want and turn them in praise of your Sovereign Lord?
• Will you allow God’s power to be made perfect in your weakness – whatever that might look like?

Paul said in 2 Cor. 11:20, “If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.”

In that moment of disappointment what will you boast in? Remember, you will boast in something – you have no control over that. Once again, herein lays the beauty of competition.

This is a test that is of more practical value than the one for those who will receive an award. In comparison to God, we are all ignorant; we are all helpless; we are all weak. We must learn how to boast in our weakness. It is a hard lesson to learn. We all want to be strong, smart, witty, and self-reliant. It is our default condition.  Therefore, it is a lesson that you must learn and will be re-learning throughout your lifetime.

If you’re attentive, this competition can teach you a lesson in how to live humbly before the Lord in all circumstances; how to be satisfied in God’s grace alone whether in victory or in defeat.

You can learn what it means to be righteously humble in defeat
if you attentively allow it.

You can learn what it means to be righteously humble in victory
if you attentively allow it.

This is why I love competition. The inward praise of you hearts will be revealed over the next three days.

I am looking forward to what the Lord is going to do over the next three days.  I am trusting the Spirit to reveal these answers to all who attentively submit themselves to this test and our one, true Judge.

PRAYER: Lord, thank you for the last three days.  Thank you for showing me, once again, that you are raising up a capable generation.  Father, I pray that your hand will be upon all the competitors from this tournament.  May your Spirit remain upon them and continue to teach them all that you have for them.  Soften their hearts and grant them an understanding of grace that goes beyond their age and experience.  Lord, encourage all the staff and volunteers who served at this tournament.  May their service be fruitful and continue to bring praise to your glorious Name.   I pray this in the precious name of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen

“NOT THE PERSON I WANT” – Mar 14

“I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” Romans 7:14

Why do I think the very thoughts I’ve turned from? Why do I seek out the very temptations that cause me to stumble? Why do I give words to the very thoughts that I know cause hurt? Why do I embrace the very indifference I find repulsive? Why do I embody the very selfishness that denies my worship? Why am I the very person I don’t want to be? Why do I do the very things I hate?

“I do the very thing I hate”, is a confession that every follower of Christ has made. Obedience to the commands of the One we love can be a baffling mystery of cyclical inconsistency. Those who are in Christ live in between worlds. We are new creations in Christ and yet we still live in the flesh.

For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Romans 7:18-19

The flesh that we inhabit is bound to this sinful fallen world. Some may use this fact as an excuse to live in sin.  However, our existence does not excuse sinful disobedience but rather it should inform our obedience.

We do not follow Christ through the power of the flesh. We do not yield our will to the commands of the law by relying upon feeling and emotions.

Obedience is an act of will; Will is the result of decisions; Decisions are made either in the mind based on knowledge or from urges of the flesh.

Since the flesh can only produce sin, obedience to the Word of God must come from a mind willfully yielding to guidance of the Spirit in faith.

So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin. Romans 7:26b

The Christian life should be progressively learning how to subject the feelings and emotions of a rebellious heart to the Christ-like decisions of a mind that loves God more than those fleshly urges. We have to learn how to do this. I find Proverbs helpful.

Making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasure,  (Proverbs 2:2-4)

Then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. (Proverbs 2:5)

Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity, every good path; (Proverb 2:9)

So you will be delivered from the forbidden woman, (Proverbs 2:16)

So you will walk in the way of the good to the paths of the righteous. (Proverbs 2:20)

Proverbs shows the powerful progression of an engaged mind.

The children of God engage their minds in the wonderful search to know their Lord; praying for the Spirit to reveal insight and understanding; listening for the wisdom of God and inclining their hearts to understanding the comes only from faith.

God promises that those who seek Him in faith will find Him. They will be given the knowledge of God and understand the fear of the Lord. They will understand righteousness and justice and equity, every good path.

The mind will have the understanding that it needs to bend the will from the flesh. Only when an engaged mind is working on the knowledge revealed through the Spirit can it make a decision that takes the flesh away from the forbidden woman and all other enticing temptations and onto the paths of the righteous, walking in the way of the good.

Our flesh will never be inclined to love God. Therefore, stop trying to obey God in your flesh.

Love God with your mind and watch your flesh follow.

“Loving God with all our mind means that our thinking is wholly engaged to do all it can to awaken and express the heartfelt fullness of treasuring God above all things.” ~ John Piper, Think: The Life of the Mind and the Love of God

PRAYER: Lord, you know how often I stray after the flesh.  You know how I disengage my mind to do what I don’t want to do.  Please forgive me.  Father, give me insight and understanding; make my ears attentive; incline my heart to understanding.  Help me to know you; show me yourself.  Teach me how to love and fear you.  I love you Lord; keep my feet on the path of righteousness in glorifying obedience to you.  I pray this in the precious name of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen

“PUKING OVER PURSUED GREATNESS” – Feb 11

““…whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.” 1 John 2:6

 I want to be like Tony Martin… the cyclist, not the singer.  Tony Martin is a three time world champion and an absolute monster in the individual event where cyclists race against the clock.  The individual time trial is the “race of truth” since winning depends only on a rider’s strength and endurance.

View image | gettyimages.com

I imagine being Tony Martin in the obscurity of my basement while spinning on my trainer.

Just like Tony Martin,…

I lie low over time-trial handlebars in a sleek aero-position.
I crank out intervals in my big chain ring.
I practice the Tony Martin open mouth “air scoop” breathing method.

I am a world champion time trialer… in my basement.

View image | gettyimages.com

The sun shone brightly on a recent Saturday with temperatures above 40 degrees F and only a slight wind.  It was the perfect opportunity to turn my Tony Martin impersonation loose on the local rural roads. I kicked gravity loose and after a short warm-up, I was flying along in the practiced aero-position of a world champion that my mind imagined me to be.

Tony Martin had positioned me such, that only an extreme craning of my neck would allow sighting any distance ahead.  I had to content myself with watching the road a mere 5 feet beyond my front tire.  An occasional glance into the distance was my only assurance that the road actually continued before me.  The problem with this approach was that my focal point was upon a road blurred with speed.

I powered through some rollers but on the ascent of the last hill I began to feel a little queasy.  I held my aero-position thinking that the exertion was causing my stomach discomfort.  At the top of the hill, I slowed my pedaling and allowed my heart rate to fall.  One cough and then another brought me out of my aero-position.  A few coughs turned into dry heaves.

What is going on?  I am about to puke.

I had not been riding hard enough to make myself puke.  “This is ridiculous,” I thought as I tried soft pedaling between wretches.  As I sat up on my bicycle, my head swirled and my stomach gurgled.  These symptoms were all too familiar from a childhood of relegation to the backseat of a station wagon.

I had made myself motion sick.
I had nearly made myself puke over a pursuit of greatness.

My Tony Martin impersonation had backfired.  I had failed at one of the three principles of a proper time trial fit – comfort.  (The 3 Priorities of a Proper Triathlon Bike Fit)

Needless to say, I have raised my handle bars and conceded, “I am not Tony Martin; at least not today; probably not tomorrow either.” He is still my example but I just can’t do some of the things he makes look so easy.  Subsequently, I have ridden this same route in my new more comfortable position.  Even though I am not as low as before, this new position allowed me to maintain an aero-position through the majority of a ride.  The result was that I was significantly faster and I never felt like puking.

We have a plethora of examples in our lives – especially our spiritual lives.  Paul encouraged us to follow these examples.  Therefore, following the example of another more mature Christian is not a bad thing.  It is wise to learn from the experience of someone who has walked deeply in the Spirit for years.

I have a lot of spiritual heroes.  I appreciate the gift of faith that these people have demonstrated by their lives and the glory to God that they have been blessed to participate in. However, my greatest example is Jesus Christ himself.  There has never been a better example of how to live than the life of Christ.

However, what happens when we don’t
achieve the same result of our example?

I learned that I cannot hold an aero-position like Tony Martin, but that does not negate the value of his example.  I demonstrated to myself that I will experience more success by following Tony Martin’s example to the best of my ability rather than giving up completely on riding in an aero-position.  Therefore, I am not going to abandon my Tony Martin impersonation.  I am going to tweak it.  I will continue to tweak it because I know that even a tweaked Tony Martin impression will be better than doing it my own way.  However, my goal will always be the perfect impersonation.

I have seen many folks make resolutions in their spiritual lives influenced by examples from the Bible or some other exemplar example of true faith.  They were great godly resolutions.  Yet, they abandon their resolve when they discover that they just can’t get it done like they had thought.

February is the month when most resolutions are abandoned.  Often, the optimism of a new year gets crushed under the practicalities of real life and we find that we just can’t do what we had hoped.  Many of us find that the activities of those we want to emulate are just too hard to pull off.  When that happens, there is a strong tendency to give up.

I posted my resolution for 2015.  I am already behind on several of them.  For one, I know that I won’t be riding like Tony Martin by August.  However, it would be silly for me to abandon my plans just because they are not working well in light of my everyday life.  Therefore, I am going to do a little tweaking and continue until I get something that works, because I know that it will be better than going back to my own way.

There may be a whole list of legitimate and illegitimate reasons for not doing what seemed so tangible in January.  Yet, it is good to remember we are on the long road of perseverance.

Just don’t give up. 
Don’t make yourself puke over a pursuit of greatness. 

Tweak what needs to be tweaked in order for you to consistently do what the Lord has drawn you to do.  Few goals are ever achieved in exactly the manner we plan.  We are all individuals with our own strengths, weaknesses, and personal commitments.  It would be unrealistic to think that a resolution will not have to be altered under the pressures of life.

Striving after the Lord is worth it.  Following Christ in our tweaked, imperfect manner will always be better than going our own way.

PRAYER: Lord, you know that I need a lot of tweaking.  Forgive me for the imperfect manner in which I strive to follow you.  Help me to follow better.  Help me to not give up on what is good for my soul.  Help me to desire you more than anything else.  Lead me in way of following you in obedience and joy.  I pray this in the precious name of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen

 

 

 

INNER CLAVIN – Nov 7

“And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life and this life is in his Son.  Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.”  1 John 3:2

It’s a little known fact that “the tan”  became popular in what is known as the Bronze Age.

I wonder if you know that the harp is a predecessor of the modern day guitar. Early minstrels were much larger people. In fact, they had hands the size of small dogs.

If you were to go back in history and take every president, you’ll find that the numerical value of each letter in their name was equally divisible into the year in which they were elected. By my calculations, our next president has to be named Yellnick McWawa.

I hear there’s a tribe of men in the Middle East called the Eschonites, they’re entirely celibate, they live without women. Rumour has it, they are the happiest men in the world. Tomorrow, I’m going to send for their brochure.

When the British ruled the Punja, they drank steaming hot pots of tea on the hottest days of the year to balance out their inside and outside temperatures. Conversely, drinking an ice cold drink on a cold day actually results in a more comfortable body temperature.

Florida comes from the language of the Okefenokee Indians and literally means ‘Place where the old people come to sweat.

These are the words of Clifford C. Clavin Jr.  I sure do miss him.  Cliff Clavin was the annoying mail carrier played by John Ratzenberger in the TV show Cheers, which aired from 1982 to 1993.  Cliffy was the know-it-all in the bar where everyone knows your name.  He had a ready explanation for everything from the common to the obscure.  Unfortunately, his explanations demonstrated a desperate plea for acceptance more than real knowledge.

Cliff Clavin consistently spoke of what he did not know and showed himself to be a fool.

Most groups have some variant form of Clifford C. Clavin.  In general, I don’t think many people strive to be the know-it-all; it just sort of happens.  Most people actually try suppressing their inner Clavin.  Unfortunately, some folks suppress their inner Clavin to the point that they deny what they actually do know.  They dread being the know-it-all so they soften what they know to be true.

Our culture has cast knowledge of the divine as intolerance.

Christians can now expect to be chastised into accepting other faiths as being equally true for their adherents.  Knowledge of God has been classified as an unknowable mystery.  Therefore, a strongly stated, statement of exclusive belief seem ridiculous to many.  An ecumenical spirit across churches and faith has become the “tolerant” form for spiritual interaction.

Those who state a belief about God as fact are perceived as Cliff Clavins – know-it-all fools.

Therefore, many folks suppress their inner Clavin when asked direct questions:

Do you believe that the ONLY way to go to heaven is to believe in Jesus?

What if you’re Jewish or Muslim and you don’t accept Christ at all,
does that mean you’re out?

What about my Grandma, who was a sweet and precious, Buddhist woman?
You are telling me she is going to your hell?

Many of us, in the spirit of tolerance, cringe at what we know and respond with a less offences opening statement of  “I don’t know but…”.

There are many things in the Bible that I don’t understand.  There are many mysteries of God that I have difficulty comprehending.  However, there are some lessons of the scriptures that are perfectly clear.  John wrote the epistle of 1 John so that we would understand.

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.  (1 John 5:13)

John was crystal clear regarding what comes after death.  Eternal life only comes through God’s Son, Jesus Christ.  Whoever does not have the Son of God does not have eternal life.  There is no mistaking in this teaching.  There is no confusion regarding what these words mean.  We can know what the Bible teaches regarding what is necessary to go to heaven.  No one will go to heaven without Jesus.

And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life and this life is in his Son.  Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.  (1 John 3:2)

I know that may not sound tolerant.  I did not write it; I just believe it to be true.  For me to say “I don’t know…”  to a question of the necessity of salvation is to deny what I know to be true.  I would be a fool to exchange truth for public acceptance.

I do know the answer to the question of what is required to receive eternal life.

However, the possession of knowledge does not relegate us to the role of Cliff Claven.  Wisdom should be our guide to releasing our inner Claven.  Wisdom will guide us in how and when to give the defense of our faith. Our knowledge of the truths of God should not be restrained due to the fear of man nor should it be displayed in a desperate plea for acceptance. The truths of God are to be shared in obedience, love and grace, which takes wisdom from the Spirit.

There will be some who have been drawn by Christ and upon hearing the knowledge of the truths of God, will respond with saving faith.
There will be others who will cast the adherents of the scripture as Cliff Clavens as they stumble over the gospel.

Regardless of the outcome, we are called to let our inner Claven shine in a dark world.

 “The wise speak only of what they know”
~ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Two Towers

PRAYER: Lord, you know the number of times that I kept silent regarding the divine knowledge of the Bible that your Spirit has shown me.  You know the number of times that I have cringed over the exclusivity of your Son.  Forgive me for playing the fool by choosing acceptance above truth.  Father, I need the wisdom that only comes from You.  Fill me with your wisdom to know when to speak your sweet truth.  Give me the words to says and the spirit to say them in.   I pray this in the precious name of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

“ENTICED BY TOMORROW” – Nov 4

“Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.” 1 John 3:2

Tomorrow plays an enticing melody.  It is a melody that every person cannot help but hum during the day.  We plan in a chant of tomorrow.  We daydream in the croon of the future.  We fix goals in a serenade to what might become.  The necessity of tomorrow brings us all into the choir.  However, the allure of what is just around the corner can grasp our attention like acrophobia can steal a view.  Tomorrow has a perpetual rhythm whose powerful grasp is difficult to escape.

mendhak / Foter.com / CC BY-SA

My plans, goals, hopes and dreams, all inhabit tomorrow.  A goal intersects with the presence for a preciously short instant where it is either accomplished or not.  A plan evaporates upon implementation.  Hopes and dreams are recast once they are realized.  Tomorrow provides an escape from the physical bounds of the presence to the ethereal possibility of what may come.

It is easy for the promise of tomorrow to eclipse the duty of today.

Waiting for tomorrow is how I have spent the majority of my life.  I have lived preoccupied by planning to make tomorrow better.  I daily make investments of time, money, and energy into tomorrow.  The majority of our lives are spent striving for tomorrow:

Secondary education were years spent in preparing for college or work.
College was spent in preparation for graduate school or a career.
A career was spent in preparation for advancement.
Advancement was spent in preparation of retirement.

Tomorrow provides a consistent rhythm for most of our lives.  We live for the weekend.  We live for the next holiday.  We live for the next vacation.  If we are not careful, we can end up living for tomorrow and miss duties of today.

Garry – www.visionandimagination.com / Foter.com / CC BY-NC-SA

An unhealthy focus on tomorrow can steal our confidence and contentment in the presence.  As we study and learn all that we don’t know, our lack of qualifications can keep us sidelined.  Past failures can cause us to doubt our capabilities in the present.  Our esteem for the mature can lend to prolonged deferment.  Our investments in tomorrow can deprive the profits of today.

Thomas Hawk / Foter.com / CC BY-NC

For a follower of Christ, there is an aspect of tomorrow that will never be improved from today’s reality.  For all who are in Christ, we are children of God, today.  A decade, century, millennium will not improve upon the title that we have, today.  We are children of the most High God.  We are fellow heirs with Christ, today.  The reality that we experience today allows us to cry, “ABBA! FATHER!”, through the Spirit of adoption that we have received.

Beloved, we are God’s children, now. 

The reality of who we are today should change how we view the present.  Who we are today, frees us from the enticing song of tomorrow with all of its promises for a better future that keeps us from being active in the present.

Beloved, we are God’s children.

What we will be tomorrow has not yet appeared but we know that someday we will be like Christ and we shall see Him as He is.  That will be an incredible tomorrow.  The reality of this incredible tomorrow should provide perspective to all of our planning, goals, hopes and dreams for our personal tomorrows.

Beloved, we are going to be like Christ and we shall see Him as He is.

We all have a duty to plan for tomorrow. We all are filled with hopes and dreams for the future.  Who we are should inform all of those plans.  It should shape every hope and dream.

Beloved, we are God’s children.

We are free to accomplish our Father’s business in all its varied forms, today.  No child of God has to wait for tomorrow to do our Father’s will today.

We don’t need a position or permission, degrees or pedigrees, time or dimes, acceptability or civility to:

…love the Lord your God with all of your heart and
with all your soul and with all your mind.

We do not need to wait for tomorrow to love the Lord today.  We can love God regardless of the condition of our today.

…love your neighbor as yourself.

Our neighbor’s heart can be encased with our love today.  Love does not need to wait until tomorrow.

Beloved, love does not need to wait for tomorrow
because we are God’s children today.

PRAYER: Lord, thank you for allowing me to be your child now.  Thank you for allowing me into your family today.  Father, I look forward to the day when I will be like Christ.  I look forward to the day when I will see Christ as He is.  I long for that day.  Lord, you know that I get distracted by all the cares of this word.  You know that I can make an excuse not to be loving out of my addiction to my dreams of tomorrow.  Change my mind to the reality that I do not need anything from tomorrow to do your will today.  I pray this in the precious name of your Son,  Jesus Christ.   Amen.

A WEED AT HEART- Jan. 3

“We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” 1 John 5:19

Cover via Amazon

I am a fan of the Patrick O’Brian nautical series of Captain Jack Aubrey and Dr. Stephen Maturin and the movie Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World.  I had not watched the movie or read one of the books in a while.  So, I was appreciative of an opportunity that arose over the Christmas break.

In a discussion about the actors that we enjoy and appreciate, I discovered that my in-laws had never watched the Master and Commander movie with Russell Crowe.  It was a perfect excuse to introduce them to the Patrick O’Brian story and be transported to another time and world.

When we watched the movie, I was delighted to be reminded of one of my favorite lines.

 Maturin and Aubrey had returned to the Galapagos Islands to allow Maturin to do more investigating.

 Dr. Stephen Maturin: “Jack, I fear you have burdened me with a debt I can never fully repay.”
Capt. Jack Aubrey: “Nonsense! Name a shrub after me. Something prickly and hard to eradicate.”

I love that attitude – “name a weed after me”.  Who wants a weed named after them?  There are not very many people who would be comfortable with their legacy being associated with a prickly and hard to eradicate weed.

However, have you ever considered what a weed is?

I have planted a lot of grass in my lawn.  I go to great extents to water, mow, and fertilize my grass.  However, when that same grass gets into my walkway, it is a weed and I try to eradicate it.

I have planted rose bushes in our flower beds.  They need a lot of work; pruning, herbicides, fertilizer. Yet, I have a wild rose-bush that is growing along our ditch bank that I burn every year, periodically spray it with Roundup; I try to eradicate it because its location makes it a weed to me.

I planted an entire row of elm trees as a wind break.  Since they have matured, I pull up elm tree sprouts all along my house foundation and out in my yard.  Those little sprouts, which I initially spent money to buy, are now a weed because I don’t want any more elm trees.

A weed is classified as a matter of context.  The gardener determines what is and is not a weed. The gardener determines what plant is valued and what is considered a noxious growth.

Have you ever considered what you are in this world? 

Who is the gardener of this world?  At this time, our enemy, the evil one, is the gardener of this world.  That makes every follower of Christ a weed in this world.

Weeds (Photo credit: Tobyotter)

I am a weed.

The reason that I don’t fit into this world is because I am a weed.

The reason some view me as odd is because I am a weed.

The reason that I am unappreciated is because I am a weed.

The reason that some treat me with disdain is because I am a weed.

The reason some consider me uneducated or intellectually inferior is because I am a weed.

The reason some want to legislate away my beliefs is because I am a weed.

Since I am a weed, what kind of weed am I?

I am hard to eradicate – “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38);

I have a bad fragrance – “For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?” (2 Corinthians 2:15-16);

I am prickly – “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man!” (Luke 6:22)

I am  a weed in this world by definition.  The reason I am a weed is because this world’s gardener is not my gardener.

My Gardener views me as a beautiful sprout of wheat, a fragrant flower, a productive olive tree, a fruitful grape vine.  In my Gardener’s eye, I am valued; I am the plant to be nurtured, protected, fed, watered, and pruned.

In my Gardener’s eye, this world is full of weeds to me; weeds that threaten to choke and stifle my growth.

“As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.” (Matthew 13:22)

There is a day of harvest coming.  On that day, the distinction between wheat and weed will be made. On that day, my Gardener will be the one making the plant classifications.  On that day, His classification is what will matter and those known to Him as a wheat will be harvested and those unknown to Him will be weeds to be burned. (Matt. 13:36-43)

Until that day, I can think of no higher honor than for this world to view my legacy as nothing more than a weed.

I will be thrilled to be viewed as a prickly, stinky, weed that is hard to eradicate.

I know who values me.

I know who is nurturing me.

I know who is pruning me.

I know my Gardener and He knows me.

…And that is all that matters.

PRAYER: Jesus, Thank you for being my Gardener.  Lord thank you for caring for me.  Forgive me for periodically forgetting who I really am.  Forgive me for thinking that being a weed is preferable.  Lord, care for me so that I will produce fruit in abundance to your praise and glory.  Amen