I’ve never been one of those people who has to have my house perfect all the time. I hate to clean, I really do. Washing dishes is worse. (Oh please Lord, let me have a dishwasher in the new house!) I know people who freak out if the house is out-of-order even for a minute, but it doesn’t bother me. As soon as I pick up all the toys, my 20 month old is just going to drag them back out. There are some things that I do have to perfect, like my towels. I must have them folded a certain way, color coordinated and it drives me crazy when Jacob decides to put the towels up. He literally goes and just throws them in there! I mean can you imagine such a horrible thing. Another thing is my cabinets. I must have them in order, I must have the sugar bowl in the cabinet above the coffee pot. Jacob comes along and moves it and put it on top of the coffee pot. I mean really? Who puts their sugar bowl on top of the coffee pot? My singing, my cake decorating….okay maybe I tend to lean towards the perfectionist side. I think I get if from my mother.
As Christians, I know that no one’s perfect, we’re just not. We mess up, we fall down. We say things that we shouldn’t, we speak out of anger towards people, we get out feelings hurt just like anyone else. I think sometimes people put Christians on pedestals. Especially those who are in leadership, I know that I have seen that being a Youth Pastor. Then when we do make a mistake, they freak out and realize that we are human too. It crushes their view of us. We know that our ultimate goal is be Christ like. It is to be like Jesus. My Pastor always says this: “I’m better today than I was yesterday, and I’ll be better tomorrow than I am today.” It’s called sanctification. It’s a process. We should always be changing, learning and growing. When we make a mistake, we ask forgiveness, we learn, we grow and we repent.
In Psalms Chapter 15: 1-5 it says: “Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? He who walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart and no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellow-man, who despises a vile man but honors those who fear the Lord, who keeps his oath even when it hurts, who lends money without usury and does not accept a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.”
A lot of people look at the Bible as a book of don’ts. They see all these things that God doesn’t want them to do. Don’t look at it that way. The Bible is a book of love. It’s guidelines for us on how to live our lives, and the promises that He has in store for us when we read His word and obey His commandments. If you are doing what God wants you to do, and you are in His will, then you will not want to do all the “dont’s.”
Just a few key thoughts to leave you with taken from these scriptures: Walk in God’s will. Do what is right to bring Glory to God instead of yourself. “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.” Every time you talk bad about someone remember you are speaking death, destruction over them. Chose to speak life! Honor your word to people, do what you say your going to do. Don’t give in when people try to get you to speak out against someone who is innocent. The verse says not to accept a bribe, but it doesn’t have be just in money, it can be in spreading rumors to become more popular with your peers.
And then it says: “He who does these things will never be shaken.” The King James version says, never will be moved. NLT (New Living Translation) says such people will stand firm forever. What a beautiful promise! I want my life, and my faith, what I believe in to never be moved. I want to know that I will stand firm about my beliefs, that I won’t be shaken, I won’t be swayed. I hope that you have that same kind of assurance today!
Hugs,
Erin
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