Dress Rehearsal

This year, as most years, our Church is having an Easter Drama/Musical and it requires a lot of time. I accepted Jesus as my Savior on January 1, 1998 and the very first thing I ever participated in was an Easter Program. I was captivated! I loved working on the backgrounds with Mr. Rex, our Director’s father, I loved the music, and I loved the time spent with other Christians but most of all I loved pouring myself into something that would glorify Jesus and bring His time on this earth to life before people today and hopefully draw them into a relationship with Him. My first year Mr. Rex told me that there would be a lot of time spent in rehearsal. I had no idea the amount of time we would spend in rehearsal! The week before the performance we were there every night until 11 or 12 but then came the performances. They made it all worthwhile! Lives were changed, people were saved, Jesus was lifted up and His Word was brought to life before my eyes! “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all unto me.” John 12:32

As we have been rehearsing for our program this year, music since January and drama for a few weeks, I was thinking about how much it can take out of a person if they don’t have a passion for it. The motivation behind the rehearsal, if it is to glorify ourselves we will weaken quickly. This is much like life. We are so easily worn down when we do things in our own strength but when we wait on the Lord we will rise up on wings like eagles!

The Dictionary defines Rehearsal as:

1.      To practice something before performing such as a play, speech or piece of music before performing it for the public.

2.      To train somebody for performance someone who is practicing before doing something especially before giving a public performance.

3.      To go over a list of items often reasons, complaints or troubles.

4.      To say something or repeat something such as a story.

Have you ever thought that perhaps we are rehearsing every day, not for a play that runs three days and then is over until next year; but for eternity? What we do here matters! When we rehearse love, peace, kindness and forgiveness then we are rehearsing something that is worthy of a public performance. Conversely we can rehearse hate, prejudice, pride and lies, these things belong on another stage altogether.

Let’s be very careful that we aren’t rehearsing definition number three (making excuses or giving reasons why we can’t do something). Monkey used to be my excuse for not doing things, “Oh, I can’t go there, I have Monkey today, I can’t do that because I have Monkey” but God has brought me to the place that I comprehended if I make excuses I will never do anything. I am fully aware that I have used her as an excuse in the past but no more! The time is coming quickly for the performance; each of us will appear on the stage soon! Considering the magnitude of the actual occasion we are preparing for, eternity, I know that I’ll be more attentive to what I’m allowing myself to imagine and perform in my life. After all, when we imagine our futures according to God’s possibilities and not our human limitations there is nothing that God is unable to do! "But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26 KJV

The Bible tells us to guard our minds and to be careful what we think about, as a matter of fact there is a passage in Philippians that gives us the perfect thing to “rehearse”. If it doesn’t meet these criteria, it shouldn’t be in our dress rehearsal.  “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.” Philippians 4:8-9

“Carefully guard your thoughts because they are the source of true life.” Proverbs 4:23 CEV

Now let’s get out there and break a leg!

Try a Little Kindness

I’m facing a situation in my life that has forced me to consider the difference between being kind and being nice. I don’t like being the “bad guy”. I don’t like having to do the things that are difficult but I can, I have and I will. I just don’t like to. Does this mean I’m unkind? No. I’m so thankful that God prepared me for this. I’ve fought for rights before, I fought for Monkey with medical treatments, insurance payments, all kinds of things, then came the education issues, I took on the school board and thank God for Him being on my side when we won alternate placement without an attorney! Unheard of in our county, at the time I felt like I was being the bad guy but now I see I was just being an advocate for the special child who God entrusted to me, the voice she doesn’t have. As I mentioned earlier, I’m facing a situation and it’s forcing me to be that advocate again. Here is what I’ve been meditating on. I am asking for you, my readers, to please pray for me to have the law of kindness on my tongue as I deal with the issue at hand.

Last year I went to a Beth Moore Simulcast and I have thinking about that this during my quiet time, what little time there isof it. Monkey has been home all week! Woo Hoo. Anyway, here is what I recall about what she spoke on, the law of kindness. I need desperately for the law of kindness to be on my tongue! I have been struggling with wanting to give someone “a piece of my mind”! I’m afraid if I do that I might have very little left for myself…J

So I am striving for kindness. Proverbs 31:26, “She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness.”

1) Kindness is not a weakness. She talked about the difference between kindness and being nice, and went to the Latin definition of nice, which is “nescius” or ignorant. She made the point that being nice does just not really know where in kindness we are aware and chose to be kind. She pointed out that kindness is perfectly capable of speaking a hard word. (Those of you who know me know that I have no problem doing that but I try to make it last resort. You know, truth in love…)

2) Kindness is not an action. It is a disposition. “Kind” means that it is profitable; fit for any use, useful towards others, good-natured. You can fake being nice, but kindness you can’t fake. It is the grace which pervades the whole nature. (I really want to be fit for any use, don’t you?)

3) Kindness wears down when we do. She explained that one of the works of the spirit of the enemy is to wear us down. She said, “We all have someone we need to feel differently toward. When we are worn down, we need to be built up by the body of Christ.” (Could this be why Monkey has been home all week? Thank you my Sisters for building me up! I have been so worn down and your kind words have been exactly what I needed to build me up and strengthen me!)

4) Kindness looks pain in the face! She referenced Job 6:28 where Job says, “Be so kind as to look at me.” And she said not to have face blindness. Be willing to hear more than just “Fine” when you ask someone how they are doing. In the conference this broke me to pieces. I’ve had so many people look past my pain and accept the “I’m Fine”, how I’ve longed for kindness that looked my pain in the face. Finally, I’ve found it among my friends whom I’ve never met and a few who I have…

5) Kindness is a Savior. Kindness took on flesh and dwelled among us. Jesus not only saved me from the pits of hell, but also from MYSELF! From my own sin and bondages! What a revelation! That is awesome!

6) Kindness has a good memory. Psalm 106:7 says, “They didn’t remember Your many kindnesses and they rebelled.” Remember that God has been good to you! Remember the ways! When we’re busy being thankful we aren’t being rebellious!

7) Kindness craves an outlet. When we know God has been kind to us, we want to share it with someone else. For me this blog is an outlet for kindness, I have a desire to share what God has done for me and this is one outlet, I pray for more as Jabez prayed, oh Lord, enlarge my borders!

8.) Kindness leaves a legacy. In Acts 28:1-2, we read that the “islanders were showed unusual kindness.” In a study, Beth Moore recently found that on the island of Malta (the same one referenced here in Acts), still some 83% of people are involved in some charitable giving! Oh how I long to leave a legacy, I want to pass on to the next generation the love of Jesus Christ.

We all need to experience kindness. We all need to express kindness. When we’ve experienced the kindness of the Savior we must pass it on, we must seek a channel to pass the kindness on through. If you have experienced the kindness I speak of you understand exactly what I mean, you can never be content to sit in a pew and listen, and you must find someone outside those walls of the Church who God will use you to show His kindness through.

If you haven’t met Jesus Christ as your Savior but would like to know Him and experience His kindness I encourage you to pray this prayer and get involved with a local church that teaches from the Bible.

“Father, I know that I have broken Your laws and my sins have separated me from You. I am truly sorry, and now I want to turn away from my past sinful life toward You. Please forgive me of my sins, and help me to avoid sinning again. I believe that Your Son, Jesus Christ came to Earth, was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, died for my sins, was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer. Jesus, please come into my heart and forgive my sins, cover me with Your blood and wash me clean,  become the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Please send your Holy Spirit to help me obey You, and to do Your will for the rest of my life. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.”

An Excellent Woman Part II

Yesterday I lamented over why I feel so inadequate when I compare myself to the Proverbs 31 woman. Well, I didn’t exactly lament, I more or less griped. But honestly, I still feel inadequate when compared to her. So that makes me wonder, I know that God created me fearfully and wonderfully. Psalm 139:14, “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.” And yesterday I saw in II Corinthians 10:12, “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.” So comparing ourselves to others isn’t wise.

Have I’ve been taught wrong all these years? Perhaps the Proverbs 31 woman isn’t the standard to live up to. She definitely was a virtuous woman, the Bible says so and the Bible is never wrong. We as people can misinterpret it and therein lays the issue. So let’s see why was she virtuous? Was it because of being the wife of a well-known husband? That leaves me out, he’s a great man but unless you live in our county you probably don’t know him. Was it because she was affluent? Count me out there! How about because she ran a home business and made sure she and her family were in the latest fashions? With so many losing their jobs, homes and barely scraping by I don’t think this was what made her virtuous either. How about being a good neighbor, wife and mother?

Was it the things she DID that made her virtuous? You could DO all these things and still not have virtue. And this brings me to the other virtuous woman in the Bible. She was the ONLY other woman in the whole Bible who was named as a virtuous woman. Can you guess who she was?

“And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman.” Ruth 3:11

What a contrast between Mrs. 31 and Ruth….

Rich ~ Poor
Important Position ~ No Position
Business woman ~ Farm laborer
Expensive clothes ~ Poor clothes
Children ~ No children
Well-known husband ~ No husband
Buys a field ~ Works in a field

Achievements and position in life a virtuous woman do not make…The contrast above makes that clear, so why did the Word of God list them as virtuous? What did they have in common?

~Both feared the Lord.
~Both were in subjection to the authorities in their lives.
~Both lived their lives for others.
~Both were self-sacrificing.
~Both had the law of kindness in their tongues.

The deciding factor for whether or not you’re a virtuous woman isn’t what you do or how much of it you do; it’s the heart behind those things. Ms. P31 didn’t dress her family nicely so others would notice how well she did and be envious, she didn’t keep her house clean so others would admire her and she wasn’t a virtuous woman because she was on the Praise and Worship team or sang in the choir. She loved the Lord and she had this as her motivation for all she did. She was a virtuous woman because she was fulfilling the plan God had for HER life. (So please forgive me for saying you made me feel inadequate yesterday)

It isn’t what we do or who others think we are that make us virtuous, it is having a fear and love for the Lord and living for Him, as a result we live a life of obedience. A woman who works in the 3yo classroom who receives little to no recognition just may be more virtuous than the woman who sings the solo’s in choir and has people clambering for her attention after service. It’s not what you do; it’s the heart you do it with. Whether His plan for your life is being a woman who owns a business and is famous or being the mommy to a special child who will always need assistance, as long as we try to be obedient to all He calls us to do we will be virtuous in His eyes.

When I see that God put 2 amazing examples of virtuous women in the Bible I see how me feeling like such a failure was because I was focused on the wrong thing, I was focused on her achievements, not on the woman who feared the Lord. Any woman can be a virtuous woman; any girl can be a virtuous girl; it’s just a matter of fearing God, loving Him with all your heart and being obedient to Him.

It’s a lie from Satan that there is such a thing as a Perfect Proverb 31 Woman. It’s a lie she was put there to be our standard and we should try to achieve her accomplishments, those were hers to accomplish. Not ours. It’s a lie meant to bind us up in legalism and tie us in knots because we can never achieve all God called her to do. God called HER to do that, NOT us!  It’s meant to make us feel like I did yesterday, like giving up, like I would never measure up.

Let’s stop this lie that is spreading throughout the Bride of Christ that we should be Super Woman and be set free to love the Lord, sit at His feet and learn to love and fear Him, to obey Him and to teach others the same. All one has to do to be a virtuous woman is to obey God. Everything else follows.

The Kindness of a Savior...

"She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness." Proverbs 31:26

This past Saturday I was blessed to attend a simulcast of Beth Moore at a church in a neighboring county. I didn’t plan on going, knew no one else who would be there, I was given a ticket from a friend who prays with me at lunch. She had to work and couldn’t make it but said she believed God wanted me to be there. She extended kindness to me.

It was funny, the night before the conference I was so excited I could barely contain it! I felt like certainly God was going to do something wonderful, this would be an experience I would never forget. Mind you, I had no idea who Beth Moore was, never been to this church and knew no one who would be there. Not exactly the kind of thing I usually do.

Saturday morning came and I got up early, got ready and left the house 2 hours before the conference so I would have plenty of time, I call that getting lost time.  I arrived in just over 75 minutes. Not bad!  At this point the excitement had turned to, “I don’t know anyone!” But of course I did, Jesus was with me and He was going to give me a word!

Immediately when I got into the door there stood a woman I’d not seen in probably 5 years…WOW! I love her! She had asked me to sing at her niece’s wedding when most people had completely turned their backs on me. Then I saw another and another! I was in the midst of about 400 women and all of them were my sisters, regardless of whether I’d met them! I went to the café and had a cup of coffee, alone, but not for long. Soon spotted as being alone I became the target of such unusual kindness I was overwhelmed!

I went to the lobby to shop and behind me was one of my favorite women in the world! There with her daughter and granddaughter, they asked me to sit with them, and I would have if I could have found them but that was no problem, I sat with a group of women who worshipped with abandon, the reason we were there…a meeting with the King!

Jesus did have a word for me Saturday. Kindness…"She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness." Proverbs 31:26

There were 8 tastes of kindness for our tongues but God spoke a particular kindness to me and I’ll never forget it nor will I take it lightly. I will find a place where I have accountability, no matter where that takes me. I will not allow the enemy to wear me down. I will be built up by encouraging others and accountability.

When I open my mouth I want it to be in wisdom, like my Savior, Jesus, and have kindness on my tongue, like my Savior, Jesus, and have kindness be my disposition because I am a daughter who is like my Father. I’m praying for a kindness and love that can love the most unlovable, to be able to look pain in the face, as Jesus did with us when we were so broken by my daughters illness and pain we could not stop weeping. That is kindness. Jesus is kindness.  Now let’s go be like Jesus, let’s look for an outlet for the kindness and love of Jesus Christ and show it to the whole wide world!