Fearlessly CourageousDesk of Dennis Piller4 27 2023
I’ve Changed – Would Somebody Notice?
Although Thanksgiving may be our largest family gathering, we connect a few times a year, typically for Easter or a big birthday or anniversary, and gather with our most favorite people. Well, maybe not all our favorites. 😊 Every family seems to have these buried treasures of past hurts and injuries. We pray for a peaceful family time without any blow-ups or huge elephants in the room. (Actually, I pray that before every gathering).
These are the people that know us best. Who have seen us on our worst days in our biggest mistakes and often do not always give us that grace. Some memories have become either hallmark moments or Munster moments for many but to us magnify a time that we would really choose to forget…
Because I'm different now.
Many think they have changed but are not around them enough for them to notice. It hurts to think they still have that old opinion! And it's hard to bite our lips in outrage. (Really did I just say that? I have changed but they’re not seeing me that way, really upsets me?)Let's listen to the devastating words from the apostle Paul: “Never be wise in your own sight” (Romans 12:16). Not simply be slow to think you are wise, but never be wise in your own eyes. Wisdom, of course, is not the problem, because Paul himself teaches us to pray for wisdom (Ephesians 1:16–17).
But while true wisdom fuels deeper humility and joy in God, any other kind of “wisdom” only fuels horrible mutiny against him (Proverbs 26:12). Pride!
Wow, Pride sells us on how we’ve changed, yet magnifies the weakness of some of our relatives/friends. Growing our strengths and downplaying theirs. One way to starve pride within is to meditate on what THEY do well. Think on THEIR strengths and revel in the grace God has given you throughout the darker portions of your life.* "While God may give us extraordinary grace in one area, he never gives every grace to one member of the body, but makes us humbly, even uncomfortably, dependent on one another (Romans 12:5). And as we mature in humility, we not only acknowledge that dependence, but relish God’s wisdom in weaving us together by grace".
Don't just pray that they notice your difference. BE DIFFERENT. Have fun! But be a servant! Don’t fall into the old traps of familiarity of poking fun and seeing that opening…AND POUNCING ON IT! Let LOVE lead you! Let KINDNESS be the lowest common denominatorand enjoy the family you have. Revel in the moments that are not promised next year. Whatever they are… They are your family!
Your meditative scriptures for tonight:
“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.” – Exodus 20:12
“Bear with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgive each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” – Colossians 3:13
“What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?” (1 Corinthians 4:7).Whatever knowledge, wisdom, or gifts we do have, we only have as a gift from God meant to make God, not us, look great.
Josh Groban Thankfulhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBEI1F22uqE
https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/never-be-wise-in-your-own-eyes#:~:text=While%20God%20may%20give%20us,weaving%20us%20together%20by%20grace.
