Have you ever run a race with someone who decided to give you a head start?
On one hand the thought of being given an advantage to help you get ahead seemed encouraging. On further reflection, you might have figured out that being given a head start meant you were facing an opponent so tough that the only way to compensate for your disadvantage was for the stronger opponent to give you an advantage, or a head start.
When you think of "headstart" you might also think of the early childhood educational program that was designed to help very young children make a strong entry into the educational arena.
Sadly, if we look around today, far too many parents are giving children a head start -- in the wrong direction. We are no longer raising children--teaching, guiding, pouring wisdom into them, and helping them understand the distinctions between adults and children. Instead, some of us simply see our children as adorable live playthings that we can dress up and parade around.
We have toddlers walking around with their pants on the ground, not because of a soggy diaper or ill-fitted pullup, but because someone thought it would be cute or cool. We have young children really thinking that the world exists to serve them and that they do not have to respect any form of authority, and so they don't. We have children watching adult-oriented movies full of violence, horror and other themes inappropriate for young impressionable minds and wonder why some children have trouble sleeping at night and trouble relating with others during the day....
We speak things into our children's lives like, "Ooh, he's going to be a heartbreaker!" And, then when he grows up to be the cause of much heartbreak for others, the source of his own heartache and a major contributor to his parent's headaches, we wonder what happened.
Some of us buy everything the merchandisers put out for children with no regard to whether the items are age-appropriate, especially those that have inappropriate words and messages, some of which are even placed on certain parts of the clothing that draw attention to body parts.
We're giving our kids a head start, but in which direction?
God's Word tells us to "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." It deliberately doesn't say to train them up in the way they want to go. If children are allowed to dictate how they are raised, they will be eating cotton candy for breakfast every day, cake and ice cream for lunch, and overly-buttered popcorn for dinner every night--with rotten teeth and poor mental and physical development to show for it.
Let's stop trying to be buddies with our children and get back to raising them, especially in "the fear and admonition of the Lord." That doesn't mean that they we cut off all their fun, but it does mean we would, for example, stop giving in to parental peer pressure to let our children have every electronic trinket the market cranks out, instead allowing their own imaginations to develop. I've seen some children work unimaginable wonders and find hours of enjoyment making things out of an empty box!
Raising our children God's way provides them with an orientation and sense of order to the chaotic world around them, a world that can sometimes be quite disorienting. Remember, God is the author and giver of life, so who would be better to turn to for guidance about how to shape the young lives He has blessed us with?
Let's start praying for and with our kids and sow seeds of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness and self-control in what we model before them. That will give them a headstart that will set them on course for victory!
BNcouraged!
Rev. Karen
A weekly posting of encouraging and challenging thoughts about life from Rev. Karen W. Curry, a pastor's wife and mother of two who is also --in her "spare time"-- a dynamic preacher, teacher, motivational speaker, facilitator, writer, reviewer, poet, MC, liturgical dance/drama consultant and storyteller. Contact Rev. Karen at BNcouraged247@msn.com to speak at your next service or retreat.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Out of Order
Have you ever really wanted or needed something from a machine and found out that the machine was out of order? Think about the frustration and disappointment that wells up in you. Some people might actually get upset or angry about not being able to get what they desired.
Others simply refuse to heed the "Out of Order" sign and think that by kicking or shaking the machine they will somehow force it to comply with their request.
We can be that way with each other sometimes. When we desire or expect something from someone, we get frustrated, disappointed, upset or angry. We believe that our requests are reasonable and wonder why others just don't go along with the program and provide us with what we want or need.
Have we ever considered the possibility that our request might be reasonable, but our approach might be "out of order." Sometimes we forget that relating to others is a two-way street. Even when we are interacting with someone with the sole purpose of obtaining something from them, we have to consider the impact of the timing and delivery of our request on the timing and delivery of their response.
If we come across as demanding, impatient or superior we might not get the best response to our request. If we are respectful, patient and appreciative, we might get not only what we asked for, but some things we didn't even know to ask for.
How do we check ourselves and make sure we are not the ones who are "out of order" for getting angry with those whom we readily label "out of order" simply because they don't follow our orders?
Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us to "Trust in the Lord with all our heart and lean not unto our own understanding. In all our ways acknowledge Him and He will direct our paths." That is the only way to make sure we are in order. We can't base our conclusions on own our own reasoning, for that will tell us that we are always innocent, always the victim of others' shortcomings. It's hard hear or see ourselves as others do, which is why we cannot appreciate the full impact of our actions toward them.
If our heart is right and we trust in the Lord, He will do what we can't. He will open the heart and eyes of others to hear our hearts, even (and especially) when our words get in the way. He will reorder that which is out of order in order to establish order of the highest order, no matter how small or tall the order!
BNcouraged! That's an order! :-)
Rev. Karen
Others simply refuse to heed the "Out of Order" sign and think that by kicking or shaking the machine they will somehow force it to comply with their request.
We can be that way with each other sometimes. When we desire or expect something from someone, we get frustrated, disappointed, upset or angry. We believe that our requests are reasonable and wonder why others just don't go along with the program and provide us with what we want or need.
Have we ever considered the possibility that our request might be reasonable, but our approach might be "out of order." Sometimes we forget that relating to others is a two-way street. Even when we are interacting with someone with the sole purpose of obtaining something from them, we have to consider the impact of the timing and delivery of our request on the timing and delivery of their response.
If we come across as demanding, impatient or superior we might not get the best response to our request. If we are respectful, patient and appreciative, we might get not only what we asked for, but some things we didn't even know to ask for.
How do we check ourselves and make sure we are not the ones who are "out of order" for getting angry with those whom we readily label "out of order" simply because they don't follow our orders?
Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us to "Trust in the Lord with all our heart and lean not unto our own understanding. In all our ways acknowledge Him and He will direct our paths." That is the only way to make sure we are in order. We can't base our conclusions on own our own reasoning, for that will tell us that we are always innocent, always the victim of others' shortcomings. It's hard hear or see ourselves as others do, which is why we cannot appreciate the full impact of our actions toward them.
If our heart is right and we trust in the Lord, He will do what we can't. He will open the heart and eyes of others to hear our hearts, even (and especially) when our words get in the way. He will reorder that which is out of order in order to establish order of the highest order, no matter how small or tall the order!
BNcouraged! That's an order! :-)
Rev. Karen
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Heavy Lifting
I know that Easter or Resurrection Sunday was celebrated about 10 days ago, but I just can't move so quickly away from the story and back to my regularly scheduled program. This year, I'm taking a "selah," a pause to reflect on God's message to us from the cross.
I keep thinking about how Jesus bore the weight of the sin of the world on His nail-scarred hands and feet, and on his bruised and broken body. As He was lifted up for all to see, He bore the shame and embarrassment for our sins--including the sins that we don't have enough sense to be ashamed and embarrassed to commit, the sins we wear proudly as a garment which we have no intention of taking off, let alone cleaning up.
Some of us have worn our garments of sin and dysfunction for so long that we no longer even notice the weight. We don't notice it, but others often do. We sometimes wonder why people avoid us or why we find ourselves engaged in arguments and disputes time and time again. Perhaps it's because those around us are tired of all the heavy lifting required just to have a conversation with us. Perhaps due to excessive criticism in childhood or other challenges, we just cannot bear to be wrong--even though we know all have sinned and fallen short--and others simply cannot bear our unbearableness.
Instead of acknowledging and then releasing our sin and dysfunction to the Lord, we pretend as if all is well and essentially demand that others play along with our self-deception. Unfortunately, over time, our self-deception morphs into outward projection as we make others the cause of our frustrations and disappointments in life.
We become so adept at projecting onto others that the lines become blurry, and it actually begins to appear as if others are at fault. Deep inside, however, we know the truth, for the Holy Spirit leads us and guides us into all truth--including the truth we don't want to face.
The Good News is that, all we have to do in order to free ourselves is to release our weights to the Lord who tells us to "cast our cares on Him, for He cares for us" and "whom the Son sets free is free, indeed." Don't try to figure out how it works, just know that it works. We can't lift ourselves, but thank God we don't have to. Jesus did all the heavy lifting for us on Calvary's cross thousands of years ago.
Release your cares, burdens, anger, attitude, insecurity, all of it to Jesus Christ. Lay them at the cross through prayer and the power of God's Word and leave them there. Go ahead. Take off that heavy load and put on a garment of praise! You'll walk freer and farther than you ever thought possible.
BNcouraged!
Rev. Karen
I keep thinking about how Jesus bore the weight of the sin of the world on His nail-scarred hands and feet, and on his bruised and broken body. As He was lifted up for all to see, He bore the shame and embarrassment for our sins--including the sins that we don't have enough sense to be ashamed and embarrassed to commit, the sins we wear proudly as a garment which we have no intention of taking off, let alone cleaning up.
Some of us have worn our garments of sin and dysfunction for so long that we no longer even notice the weight. We don't notice it, but others often do. We sometimes wonder why people avoid us or why we find ourselves engaged in arguments and disputes time and time again. Perhaps it's because those around us are tired of all the heavy lifting required just to have a conversation with us. Perhaps due to excessive criticism in childhood or other challenges, we just cannot bear to be wrong--even though we know all have sinned and fallen short--and others simply cannot bear our unbearableness.
Instead of acknowledging and then releasing our sin and dysfunction to the Lord, we pretend as if all is well and essentially demand that others play along with our self-deception. Unfortunately, over time, our self-deception morphs into outward projection as we make others the cause of our frustrations and disappointments in life.
We become so adept at projecting onto others that the lines become blurry, and it actually begins to appear as if others are at fault. Deep inside, however, we know the truth, for the Holy Spirit leads us and guides us into all truth--including the truth we don't want to face.
The Good News is that, all we have to do in order to free ourselves is to release our weights to the Lord who tells us to "cast our cares on Him, for He cares for us" and "whom the Son sets free is free, indeed." Don't try to figure out how it works, just know that it works. We can't lift ourselves, but thank God we don't have to. Jesus did all the heavy lifting for us on Calvary's cross thousands of years ago.
Release your cares, burdens, anger, attitude, insecurity, all of it to Jesus Christ. Lay them at the cross through prayer and the power of God's Word and leave them there. Go ahead. Take off that heavy load and put on a garment of praise! You'll walk freer and farther than you ever thought possible.
BNcouraged!
Rev. Karen
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Are You a Carrier or a Courier?
When we think of someone who is a carrier, one image that comes to mind is that of someone with a disease or condition that puts others at risk.
If someone were to walk into a crowded room and calmly announce that they were a carrier of the H1N1 virus, the crowded room would quickly turn empty--with some people clearing out as soon as they heard the word,"carrier," not even bothering to hang around and find out what was being carried.
Some of us, willingly or unwittingly have become carriers in our families. We have passed down negative or ungodly behaviors, handing them off like a baton in an Olympic marathon. We pass down things we should have never received in the first place--things we should never have held on to long enough to pass down.
If we pray earnestly enough, look through the family history far enough, and then look in the mirror long enough we'll see things that have been harming our families for generations. We'll see things we've been pretending not to see or outright excusing or minimizing. Even though God causes all things to work together for the good for them that love Him and are the called according to His purpose, it doesn't mean that everything is good that goes on in our families.
As we reflect on Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday, think about what things need to die in your lineage and what needs to be raised up.
Perhaps you are the chosen seed that will become a courier instead of a carrier, changing the course of your family for generations to come.
A courier is one who has received a specific message or package to deliver to someone else. He or she is on a special assignment to make sure the important item or information reaches its destination on time. They are dedicated professionals who refuse to let any obstacle--inclement weather, heavy traffic, heavy loads or treacherous terrain--prevent them from delivering the goods.
You are a chosen generation, a holy nation, a royal priesthood, and you have been chosen by God to be a courier of good news-- the Gospel of Jesus Christ --to and through your family and spheres of influence. Why do you think God has you reading blogs like these and other inspirational messages?
"Whom the Son sets free is free indeed!" Someone in your family hasn't heard that message yet, and they are not ready to go to anyone's church to hear it from a preacher. They just might, however, receive that message from you.
Think about what happens when a courier arrives with a package. Sometimes, the recipient isn't even expecting the package and is a bit bewildered about what it might be. Their curiousity, however, and the fact that it was delivered by a courier intrigues them enough to make them open it. Ask God to help you deliver your message in such a way that they will open it, even if it's not in your presence or not right away.
Couriers don't usually hang around to see what happens once the package is open, they just do all of the front work to make sure it gets delivered. After the delivery, the courier leaves and instructs the individual to interact directly with the sender regarding the contents.
When your friends and family understand that you are simply the messenger, they will have to take up their questions and concerns directly with God, who is a healer, a deliverer, and a strong tower. They will learn, just as you did, that God can do exceedingly, abundantly above all we can ask or imagine.
If you realize that you have been functioning more like a carrier in your family, passing down negative or harmful traits, make a decision today to flip the script. Allow God to transform you from a carrier to a courier and help your family truly experience the resurrection power of God as demonstrated through Jesus Christ.
BNcouraged!
Rev. Karen
If someone were to walk into a crowded room and calmly announce that they were a carrier of the H1N1 virus, the crowded room would quickly turn empty--with some people clearing out as soon as they heard the word,"carrier," not even bothering to hang around and find out what was being carried.
Some of us, willingly or unwittingly have become carriers in our families. We have passed down negative or ungodly behaviors, handing them off like a baton in an Olympic marathon. We pass down things we should have never received in the first place--things we should never have held on to long enough to pass down.
If we pray earnestly enough, look through the family history far enough, and then look in the mirror long enough we'll see things that have been harming our families for generations. We'll see things we've been pretending not to see or outright excusing or minimizing. Even though God causes all things to work together for the good for them that love Him and are the called according to His purpose, it doesn't mean that everything is good that goes on in our families.
As we reflect on Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday, think about what things need to die in your lineage and what needs to be raised up.
Perhaps you are the chosen seed that will become a courier instead of a carrier, changing the course of your family for generations to come.
A courier is one who has received a specific message or package to deliver to someone else. He or she is on a special assignment to make sure the important item or information reaches its destination on time. They are dedicated professionals who refuse to let any obstacle--inclement weather, heavy traffic, heavy loads or treacherous terrain--prevent them from delivering the goods.
You are a chosen generation, a holy nation, a royal priesthood, and you have been chosen by God to be a courier of good news-- the Gospel of Jesus Christ --to and through your family and spheres of influence. Why do you think God has you reading blogs like these and other inspirational messages?
"Whom the Son sets free is free indeed!" Someone in your family hasn't heard that message yet, and they are not ready to go to anyone's church to hear it from a preacher. They just might, however, receive that message from you.
Think about what happens when a courier arrives with a package. Sometimes, the recipient isn't even expecting the package and is a bit bewildered about what it might be. Their curiousity, however, and the fact that it was delivered by a courier intrigues them enough to make them open it. Ask God to help you deliver your message in such a way that they will open it, even if it's not in your presence or not right away.
Couriers don't usually hang around to see what happens once the package is open, they just do all of the front work to make sure it gets delivered. After the delivery, the courier leaves and instructs the individual to interact directly with the sender regarding the contents.
When your friends and family understand that you are simply the messenger, they will have to take up their questions and concerns directly with God, who is a healer, a deliverer, and a strong tower. They will learn, just as you did, that God can do exceedingly, abundantly above all we can ask or imagine.
If you realize that you have been functioning more like a carrier in your family, passing down negative or harmful traits, make a decision today to flip the script. Allow God to transform you from a carrier to a courier and help your family truly experience the resurrection power of God as demonstrated through Jesus Christ.
BNcouraged!
Rev. Karen
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)