Category: Building Christian Character

I was recently subbing for a special ed teacher. I’ve subbed for her before and I am familiar with the children she serves. One of them in particular, is a wild card. You truly never know what you are going to get.

He was a wide open picture of defiance, on one of my days there. He refused to do anything I asked him to, which is kind of par for the course and I really didn’t think much of it. However, at the end of the day, I thanked one of the other children I was working with, for working so hard that day. He rewarded me with a hug.

My little wild card, proceeded to tell me that it wasn’t his fault that he had behaved badly. I disagreed with him and he finally admitted that his behavior was his fault and he actually apologized. I thanked him and told him I knew we would have a better day, the next day.

Then our conversation got interesting. He told me that I didn’t have to mean it, but that he would feel better if I apologized to him too. I politely told him, “no.” He persisted, “C’mon, you don’t have to mean it, just say you are sorry.” I explained to him that I had no reason to apologize.

He finally let it drop because the bell rang and it was time for him to go home. I chuckled about our conversation a lot over the next few days. You would have to know this child to get the full effect. But, after a while, it really made me think about sincerity and how often we are insincere with our words and actions towards others and towards God.

How often do we apologize or say or do something, just to keep the peace? Sure, there are certain times when it’s better for all concerned to have a little peace, but how often are we willing to settle for the path of least resistance? How often are we willing to keep quiet or go along with people and plans that we disagree with, simply because it’s easier that way?

I think insincerity can be a soul killer. I think sometimes we allow it to permeate throughout our lives.

It sometimes even turns up in our prayers. We ask God to forgive us for some act that we have every intention of doing again. While grace grants us forgiveness, we are supposed to repent and change our ways, not just use prayer as a revolving door of insincerely asking God to forgive us.

Grace doesn’t work like that.

Perhaps we should all spend a little more time thinking and praying about what we say and do before we do it. Perhaps one of our most fervent prayers should be for God to show us where we are acting insincerely towards others and towards Him.

Maybe that’s what Jesus was talking about when He said, “Blessed be the pure of heart.”

I find that God often speaks to me through children. This time, he used a little wild card. Maybe He is speaking to you too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

I was running around my house trying to get a million things done, when this big gray cat caught my eye. He was sunning on my front porch. It had rained the day before and he was clearly enjoying himself. I just itched to go and pet him, but I knew better. I had to settle for a photo from inside my house.

He’s not my cat. He’s a stray and he’s wild. I’ve tried to approach him before, more than once, but he always runs away, like I’m some kind of cat catcher. He has nothing to fear from me, but he doesn’t know that and seems uninterested in exploring the issue.

Cats have always fascinated me. Their personalities are so varied and they all kind of own themselves. Most of them refuse to be trained. They all tend to hold onto at least a tiny piece of their independence and wild nature, no matter how many years they may have lived with people.

That sunning, fraidy cat, reminded me of how we often react when God reaches for us. We are content to enjoy His blessings, like this cat was sitting on my porch and enjoying the sun, but when He reaches out for a closer relationship, we often run away.

Sometimes we are afraid of what He may want from us. Sometimes we are afraid of what He may see if we let Him get close. Sometimes we are afraid that we can’t possibly be forgiven for all of the sins we have committed in the past. Sometimes we are afraid He will change us into somebody different.

We are of course, wrong on all counts. Grace covers all of our sins and God already knows what they are anyway. And a closer relationship with Him, will change us, but we change because we want to, not because He requires us to. Christianity doesn’t work that way.

God gives us free will and then stands there with His arms wide open. He wants us to come to Him because we want to, not because there’s a gun pointed at our heads.

And sometimes, we get it right, and we trust Him and obey Him and we walk closely with Him. Other times we insist on our own independence and do it our own way, like our feline friends. That never works out well in the long run, but our God sent Jesus and because if His sacrifice, we are always welcomed back, no matter how far away we may have wandered or even sprinted.

God invites us to bask and take comfort, as we reach for His hand. Whatever the struggle, whatever the fear, He’s got us and that’s really all we need to know.

A stray cat reminded me of that. Maybe you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

P.S. I won’t be posting next week. My kids are out of school and I’m going to take some time to enjoy them and host Thanksgiving dinner and decorate for Christmas. I hope you all have a Blessed Thanksgiving. Thanks for reading.

There’s been a media feeding frenzy lately over the United States taking in thousands of Syrian refugees. Both political parties as well as presidential candidates, have jumped into the debate with both feet. Social media is teeming with posts flying both for and against it.

None of this surprises me. We’re gearing up for an election. Tensions are running high on any range of issues both foreign and domestic and terrorism is frightening, period. Of course, the very definition of terror is to make people afraid.

What I do find incredibly troubling is how Christians are going after each other over their individual positions. I read a post today where the writer was asking people to please just unfriend her because of all of the negative comments she has been subjected to. She even said people had called her un-Christian.

I though about that all day and it has really bothered me. One of my own Facebook friends has questioned people’s Christianity and their knowledge of the Bible if they are against taking the refugees.

Here’s where I call foul. When we call ourselves Christians, the entire world is watching us, including non-believers as well as those who might believe, but they have a problem with our hypocrisy. Why in the world, would we give them any fuel for their fire?

Yes, we are talking about an issue that both sides are passionate about. Yes, we can disagree, but to question one another’s faith, crosses a line. Every true believer of Christ knows that faith is incredibly personal and that God made each one of us unique in our feelings and opinions. Both sides have some valid arguments.

I have seen it written more than once, that there are close to 50 thousand homeless veterans here in this country, and that we should provide for them before we take any new immigrants from any country. Are these people wrong? Is their sentiment somehow un-Christian?

Am I less of a Christian because I feel very strongly about helping the struggling, hungry and homeless right down the street from me before raising money for an airplane ticket to help someone half a world away?

Jesus did tell us to love our neighbor. There are many ways to show that love. They way I read that scripture, is that our neighbor is anyone you come into contact with. They don’t have to speak another language or be from a foreign land to qualify.

We can talk about being at war with radical Islam and we should. But, Christians have a greater enemy and that’s Satan. If you don’t think that he will use any means to turn God’s people against each other, think again. I’ve no doubt that he is delighted by Christians calling each other ugly names on social media.

As Americans, we have the right to disagree with others on any issue we see fit. But, perhaps as Christians, we need to take some time to prayerfully ask for some guidance when responding to others on this heated issue. Satan exists to divide and destroy God’s people. We can do better. We should do better.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Yesterday, our choir sang a hymn called the “Days of Elijah.” I had never heard it before we rehearsed it a few weeks ago, but I loved it immediately. We had already planned to sing it this past Sunday, before the horrific events took place in Paris where Islamic terrorists killed 129 innocent people and left 352 wounded at last count.

Yesterday, it seemed unbelievably timely, considering what happened in Paris and what continues to happen to God’s people in other parts of the world.

The song begins with, “These are the days of Elijah, declaring the word of the Lord.”

The prophet Elijah lived in a very dangerous time. He declared  God’s message to an unbelieving king and a bounty was placed on his head. He spent some time on the run, but God always provided for him. At one point He sent the ravens to feed him and at another point, an angel prepared food for him. And when it came time for a showdown between Elijah’s God and the gods of those who pursued him, our God rained down fire from the sky. The enemy’s god could not. God easily won that battle.

The next stanza begins with, “And these are the days of great trials of famine and darkness and sword.” Could there be any more truth in that statement? Just like Elijah, we are living in a world of violence and darkness.

But, then it goes on, “Still we are the voice in the desert crying, prepare ye the way of the Lord!”

Isn’t that what Christians are called to do? Aren’t we supposed to proclaim the Gospel to the lost? Times are rough and scary; there’s no doubt about it. But, are they any more frightening than they were for Elijah? Are they any more frightening than they were for the Jews during World War II?

Then the chorus hits: “Behold He comes, riding on the clouds shining like the sun, at the trumpet’s call. So, lift your voice, it’s the year of Jubilee. Out of Zion’s hill, salvation comes.” There’s the promise.

What would happen if we all turned back to God? What if along with coloring our Facebook pictures the colors of the French flag, we actually went to God in prayer about all of the lives lost in Paris? What if we prayed without ceasing, for God’s intervention and guidance on fighting the evildoers. What if all Christians prayed without ceasing that our leaders would turn their hearts and ears to God? What if we prayed without ceasing, that God would raise up a leader here in this country with His heart?

What would our country look like? What would the world look like?

The song goes on to remind us that, “We are the laborers in Your vineyard, declaring the Word of the Lord.”

Most of us are not professional soldiers, though we should all thank God for them everyday. But, we are called to be Christian soldiers. Clearly, there’s a physical battle going on here as the victims and their families in Paris, can attest. But, let’s not forget there’s a spiritual battle going on as well, one that no matter how young or old, or what our physical condition may be, that we are called to fight.

We fight that particular battle with prayer. We are called to make a difference. We are called to act. We already know that Jesus wins, but don’t we want to play a part in that victory?

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

P.S. I have attached a version of this song. I hope it gets your Monday rocking!