Which Doormat are You?

This morning, I found myself again in the battle of, "I am NOT a doormat."  I AM a believer in Christ.  I do love my Lord, I believe in returning good for evil, I believe that I should do what is right and do my best to live at peace with all men.

I'll be honest, I'm a California girl through and through, and shortly after the Lord saved me, He began dealing with my arrogance of the culture I had been raised in.  I would say what I thought when I thought it, after all, that was honesty.  It's a different culture where I was raised, if you didn't like someone, you just told them...and that was 'okay.'  Not everyone has to be friends, it was respected.  Differences were embraced, almost idolized in the culture I grew up in.

The arrogance isn't a mentality of "I'm better than you so there."  But rather, "I am who I am and you have to accept it or move on cause I don't care anyway."

But the Lord graciously began to work in my heart showing me (some things more quickly than others) that yes I am who I am, but part of who I am is sinful and needed a loving Savior to transform the depths of my soul.  Not to fit a societal mold...but to be more like Christ.

I believe that part of the boldness that comes with that upbringing, led me into years of passivity as a believer.  Now, I am NOT saying that being passive is bad, it can be right depending on the situation.

What I am being set free from is the misconception that all Christians should be doormats.  We should not silently sit by in fear of acting in our society because of a deeply rooted fear of man, or for any other reason for that matter. 

There will be times when God calls us to act. 

When He does we must obey.

God called Moses to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.  He didn't just sit there in the middle of the desert waiting for the Lord to bring them to him.  Rather, in the strength God provided, Moses acted mightily.

God called Joseph to be in a position of authority in Egypt during a famine.  Joseph did not sit in prison idly.  No, seeing the opportunity for release he took it.

God called Paul to take the gospel to the Gentiles (and Praise His Name, for I am one!).  Paul didn't just stay in Damascus waiting for the Lord to drop some Gentiles in his lap.  He went throughout the known world spreading the gospel of Christ to the gentiles.

I'm learning that although there are times when I most definitely could be perceived as a doormat, that label is okay if in receiving it I am honoring the Lord in what He has called me to do.  I am also learning that there are times when I am called to speak out.   When I am called to stand up for something because if I don't I may not be being a good steward of what the Lord has entrusted to my care.

Through the past six years that the Lord has been impressing this truth on my heart, He has shown me over and over that speaking up means speaking words tempered with grace and love.

Ephesians 4:15 says, "Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ."

If I am in fact to speak words that give grace to those who hear me, my first position has to be one of fervent prayer.  In fact, speaking the truth in love requires a tremendous amount of prayer.

We can trust in our Father to grant us the words we need when and as we need them.  The Lord spoke to Moses in Exodus, and this has always encouraged my soul, "The Lord said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”   Exodus 4:10-12.

Sometimes the Lord calls us to speak up, and sometimes the Lord calls us to be silent.  Again in Exodus 14:14, we are encouraged by,   ^"The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” 

The key I've found is discernment.  Speaking when He wants us to and what He wants us to.

Guess what?  I'm not the only one who struggles with this, it's as old as the writer of James reflecting on the ability to control the tongue.  That man is perfect if he can do so.  James 3:2, "We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check."

So, maybe instead of being the silent doormat consistently, I can choose to be the doormat the exudes grace to those who walk across me....

 

 

Christmas in July

Today I went for coffee!  So exciting because I don't do it all the time, and I had a FREE birthday coffee!!  YAY!  Coffee is good....FREE coffee is better!

So I pulled up to get my favorite drink at a local coffee shop.  I ordered my drink and pulled around...I'll be honest...I was giddy.  It's a bit like Christmas in July when I score a free coffee!!!

At this particular place, there is always a "question of the day" and customers put their tip in whichever answer suits them best.  My jaw didn't drop at today's question...but rather seeing the results...

Okay, so honestly this may not surprise as many of you as I hope it does...but the "Lie" bin was full and the "truth" bin was sparse...at best.

So, can I pose the question, if people themselves would rather lie every time they are asked a question.....are they opposed to being lied to?

The other day I was driving behind a car with the bumper sticker that read, "Kids have imaginary friends, adults have God"

You know what?  I'm appalled.  I mean I didn't even grow up in a Christian home, but our family had respect for religion and the church goers among us.  That era is gone folks.

Romans 1:24-25 says, " Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen"

The entire ride home my heart was so somber.  All those people who "bought" into the lie....I wondered...did it seem laughable to them?  Honestly....if lying wins....what does that mean?  It means we are all liars.  So we are all waking around lying to one another.  When does it stop?

I'm not debating the Scripture that says, "all have sinned" and "none are righteous"    Those are true without question, but I am saying as a believer (and I know I'm not alone...)  I try to walk in the truth....Jesus says He has no greater joy than to hear that His children are walking in the truth.

Could it be possible that absolutely no fellow believers went before me today in the line for coffee?  Were they are disgusted as I was?  Did they forgo putting their money where the mouth is so to speak by not contributing either way.  Who knows, anything is possible.

I brought it up to the barista.  I said, "I'm appalled at this"  To which she replied, "Well I don't put those questions there."   Wow.  I had to breathe, that sweet woman immediately became defensive.  She must've thought she was going to get an earful of dissatisfaction from me.   I just calmly replied, "Ma'am I am so disheartened that the results show people choose lying over truth....not that the question was posed."  She quietly smiled and nodded in agreement.

This Christmas in July free coffee turned into a sweet time of fellowship with the Lord.  I don't want to live a lie.  My life isn't perfect, I don't have it all together...I may have a clean house or whatever, but I do NOT live a perfect life. I make mistakes, I say and do things I shouldn't...but by the overwhelming grace of our Lord Jesus, I can run to Him each time and receive His forgiveness and mercy and strength to live more like Christ each day.

Dear friend, fellow believer....I pray that this encourages you to take a LOVING stand for truth.  Years ago, I had a situation where I felt compelled to correct a believer in Christ, I was going to write a letter...and each time I sat down to write the letter, I had no clarity.  No precise words.  So I stopped and I committed to prayer for a few weeks.  I never ended up writing the letter.  Why?  Especially when the other party was clearly wrong.  Well because it's amazing how quickly we all become the crowd that walked away rather than stoning the adulterous woman.  We all have sin don't we?  We all need Jesus.  Every. Single. Day.

Don't go into a full force assault you against the world for truth.  Prayerfully ask the Lord to show you where you can stand for truth in a manner that is consistent with Scripture...with love and grace.  Ask God...."Lord how can I speak the truth in love today as I live in a fallen world?"   Sweet friend...you will be overwhelmed with the opportunities He gives you.

Boldness

I've been reading through Exodus lately and as always The Lord is cultivating something fresh and new in my heart. I am so blessed, His word is so beautiful, powerful and transforming. I wonder...why do we as Christians expect anything less? This is the God of the universe! Of course His word is powerful!

As I've been watching the conversations that Moses had with my God as the Israelites were wondering I have honestly felt like I am there. His word is alive!!!

Moses amazes me. He was a very bold man. Which is funny because in Exodus chapter four he basically tells God that he can't speak. He's just not that eloquent and needs help (ex 4:10). Fast forward towards the end of the book of Exodus and it's very obvious we see a man who has grown quite a bit in his relationship with The Lord.

This morning I could not stop reading and researching this verse....for many reasons...but first read the verse:


"Now therefore, if I have found favor in your sight, please show me now your ways, that I may know you in order to find favor in your sight. Consider too that this nation is your people." Ex 33:13


Okay, can you imagine the boldness before The Lord? Just boldly...show me your ways that I may know you in order to find favor in your sight.

Moses is cool. Yup. I said it. I'm amazed. He starts off "if I have found favor.....teach me...show me...lead me....that I may find more favor!"

Moses knows God. He knows that The Lord has so much more to pour out on his people...sometimes we just aren't prepared to receive it. So Moses asks The Lord....show me your ways...he wants to really KNOW The Lord! Know means " to know by experience."

How many of us would just love to experience God? Yet so many things hold us back? Many things can hold
Us back but I believe it mostly comes down to fear and various sins in our lives....at least for me.

Moses was unashamedly asking The Lord....I want to be shown your ways that I may know you by experience!

Oh that my prayers would be that bold! That I would confidently approach The Lord because of the blood of Christ and ask Him to show me His ways..in every situation! Oh how I need to pause more in the midst and pray! I need The Lord to guide my moves, my decisions...oh how I need to be in prayer much more fervently than I am now!

We need to boldly come before The Lord asking that He would pour out His favor upon us and show us His ways....that we would know Him. Think about how easy it is to talk about your kids to someone...it's because you know them. But talking about The Lord to others is sometimes hard. We need to know him so well that when opportunity arises to talk about him to others it literally spills out of our hearts and mouths!!