One of my favorite women from the Old Testament is Abigail. She is the picture of grace, virtue, and beauty. Her story is intriguing, gripping, and shocking. Mostly, though, I love Abigail because she makes me question everything about myself. Could I be the person she was? Do I have the character to react the way she did? Let's examine her life a little closer today and see just how much we can learn from this Old Testament woman.
The text in which we find Abigail is 1 Samuel 25. In verse 3 we find out that she is married to a man named Nabal, and he's not exactly a great person. Short-tempered, rude, and disrespectful are just a few of his less-than-desirable traits, and yet it is to such a person that the altogether lovely Abigail is married. In verse 13 we see that Abigail's entire family is about to be wiped off the face of the planet because of her husband's blatant disrespect and pride. Alas, by verse 33, Abigail's quick thinking, poise, and smooth-talking have won over the heart of David and have saved her entire family! Well, except Nabal, who would die sooner rather than later. Still! Abigail saves the day! Hooray!
So what, exactly, can we learn from this super woman?
1: Abigail is the definition of prepared. As a pretty new player in the game of housewifery, I can attest that being ready at any given moment to feed more people than just me and my husband is a difficult things. Some days, just being able to find the time to feed us seems like a huge undertaking. And yet, in verse 18, the text tells us Abigail 'made haste' and 'took' 200 loaves of bread, 200 cakes of figs, and five sheep 'already dressed'. What's the significance? Oh, she had all of that on hand!
We know from 1 Peter 3:15 that we are to be ready always to give an answer and defend the Word of God and the hope that is in us. It is vital that we, as children of God, have knowledge of His word 'on hand' already. We shouldn't wait until someone asks us a Bible question or until we run into a certain temptation that we find the time to see what the Bible has to say about it. Instead, we should give ourselves over to study constantly, so that whenever a trial or question comes our way, we are ready to 'make haste' as Abigail did! Who knows but what our preparation may save us from some scheme the Devil has ready for us.
2: Abigail is the definition of a peacemaker. What is the reason that David is coming after her family? Is it not because her husband flew off at the mouth and disrespected the future king? But in verse 24 Abigail says, "On me, my lord, on me let this iniquity be!". You read that right! She took the blame for something that most certainly was not her fault.
Romans 12:18 tells us to live peaceably, as much as depends on us, with all men. Sometimes, that means taking the blame for something that isn't your fault. Sometimes, that means placing your pride aside and seeking forgiveness when someone else is to blame. While Abigail could have sat back and waited for something to happen, because after all it wasn't her fault, she was instead proactive. She made peace, even for something that wasn't her fault. I know that I can learn from this woman of God. How easy it is to sit back and wait for things to "play out" because we have been wronged and thus don't want to make the first move toward peace. Yet, Abigail reminds us that sometimes, being a peacemaker (and we are all commanded to be) means apologizing for something that isn't your fault.
3: Abigail is the definition of persuasive. As soon as Abigail dismounts from her donkey, she falls on her face and begins an epic speech. Throughout her spill, David says nothing. Instead, this lowly woman has a commanding presence, with words (and beauty) that halt a warrior in his tracks.
Perhaps verse 35 says it all, when David says, "See, I have heeded your voice and respected your person." Truly Abigail was a woman with a great sense of persuasiveness. As children of God, we ought not try to persuade people to follow Christ with false pretenses. We must not ever try to conform the Gospel message to fit the needs and relevancy of the culture. Instead, we must show our world, with powerful and persuasive words, the relevancy of the Gospel! Peter is a great example, declaring on the day of Pentecost, "This Jesus, whom you crucified (Acts 2:36)." How could you not be moved by such passion and zeal? How could you not be persuaded to follow after this One who died for you?
No doubt Abigail was as persuasive as she was because her and her family's lives depended on it. We must persuade those around us to follow the Gospel as if our life depends on it. Because in all reality, their eternal life does!
There are so many great lessons we can learn from this powerful woman of God. Perhaps the greatest lesson of all is that Abigail, because of her faithfulness, was chosen to be David's wife after Nabal died. Likewise, if we are faithful, and will die to our old self and our covenant with sin, we will be called the bride of Christ (as members of His church - Eph. 5).
Showing posts with label LL. Show all posts
Showing posts with label LL. Show all posts
Monday, February 18, 2013
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Leading Ladies: Eve
Eve was the prototype of women. When God designed the female species, He made Eve exactly how He wanted woman to be. She was perfect. She was handcrafted by God to meet the needs of man; to be his helpmeet and companion. We know that Eve, prior to sin being entered into the world, had a perfect relationship with God and a perfect relationship with her husband. Truly, she was 'living the life'.
And then Genesis 3 happens. Eve is tempted (and lied to) by the serpent, and she partakes of the forbidden fruit, then shares in that sin with her husband. We know the rest of the story: their eyes are opened, they hide from God, and they are banished from the garden as well as cursed and plagued with a death they weren't designed for.
From Eve, the mother of all creation, there are some valuable lessons we can learn.
1: Sin ruins relationships.
Eve's relationship with God and with Adam was perfect. And yet, the first thing that happens after partaking of the fruit: Adam and Eve are hiding from God, and are then deceptive by not offering up why they are hiding and how they know they're naked. Deceit is an ugly characteristic for a relationship, and yet after this initial sin has taken place, that is exactly the characteristic Eve implements into her relationship with God. As for Adam, he immediately blames Eve for his sin. We know that blame and resentment are divisive components of a relationship, and yet this is how this first married couple are now treating each other. All because of this newly introduced sin.
When we let sin into our hearts and relationships, it ruins them. Truly the Deceiver recognizes that strong, godly relationships are a great asset to salvation. That is why he does his best to ruin them! He tempts us with bad attitudes, harsh words, and blame. He tempts us to be deceitful and hurtful. These things ruin relationships: relationships between parents and children, relationships between friends, relationships between husband and wife, and even relationships within the body of Christ.
Why is it that we often hurt those the closest to us? Why is it we have the worst attitudes with them? Perhaps it is because we let our guard down. We stop trying to 'impress' and 'be on our best behavior', and instead we start letting Satan creep in a little at a time. We must guard our relationships from Satan, because he is divisive and aims to tear people apart.
2: Sin has progression.
Why is it that Eve is tempted to partake of the forbidden fruit? Had she been staying as far away from the tree as possible, would she have likely been tempted to partake? Or does it seem to you as it does me that Eve was inching closer and closer to the tree, getting as close as she could without actually involving herself in the sin. Perhaps she only wanted to look upon the fruit, or maybe even smell the fruit. Perhaps she just wanted to see what all this fruit fuss was about! Regardless, Satan gets to her because she has availed herself to such a temptation.
Psalm 1:1 tells us, "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful" The progression of sin is a very real and present threat to us! As soon as we start walking past it, we're tempted to stand right in the middle of it (though still not 'partaking'), and yet, before we realize, we're sitting down in the midst of all of the wickedness and are sharers in it.
Satan gets to us inch by inch. He makes us believe that certain things are ok, when really they are evil and wicked, and we are just lessening them in our heads to justify our actions! For example: will Satan ever be able to make us fall into the temptation of drunkenness if we never take the first sip? Will Satan ever be able deceive us into being involved in sexual immorality if we have fled from even the appearance of such? Will Satan be able to lure us into lusting after the flesh if we will stop ourselves from going into those movies (Magic Mike?) or buying those books (50 shades of whatever?) or pinning those pictures of actors (onto an "mmmm!!" board, really?). If we will distance ourselves from the appearance of sin, we will be less likely to fall into such a temptation.
Had Eve stayed as far away from that tree as possible, would it have been as easy for Satan to bait her like he did? The same goes for us. Don't be easy bait for Satan. Stay as far away from 'the line' as possible.
3: Women have a huge influence over the men in their lives.
Was it very difficult for Eve to convince Adam to sin with her? It doesn't appear so. We know from history and even our own experiences that men tend to behave the ways they do in order to impress women. In high school and college, for example, the boys tended to dress a certain way and talk a certain way and participate in certain things to garner the attention of the females. They bathed regularly and wore cologne and dressed to the nines so that the females around them would notice.
With great power, ladies, comes great responsibility.
We have the ability to make or break the men in our lives. And so, if you are in the dating pool, make the boys/men around you behave a certain way. Require the guy you date to pray before the meal you share together. Require that he open doors for you. *As a side note, if the boy doesn't respect you enough to open a door for you, chances are he won't respect you enough to not touch you inappropriately or speak to you in certain ways.* We have the ability to make the men around us better, or worse, depending on what our expectations are.
Now, does that mean we should all have unrealistic expectations for the men in our lives? Absolutely not. But it does mean that we should require a degree of godliness in the men we are around. We should praise the boys in our youth group who lead singing or pray before the congregation. We should not give the time of day to the boys who cut up and text during Bible class or worship. We should praise the boys for seeking out wholesome, modest girlfriends, instead of tearing those girls down and making fun of them for dressing 'weird'. We should praise the boys for acting mature and including the smaller boys in the youth group, instead of acting put out by the immature children hanging around.
We can make a difference in our lives and the lives of the boys/men around us if we will not settle for less than God expects.
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Leading Ladies: Priscilla
If you have been keeping up with my podcasts, you know that I am fascinated with 1st century life. I love thinking about what life would have been like for those people we read about so often in our New Testaments. I especially enjoy thinking about what it would have been like for the women of the Bible, and one such lady is the topic of our discussion today.
We don't know a lot about Priscilla. She is only mentioned in a few verses, and yet we can learn so much from these few words. In keeping with our Leading Ladies theme, let's explore a few of Priscilla's characteristics that we can imitate in our own lives.
1: She picked good friends. There are only 3 verses that mention Priscilla by that name (Acts 18:2, 18, 26), and yet there are three other places in inspired scripture where she is mentioned by the name Prisca (Romans 16:3, 1 Cor. 16:19, 2 Tim. 4:19). If you're anything like me, names mean a lot to you. When someone gives you a nickname, it is special. For instance, I really don't like it when people casually call me Em. I just don't. Why? Probably because all of my life that is what my sisters have called me, and thus I reserve that nickname for people who I am close to. When my closest friends call me that, I don't mind. Total stranger, well it's a little weird! With this logic in mind, I truly believe that Priscilla and Paul had a wonderful friendship. Casual acquaintances don't generally refer to each other by nicknames, and yet Paul speaks of saluting 'Prisca' on three separate occasions.
Truly this is a characteristic we must implement. Friends make or break you, and that is just a fact of life. The times in my life that I have been the farthest from God are the times in my life when I have been the closest friends with people of the world. On the other hand, the times in my life when I have been the closest to God, those are the times when I have had great Christian influences and encouragers in my life. The Proverbial writer said, "The righteous should choose his friends carefully, for the way of the wicked leads them astray" (12:26). Truly we do well when we surround ourselves with faithful Christian friends, and Priscilla was an amazing example of that.
2: She was involved in the Lord's work. I often hear people making excuses as to why they are not involved in doing the Lord's work. Priscilla does not strike me as one who would be making excuses. Instead, in Acts 18 when we find her with her husband, Aquila, she is teaching Apollos. She is not standing idly by. She is not off busying herself with the tent making. Instead, she is out with her husband doing the work of the Lord.
Maybe you are a preacher's wife like I am, or maybe you are simply the wife of a faithful Christian man (and good for you!). Sometimes it might be easy to think we're doing good works simply because our husbands are. Don't be fooled by that, though! Each and every individual Christian is required to be a servant and to spread the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15). It isn't enough for your husband to go visiting or for your husband to conduct a Bible study. Get involved! In the 1st century, Priscilla was only one of many women doing the work of the Lord---we can see that from passages like Acts 8:4 which tell us that the Christians who were scattered ALL went about teaching and preaching. Still, Priscilla is a great example to us in that we should be out doing as much as we possibly can for the Lord.
3: She put God first. Maybe you are unaware, but Robert and I moved a few months ago. One thing I learned from the experience is: moving is NOT fun. Packing and unpacking and wrapping in bubble wrap and wrapping with tissue paper and unwrapping and forgetting what's in each box....it isn't very fun. Living in a mostly packed up house for a month--not fun. Nor is it fun to get a new house full of boxes and live that way for a bit longer. It's inconvenient and difficult and....we even have all of the modern day comforts like uHauls and packaging tape and cars!!
You may be wondering if I've forgotten I'm talking about Priscilla, and I have not. I just think it's interesting that the first time we hear about Priscilla she's in Corinth making tents, then she's in Ephesus teaching Apollos, then she's in Rome risking her neck for the cause of Christ. This girl was on the move! And yet, in every instance that we hear about this 1st century family moving around, it has something to do with the gospel of Christ. Truly Aquila and Priscilla were wonderful, inspiring laborers in the Kingdom.
How often are we willing to behave like that? It is so hard for me sometimes to step out of my routine and do something I know I should do. It seems that my life gets wrapped up in an already-full schedule and I just don't make time for some of the things I need to do to spread the gospel of Christ to those around me. If I were more like Priscilla, willing to put my entire livelihood on the line and pack up and move simply because I could be a more effective servant elsewhere--I truly believe I'd conquer the sin of worldliness that way!
I need to be more like this faithful sister. I need to choose great friends to be around, involve myself in the Lord's work more, and put God ahead of my own convenience.
*For more on Priscilla, check out my podcast THIS Thursday entitled Ephesus.
We don't know a lot about Priscilla. She is only mentioned in a few verses, and yet we can learn so much from these few words. In keeping with our Leading Ladies theme, let's explore a few of Priscilla's characteristics that we can imitate in our own lives.
1: She picked good friends. There are only 3 verses that mention Priscilla by that name (Acts 18:2, 18, 26), and yet there are three other places in inspired scripture where she is mentioned by the name Prisca (Romans 16:3, 1 Cor. 16:19, 2 Tim. 4:19). If you're anything like me, names mean a lot to you. When someone gives you a nickname, it is special. For instance, I really don't like it when people casually call me Em. I just don't. Why? Probably because all of my life that is what my sisters have called me, and thus I reserve that nickname for people who I am close to. When my closest friends call me that, I don't mind. Total stranger, well it's a little weird! With this logic in mind, I truly believe that Priscilla and Paul had a wonderful friendship. Casual acquaintances don't generally refer to each other by nicknames, and yet Paul speaks of saluting 'Prisca' on three separate occasions.
Truly this is a characteristic we must implement. Friends make or break you, and that is just a fact of life. The times in my life that I have been the farthest from God are the times in my life when I have been the closest friends with people of the world. On the other hand, the times in my life when I have been the closest to God, those are the times when I have had great Christian influences and encouragers in my life. The Proverbial writer said, "The righteous should choose his friends carefully, for the way of the wicked leads them astray" (12:26). Truly we do well when we surround ourselves with faithful Christian friends, and Priscilla was an amazing example of that.
2: She was involved in the Lord's work. I often hear people making excuses as to why they are not involved in doing the Lord's work. Priscilla does not strike me as one who would be making excuses. Instead, in Acts 18 when we find her with her husband, Aquila, she is teaching Apollos. She is not standing idly by. She is not off busying herself with the tent making. Instead, she is out with her husband doing the work of the Lord.
Maybe you are a preacher's wife like I am, or maybe you are simply the wife of a faithful Christian man (and good for you!). Sometimes it might be easy to think we're doing good works simply because our husbands are. Don't be fooled by that, though! Each and every individual Christian is required to be a servant and to spread the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15). It isn't enough for your husband to go visiting or for your husband to conduct a Bible study. Get involved! In the 1st century, Priscilla was only one of many women doing the work of the Lord---we can see that from passages like Acts 8:4 which tell us that the Christians who were scattered ALL went about teaching and preaching. Still, Priscilla is a great example to us in that we should be out doing as much as we possibly can for the Lord.
3: She put God first. Maybe you are unaware, but Robert and I moved a few months ago. One thing I learned from the experience is: moving is NOT fun. Packing and unpacking and wrapping in bubble wrap and wrapping with tissue paper and unwrapping and forgetting what's in each box....it isn't very fun. Living in a mostly packed up house for a month--not fun. Nor is it fun to get a new house full of boxes and live that way for a bit longer. It's inconvenient and difficult and....we even have all of the modern day comforts like uHauls and packaging tape and cars!!
You may be wondering if I've forgotten I'm talking about Priscilla, and I have not. I just think it's interesting that the first time we hear about Priscilla she's in Corinth making tents, then she's in Ephesus teaching Apollos, then she's in Rome risking her neck for the cause of Christ. This girl was on the move! And yet, in every instance that we hear about this 1st century family moving around, it has something to do with the gospel of Christ. Truly Aquila and Priscilla were wonderful, inspiring laborers in the Kingdom.
How often are we willing to behave like that? It is so hard for me sometimes to step out of my routine and do something I know I should do. It seems that my life gets wrapped up in an already-full schedule and I just don't make time for some of the things I need to do to spread the gospel of Christ to those around me. If I were more like Priscilla, willing to put my entire livelihood on the line and pack up and move simply because I could be a more effective servant elsewhere--I truly believe I'd conquer the sin of worldliness that way!
I need to be more like this faithful sister. I need to choose great friends to be around, involve myself in the Lord's work more, and put God ahead of my own convenience.
*For more on Priscilla, check out my podcast THIS Thursday entitled Ephesus.
Friday, December 7, 2012
Leading Ladies: Leah
Jacob is a very well known Old Testament patriarch. He also has a beautiful love story. In Genesis 29 we read the story of Jacob wanting to marry Rachel, Laban's youngest daughter. Because Jacob loved her, he worked 7 years to be able to marry her. As the familiar story goes, Laban tricks Jacob and instead gives him Leah (the oldest daughter) to marry. Upon this realization, Jacob works another seven years to be able to finally wed Rachel. That's true love, people! Devotion at its finest for sure.
But in reading this familiar story, it's hard not to feel sorry for Leah. I mean really, how often do you think about Leah when you think about Jacob? It's not that often! Instead, we think of Jacob and Rachel, of the love that they shared, and the way he demonstrated that love to her children. So where does Leah come into that picture? Here's why I feel pretty bad for her:
1: Jacob didn't want her. Now this one is mostly Laban's fault, as he shouldn't have fooled Jacob into marrying Leah, but that's beside the point really. While I know that times were different then and that people didn't commonly marry for love, Jacob wanted to. And guess what? He didn't love Leah. So how would you feel knowing that your now husband not only doesn't love you, but loves your sister?? When I was in high school, one of the guys I was dating thought that my sister was the most gorgeous female on the planet. Even though this was just a high school puppy love type of thing, it still devastated me, because she was my sister. Maybe it's just a sister thing, but there is this jealousy/self-esteem weirdness involved and I just flat out feel sorry for Leah having to deal with that.
Not only that, but the Bible makes it seem like Leah wasn't as good as Rachel. When reading their first descriptions, the Bible says, "Now Laban had two daughters, the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah's eyes were delicate, but Rachel was beautiful of form and appearance (Gen.29:16-17)." While I'm not 100% positive what the "delicate" or "soft" eyes comment means, from the "but Rachel was beautiful.." makes it seem like it was not a great quality to have. I imagine that Leah has felt inferior to her beautiful younger sister for her entire life, and now she's going to be subject to those feelings for the rest of her life. Don't you feel sorry for her?
2: Jacob loved Rachel's children more. So I don't have kids yet, but from what I can deduce, having kids is a game changer. Suddenly, you'd rather people hurt you than hurt your kids. You'd rather suffer or have less of something than to have your kids go through that. Now look at Leah: she's been the lesser of the two wives (and probably the lesser of the two sisters all her life!), and now her kids are the 'lesser' ones. Jacob shows favoritism to Rachel's kids in very obvious ways (see coat of many colors). All of the children can tell that their father loves his sons by Rachel more (see entire story of Joseph's life). How do you think this made Leah feel? Like I said, I feel pretty sorry for her.
But, when I read the story of Leah and Jacob and Rachel, if I will only step back, I can feel at ease with Leah's lot in life. If you've read the story of Esther, you see that God is directly involved, though not directly mentioned. I feel that it's the same in Leah's life. God is directly working in this story, but we don't always take the time to find out where. So that's what we'll do now.
1: God provided for and blessed Leah. While it's completely my own speculation, I feel that Leah (as normal women do) may have worried about getting married. Her physical limitations probably made her nervous that she may never be married, and if you didn't get married back then, it was a bad thing. But God took care of Leah. While the circumstances that led up to her marrying Jacob might not have been the best, and even though her situation throughout life might not have been ideal, God took care of her. He provided for her and met her needs.
Even though Jacob loved Rachel more, God opened Leah's womb. For the first time in Leah's life, she had the advantage over Rachel. No doubt this was God continuing to look out for her. He knew that Jacob loved Rachel more, so He gave her children that she could love and be loved by. And it wasn't just the children that she was getting to spend time with; obviously she was getting Jacob's attention and affection during this time. Sure, the situation still isn't ideal, but God was blessing Leah's life.
3: Leah's family endured. This is basically the end-all argument for feeling sorry for Leah. Now we know that once Rachel had Joseph and Benjamin all of the other kids were mostly forgotten, or at the very least neglected. I mean, they were so bitter that they tried to kill Joseph. But, while Jacob had always favored Rachel and then always favored her children, God favored Leah's child. Judah was the tribe that lasted; the tribe that Jesus would come from (Lion of Judah - Rev. 5). So Leah had it a little worse off than Rachel in this life, but her family's legacy would be the lasting one. It would be her lineage that would one day save the world. We can obviously draw from this that Leah trusted in God in her life. Just like God blessed Abraham, He blessed Leah. God takes care of those who trust in Him--even if there earthly life doesn't seem blessed (though there are always blessings from God).
I think we can learn a lot from Leah's situation. God is going to take care of you and me no matter our lot in life. No matter if the situations and circumstances are against us, God is going to be there for us, and He will never forsake us. If we're limited in this physical world--it doesn't matter, because God will provide for us eternally.
The more I think about it, the less I feel bad for Leah. God took care of her, and He promises to take care of those who are faithful to Him...which makes me realize I should probably never feel bad for myself, either.
And one more nugget of thought: don't let bitterness overtake you. It is so easy to become bitter because of what we go through in this sinful world. Choose to look on the bright side, and like we learn from the story of Leah, know that God will provide for you and take care of you. You will no doubt have many physical blessings while you're on earth, but even if you don't have any...God will bless you eternally: "Heaven will surely be worth it all."
But in reading this familiar story, it's hard not to feel sorry for Leah. I mean really, how often do you think about Leah when you think about Jacob? It's not that often! Instead, we think of Jacob and Rachel, of the love that they shared, and the way he demonstrated that love to her children. So where does Leah come into that picture? Here's why I feel pretty bad for her:
1: Jacob didn't want her. Now this one is mostly Laban's fault, as he shouldn't have fooled Jacob into marrying Leah, but that's beside the point really. While I know that times were different then and that people didn't commonly marry for love, Jacob wanted to. And guess what? He didn't love Leah. So how would you feel knowing that your now husband not only doesn't love you, but loves your sister?? When I was in high school, one of the guys I was dating thought that my sister was the most gorgeous female on the planet. Even though this was just a high school puppy love type of thing, it still devastated me, because she was my sister. Maybe it's just a sister thing, but there is this jealousy/self-esteem weirdness involved and I just flat out feel sorry for Leah having to deal with that.
Not only that, but the Bible makes it seem like Leah wasn't as good as Rachel. When reading their first descriptions, the Bible says, "Now Laban had two daughters, the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah's eyes were delicate, but Rachel was beautiful of form and appearance (Gen.29:16-17)." While I'm not 100% positive what the "delicate" or "soft" eyes comment means, from the "but Rachel was beautiful.." makes it seem like it was not a great quality to have. I imagine that Leah has felt inferior to her beautiful younger sister for her entire life, and now she's going to be subject to those feelings for the rest of her life. Don't you feel sorry for her?
2: Jacob loved Rachel's children more. So I don't have kids yet, but from what I can deduce, having kids is a game changer. Suddenly, you'd rather people hurt you than hurt your kids. You'd rather suffer or have less of something than to have your kids go through that. Now look at Leah: she's been the lesser of the two wives (and probably the lesser of the two sisters all her life!), and now her kids are the 'lesser' ones. Jacob shows favoritism to Rachel's kids in very obvious ways (see coat of many colors). All of the children can tell that their father loves his sons by Rachel more (see entire story of Joseph's life). How do you think this made Leah feel? Like I said, I feel pretty sorry for her.
But, when I read the story of Leah and Jacob and Rachel, if I will only step back, I can feel at ease with Leah's lot in life. If you've read the story of Esther, you see that God is directly involved, though not directly mentioned. I feel that it's the same in Leah's life. God is directly working in this story, but we don't always take the time to find out where. So that's what we'll do now.
1: God provided for and blessed Leah. While it's completely my own speculation, I feel that Leah (as normal women do) may have worried about getting married. Her physical limitations probably made her nervous that she may never be married, and if you didn't get married back then, it was a bad thing. But God took care of Leah. While the circumstances that led up to her marrying Jacob might not have been the best, and even though her situation throughout life might not have been ideal, God took care of her. He provided for her and met her needs.
Even though Jacob loved Rachel more, God opened Leah's womb. For the first time in Leah's life, she had the advantage over Rachel. No doubt this was God continuing to look out for her. He knew that Jacob loved Rachel more, so He gave her children that she could love and be loved by. And it wasn't just the children that she was getting to spend time with; obviously she was getting Jacob's attention and affection during this time. Sure, the situation still isn't ideal, but God was blessing Leah's life.
3: Leah's family endured. This is basically the end-all argument for feeling sorry for Leah. Now we know that once Rachel had Joseph and Benjamin all of the other kids were mostly forgotten, or at the very least neglected. I mean, they were so bitter that they tried to kill Joseph. But, while Jacob had always favored Rachel and then always favored her children, God favored Leah's child. Judah was the tribe that lasted; the tribe that Jesus would come from (Lion of Judah - Rev. 5). So Leah had it a little worse off than Rachel in this life, but her family's legacy would be the lasting one. It would be her lineage that would one day save the world. We can obviously draw from this that Leah trusted in God in her life. Just like God blessed Abraham, He blessed Leah. God takes care of those who trust in Him--even if there earthly life doesn't seem blessed (though there are always blessings from God).
I think we can learn a lot from Leah's situation. God is going to take care of you and me no matter our lot in life. No matter if the situations and circumstances are against us, God is going to be there for us, and He will never forsake us. If we're limited in this physical world--it doesn't matter, because God will provide for us eternally.
The more I think about it, the less I feel bad for Leah. God took care of her, and He promises to take care of those who are faithful to Him...which makes me realize I should probably never feel bad for myself, either.
And one more nugget of thought: don't let bitterness overtake you. It is so easy to become bitter because of what we go through in this sinful world. Choose to look on the bright side, and like we learn from the story of Leah, know that God will provide for you and take care of you. You will no doubt have many physical blessings while you're on earth, but even if you don't have any...God will bless you eternally: "Heaven will surely be worth it all."
Monday, December 3, 2012
Leading Ladies: Sapphira
Sapphira probably isn't at the top of your 'leading ladies' list, namely because she doesn't set a positive example. And, if we're being honest, we probably never take the time to separate her name from her husband's...kind of like the Aquila and Priscilla team. However, I think we can learn a lot from Sapphira, which is why I'm dedicating a leading ladies post to her.
We are introduced to this women in Acts 5. Prior to this, a well known Bible character (and I don't mean character in a fictitious way--we know people who are mentioned in the Bible are real people) named Barnabas. After he sold his land and gave the money to the poor, the entire church was encouraged and thus his name was changed to 'son of encouragement'. It is on the heels of this story that we meet Sapphira and her husband, Ananias.
Ananias and Sapphira had this great idea: they were going to sell the land that they had, just like Barnabas had, and give the money to the church. The only problem was that instead of giving all of the money to the church, they would simply give part of it. Now, this story isn't saying that you cannot keep anything back for yourself but that you must give every ounce of everything you have to the church. Not saying that at all. What it is saying is that you cannot lie about it. Had Ananias and Sapphira sold their land and given a portion to the apostles and told them such, the church would have been encouraged by this, as would the apostles. Instead, Ananias and Sapphira conspired together to make it seem like they had done some great and charitable deed, when really they had kept part back--only wanting the accolades for their contribution.
So why focus on Sapphira?
Recently, as I was rereading this story, something new stuck out to me. You see, Ananias comes before the apostles first, and they rebuke him and before he can even speak--he is struck dead. Ouch. But then, a few hours later, Sapphira comes in.
As I was reading this, I thought to myself--why didn't they go in together? Surely they could have. But they didn't. Instead, Sapphira was given the chance to own up to her sin. Peter asked her how much she had sold the land for, she says 'such and such' a price (not the full amount, though, mind you) and then she is also struck dead.
It's a sad story, sure, but I think there are some valuable lessons we can learn from ol' Sapphira.
1: Submission to your husband does not mean covering for him. So often women believe that they must be in submission to their husbands in all things. Yes, the Bible does tell us that we have been given the role of submission to our husbands, but the Bible never encourages sin. Sapphira did not have to go along with what Ananias had said. When Peter asked her, she could have confessed and said, no, we actually kept some back. I fully believe that Sapphira would have been saved had she confessed her sin to Peter. Instead, she didn't. She continued in her sin--not knowing her husband was dead already.
If you are in a marriage where your husband continues to sin against God, the church, and others--you do not have to continue with him in this sin. God does not expect you to sin with him so as to remain in subjection to him. On the contrary! In 1 Peter 3:1-2, the Bible tells women whose husbands aren't faithful to "likewise be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the world, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear."
The only way to win over an unbelieving or unfaithful husband is to show him that you respect God first and foremost. If you are compromising your relationship with God because of an earthly relationship, are you being a good example to your husband? Will he be won over by your conduct?
Please hear me when I say that this does, in no way, mean that you should defy your husband. God set up the home exactly how He wanted it to be, and as women, we have particular roles to fill---roles by which we will be judged. But, we will also be judged by how we behave toward our husbands. If you are a spouse, you have an obligation to the one to whom you married, and that obligation is to help them get to heaven. Do not take part in nor encourage their sins. Help them out of them. Promote peace and purity.
2: Do not seek worldly pleasures and treasures. It seems Ananias and Sapphira had a bad case of worldly-itis. They loved the world more than they loved God. They wanted earthly riches more than they wanted true, heavenly riches. Jesus told the multitudes in Matthew 6:2, "Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly I say to you, they have their reward." This pitiable pair needed this reminder. Wanting the world to see your good works and give you a standing ovation for it...that won't get you anywhere. Well, it will get you somewhere, but not the somewhere you want to be for eternity.
Paul told the Colossians in Col. 3:1-2 "If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things of the earth."
James said, "Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." (James 4:4)
You cannot be a Christian and love this world. You cannot be a true follower of Christ and put worldly riches and pleasures above Him. If you have a job that takes you away from doing the things that God wants you to do -- that God will judge you for if you do not do (ie keeping your home) -- then get rid of the job. God doesn't judge us based on what our occupation is. He doesn't judge us based on our income. So you make less money and you have less stuff. Life isn't made up of possessions. Life is characterized by one thing: obedience to God. Get rid of the earthly things that stand in the way of your full obedience to God. I feel that if Sapphira were given the opportunity to do it all again, she would place her priorities on God and following Him, not getting rich. Paul told Timothy that loving money was the root of all evil (1 Tim. 6:10). We must put riches and earthly treasures in their proper place, and that is nowhere near the top of our priorities list.
3: You will be judged for your own life. When the Judgment comes, each man will be judged according to his own works (Rev. 20:13). You will only be judged for your own soul and your own actions. Yes, you have been given the command to spread the gospel and encourage the lost to be saved (Mk 16:15), but ultimately the decision to obey Jesus comes down to the individual.
Should you be in a marriage relationship where your spouse does not adhere to God's laws, be it outright unbelief or perhaps by living a hypocritical life, you are not condemned to the same fate. Now, you do have to do as Peter said and be an example to them, but if they don't choose to obey God, that is on them. You have to decide, for yourself, to follow Him and trust in Him and obey His every command. It is only for your thoughts and actions and opportunities that you will be judged, not the actions or thoughts or someone else--not even your spouse.
As previously mentioned, Sapphira could have gone to Peter and confessed. She didn't have to suffer the same fate that her husband did. However, it seems she had the same sin-ridden heart that her husband did. We cannot know whose heart was defiled first, but we do know that God doesn't put on us more than we can bear (1 Cor. 10:13). One of them could have stood up to the other; one of them could have stood up for what was right. Sapphira was given the opportunity. She had to stand in front of Peter herself, tell the lie herself, and will ultimately face the judgment herself. Know that whatever situation you find yourself in, you will be judged based on what you do, not what those around you do--not even those closest to you (including parents, children, grandchildren, etc).
4: You are an example. In verse 11 of chapter 5, the Bible tell us, "So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things." People heard about Ananias and Sapphira. People heard about what they did and what happened to them because of it. In the same way, people hear about us. I have learned this lesson quite well in the last year and a half after moving to a small town. It seems everybody knows something about everyone in town. And guess what they know? The good and the bad.
The Bible tells us that a good reputation is to be chosen over great riches (Prov. 22:1). We know full well that people hear things about us. Make it your aim for people to only think good things about you when they hear something. Make it your aim that people only think of godly things when they think about you. Make your life an example to those around you, so that they may see your good works and glorify God (Matt. 5:16).
Paul told Timothy to be an example to the believers in word, conduct, love, spirit, faith, and purity. Make it your daily goal to be the same--not only to the believers, but to everyone you come into contact with. The old adage is true: you may be the only Bible some people ever read. Be sure your life is pointing them to God.
We are introduced to this women in Acts 5. Prior to this, a well known Bible character (and I don't mean character in a fictitious way--we know people who are mentioned in the Bible are real people) named Barnabas. After he sold his land and gave the money to the poor, the entire church was encouraged and thus his name was changed to 'son of encouragement'. It is on the heels of this story that we meet Sapphira and her husband, Ananias.
Ananias and Sapphira had this great idea: they were going to sell the land that they had, just like Barnabas had, and give the money to the church. The only problem was that instead of giving all of the money to the church, they would simply give part of it. Now, this story isn't saying that you cannot keep anything back for yourself but that you must give every ounce of everything you have to the church. Not saying that at all. What it is saying is that you cannot lie about it. Had Ananias and Sapphira sold their land and given a portion to the apostles and told them such, the church would have been encouraged by this, as would the apostles. Instead, Ananias and Sapphira conspired together to make it seem like they had done some great and charitable deed, when really they had kept part back--only wanting the accolades for their contribution.
So why focus on Sapphira?
Recently, as I was rereading this story, something new stuck out to me. You see, Ananias comes before the apostles first, and they rebuke him and before he can even speak--he is struck dead. Ouch. But then, a few hours later, Sapphira comes in.
As I was reading this, I thought to myself--why didn't they go in together? Surely they could have. But they didn't. Instead, Sapphira was given the chance to own up to her sin. Peter asked her how much she had sold the land for, she says 'such and such' a price (not the full amount, though, mind you) and then she is also struck dead.
It's a sad story, sure, but I think there are some valuable lessons we can learn from ol' Sapphira.
1: Submission to your husband does not mean covering for him. So often women believe that they must be in submission to their husbands in all things. Yes, the Bible does tell us that we have been given the role of submission to our husbands, but the Bible never encourages sin. Sapphira did not have to go along with what Ananias had said. When Peter asked her, she could have confessed and said, no, we actually kept some back. I fully believe that Sapphira would have been saved had she confessed her sin to Peter. Instead, she didn't. She continued in her sin--not knowing her husband was dead already.
If you are in a marriage where your husband continues to sin against God, the church, and others--you do not have to continue with him in this sin. God does not expect you to sin with him so as to remain in subjection to him. On the contrary! In 1 Peter 3:1-2, the Bible tells women whose husbands aren't faithful to "likewise be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the world, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear."
The only way to win over an unbelieving or unfaithful husband is to show him that you respect God first and foremost. If you are compromising your relationship with God because of an earthly relationship, are you being a good example to your husband? Will he be won over by your conduct?
Please hear me when I say that this does, in no way, mean that you should defy your husband. God set up the home exactly how He wanted it to be, and as women, we have particular roles to fill---roles by which we will be judged. But, we will also be judged by how we behave toward our husbands. If you are a spouse, you have an obligation to the one to whom you married, and that obligation is to help them get to heaven. Do not take part in nor encourage their sins. Help them out of them. Promote peace and purity.
2: Do not seek worldly pleasures and treasures. It seems Ananias and Sapphira had a bad case of worldly-itis. They loved the world more than they loved God. They wanted earthly riches more than they wanted true, heavenly riches. Jesus told the multitudes in Matthew 6:2, "Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly I say to you, they have their reward." This pitiable pair needed this reminder. Wanting the world to see your good works and give you a standing ovation for it...that won't get you anywhere. Well, it will get you somewhere, but not the somewhere you want to be for eternity.
Paul told the Colossians in Col. 3:1-2 "If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things of the earth."
James said, "Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." (James 4:4)
You cannot be a Christian and love this world. You cannot be a true follower of Christ and put worldly riches and pleasures above Him. If you have a job that takes you away from doing the things that God wants you to do -- that God will judge you for if you do not do (ie keeping your home) -- then get rid of the job. God doesn't judge us based on what our occupation is. He doesn't judge us based on our income. So you make less money and you have less stuff. Life isn't made up of possessions. Life is characterized by one thing: obedience to God. Get rid of the earthly things that stand in the way of your full obedience to God. I feel that if Sapphira were given the opportunity to do it all again, she would place her priorities on God and following Him, not getting rich. Paul told Timothy that loving money was the root of all evil (1 Tim. 6:10). We must put riches and earthly treasures in their proper place, and that is nowhere near the top of our priorities list.
3: You will be judged for your own life. When the Judgment comes, each man will be judged according to his own works (Rev. 20:13). You will only be judged for your own soul and your own actions. Yes, you have been given the command to spread the gospel and encourage the lost to be saved (Mk 16:15), but ultimately the decision to obey Jesus comes down to the individual.
Should you be in a marriage relationship where your spouse does not adhere to God's laws, be it outright unbelief or perhaps by living a hypocritical life, you are not condemned to the same fate. Now, you do have to do as Peter said and be an example to them, but if they don't choose to obey God, that is on them. You have to decide, for yourself, to follow Him and trust in Him and obey His every command. It is only for your thoughts and actions and opportunities that you will be judged, not the actions or thoughts or someone else--not even your spouse.
As previously mentioned, Sapphira could have gone to Peter and confessed. She didn't have to suffer the same fate that her husband did. However, it seems she had the same sin-ridden heart that her husband did. We cannot know whose heart was defiled first, but we do know that God doesn't put on us more than we can bear (1 Cor. 10:13). One of them could have stood up to the other; one of them could have stood up for what was right. Sapphira was given the opportunity. She had to stand in front of Peter herself, tell the lie herself, and will ultimately face the judgment herself. Know that whatever situation you find yourself in, you will be judged based on what you do, not what those around you do--not even those closest to you (including parents, children, grandchildren, etc).
4: You are an example. In verse 11 of chapter 5, the Bible tell us, "So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things." People heard about Ananias and Sapphira. People heard about what they did and what happened to them because of it. In the same way, people hear about us. I have learned this lesson quite well in the last year and a half after moving to a small town. It seems everybody knows something about everyone in town. And guess what they know? The good and the bad.
The Bible tells us that a good reputation is to be chosen over great riches (Prov. 22:1). We know full well that people hear things about us. Make it your aim for people to only think good things about you when they hear something. Make it your aim that people only think of godly things when they think about you. Make your life an example to those around you, so that they may see your good works and glorify God (Matt. 5:16).
Paul told Timothy to be an example to the believers in word, conduct, love, spirit, faith, and purity. Make it your daily goal to be the same--not only to the believers, but to everyone you come into contact with. The old adage is true: you may be the only Bible some people ever read. Be sure your life is pointing them to God.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Leading Ladies: Esther
Finally--back to our Leading Ladies series! Sorry for the hiatus! Election season puts me in a tizzy!
I'm going to trust that you are familiar enough with the story of Esther that I don't have to quote it at length. If you aren't, I would encourage you to read the book in its entirety, as it is a beneficial study (and very intriguing).
So, what kinds of things can we learn from Esther:
1: She was pure. Those chosen to 'go before the king' after he dismissed Queen Vashti were virgins. Had Esther not remained pure in her young life, she would have never been under consideration to be the new queen. But, since she'd purposed in her heart to remain pure before God, she had this opportunity. As Christians, we have an opportunity every single day to decide whether or not we will be pure--from the clothes that we wear and the way we present our bodies to the things that we listen to and shows that we watch. There may be opportunities for us to teach others about God's beautiful word, but if our lives aren't pure, we may take ourselves out of the running for helping that person's soul. How sad if we were to take opportunities away from ourselves! Sadly, though, Christians do this.
For example: if we're on our way into the movie theater to watch something that isn't wholesome and we see someone we know (who may be a struggling Christian, a babe in Christ, or a person we've been 'working on' for quite some time) -- are we negating everything we promote/teach based on the way we are acting--based on the way we're living? Our lives must be pure (and subsequently our hearts--Mt. 5:8) so that we can take hold of every opportunity to do good in God's service.
2: She used her position for God's glory. Had Esther not listened to Mordecai, the entirety of the Jewish population might have been wiped out. Mordecai so eloquently states in Esther 4:14, "Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"
God's providence is something that I whole-heartedly believe in, yet don't quite understand how it works in my life. Still, I trust that God has a plan. Like Esther, I believe that there are unique opportunities afforded to each of us. Perhaps you are placed in a certain job just so you can influence your co-worker. Maybe you are in a certain town so that you can help an entire population of people. Whatever your lot in life, be willing, as Esther was, to use that position to God's glory.
And note that Esther did not use her position because it was easy. She displayed an amazing amount of courage by going in to the king's chambers without being summoned--this could have gotten her killed! Still, because she was willing to put the greater good ahead of her own lot, she went in anyway--not knowing how the king would respond. Had she not been willing, people would not have been saved. Likewise, if we are not willing to boldly proclaim Jesus in our lives (to our friends, family members, co-workers, cashiers, etc.), people will not be saved.
3: She remembered who she was. This one will be similar to our last point. You see, when Esther became queen, she could have forsaken her Jewish heritage. She was beautiful, rich, and in a powerful position. Quite frankly she could be whoever she wanted to be, have whatever she wanted to have, and do whatever she wanted to do. We know, though, that she didn't. She kept Mordecai close (and listened to his council), and ultimately saved her entire 'family'.
We live in a sinful world and there's no escaping that fact. As Christians, when we go out into the world in our day to day activities, we must remember who we are. It is not ok for us to 'forget' and let a few curse words slip when talking to our co-workers or when a car pulls out in front of us. It is not ok for us to 'forget' when there's a popular movie coming out that doesn't adhere to God's guidelines for things we should think upon (Phil. 4:8). It's not ok for us to 'forget' because the weather is warm or we're taking a trip--and modest clothing just isn't practical. It isn't ok to 'forget' when we're out shopping for Christmas presents and someone cuts us off, takes too long in line, snatches the last of an item, or anything else. First and foremost, we are Christians, and we must always remember that. That is why Paul urged the brethren at Philippi to mediate on pure, lovely, true, right things. The more you meditate on something, the more likely it is to stick.
4: Her inner beauty mattered more. While Esther was beautiful, there was something else about it that made the king love her. The text tells us that not only did the king love and favor her, but so did all of the other people who came into contact with her--even the other young women who had been chosen to live in the king's palace. Now, think about what you know about beauty pageants. Are all of the beautiful contestants best friends and super nice to each other the entire time? Or is the jealousy, envy, and backbiting? Had Esther simply been outwardly beautiful, I'm sure the majority of people around her would have felt the latter--jealous, especially in light of the special treatment she was receiving. And yet, Esther is loved by all. That speaks volumes for her character!! She truly must have been a beautiful woman on the inside for every person to love her.
I believe this point is especially pertinent to parents of teenage girls. I have been extremely disappointed recently in the outfits that I'm seeing on Facebook of 'Christian' teenage girls. While I am friends with some of the girls, mostly I am seeing these immodest clothing choices put on display by their own parents.
As a former teen girl, I know how impressionable they are--especially when it comes to their bodies. Every thing that you praise or put down will stick with them for a long time. Why not, then, put a little less emphasis on their physical beauty and more on their inner beauty? Challenge them to have a pure heart--it will make enforcing a modest dress code easier. Challenge them to remember who they are--it will make the discussions about dances and parties easier. Above all, though, encourage them to beautify their hearts. Esther spent 12 months preparing for the king. Encourage your daughters to spend time preparing for their King.
This isn't an exhaustive list by any means. There are so many things we can learn from Esther. I challenge you to read more about her and find more ways to implement lessons from her life into yours.
I'm going to trust that you are familiar enough with the story of Esther that I don't have to quote it at length. If you aren't, I would encourage you to read the book in its entirety, as it is a beneficial study (and very intriguing).
So, what kinds of things can we learn from Esther:
1: She was pure. Those chosen to 'go before the king' after he dismissed Queen Vashti were virgins. Had Esther not remained pure in her young life, she would have never been under consideration to be the new queen. But, since she'd purposed in her heart to remain pure before God, she had this opportunity. As Christians, we have an opportunity every single day to decide whether or not we will be pure--from the clothes that we wear and the way we present our bodies to the things that we listen to and shows that we watch. There may be opportunities for us to teach others about God's beautiful word, but if our lives aren't pure, we may take ourselves out of the running for helping that person's soul. How sad if we were to take opportunities away from ourselves! Sadly, though, Christians do this.
For example: if we're on our way into the movie theater to watch something that isn't wholesome and we see someone we know (who may be a struggling Christian, a babe in Christ, or a person we've been 'working on' for quite some time) -- are we negating everything we promote/teach based on the way we are acting--based on the way we're living? Our lives must be pure (and subsequently our hearts--Mt. 5:8) so that we can take hold of every opportunity to do good in God's service.
2: She used her position for God's glory. Had Esther not listened to Mordecai, the entirety of the Jewish population might have been wiped out. Mordecai so eloquently states in Esther 4:14, "Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"
God's providence is something that I whole-heartedly believe in, yet don't quite understand how it works in my life. Still, I trust that God has a plan. Like Esther, I believe that there are unique opportunities afforded to each of us. Perhaps you are placed in a certain job just so you can influence your co-worker. Maybe you are in a certain town so that you can help an entire population of people. Whatever your lot in life, be willing, as Esther was, to use that position to God's glory.
And note that Esther did not use her position because it was easy. She displayed an amazing amount of courage by going in to the king's chambers without being summoned--this could have gotten her killed! Still, because she was willing to put the greater good ahead of her own lot, she went in anyway--not knowing how the king would respond. Had she not been willing, people would not have been saved. Likewise, if we are not willing to boldly proclaim Jesus in our lives (to our friends, family members, co-workers, cashiers, etc.), people will not be saved.
3: She remembered who she was. This one will be similar to our last point. You see, when Esther became queen, she could have forsaken her Jewish heritage. She was beautiful, rich, and in a powerful position. Quite frankly she could be whoever she wanted to be, have whatever she wanted to have, and do whatever she wanted to do. We know, though, that she didn't. She kept Mordecai close (and listened to his council), and ultimately saved her entire 'family'.
We live in a sinful world and there's no escaping that fact. As Christians, when we go out into the world in our day to day activities, we must remember who we are. It is not ok for us to 'forget' and let a few curse words slip when talking to our co-workers or when a car pulls out in front of us. It is not ok for us to 'forget' when there's a popular movie coming out that doesn't adhere to God's guidelines for things we should think upon (Phil. 4:8). It's not ok for us to 'forget' because the weather is warm or we're taking a trip--and modest clothing just isn't practical. It isn't ok to 'forget' when we're out shopping for Christmas presents and someone cuts us off, takes too long in line, snatches the last of an item, or anything else. First and foremost, we are Christians, and we must always remember that. That is why Paul urged the brethren at Philippi to mediate on pure, lovely, true, right things. The more you meditate on something, the more likely it is to stick.
4: Her inner beauty mattered more. While Esther was beautiful, there was something else about it that made the king love her. The text tells us that not only did the king love and favor her, but so did all of the other people who came into contact with her--even the other young women who had been chosen to live in the king's palace. Now, think about what you know about beauty pageants. Are all of the beautiful contestants best friends and super nice to each other the entire time? Or is the jealousy, envy, and backbiting? Had Esther simply been outwardly beautiful, I'm sure the majority of people around her would have felt the latter--jealous, especially in light of the special treatment she was receiving. And yet, Esther is loved by all. That speaks volumes for her character!! She truly must have been a beautiful woman on the inside for every person to love her.
I believe this point is especially pertinent to parents of teenage girls. I have been extremely disappointed recently in the outfits that I'm seeing on Facebook of 'Christian' teenage girls. While I am friends with some of the girls, mostly I am seeing these immodest clothing choices put on display by their own parents.
As a former teen girl, I know how impressionable they are--especially when it comes to their bodies. Every thing that you praise or put down will stick with them for a long time. Why not, then, put a little less emphasis on their physical beauty and more on their inner beauty? Challenge them to have a pure heart--it will make enforcing a modest dress code easier. Challenge them to remember who they are--it will make the discussions about dances and parties easier. Above all, though, encourage them to beautify their hearts. Esther spent 12 months preparing for the king. Encourage your daughters to spend time preparing for their King.
This isn't an exhaustive list by any means. There are so many things we can learn from Esther. I challenge you to read more about her and find more ways to implement lessons from her life into yours.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Leading Ladies: The Woman with the Flow of Blood
Mark's account (5:25-34) of the woman with the flow of blood and Luke's, the physician, account (8:42-48), offer us two very unique vantage points on this story. I'd like to start by making a list of the things we learn about this woman from the texts:
What a lonely life this woman must have had! How desperate she must have been! The text says that she went to many doctors and spent all of her livelihood trying to find a cure--and nothing had worked! So now she's unclean and poor....and a woman. How highly was she favored in society?
Then one day, she hears about a Man who may be the Messiah. Instead of sitting at home alone like she probably did most days, she sought Him out. And not only did she seek Him out, but she believed with her whole heart that even the hem of His robe could cleanse her and change her entire life.
Jesus praises her faith, and when Jesus praises something, it's probably something we should try to apply to our own lives. So what exactly can we learn from this desperate woman?
1: She wanted to be clean. This woman could have stood back, away from the crowds, and watched Jesus pass by. Sure, she had an interest in what He could do for her, but she wasn't really interested in getting close enough to be healed. Thankfully she wasn't like this! She sought Him out and in return was healed because of her faith! We cannot be people who stand on the sidelines, interested in what Jesus has to say but only if we can keep Him (and His commands) at arms length. Instead, we must be people who seek to be spiritually clean. We must flee from sin, and involve ourselves only in those things which promote purity. Had this woman not had the interest in becoming clean, she wouldn't have been made well. Unless we seek spiritual cleanliness, our Savior's blood will not wash us.
2: She went after Jesus. This woman didn't wait for Jesus to knock on her door; she went out into a multitude--no doubt the same group of people who often teased her and made her feel like less than a person for being unclean all the time--and found the One who could heal her. There are going to be times when serving Jesus means we have to get out of our comfort zones and come face to face with the people who have teased us and made us feel bad. Like this woman, though, we must be willing to follow Jesus in every circumstance.
3: She didn't let her condition get her down. If this plagued woman had let her situation keep her down, she never would have met the Savior and she never would have been healed. Likewise, if we allow our less-than-ideal situations keep us from being active in the Lord's work, we're keeping ourselves from the Savior--from the Great Physician. Instead of letting the broken pieces of our lives keep Jesus at a distance, we should be taking those pieces to Him so that He can make us whole.
Dan Winkler once said "Those who have been broken the most by life are the ones God has used to accomplish some of His greatest feats." It is only when we are broken that God can mold us into the person we were meant to become.
- She'd had a flow of blood for 12 years.
- She'd spent all of her livelihood on doctors' bills.
- She wasn't getting better; she was actually getting worse!
- She knew that even Jesus' clothes could heal her.
- She came forward, even though she was afraid.
- She was healed.
Now, let's think back to all we know about the old law. Leviticus 15:25 tells us this:
"If a woman has a discharge of blood for many days, other that at the time of her customary impurity, or if it runs beyond her usual time of impurity, all the days of her unclean discharge shall be as the days of her customary impurity. She shall be unclean."Think about the words that this woman has heard every single day for twelve years: you are unclean. Not only was she unclean, but everything she sat on or slept on or touched became unclean (v. 26-27). How many friends do you think she had? Probably not many devout Jews. None of them would want to be close enough to be touched by her and thus rendered unclean.
What a lonely life this woman must have had! How desperate she must have been! The text says that she went to many doctors and spent all of her livelihood trying to find a cure--and nothing had worked! So now she's unclean and poor....and a woman. How highly was she favored in society?
Then one day, she hears about a Man who may be the Messiah. Instead of sitting at home alone like she probably did most days, she sought Him out. And not only did she seek Him out, but she believed with her whole heart that even the hem of His robe could cleanse her and change her entire life.
Jesus praises her faith, and when Jesus praises something, it's probably something we should try to apply to our own lives. So what exactly can we learn from this desperate woman?
1: She wanted to be clean. This woman could have stood back, away from the crowds, and watched Jesus pass by. Sure, she had an interest in what He could do for her, but she wasn't really interested in getting close enough to be healed. Thankfully she wasn't like this! She sought Him out and in return was healed because of her faith! We cannot be people who stand on the sidelines, interested in what Jesus has to say but only if we can keep Him (and His commands) at arms length. Instead, we must be people who seek to be spiritually clean. We must flee from sin, and involve ourselves only in those things which promote purity. Had this woman not had the interest in becoming clean, she wouldn't have been made well. Unless we seek spiritual cleanliness, our Savior's blood will not wash us.
2: She went after Jesus. This woman didn't wait for Jesus to knock on her door; she went out into a multitude--no doubt the same group of people who often teased her and made her feel like less than a person for being unclean all the time--and found the One who could heal her. There are going to be times when serving Jesus means we have to get out of our comfort zones and come face to face with the people who have teased us and made us feel bad. Like this woman, though, we must be willing to follow Jesus in every circumstance.
3: She didn't let her condition get her down. If this plagued woman had let her situation keep her down, she never would have met the Savior and she never would have been healed. Likewise, if we allow our less-than-ideal situations keep us from being active in the Lord's work, we're keeping ourselves from the Savior--from the Great Physician. Instead of letting the broken pieces of our lives keep Jesus at a distance, we should be taking those pieces to Him so that He can make us whole.
Dan Winkler once said "Those who have been broken the most by life are the ones God has used to accomplish some of His greatest feats." It is only when we are broken that God can mold us into the person we were meant to become.
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Leading Ladies: Mary, Jesus' Mother
I believe one of the most beautiful descriptions written about a person in the Bible is the one of Mary. Luke 1:30 says, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God." How amazing to be told that, or have that said of you? Isn't that all we want out of this life, to have God's favor? And that is exactly what we see in Mary.
If Mary found favor with God, then certainly examining her characteristics would be beneficial to all of us who would also like to be found in favor with God.
Let's examine the text of Luke 1 verses 27-48 and notice four characteristics that hopefully we can implement into our lives.
1: Mary was pure (v.27) - The Bible tells us that Mary was a virgin, which was a crucial characteristic for the mother of Jesus. Had Mary not chosen to live a pure life, she would have never been chosen to be Jesus' mother. Clearly purity = favorable to God. For those who are not married, abstaining from sexual sins is a must. The only sexual intimacy that God condones is that which is found inside of a God-approved marriage. Any other sexual promiscuity is simply unacceptable/unfavored in God's sight. In the sermon on the mount, Jesus told His hearers that the pure in heart shall see God (Matt. 5:8). If we want heaven to be our eternal home, we must remain pure while on this earth. This isn't limited to those who are unmarried, though. Our world is saturated with sexual sin. Many who are married struggle with pornography addictions, extra-marital affairs, and a host of other things. We must all pray for the strength to keep ourselves unspotted from the world (James 1:27).
2: Mary trusted God (v.38) - When the Angel came and told Mary that she was pregnant, despite having never been with a man, her response was this:
In the same way, the Bible tells us that God will not put more on us than we can handle (1 Cor. 10:13). Situations may arise in our lives that will cause others to make fun of us or stop being friends with us or perhaps even persecute us. We must trust that God will get us through it, and say with all confidence "The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?" (Psalm 118:6).
3: Mary knew her place (46-48a) - After learning she would be the Savior of Earth's mother, Mary sang a song to God. These are her beautiful words:
4: Mary saw the bigger picture (48b) - Mary's song said that all generations would call her blessed. I do not believe this was any kind of prideful statement, but one that indicates her foresight. As previously mentioned, surely Mary would go through some rough moments because of her situation. She could have been mocked by those who knew she wasn't married, or laughed at when she told others that Jesus was the Son of God, not the son of Joseph. We don't know if Mary could fully grasp all that would happen to her son while He was on the earth, but Mary endured a lot--watching Him die, watching Him suffer. Still, she could see the bigger picture. The road that was set before her would be tough, but it was worth it in the long run.
No matter what we go through in this life, it will be worth it in the long run so long as we remain faithful (Rev. 2:10). There is no reason for us to be consumed by the fires this earth sets before us. God sees the bigger picture. Bigger than my short little lifespan. Bigger than ten thousand of my little lifespans. My reward in heaven will be great if I will simply get past all of the "momentary, light affliction" this temporary world has to offer.
If Mary found favor with God, then certainly examining her characteristics would be beneficial to all of us who would also like to be found in favor with God.
Let's examine the text of Luke 1 verses 27-48 and notice four characteristics that hopefully we can implement into our lives.
1: Mary was pure (v.27) - The Bible tells us that Mary was a virgin, which was a crucial characteristic for the mother of Jesus. Had Mary not chosen to live a pure life, she would have never been chosen to be Jesus' mother. Clearly purity = favorable to God. For those who are not married, abstaining from sexual sins is a must. The only sexual intimacy that God condones is that which is found inside of a God-approved marriage. Any other sexual promiscuity is simply unacceptable/unfavored in God's sight. In the sermon on the mount, Jesus told His hearers that the pure in heart shall see God (Matt. 5:8). If we want heaven to be our eternal home, we must remain pure while on this earth. This isn't limited to those who are unmarried, though. Our world is saturated with sexual sin. Many who are married struggle with pornography addictions, extra-marital affairs, and a host of other things. We must all pray for the strength to keep ourselves unspotted from the world (James 1:27).
2: Mary trusted God (v.38) - When the Angel came and told Mary that she was pregnant, despite having never been with a man, her response was this:
"Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word."Had it been me, I might have fainted, or done as Sarah did in the Old Testament and laughed. At the very least, I may have had a mild emotional breakdown. Not Mary, though. Mary seems excited, and if not, she is at least compliant and accepting. She had no way of knowing how people would react to her. In that day, women who were unfaithful or adulterous could be killed. What would those around her think? She wasn't married, yet she was having a child! Still, Mary had faith. She knew that God had brought this upon her and that He would lead her through it.
In the same way, the Bible tells us that God will not put more on us than we can handle (1 Cor. 10:13). Situations may arise in our lives that will cause others to make fun of us or stop being friends with us or perhaps even persecute us. We must trust that God will get us through it, and say with all confidence "The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?" (Psalm 118:6).
3: Mary knew her place (46-48a) - After learning she would be the Savior of Earth's mother, Mary sang a song to God. These are her beautiful words:
"My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant. For behold, henceforth, all generations will call me blessed."Mary said that her soul magnified God. Generally, when something is magnified, something else is minimized. Mary goes on to say "the lowly state of His maidservant". Ah yes, the LORD was magnified and Mary was minimized in her own sight. Truly this a concept we must all implement into our lives. James told us that God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble (4:6). Surely we all want grace! In order to attain that grace, we must minimize self and magnify God. Mary could have been tempted to think that she was something. After all, the Creator of Heaven and Earth had chosen HER to be the mother of the Christ. That wasn't the way Mary reacted, and that says a lot about her heart--the heart that God found favorable. Our all-knowing Heavenly Father knows every mans heart (Prov. 21:2), and He chose a heart that was meek to be the mother of His Son. To be favorable to God, our hearts must be meek like Mary's.
4: Mary saw the bigger picture (48b) - Mary's song said that all generations would call her blessed. I do not believe this was any kind of prideful statement, but one that indicates her foresight. As previously mentioned, surely Mary would go through some rough moments because of her situation. She could have been mocked by those who knew she wasn't married, or laughed at when she told others that Jesus was the Son of God, not the son of Joseph. We don't know if Mary could fully grasp all that would happen to her son while He was on the earth, but Mary endured a lot--watching Him die, watching Him suffer. Still, she could see the bigger picture. The road that was set before her would be tough, but it was worth it in the long run.
No matter what we go through in this life, it will be worth it in the long run so long as we remain faithful (Rev. 2:10). There is no reason for us to be consumed by the fires this earth sets before us. God sees the bigger picture. Bigger than my short little lifespan. Bigger than ten thousand of my little lifespans. My reward in heaven will be great if I will simply get past all of the "momentary, light affliction" this temporary world has to offer.
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Leading Ladies: Miriam
Chances are you're familiar with the birth of Moses. During those days, the Pharaoh had ordered that all of the male children be thrown into the river (killed) while all of the female children could be saved. You see, Pharaoh was afraid that the nation of Israel was becoming increasingly too large and powerful, and would soon overthrow his nation.
Moses's mother, after giving birth, decided that she would hide him instead of casting him into the river. For three months she hid Moses, no doubt growing only more attached as the months went on. Finally, she felt she could hide him no more, so she made a basket for him and she placed him in the river. It is at this point that we are introduced to our leading lady of the day: Miriam.
There are only three verses that directly deal with Miriam in this context (Ex. 2:4, 7-8), but the lessons we can learn are innumerable.
The story tells us that Miriam stood at a distance to see what would happen to Moses. When Pharoah's daughter goes down to the river and finds the baby, Miriam immediately and somewhat impressively makes her presence known and even manages to go get Moses's own mother to be the nurse for him, even though he will now be known as the princess's son.
So what can we learn from Miriam?
First, she was obedient. Do you think that it was Miriam's own notion to go and follow baby Moses as he floated along in the river, or could it have been her parents' request? Miriam ran the risk of being killed, put into slavery, or a number of other punishments as a result of protecting this male child. Still, she obeyed. The Bible tells us that "all who desire to live godly will suffer persecution" (2 Tim. 3:12). Regardless of what physical consequence we could suffer for being obedient to the will of God, we must submit to Him. Times are changing, and in our lifetime it may very well be that Christians will be severely persecuted, even to the point of death (as is already the case in some countries). Should it come to that (and God forbid it does), Christians must be willing to suffer, even to die, in order to keep being obedient to our Father.
The second lesson we can glean from Miriam is that we, as children of God, have a responsibility to our siblings. As a young girl, Miriam took care of her family. Her boldness helped to save one of the greatest leaders of all time. Without her, Moses may have been brought up entirely Egyptian, and the nation of Israel may have been in bondage for years and years. While we must take care of our physical families, we also have a responsibility to our spiritual family. As Christian women, we have an opportunity to look out for our brothers in Christ. Miriam looked after Moses to ensure that he did not fall into physical harm, and we can do the same for our brothers in a spiritual way. We can wear modest clothing, keeping them from the temptation of lust. We can keep ourselves from impure situations, guarding them from the schemes of the devil.
Third, we must be clever. Had the Pharaoh's daughter looked over at me, I may have been tongue-tied or scared or simply run away. Not Miriam. She thought on her feet, and told the princess that she would find her a Hebrew nurse, then cunningly went back to her own mother, never giving away what was happening. We know from scripture that Satan is a master deceiver (Eph. 6:11, 1 Pet. 5:8, Rev. 20:10). We must always be on guard, ready at any moment to side-step his schemes.
A final lesson we can learn from Miriam is that we cannot let our age hinder our service. As a young girl, Miriam made a great impact on the nation of Israel. As younger people (I mean, I'm only 24!), we have the same opportunity. We can use our talents and energies to impact our nation. America is turning, so rapidly, away from her Creator, and we must use any way we can to try to turn this nation back and save it from destruction. Had Miriam decided to do nothing, Moses may have perished, or at the very least, never have known his Hebrew heritage. Instead, Miriam was obedient, brave, and cunning, and we need to be the same way today.
Moses's mother, after giving birth, decided that she would hide him instead of casting him into the river. For three months she hid Moses, no doubt growing only more attached as the months went on. Finally, she felt she could hide him no more, so she made a basket for him and she placed him in the river. It is at this point that we are introduced to our leading lady of the day: Miriam.
There are only three verses that directly deal with Miriam in this context (Ex. 2:4, 7-8), but the lessons we can learn are innumerable.
The story tells us that Miriam stood at a distance to see what would happen to Moses. When Pharoah's daughter goes down to the river and finds the baby, Miriam immediately and somewhat impressively makes her presence known and even manages to go get Moses's own mother to be the nurse for him, even though he will now be known as the princess's son.
So what can we learn from Miriam?
First, she was obedient. Do you think that it was Miriam's own notion to go and follow baby Moses as he floated along in the river, or could it have been her parents' request? Miriam ran the risk of being killed, put into slavery, or a number of other punishments as a result of protecting this male child. Still, she obeyed. The Bible tells us that "all who desire to live godly will suffer persecution" (2 Tim. 3:12). Regardless of what physical consequence we could suffer for being obedient to the will of God, we must submit to Him. Times are changing, and in our lifetime it may very well be that Christians will be severely persecuted, even to the point of death (as is already the case in some countries). Should it come to that (and God forbid it does), Christians must be willing to suffer, even to die, in order to keep being obedient to our Father.
The second lesson we can glean from Miriam is that we, as children of God, have a responsibility to our siblings. As a young girl, Miriam took care of her family. Her boldness helped to save one of the greatest leaders of all time. Without her, Moses may have been brought up entirely Egyptian, and the nation of Israel may have been in bondage for years and years. While we must take care of our physical families, we also have a responsibility to our spiritual family. As Christian women, we have an opportunity to look out for our brothers in Christ. Miriam looked after Moses to ensure that he did not fall into physical harm, and we can do the same for our brothers in a spiritual way. We can wear modest clothing, keeping them from the temptation of lust. We can keep ourselves from impure situations, guarding them from the schemes of the devil.
Third, we must be clever. Had the Pharaoh's daughter looked over at me, I may have been tongue-tied or scared or simply run away. Not Miriam. She thought on her feet, and told the princess that she would find her a Hebrew nurse, then cunningly went back to her own mother, never giving away what was happening. We know from scripture that Satan is a master deceiver (Eph. 6:11, 1 Pet. 5:8, Rev. 20:10). We must always be on guard, ready at any moment to side-step his schemes.
A final lesson we can learn from Miriam is that we cannot let our age hinder our service. As a young girl, Miriam made a great impact on the nation of Israel. As younger people (I mean, I'm only 24!), we have the same opportunity. We can use our talents and energies to impact our nation. America is turning, so rapidly, away from her Creator, and we must use any way we can to try to turn this nation back and save it from destruction. Had Miriam decided to do nothing, Moses may have perished, or at the very least, never have known his Hebrew heritage. Instead, Miriam was obedient, brave, and cunning, and we need to be the same way today.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Upcoming Series
I have decided to embark on a couple of different series for my blog in the next few weeks. One will be called "God Means What He Says", adapted from a lesson series I heard from David Sain of the West Fayetteville congregation in Fayetteville, TN. The other will be entitled "Leading Ladies" and will deal with different women of the Bible from whom we can learn some timely and valuable lessons.
Like my tough stuff Tuesday series, these lessons are meant to challenge and uplift us, as well as encourage us to dig a little deeper into what the Word of God says.
If you have any questions or suggestions, please let me know and I will do my best to cover those topics as thoroughly as I possibly can. Also, please excuse the slight irregularity in blogging in the next couple of weeks, as I will be traveling for some other projects.
Thanks and God bless!
Like my tough stuff Tuesday series, these lessons are meant to challenge and uplift us, as well as encourage us to dig a little deeper into what the Word of God says.
If you have any questions or suggestions, please let me know and I will do my best to cover those topics as thoroughly as I possibly can. Also, please excuse the slight irregularity in blogging in the next couple of weeks, as I will be traveling for some other projects.
Thanks and God bless!
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