Wise Advice

Have you ever heard of Jethrogation? In the book of Exodus chapter 18: verses 13-24, the story reads how Moses in a conversation with his father-in-law realized that he was facing burn out. As his father-in-law observed the many duties that Moses performed for the Israelites, he saw that Moses would soon be over burdened. Moses was doing too much alone.

Moses felt the need to listen to the people all day with very little breaks. The lines were long and the problems he listened to were many. Moses explained to Jethro how the people came to him to seek God's guidance. When conflict arose, Moses was the person who they came to to settle the case. He was the one who informed the people of God's decision and further teach them God's instructions. Moses felt responsible for the people he was leading.

As Jethro listened to his son-in-law he informed him that this was not a good place to be. It was time for him to re-think how he was conducting business. Moses needed to have a better plan, a plan that would allow him some time for his family. Moses' family, his wife and two children lived with Jethro. Moses was a busy man ministering to the Israelites. He was so busy that he had left the responsibilities of providing for his family to Jethro.

In his wisdom Jethro decided to present Moses with his family again and give him wise counsel as to how to keep his family a priority. Jethro proceeded to tell Moses that the job was to heavy for him to handle alone. Jethro offered Moses a word of advice with the blessings of God. Jethro proceeded to tell Moses that he should continue to be the people's representative before God. Tell them God's decisions, teach them God's laws and instructions and show them how to conduct their lives.

The next statement that Jethro made freed Moses to minister to all with the help of some. Jethro told Moses"find some capable, honest men who fear God and hate bribes. Appoint them as judges over groups. These people will serve the people resolving day to day ordinary cases. Lighten your load."

These judges helped Moses carry the load. "If you follow this advice and if God directs you to do so, then you will be able to endure the pressures and all these people will go home in peace." Moses listened to his father-in-law's advice and followed his suggestions. The key word is that Moses Listened, then he followed through with the wise advice given to him. His family life was restored to him and his father-in-law was able to return to his home. Jethro's mission was accomplished and God's will was done by Moses listening to the wise advice of his father-in-law.

Wise advice is given at different seasons of our lives. Following this wise advice blesses us and those who we come in contact with. It helps us to gain a proper perspective of where we fit in the scheme of life itself. Wise advice allows us to be grounded and to choose with wisdom the proper battle to fight. Choose wisely who you listen to and whose advice you take.

09-20-09

Other One Giving

Peace on earth good will towards men” is a phrase that is said so many times that it is hard to keep count during the holiday season. During Christmas season you hear the songs with this sentiment everywhere; in stories, in cars, in malls, on the radio, homes and many churches.
When we worship from Sunday to Sunday we hope that those who come into the sanctuary in turmoil will leave with “Peace on Earth.”

“Peace on earth good will towards men” is this just a seasonal thing that we do or should this be a year round happening? Do we all seek to live in peace on this earth and have good will towards men in spite of how they react or respond to you? Peace brings about calm to a tumultuous happening. Peace is calm response; eternal rest (after death); free of strife or discord; harmony in personal relationship, especially with God.

Most of us would love to live free of strife or discord and would like to stay that way until we come to an eternal rest, which is death upon this earth. While we are on this earth we seek to have harmony in our personal relationships but should diligently pursue an up close and personal relationship with God our heavenly Father.

“That brings us to good will towards men.” How do we show that? Good means kind, profitable, excellent, and morally right. Properly partnered with will which is decision-making capacity, indicating a power of choice then together they give us the power of choice to act kindly at all times to be morally right and kind to others year round and not just seasonally. When we make goodwill a non-stop process then the gospel message becomes profitable to you and others who have received the peace on earth and good will towards men at all times.

The next time you use this greeting, song or phrase, remember that Peace on earth good will towards men is not seasonal; it’s the way we all should live our daily lives.

12-20-09

The Gifting

“Tis the season to be jolly, Fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la.” How many times did you hear that tune this holiday season during the Christmas celebration as you decked the halls with your various decorations? This is the season that from, midnight of Thanksgiving we go into a shopping frenzy to buy gifts for friends or love ones and sometimes use this time to buy a gift or two for ourselves. It’s probably one of the world’s greatest times of giving. We sometimes give to those who we don’t particularly like or even know just because of the Christmas season. There are many who give to their employers and employees because it’s just expected regardless of how we feel about them. Not a lot of thought is placed on the gift and very little sentiment is wrapped within.

As gifts are opened on Christmas, the reactions come in a vast array of emotions from young children to the oldest adult. From screams of glee to humph! The gifts emotional language is short lived. For some the gift is placed down quickly only to open the next one to receive a greater or lesser reaction. Most gifts bring only temporary satisfaction. Sometimes because a person receives a gift they look forward to more and more and more; therefore the satisfaction quota is hard to fill. Because the quota is so hard to fill, the gifting process becomes an event they don’t look forward to. After so many years the gifting becomes a duty, an obligation an ok I’ll do it because it’s expected event. It’s done without any more feelings and the pleasure of giving has been hidden.

One may ask the question: How do I re-birth my gifting? How do I return to being jolly for the season where I could sing Fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la again with joy in my heart? I first should look to the greatest gift to receive. The greatest and best gift should be given to you first; that is the gift of Salvation. Accepting Jesus Christ as your personal Savior the ultimate gifting. Accepting the gift that was given to the world during the birth of Jesus is the gift that keeps on giving. God gave his only begotten son as a gift to us to take away the sins of the world. The gift of salvation through Jesus Christ is a gift that keeps on giving throughout eternity. It never loses its ability to satisfy the hunger of our souls. It manifests itself through having an intimate relationship first with Jesus and then those who we encounter during our lifetime.

As you give your loved ones a gift this year and not only at Christmas, consider giving them the gift of communication. Make it a habit to talk and interact and fellowship with them. Become more active in their lives and allow the same for you as well. Give them the gift of presence being there when necessary and when needed but also just because you care and want to be there for them. Give them the gift of touch. A handshake, a touch on the shoulder or a hug to show you’re special to me. Give them a touch of warmth just because you’re you.

Think of other ways you can give not only in material things but in ways that will always bring about fond memories when others think of you. Gifting is very important and the reasoning behind it as well. Let your gifting be a blessing to the receiver and then pass the goodness on to those who you encounter during your life.

SPW

12-06-09

Where Are You Invested?

I’m a “baby-boomer” getting ready to embrace a new adventure in my life as I enter into my sixties. I look forward to this new era of great expectations. This is going to be an exciting time for me and others who will be embarking upon this phase of our lives where we want to make an impact. As I look ahead, I also look backwards to see how my investments have grown over the years.

I needed to know whether I invested well over the time spent and gone. It’s time to see if I’ve gained any interests on those investments. It’s time to cut the fat, lose the useless and count up the cost of becoming leaner. I’m calling myself into accountability for my latter years, so I’m looking at how I invested.

I invested time into Living Well so that my example would encourage others
I invested in Perseverance to make it this far
I invested in Discipline to show I can follow directions
I invested in Character to exhibit rightness no matter who’s looking
I invested in Integrity to honor God’s name and who I represent
I invested in Truth to maintain honesty and integrity
I invested in Study to be knowledgeable and ever learning
I invested in Relationships to show love and care for people and my family
I invested in Teaching for there were many who wanted to be taught
I invested in Music so that my heart would always have a song to sing
I invested in Family so that I would always have a home to come to
I invested in Self so that I would be mindful of how I affect others
I invested in Others who didn’t know they were worthy of my time
I invested in Righteousness to show God I’d follow His Word
I invested in Love to be loved and to show love as well as receive the same



I invested in God’s Word so that when I forget all of these investments and the blessings they have brought into my life, God’s Word reminds me that had not God first invested in me, I would not have invested at all.

Men Marry for No Change, Women Marry for Change

As a young man gazes upon his future wife, she becomes the most beautiful woman in the world. No other woman compares with his soon to be wife. He does all he can do to wine and dine her and convince her that she has finally found her “Prince Charming.”

The woman on the other hand hopes she has found the “Knight in Shining Armor.” He has done many things that she has checked off her spousal list. She has placed her best foot forward and was successful at presenting her self a chosen vessel that was worthy of her man’s proposal. She even showed herself to be and adequate housekeeper, a smart dresser and a pretty good cook.

This is the perspective that each one saw in one another. The two shall become one was their ultimate goal for their lives. They wanted to duplicate each other by having children and having a happy family. A boy for him a girl for her and any extras will be just fine. Loving each other meant until death do us part. The two of you were committed to stay the course.

Several years on the marriage path, things begin to change. She had the girl for her and the boy for him, plus a couple more. Her body began to change with more than a “love handle” in various places on her body. Her time was no longer her own and her days were filled with meeting everyone’s needs but her own.

She was no longer the slim healthy person she was when she started out on this marital journey. He had lost his lustful pursuit of earlier times in their relationship. His eyes no longer gazed upon her with youthful lust. His sight had become cloudy which caused his eyes to roam for better looking bodies. He failed to adjust to the changes in life.

I need him to change some things. When we got married I thought he would take out the trash, help me clean up, watch the children sometimes and give me a break, do a little laundry, put gas in my car every now and then, and be the husband I dreamed of. But, over the years she put in a lot of time trying to make him into the man you thought you wanted. She failed to adjust to the changes of life.

Change comes from within. You cannot change anyone. As you see a need for change within yourself, then the change will come. What and who you were before you
Marry is the same one you said “I do” to. As you mature you will make changes by assessing your life’s path and how you are walking down it. You will learn to accept people for who they are. Your change of attitude will allow you and them to become an agent of effective change within themselves.

Allow your expectations to be realistic. Life is full of changes and we all will encounter these changes at one time or another. Communicate your wants and needs to each other. Make room for changes expected and unexpected. Love each other through these changes by being the first positive example. Changes will come. It’s just a part of life.

Sometimes What You See Ain’t What You Saw

The headlines read ”Wealthy Woman Dies in the Slums.” A wealthy woman was found dead in the lower slums of Blind. She was seen on a daily basis pushing her old rusting cot up and down the trash laden streets of downtown. No one spoke to her after a while as she became a permanent fixture in her tattered clothing showing signs of her poverty status as it blended into the landscape of Blind.

She never seemed to be all there when they passed her by on the streets for she always looked down as they went to and fro to their various destinations. Her head was always bowed down and her back never was straight. When you saw her , you would have thought that she was always looking for something on the ground. She was just another old lady that had no one to care for her in her latter years. Did she have family, children, sisters, brothers, grandchildren, cousins, anybody? No one ever stopped to inquire.

To the naked eye she was a nobody a pathetic old person that had nothing to offer anybody. She looked as though she had nothing, nothing at all. As people read her story in the newspaper and saw her life flash across the T.V. many began to recognize the lone media character. As recognition dawned among those who took special note, the stories of her gifting began to surface. Stories like that of a young man who ran into the deceased one day and how she gave him a hand full of money. He had just lost his minimum wage job but his children needed food just the same. A young woman was sitting out on the curb with her children and furniture as the deceased lady was pushing her cot pass the destitute family. Her heart reached out to the crying mother as she fumbled down in her cot and pulled out a crumbled bag. With an incredulous look on her face the young mother almost didn’t look inside. When she did look inside, it was full of money; enough money to get her and her children off the street and a safe place to stay.

E-mails, letters, and phone calls came form the most unlikely sources. No one knew her name, but there were a number of people who were blessed buy her gifting. She did not live in a big house, or drive a fancy car. Her clothes would offend those who she came in contact with. Her presentation was that of a poor person without any means. It’s what other eyes saw when they came in contact with her, but it’s not what they really saw.

At the funeral, the church was full. Those who had been touched in a personal way came to pay their respect. The congregation was varied from young to old, and from rich to poor. They all came forth for one purpose. The story does not end here. Three weeks later the final headline read “ Wealthy Slum Woman Leaves A Million Dollars to the Children’s Home.”

Was this a true story? Only your heart will know if what you see is what you truly saw.

Everywhere You Go

As each day begins, we often have an agenda as to what we hope to accomplish for that day. Our itinerary can often be varied as we have many task and duties that have to be implemented and completed on any given day. No matter what we have to do we need help to get the agenda done for it generally involves interaction with other people.

In looking for help we need those who can function well within their gifting. Those who could do all that are humanly possible in bringing the task to completion. In order to accomplish this we must be cooperative with those who have been placed in our spheres of working on the tasks. It’s called bringing your “A” game to the table.

Your “A” game should be manifested in all that you do from the smallest to the largest task you undertake everywhere you go. What should your “A” game look like? Should it show what you are made of and what you stand for? Everywhere you go you may want to exhibit:

• The spirit of cooperation


• The spirit of teamwork


• Showing integrity


• That which is right


• Treating others the way you wish to be treated


• Kindness and compassion to others


• Words of healing and affirmation


• Forgiveness to be forgiven


• Character- I am the same no matter where I go or who’s looking


• Love to the wounded in heart


• Mercy and grace


• Courtesy


• Goodness to your fellow man
  

The list could go on and on, but what’s important is that we take all these attributes with us Every Where We Go. There are many people we encounter from day to day who need special touches from us, just as we needed the same touch from Jesus to make us into the people who are capable about bringing a wonderful change into other lives. As you set out today take these words and game plans with you. Go make a difference today