Do I Love God?

God's love for me is sometimes just unfathomable. It's bigger than my little head and heart can understand. How He could have such perfect love and grace for me is a mystery. I ask myself, what is it to love God? I strive to follow Him and serve Him, but what does it look like to love Him?
I John 5:2-3 says, "By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments and his commandments are not grievous."
How do I know if I love God? When I can keep His commandments and they are not grievous. Sometimes I think that God's commandments are my absolute delight. I strive to follow and keep them. Then a little covetousness will creep in, or a little idolatry. Suddenly, keeping His commandments becomes some type of uncomfortable work. I still try to obey the commandments, but now I'm just doing it because that's what I'm supposed to do, not because I love His law.
It's very easy to turn God's law into a rule book that will get me to heaven. But, if I lack the love for His commandments, then I am not loving Him, I am simply trying to earn the grace that is freely given to them that love Him.
When I embrace God's law and strive in His might to follow His word, not to earn myself a good seat in heaven, but because I love His law, then I am loving God. If you love your parents then their words of wisdom mean something to you. If they say don't do this, you will regret it later, you won't do it because you trust their wisdom. You love their words. It's the same with God.

I sometimes laugh at how people in love, especially girls, become so lost in the person they love that the other persons word becomes more valuable to them than anyone else's. In a way, for many people in love this becomes a problem when they drown out other people's wisdom and counsel, but what it my love for a perfect and holy God was that strong? What if my love and adoration for Him was so great that it didn't matter what others said, only what He said? What if His presence was the only presence I wanted to be in? What if every law and commandment He gave sounded like sweet protection and love?
After all, isn't that what it means to be lost in Christ?

These verses really made me think about my love for God. I had to ask myself if on a day to day basis I really love God. I want to love Him so much that my life becomes 100% dependent on Him and His love. The things of this world are so temporary, even love here on earth is often just temporary, but His love never fails. It never ends. It never goes away. I want to love Him the way He loves me.
So I ask,
Lord, help me to love you more.

Learning to Have Grace

II Corinthians 8:7-8 "Therefore as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also. I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others and to prove the sincerity of your love."

Grace is a beautiful and precious thing. Were it not for God's grace I would be running full speed down the road to destruction. Because of His amazing grace, I have proof of His love. He loved me enough to send His Son to die for me, to nail my sins on the cross, and forgive me of my trespasses. That kind of grace is HUGE. Sadly, this kind of grace is much rarer in my own life. It's easier to accept the grace than to give the grace. But grace proves our love and so it is a essential part of the Christian life.
As a daughter and a young person, I know how easy it is for me to judge those around me. It's easy to look down on people that do bad things or that don't do things the way I think they should. The worst part is, the ones who usually receive the least amount of grace from me are the ones living in my house with me. The ones who need it the most. Sometimes, I like to think I could do things better, or that my ideas are superior. I think that I could have dealt with the situation better. I sometimes even have the nerve to think I could do something better than my parents. (Because you know, I'm the one with ten kids whose been there, done all that.........not!)
Insert grace.
Sure, my parents aren't perfect people. They sin, they mess up and I watch on the outside and see those sins, and think I could do better. But, I am just as fallen as they are and I make just as many mistakes, probably even double what they make. In my pride I can blow my horn all I want about what they should have done or how they would have done something when I was a child, but is that love? Is that grace? Is that honoring the direction, authority and wisdom of these amazing people God has placed here to raise me?
I think not.
Just like we need our parents grace in so many ways, they also need our grace. They are fallen people, walking down a broken path, serving the Lord and doing the best they can to raise us for him. That is a BIG load, a load that single people like myself don't have to carry yet. If God can show us His great love by forgiving us and extending us huge amounts of grace, and if our parents can love, forgive and extend us grace for all of the numerous things that we do wrong, then we should have no problem extending that grace and forgiveness to our parents.
I have two amazing parents. They have raised me, cared for me, guided me, taught me about God, and so much more. I can not express how thankful I am for them and how very much I love them. I have sinned against them time and time again, and they have shown so much grace. The least I can do in return is to forgive them when they make mistakes and have grace enough to prove the sincerity of my love for them.
 Because after all, that's what God did for me.

When Friends Forsake

It is amazing to me how I can have such peace and joy during the day and yet still wet my pillow with tears at night. Last night, as I laid in bed, my mind raced back and forth thinking about different friends I have had in my life. So many of them simply came and went. I used to try so desperately to hang onto friends. I wanted to be the kind of person they would love hanging out with, go to movies with, go out and do fun things with and share their hearts with. There would be times when I would act...well....a wee bit fake in order to be someone they would like. 

Now, as I seek to serve the Lord and love Him first and foremost in my life, I realize that sometimes that means not being the fake person I tried to be to get my friends to like me. Sometimes, pleasing the Lord is not very pleasing to man. And sometimes, it hurts really bad. My heart was aching as I thought of how different my life would be if I were more like some of these friends. I thought of how frustrating it was to try being there when others are hurting and have no friends there when you are. Suddenly the peace of God just surrounded me and that whisper like voice spoke to my heart saying, "But, I'm here. I was always here. When no one else could feel your pain I always could. My child, am I enough to satisfy your heart?"

I spoke to Him, out loud, just like I would if He were sitting on the bed with me. I cried as if I were crying on His shoulder. Of course He is enough. Though the world may reject and abandon, though they put stick labels on us and turn away, He is ALWAYS there and He has ALWAYS loved me.

I prayed for my friends last night, starting with those that had hurt me most, but it was not a prayer of anger and bitterness. It was a prayer of love and thankfulness, not because I'm such a great friend, but because Jesus is and He placed every word into my mouth.

I fell asleep quietly singing, "What A Friend We Have In Jesus," and I slept ever so peacefully.

"Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?

Take it to the Lord in prayer!

In His arms He'll take and shield thee;

Thou wilt find a solace there."

The Love of God

I've been going through the Bible looking up the word love. I want to know what God's love is and what makes His love so much richer and deeper than mans. I've only read about half of the verses that actually have the word love in them, but I've already been very convicted.
I didn't expect to see a big difference between man's love and God's love. Of course, I know they're not the same, but really, isn't love...love? Not really.
I discovered that the verses which talk about man's love show that it is temporary, easily lost, often based on what someone else does for them rather than freely given. Saul used his daughter's and servant's love for David to persuade him to marry his daughter. Delilah used Samson's love for her to aid her in deceiving him. Amnon loved his sister until he had taken what he wanted and then he hated her. Even David in the Psalms would write the he loved the Lord because of something God did for him
However, God's love is unchanging, never ceasing and freely bestowed upon filthy, sinful human beings that have done NOTHING to deserve it. God loved His people even though they continually rejected Him. He sought out their love continually. Even when they turned away from Him, He reckoned with them and pulled them back to Himself, all the while knowing that they would again reject Him. Having a love for someone that great is humanly impossible! We just can't do it. Only God can have a deep, satisfying love that stretches through the depths and width of eternity. If only we would learn to cling to God's love rather than the love of the world.
It is so easy to go looking for love in all the wrong places. Human affection is deceiving and easy to get, but very often it is false and temporary. When we look for love in places other than God's arms, we will be hurt. Because let's face it, not even the best of human beings can love like God can. Even the strongest of Christians will let people down. It's in our sinful nature to do so. But God CAN work miracles in our hearts. He can teach us to love selflessly. And He can love us with the most tender and wonderful love imaginable.

The Eye of a Needle

The rich young ruler came to Jesus looking for eternal life. It took only a few minutes for Jesus to make him realize that he loved the things of the world more than he loved God. The young man could not part with the things of the world. They were his. He wanted them. He depended on them.
Matthew 19:24 says, "And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God."
I've read this verse a hundred times over and while I always knew it was an important verse, I never truly believed that it applied to me. I mean really, there are many people that are WAY richer than me in this world. Last night however, I was in for a rude awakening as I read the book "Kisses From Katie," a book about a teenage girl that became a missionary in Uganda. She was writing about her return to America after a year in Uganda. The chapter was about her struggles of fitting into her old world, a world where you really don't have to be dependant on God to live. In Uganda, she prayed constantly, she depended on God for everything. However, in America everything is in reach. She always had food and water and everything else she needed.
This opened my eyes to how rich I truly am in worldly goods, and how very much I am like the rich young ruler. That young man was so dependant on his wealth that he could not become dependant on God. In America, in my home, I don't have to depend on God for my food, for water, for clothing, for money. I think of all the times I just ate the food, just took the shower, just bought the frappachino, and suddenly I see how little I truly depend on God. I think of how often I cling to things and don't want to give them up. How foolish! How foolish this rich young man was! How foolish I am! I would rather cling to the material things of the world than cling to my Heavenly Father and Creator.
Right now, I am the rich young ruler. Jesus gave me a choice. Give up the things of the world and follow him, or walk away troubled. I want to follow Christ, like Peter and John and all the other disciples that gave up everything in order to follow the Savior. That's the choice I want to make, but only in the strength of the Lord. With Him and through Him I can let worldly goods and wealth go.

Living a Life of Purpose

Sometimes I question what this life is lived for. What exactly is the point of a sin filled creature like me being on this earth? Each morning I wake up I have a new day to live and new choices to make. So I ask myself what the purpose of it all is. Life is meant to be lived to the glory of God but what does that look like on a day to day basis?

So I decided to see what Scripture said about purpose. I noticed very early on that when the word "purpose" is used in the Bible it is almost always made in reference to someones plan.

I Kings 5:5 is a prime example. It says, "And, behold, I purpose to build an house unto the name of the Lord my God, as the Lord spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build an house unto my name."

To purpose was to plan, it was a goal.

Then I got to Acts 11:23 which hit me like a ton of bricks. 

"Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord."

It was as if God just shoved this verse at me. I asked myself how often I wake up and "purpose" with all my heart to cleave to the Lord. In the quiet and stillness this morning God showed me that the reason I feel like my life has no real purpose is because I choose not to embrace the purpose. My job is to glorify God in all I say and do, but I have to purpose in my heart each day to do so. 

So, this morning I purposed in my heart to cleave to the Lord. The Lord filled my heart with a peace that I have not deeply felt in a long time. In that moment He gave me a goal and a reason to be on this earth today.

I have purpose. My life isn't just a meaningless blob. It is a beautiful creation that the Lord has made for a reason. Every day that I am alive I can choose to have purpose or I can choose to live meaninglessly. After living both ways I can honestly say there is far more joy in living with purpose.

There is a Time

For everything there is a time and a season.
That's what I love about Ecclesiasties. It puts everything in it's place. These last couple of weeks have been a mix of so many "times and seasons" that I felt like I was on the verge of a mental breakdown for a while.....don't worry, I'm fine now. :-)
Last week, amidst the craziness of 4-H summer, we had a family friend die, and a wedding all in the same weekend. The mix of the two got me thinking quite a bit.
When a human mind is rushed with all these mixed emotions, suddenly life becomes so much shorter.
We live, we eat, we breath....
We grow up, we get a job, we get married...
We have families, we have losses, we have gains...
But one day we will die.
We will leave behind us loved ones, kisses not given, tears not wiped, regrets to fill an ocean, and yet we will be able to do nothing, change nothing because we will be dead and there's no going back.
It's when I think about these things that life becomes so fragile to me. So often I find myself caught up in my present worries and aurguments that I forget how fragile this life truly is. In my impatience, I so easily try to rush life. Then I look back and wish I had savored that moment.

I think about all the people losing their homes in Colorado right now. I think about how often I grudgingly clean and do chores in my home. If I were one of those people who had lost my home, I doubt that I would be thinking about how hard it was to clean the house. I bet I would be thinking about how I wish I had enjoyed my time there instead.
But, why does it take tragedy to make me think?
Ecclesiastes seems to have the answer to that too. :-) In chapter 7, verse 3 it says, "Sorrow is better than laghter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better." Maybe that's it. Maybe that is why God allows sorrow to be mixed with our joys. Because it gets us to think. It makes us appreciate the joys more.
Mourning over the death of a man married to his wife for 44 years, made the joyous wedding of some dear friends all the richer. Sorrow makes you cherish the joy more. One woman lost her husband, one girl married the man of her dreams. And I stand on the outside and watch. I learn about God's faithfulness, and I learn to love what I have been given.

There is a time for everything, we just need to learn to accept the current time.

Courage

            When you hear the word courage what do you think of? I think of brave men and women like William Wallace, Amy Carmichael, Thomas Jefferson, Dolly Madison, and Stonewall Jackson. I think of swords, bows, and arrows; fire, bombs, and blood; soap boxes, microphones, and crowds. It’s not often that I think of myself, or my sisters and brothers. We just aren’t those kinds of people. I hear battle cries and passionate speeches, not the voices of those I hold so dear. Yet, are we not all called to be courageous? Aren’t we all told we can make a difference, change the world? Somehow, it seems that we’ve dug a large trench between the famous heroes of history and our own simple selves. There seems to be some strange void keeping us from being great men and women like them. But, it doesn’t need to be that way. We can be courageous right here, in our homes, with the people around us. Spelling the word “courage” with seven simple words we can understand the depths of courage. We too can be courageous.

Christ

To be courageous we must know the courage of Christ. It is easy to think that in all His perfection He felt no fear. But, Christ was God made man. He knows what fear is. Yet, when all odds were against Him, He willingly conquered sin through the greatest act of love. He took the sins of the world to the cross. His burden was far greater than any that we bear and still He took it. In His death He bore our sins, and in His resurrection he conquered sin. This was the greatest act of courage that Christ gave us, but He was courageous even before that time. When the Pharisees mocked or questioned Him, He did not hesitate to give answers that would make many of us cringe. The truth flowed from His tongue whether it pleased or displeased people. He rebuked the rich young ruler and He boldly rebuked His own disciples. Christ was a man of courage.

Optimistic

Optimism is a huge part of courage because how you view things is how you will act. If something is frightening to you then you will be hesitant to face it. If you are fearful of a situation it will only make the situation worse. If we look as positively as possible at difficult situations, they will appear brighter. Trusting in God’s all powerful plan gives us the hope an assurance to face any task or situation. We need to have the courage to smile, even when life looks bleak. Having the courage to smile, even when we are afraid, can help us make a bigger impact, to touch more lives.

Unafraid

Fear is one of the greatest tools that the Devil has against us. Nothing will drive us away from taking a stand, speaking up, saving lives, like fear will. As Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, “…the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” Fear stops us from moving. It hinders our every step, paralyzing our actions. Only when we conquer our fears and hand them over to God can we be courageous. Trusting in His sovereign power and authorship, we can move on, through the darkness, onto the stage, into the seas, wherever He sends us He will give us the courage to go.

Risk

Being courageous is taking risks; Big or small. The board game Risk is a prime example of what risks are like in real life. If you roll the right number you can take over the country. However, if you roll the wrong number you lose your armies. So it is in life. Risks are, well, risky. You could lose everything. But you will never, NEVER, win if you don’t take the risk. You have to push yourself out of your comfort zone. As you push, practice. Don’t go out there unprepared. Learn the skills, get the knowledge and go out there in confidence. Stand up for what’s right and don’t be afraid. Help those that need your help. Don’t give up. No risks are easy. It’s a risk. They’re risky.

Alert

One of the saddest realities of life is that there are opportunities and moments when heroes are needed all the time, but we miss them because we don’t open our eyes. If we aren’t striving to be courageous and help other we won’t. We won’t see the bruises, we won’t see the dejection, we won’t hear the lies, and we won’t fight the fight. We will simply miss it all. If we want to be courageous then we need to be alert and ready. We need to know the skills to save lives, to give a speech, to write a letter, to give a rebuke.  We need to have the knowledge to explain why evolution is false, why abortion is murder, why homosexuality is an abomination. If we aren’t ready and we don’t know, how can we help? And if we don’t open up our eyes, how will we ever see our chance to make a difference?

Gutsy

Being gutsy is much like taking risks, but it’s taking the risks that most people wouldn’t dare take. A major part of being gutsy is being bold, being willing to say what no one else will. There are definitely intimidating people in this world, but the gutsy person will not let that hinder doing what God wants them to do. With courage they will face the giant like David. Who cares about what other people think and say? It’s none of our business anyways. If someone is defying what you know to be right then face them and say something.

Eager

Courage takes action…now. You can’t wait. If you just wait around for a situation in which you can be a hero to present itself, you will be waiting for a long time. Start small. You don’t have to rescue a hostage as your first mission. Be eager to show courage in the small things. Defend others, stand up for what’s right, jump to help at every given opportunity. But, don’t sit and wait. It just doesn’t work.

Courage is a big deal. Many people dream of being heroes and making a difference, but most of those people just aren’t willing to pay the price. Most of the greatest heroes of history never considered themselves to be great. They were just everyday people like you and me. The difference is they had the courage. Do you?

We Could Do So Much More

We have just spent this last weekend at the 2012 Family Economics Conference. It was truly a wonderful time and experience. I have so much that I could write about the actual conference, but all of that will have to wait because I have something else besides family economics weighing heavily on my mind.

I'm going to talk about boy/girl relationships....actually, I'm going to talk about brother/sister relationships. :-) They're tricky, they're sticky, and some of us truly act like we think they're icky. But they are NOT. At least, they don't have to be.

At the conference, I was amazed at the genuine kindness, politeness and friendliness displayed by the young men and women helping put on the conference. The young men would say, "Hello" and smile, just like the young ladies. They didn't walk past and ignore me like I was a picture on the wall. I was able to have good edifying conversations with some of them - and with some young ladies too. It was wonderful. Seeing them work together for the glory of God really inspired me. They worked TOGETHER. The girls didn't work on one half of the room while the guys worked on the other. No, no, no, they worked side by side.

Now, I'm not trying to imply that guys and girls should be standing in groups, frivolously bantering and acting immaturely. That's what we need to stay away from, but that doesn't mean we avoid each other like the plague!

The group of young people that helped put on the conference knew the beauty of brother and sister relationships. God didn't intend for men and women to be segregated, separate species. We were created to work together, to help one another.

As young people we have two great assets, youth and singleness. When we use these to the glory of God we can accomplish great things for His kingdom. The young people I saw, put on a conference for thousands of people. They were such a blessing to me and I know they were a blessing to others as well. That's how all of us should be acting.

We need to quit acting like cooties are for real and start working together! When a guy walks in the room we girls don't need to go hide and pretend we didn't see them, and vice versa.

Yes, girls and guys can get too friendly, in fact you will probably run into situations where people get wrong impressions, but that just means we need to work things out. We need to repent and move on, not cower in a corner feeling like a wounded puppy.

I won't lie; I'm talking to myself here. I just thought that I would share my thoughts. Something to think about. We've got to start working together for the glory of Christ and for the furtherance of His kingdom.

Who Will "Be Mine"?

Tomorrow is that classic hallmark holiday that you love when you're little, love when you're married, but during that in-between stage, you basically only celebrate it for the sake of others. On this day, many young ladies will sigh, and start to daydream about their Prince Charming, Mr. Darcy, Mr. Right or whoever he is. Discontentment will easily and quickly slide into their hearts, creeping up to their heads, leading them to believe that they are somehow less of a person because they do not have that special person to call their own. (Sorry guys, I have to use girls here because I have no idea how you feel about Valentines Day. :-)

I remember last Valentines Day being the first one that I acutely noticed my lack of a "valentine." Somehow, it never had bothered me until then. We talk about spinsters and being single for the rest of our days like it's a silly joke, but deep down inside many of us young ladies secretly fear such titles. The thought of "being alone" brings chills down many spines and many hours of useless worrying.

But really, what's the point of all this worry? All we do to ourselves by worrying on Valentines Day - or any day for that matter - is show that somehow Christ is not enough. Now, I don't know who all the perfect guy figures from novels and movies are. I only know of a few, and I made a mental comparison of them in my mind last night.

Mr. Darcy (whom I personally can't stand) was extremely wealthy and saved the Bennett family from disgrace.
Jesus Christ is the King of Heaven and earth and He gave His own life to save us from eternal damnation in hell.
Gilbert Blythe was a loyal friend and comrade.
Jesus Christ remains by our side through the dark and weary times as well as the times of joy. He is more faithful than any earthly being.
Edward Cullen is a vampire - I really don't know anything else about this guy.
Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
Willie Lahaye was a manly, tough, hard working, cowboy husband.
Jesus Christ gave everything He could give on our behalf's. He fights for us and shelters us under His wings.

I know there's more, but do you see what I'm getting at? Jesus Christ is SO much more than all of these other fictional guys. He is the only One who can truly satisfy your heart whether you're married or not. So wouldn't it be better to spend Valentines Day, basking in the light of our Saviors love rather than dreaming of our special someone?

I think so.

Tomorrow, how about we singles focus on Christ. He's asking us, "Won't You Be Mine?" Are you going to reject that one?

A Painting That Speaks

             With a swift, soft flourish he painted the last detail on the paper before him. It was a beautiful masterpiece, the best he had done yet. The portrait had perfect eyes, a dainty nose and a smile that caught your eye. The background was magical and the people in the distance were just as beautiful as the one he had just finished. Leaning back in his chair he sighed. It was such a wonderful feeling to create something so breathtaking. Suddenly, the face on the page turned and looked directly at him. The lovely smile turned downward and the eyes changed into a scowl. “Why did you make my nose look so weird? And my hair, you painted it completely wrong for my complexion.  The background you gave me is so not flattering and I hate the color of my eyes! I don’t want to wear a smile all the time. What if I feel like frowning? I don’t like these people you put by me in the picture. They are so annoying. Why couldn’t you just make me the way I want? Why do I have to be your creation? I want to be my own!”

            While this tale may seem ridiculous to some, it is not as fictional as it may appear. The paints and paper are unreal, but the creation and the creator are not a myth. The creator represents our Heavenly Father, and the painted lady represents those of us that complain and whine about who and what God has made us to be. We, the creation of God, often complain about the way He made us, the place He put us and the things around us. This sin is part of our human nature, but it is wrong. In Philippians 2:14, we are told to do all things without complaining. A complaining spirit leads us to discontentment and forgetfulness of God’s blessings. (Psalm 106:7) When we lead lives of ungrateful complaining we miss out on the blessings of Godliness and righteousness that God blesses the grateful heart with. (1 Timothy 6:6)

            God blesses those that are grateful, and so being a just God, He also punishes those that live with complaining, ungrateful hearts. Just as the artist in our story must have been appalled by the gross dissatisfaction of his artwork, our Heavenly Father is disgusted by our whining attitudes. Psalm 78:21 tells us that the wrath of the Lord is kindled against those that do not trust in Him. Those that complain are showing that they do not trust the Lord and thus, His wrath will be kindled against them. He punished the Israelites with plagues and 40 years in the wilderness because of their complaining, (Numbers 21:5-6) and He makes it clear in Scripture that He will destroy those that murmur against Him. (1 Corinthians 10:10)

            While the way of complaining leads to destruction, the way of gratefulness to the Lord reaps an abundance of blessings. Those that are merry or cheerful reap the benefits of happy, joyful hearts. (Proverbs 15:13&15) In a world filled with people living depressive lives, a little joy and happiness are a wonderful blessing. A person who lives their lives void of complaining and whining sticks out and shines brightly in this dark world. Philippians 2:14-15, also tells us that we will be blameless and pure without rebuke. We will be able to rejoice in the works of the Lord and remember with gratitude the works in those gone before us. (Exodus 12-13, Deuteronomy 16:9-15)

            The Bible is filled with stories of people who lived lives of either gratitude or complaining. Ruth is a wonderful example of a woman who lived a life of gratitude. She was thankful to Naomi for all that she had done for her and remained faithful to Naomi even in the most difficult times of her life. God greatly blessed Ruth because of her gratefulness and loyalty. (Ruth 1:10-17, 2:19-20) Rahab, the harlot who helped the Israelite spies was grateful and did not complain about hiding the spies and the Lord saved her and her family. (Joshua 6:22-25) The Israelites expressed their thankfulness to the Lord in Exodus 15:1-21, after he led them through the Red Sea.

            Although the Israelites had moments of gratefulness, they are also one of the greatest examples of a complaining and whining people.  Various times in the Bible the Lord did great and mighty works on behalf of His people and yet they repeatedly complained about the situations they were placed in. (Exodus 14:11-12, Numbers 20:2-5) Rachel, the second wife of Jacob, complained bitterly because the Lord had not opened her womb but had opened the womb of her sister Leah. (Genesis 30:1) Jonah, a prophet of God’s, complained that the people of Nineveh had repented from their ways and the Lord had mercy on them. (Jonah 4)

            It is easy to judge people in the Bible and in our lives who are avid complainers, but we are so often just the same. Even if we don’t verbalize our complaints, the Lord knows our hearts and He knows each time that we are ungrateful for who we are, for what He has done and for what we are going through. The Lord will punish those that complain and whine, but He blesses those that are grateful unto Him. Don’t be like the painting that chided its painter. Live a life of gratitude and thanksgiving.

Are We the Greatest?

            Every generation has had its share of new inventions and advancements. Those that have gone before us have laid stones for us to build upon, and because of their achievements we are given the opportunity to achieve even more. Success even causes some to exalt themselves, believing that the world would be worse off without them, and that they have reached the height of knowledge. There are even those who would go so far as to say that we are the smartest generation. A verse that comes to mind is Ezekiel 28:17, “Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.” Perhaps this is a warning for us. Just as generations before us, we have placed ourselves on a pedestal, but my fear is that just like men of old, we shall soon be knocked down and replaced with another god.

            On July 2, 1881, tragedy struck across the U.S. as President James Garfield was shot at a railroad station by the insane Charles Guiteau. In the moments that followed, some of the most horrendous acts of insanitation were committed. The doctors that examined Garfield in that station showed no hesitation as they plunged bare, unwashed fingers into the wound, inserting thousands of germs off the station floor into his back. Dr. Willard Bliss, the doctor that cared for the dying Garfield, performed other exploratory surgeries and such in search of the bullet all in the most unsanitary methods. It is a shame that five years earlier this same doctor had ignored a man named Dr. Joseph Lister and the World’s fair in New York. Lister had been a pioneer in the field of antiseptic surgery and had greatly reduced the infection rates in his hospital. Unfortunately, at the World’s Fair, many American doctors refused to believe in Lister’s methods. Due to their pride and ignorance, President Garfield and countless others, died from infection and blood poisoning. If he had been shot in the same way fifteen years later, he would have been nearly recovered within two weeks.

            Although doctors in the eighteen hundreds, such as Dr. Bliss, knew a lot about surgery and medicine, they did not know enough. Ultimately, when the time came for action they failed, because they would not believe that they were wrong. They had closed their minds to any new ideas that may be and in fact were right. Far too often this very same attitude is seen in the way scientists and doctors’ work. They decide that one way is the best and they close their minds to all others. There is so much more for us to learn just as there was so much for those doctors to learn. If we close our mind to new discoveries, because we have already reached the top we will quickly find ourselves at the bottom.

            Garfield’s life could have been saved if Dr. Bliss had headed Dr. Lister’s antiseptic advice. I can’t help but wonder how many lives today would be saved if people were willing to put their pride in a box and realize that they may be wrong. While this example is an example from the medical world, this same concept applies to everyone. When we allow our pride to get in the way, we miss out on the world of wisdom and knowledge that God has for us. We have learned a lot, much of it due to the stepping stones laid down by past generations, but we have not learned it all.

            Fifteen years after Garfield’s death he would have been fine. The doctors would have known how to find and remove the bullet in only a few hours and he would have been on his way to recovery. Fifteen years from now we will know so much more than we know now, that is, if we humble ourselves. If we continue in a state of pride and vanity with closed hearts and sealed minds, God will curse us as Ezekiel warned. We are not the greatest. No matter how much we discover and accomplish we will never know it all. Only God knows it all. He is the greatest.

The Worth of a Ruby

          Rubies are one of the most valuable gems on earth. Rare and expensive, they are carefully and painstakingly sought out by miners in search of the perfect stone. But very rarely is the perfect stone found. More often than not, the ruby found, while still a beauty, has much work to be done before it will appear at a sale. Very rarely does a ruby appear without blemish, perfect and ready to be claimed.

            Rubies are actually made of mineral corundum, the same substance which sapphires are made of. The only difference is the color. Their hardness is a 9 on the Mohs scale with only diamonds having a higher number. The gems contain aluminum oxide and chrome; chrome giving it the brilliant red color. The red color of rubies is actually what makes them so rare. While in the earth’s core, the chrome make fissures and cracks inside of the stone basically stopping the stone from becoming a large beautiful gem. Hardly ever are ruby crystals able to grow larger than 3 karats without being cracked. This makes large rubies more valuable than even diamonds.

            Rubies of lesser value can be found. They can even be made to look brighter and their color more brilliant by a heating method. Fractures in the rubies can be filled and hid with lead glass so as to make their appearance seem without blemish, but these gems will not be the high bid of the day. They will not make it to the top of the market. Only the ruby that has grown in the depths of the earth unhindered and untouched, guarded only by the hands of God, will be a first rate ruby. That ruby will not need heat to brighten its color, because the earth has heated it thoroughly; it will not need to be filled with glass because it will have grown perfectly, without spot. This ruby is one to be sought for. She will be the high bid of the sale and she will be treasured.

            So it is with a virtuous woman. She is so very rare that it will take only the most persistent, and courageous of men to find her. He will have to seek her out long and hard. He will have to search in the hardest of places. There will be women that appear to be rubies. They will try to brighten their appearance, and powder and fill their flaws, but a man that truly seeks a rare gem will have the discretion to see past their costumes. He will not be satisfied until he has at last set his eye on the prize of a genuine ruby. Proverbs 31:10 “Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies.”

            But a virtuous woman is not the only thing that is better to posses than rubies. Proverbs 8:11 “For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.” Job 28:18 “No mention shall be made of corals, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies.” Wisdom, like a ruby, is a gem to be sought. Even through pain and trial it should be sought with utmost exigency.

            A virtuous woman and wisdom; brighter and rarer than rubies, to be claimed only by those brave enough to endure the call, these shall stand as two of the greatest possessions mankind can own. Will men be courageous enough to seek wisdom and search for a virtuous woman? And will women also have the determination to find wisdom and the resolution to become that virtuous gem? Only our Creator knows. We should set out hearts on trusting Him because as He knows men’s hearts, He also knows where the greatest and purest of rubies lies.