The Listening Servant

Elkanah and Hannah wanted a child desperately, but could not conceive. They prayed and begged God to bless them with a child promising that, once the child was weaned, he would be taken to the Temple and given back to God as a gift. God honored their prayer and their first son, Samuel was born. As promised, when he was very small, he was surrendered to Eli, the Priest, to be his student and servant in the house of God and, according to 1 Samuel 2:21, “the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord.”

Nine or ten years later, Samuel is awakened several times in the night by a voice calling out his name. Assuming it was Eli, he ran to his side to see what he needed, only to be sent away because it was not Eli’s voice. At first, neither Eli nor Samuel recognized the voice of the Lord. Eli had pushed God aside because he didn’t like God’s demands. He closed his eyes to sin rather than to stand with God and stand against sin.

Samuel did not recognize the voice of God because, according to 1 Samuel 3:7, he “did not yet know the Lord.” How can a child grow up in the presence of God and yet not know Him or recognize his voice?

From the story of Samuel we learn that knowing the laws of God and obeying them, based on ritual rather than relationship will not draw our children to Him. Acts of kindness and service, even in the church will not create unity with God. We can see that, in the case of Samuel, a child’s eyes are fixed on the one who is raising them and that is the primary shaping factor in the spiritual life of a child. If you want to do a better job of introducing your child to God, this is what your child needs…

…parents who love Jesus enough to turn their back on anything that leads them away from Him

…parents who make mistakes and humbly repent to God and family

…parents who value quiet time with God

…parents who fail to get their priorities right and acknowledge and correct them

…parents who read the Bible and teach it’s precepts to their children

…parents who, early on, teach their children to listen and obey

…parents who can show grace to an errant child because God has shown grace to them

…parents who are humble enough to know that they need God’s help to raise a family

…parents who have godly friends who will be a positive influence in the lives of their kids

…parents who see that they are called to a mission that is bigger than themselves

…parents who have found joy in following God – both in the valleys and on the mountain tops

You can buy your kids a Bible, take them to church most every Sunday and visit every VBS that is offered within a 15 mile radius of your home. You can purchase every Veggie Tale movie ever made and say a prayer before meals and at bedtime. Yet, it is possible that your children will grow up, like Samuel, not recognizing God if you have not shown them what it looks like to listen and obey Him. Is it time to tune your ear to what God wants to do in your home? Say with Samuel, “Speak, for your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:10), then follow through with what He is asking you to do! 

It Takes A Village

A universal discovery for all who have parented is that the old adage, “it takes a village to raise a child,” is a wise statement. Even those of us who fight to be the primary influence on our kid’s lives come to the point where we realize that this task is bigger than us and we need advice, strength, support…something… to help us be the very best parents for our children.

Based on the assumption that it really does take a village to raise a child, who is your village? Maybe you would say their teachers. We all have that one teacher that stands out in our mind who made all the difference. They believed in us. They didn’t let us be a slacker, but expected the best from us. They saw who we could be and pushed us to get there.

Many have chosen a church by the children’s programs that are offered because they see the value of having others to teach Biblical principles to our kids. Maybe because they don’t know much about Scripture or maybe because they do know that Scripture teaches us to gather in worship with other believers.

There is another, often overlooked part of our ‘village.’ It is our friends… not the friends of the children (that we often try to dictate or control), but the friends of the parents. Who are the adults that you consider your friends? Who are the people who are your confidants? Who do you go to with your difficult questions and challenges? Is it people that will point you toward God? Is it people who will show pity, sympathy and never say the hard things that we need to hear?

Here is the truth… if you are not in a place where you value friendships that will promote wise and godly counsel in your life, there is an excellent chance that your kids won’t look for those types of relationships in theirs. In fact, here is an exercise for you. Think about your “go to” person when life throws you a curve ball. Is it a godly person that will pray with you? Think about the person you would choose to hang with on the weekend to have a good time. Is that person one who values their relationship with God above all else? Is your best friend your best friend because they make you a better person or because they are cool with just letting you remain as you are, because… let’s face it… nobody’s perfect.

Fasten your seat belt because I am going out on a limb here with a very bold statement… if your choices for close friends are not godly people, then you are choosing an ungodly village to help you raise your kids. If “good” people are good enough; if “kind” people are good enough; if “compassionate, generous, disciplined, honest, strong, fun” people are good enough for YOU, then why would your kids look for anything more in their friends?

You are choosing the village where your kids will grow. Have you chosen a village that points them toward Jesus and heaven? Good, kind, compassionate, generous, disciplined, honest, strong, fun …are all great qualities, but none of those qualities will get you to heaven. If you believe the Bible is TRUE (and I do) then you know there is only ONE WAY to spend eternity with God. Jesus. He didn’t die to bridge the chasm between you and your Creator in hopes that you would take a detour to good, kind, compassionate, generous, disciplined, honest, strong, fun and call it good enough. If you want your children to find and cross the Bridge that will bring them to God, then choose a godly village in which to raise them. 

Those who have studied and researched claim that every teen should have at least 5 strong Christians speaking into their lives at all times. Don't depend on the church to supply those people. If your village is important to you, you will seek out those people who are growing in their faith and find ways to connect with them. We need each other. We need accountability. We need friends who will hold up a mirror in front of us and show us who we are. Finding and connecting with those people will transform your life and your village. Don't be afraid to ask people you value to be part of your village. It is likely they are looking for the same kind of village to raise their children.

NOTE:  Don’t forget that Jesus told us to leave our village and go make disciples. It is good and wise parenting to be “in the world” so that our kids see the value in being world changers, but it is deadly to make the world your village by being “of the world” and allowing the values of the world to rule your village.... but that is a blog for another day.

Jesus said to his disciples:

“Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person through whom they come. It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck 

than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. 

So watch yourselves. 

If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.”

Luke 17:1-3

"What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?"

Luke 9:25

Then Jesus said to his disciples,

 “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. 

What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? 

Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

Matthew 16:24-26

The Invisible Sin

PRIDE is the sin that is often invisible to the naked eye. Only under scrutiny can we find and identify it so that it can be confessed and removed from our lives. It has many names and is manifested in many ways, but no matter how it is masked, it is sin and creates separation from God, who gives us life. From a Biblical perspective, pride is placing ourselves where God belongs – the very center of our lives… the control center. If you claim to be a follower of God, any time that you take control and seek to do things according to our human way of thinking, you have assumed the role of God. That is a job that is too big for any of us!

The reason we seem to be so crippled when it comes to seeing it in our own life is because in our culture, pride it is the norm. I liken it to that commercial where Uncle Si is dressed in camo sitting in a room where everything is camo and he doesn’t think that anyone can see him. The door opens, he is called out and he still is claiming, “you can’t see me.” We have learned from the society in which we live that it is right and proper to take control of our lives. Those who climb to the top by being brave enough to say (with strains of Frank Sinatra in the background), “I did it my way” are among the most admired.

If PRIDE is ruling your heart and your actions and attitudes, your kids are not seeing what it means to be a follower of God. They will see what it means to claim you are a follower and then do what YOU want rather than following. In essence, you are teaching them to disobey and to follow their own desires. They are seeing a life void of power to overcome. That is dangerous! In fact, Jesus said it would be better to have a heavy stone tied around your neck and be thrown into the sea than to mislead a child. This is IMPORTANT! I want our homes to reflect Christ, not selfish pride.

Here is a magnifying glass that may help you see the PRIDE that is camouflaged in your heart so you can recognize who is really calling the shots in your life:

• Is it more important for you to be right than to be like Christ?
• Would you rather win an argument or win the approval of God?
• Are you more likely to try to control how others do things or allow them to do things their way?
• Would you rather suffer the consequences of doing life as our culture does or walk away from the norm and follow Jesus?
• Does your day begin with a prayer for God’s will to be done in your life, or with shouts and commands?
• Would those who live with you say that you are clothed in humility and compassion and gentleness…?

It isn’t too late to put God back on the throne where he belongs! Don’t wait because His plan is waiting to unfold in your life and it is going to be amazing!

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved,

clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Colossians 3:12

All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,

"God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." 

1 Peter 5:5

What Do You Cherish?

When we think of the things we cherish it is common to think of family; kids, parents, cousins, grandparents, grandchildren. We value them because of the relationship we have with them and the memories we have made together. We also cherish “things” like relics from previous generations, an heirloom, a gift or something for which we have scrimped and saved for a long time to purchase. A wedding ring makes the list because of its value, both monetary and because of the sentiment of a forever commitment.

I cherish my photographs. They mean so much to me because they chronical a good life. I love to look at them and remember growing up in a different era, being loved and cared for, raising a family, enjoying my grandkids. They bring joy to my heart each time I look through them. However, if you came to my house to take a trip down memory lane with me you wouldn’t get the picture that I cherish my pictures because most of them haven’t been properly placed in an album or scrapbook to browse… they are in a couple of cardboard boxes in my basement.

My confession is simply to make a point. It is entirely probable that most of us would say we cherish important relationships or things, but our life doesn’t back up that claim.  If you cherish your health, you would take care of it with proper nutrition and exercise.  If you cherish your spouse you wouldn’t allow anger and resentment to build its home where love should abide. If you cherish your children, you wouldn’t let activities of this life rob you of time to teach them how to find and walk with Jesus through eternity. If you cherish your relationship with Jesus, are you proving that by walking with Him even when it means you have to walk away from something or someone that is pulling you away from Him?

We would never admit that we cherish ugly things like revenge, bitterness, unhealthy habits, a bad temper, gluttony, an unforgiving spirit, lack of self-control, impatience…  However, on a day to day basis, that is often what is reflected in our lives.  If we don’t cherish such things, why do we allow them to take up space; to live in our hearts in the place where we have invited Jesus to live?

Take inventory; see what is on the throne ruling your thoughts and actions. Is it really your relationship with God that motivates your decisions or is it time to clean house and remove the foolishness and pride and give the throne back to God?

“I cried out to him with my mouth: his praise was on my tongue.

If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened;

but, God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer.

Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!”

Psalm 66:18 nlt

Childish Fears

When Paul, the famous Christian of the first century, was imprisoned awaiting a probable death sentence that would likely be a gruesome demise, he truly had every right to be filled with anxiety and fear. Sometimes what we know causes tremendous fear, but more often it is what we think that brings terror to our hearts.  The same is true for our children.

How many times have you checked under the bed to insure the coast is clear? How often have you waited until the kids were away to vacuum because they believe that the sound is a source of danger?  When thunder crashes, do you have a lap-full of terrified children who are convinced they won’t survive? How many dreams have become a reality in the mind of a child causing the entire household to forfeit a good night’s sleep?

All those fears are completely real to a child and must be addressed. Don’t dismiss it as nonsense. When you downplay the fear because it is childish, remember that you are talking to a child… Of course it is childish! There is no harm in a child behaving like a child, however, you must reveal the folly of fear. Deal with it by explaining that fear is coming from their thoughts and the only way to make it go away is to change the way they think.

Do what Paul did… 

1. Remind them that God is near (Philippians 4:5) and so are you and let them see and feel your love and compassion. Your exasperation with them will only cause them to stop bringing their fears to you. Suppressing them is not a healthy choice. 
2. Talk to God about your fear (Philippians 4:6) and ask Him to take it away.  
3. Begin to talk to God about all the things you are grateful for (Philippians 4:4, 6) and make the list as long as you can. You can never cover all the blessing God gives us daily so help them list His good and gracious gifts. 
4. Unveil the real truth (Philippians 4:8). Begin to replace the things they have believed with truth, like the vacuum being something that takes dirt and germs off the floor and the lightening putting nutrients into the soil so that we can have good, healthy food.

 The next time you get impatient with a child because their fears are ridiculous and unfounded, take a look at the fears that cripple you. They are no more real than your child’s fears in the eyes of the One who asks you to give Him all your anxiety in exchange for His peace.

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition,

with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding,

will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:4-8

Connecting to Power

My dad, who I revere as a man who is closer to the heart of God than anyone I know, read my column last week. As he read about the importance of praying with your kids, letting them hear you pray, making it as natural as eating, he was reminded of his failure. He told me that he was always aware that praying for us, which was a constant thing for him, was not all he should be doing. He regrets that he didn’t let us hear him talking to God on our behalf.

As I listened to him speak I reflected back to all the times I saw him sitting on the edge of my bed, silent. I knew he was praying for me because I knew he was closely walking with God. His life reflected that he was a man who communed with God. When I grew up and had children I would catch him sitting on the edge of their bed as they napped and I knew exactly what he was doing. He was talking to his Father about his grandkids.

This was a huge reminder to me that we can voice prayers all day long for our children to hear, but it is truly the way we treat them and others, the way we react to difficult situations, the forgiveness that we show, the grace we extend, the kindness in our hearts that will let them know that we are a true friend of the Father.

Prayer is an invitation to be transported into the presence of the One who loves us and longs for us to allow His transformative power to work in our lives. Grasping the importance of quietly listening for Him to speak is a gift I would love to give all of you… in fact I would love to have a better handle on it, myself. Sometimes I feel guilty because I fall asleep talking to him; but I suppose that is better than not meeting with Him because I am too tired.

I am not an expert on prayer. Far from it! But I know there is power in connecting with the Maker of all things good. It is not just giving Him my list of needs, but time to be in His presence and sit quietly as He speaks to my spirit, allowing me the realization that I am the one He loved so much that He made a sacrifice I don’t even begin to grasp. Prayer is a gift you can give to your kids simply by allowing them to see just how important it is in your life.

When you are busy talking to your kids about God,

don’t forget the importance of talking to God about your kids.

Praying Parents

Recently I have been more and more mystified by the thought of prayer. After all, it is an open invitation to communicate with the One who created the stars and set the planets in place as well as designing every galaxy, known and unknown. That seems like a pretty big deal to me.

As parents, we make sure our kids get their picture taken with the Easter Bunny and wait a near eternity to sit on Santa’s lap because those guys are a pretty big deal to kids. Why? …because we have made them a big deal. Here is a valid question for each of us… How much do we make a big deal of sitting at the feet of the Creator of the universe?  Maybe our kids don’t value their connection with Him because we haven’t told them who He is. Possibly we have dropped the ball when it comes to showing them, by our example, that we can talk to Him about EVERYTHING any time we want!

Does it feel a bit awkward to you to pray with your kids? Most new things do feel awkward, like walking, eating solid foods, drinking from a cup, going potty in the toilet…. Need I go on?  If you expect to grow in your walk with the Lord, stop using the “awkward” excuse and start growing up in your faith! Talk to Jesus with your kids. About everything. He is the unseen member of your household. When He is brought into your conversations, they will likely take on a better complexion.

Let me help you get started …

In response to arguing kids… “God, you created us to love one another. Help our hearts to better understand how to love each other so we don’t fight.”

In response to the “gimme” phase… “God we know that the Bible tells us to be thankful. Help us to spend more time seeing what we have rather than seeing what we want so that we can live in an attitude of thankfulness.”

In response to fears… “God we know that fear comes from our minds so help us to crowd out the things that scare us by thinking about all the good things you have put in our lives, like puppies and kitties and…”

Ok, there is a start. When you learn to connect with God, it will become more and more natural for your kids to learn that connection. You aren’t imposing… remember what He suffered so that He can connect with us throughout eternity? TALK TO HIM!

“Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.”

James 5:13

“Pray continually!”

 1 Thessalonians 5:17

10 Things I Would Change... Birthday Musings

My birthday is this week. Kind of makes me think… “If I had it to do all over again….”  Have you ever uttered those words?  Here are 10 of the many things I would do differently.

1)      I would be more gentle to children who are just beginning a lifetime of learning how to make their way in the world and don’t really understand our grown-up rules or the reasons behind them.

2)      I would listen better – even to the unsaid words, because I know that my own emotions and background will distort what I am hearing and change the meaning from what the one speaking intended.

3)      I would create more beautiful things because as I take the time to do so I am transported to a higher plain and transformed by the creativity God has placed within me.

4)      I would have been a better student of the Word at an earlier age because I now know the wealth that is hidden in the pages to draw me into a closer relationship with the One who sees and knows all things.

5)      I would have exercised before I was in my fifties because I would have been much more help and had more fun with the strength and stamina I am just now realizing.

6)      I would have tried harder to speak the truth in love; gently confronting rather than being the one who accommodates others just to keep the peace and in the end, sends the message that undesirable behaviors are acceptable.

7)      I would have prayed and waited more and manipulated less, because altering things to get what you think you need takes away the opportunity to see God bless you beyond your wildest dreams.

8)      I would have spent more on things that would keep me organized and less on things that need to be organized so I’d have less of what I don’t need and more to share with others.

9)      I would have spent less time and energy trying to impress God and more time sitting in His presence, learning who He created me to be and what He really wants me to do.

10)  I would live in joyful expectation, praising God more… panicking less.

May YOU learn to have a richer life, earlier, by considering what you need to change NOW so there are no regrets later! No time like the present!

Now, let’s go eat some ice cream!

“I have come so that you may have life, and have it to the full.”

John 10:10

Be Kind

I have never met anyone who, on their wedding night said to their beloved, “I can’t wait to have a knock down drag out fight that makes me so angry I will harbor a grudge against you for the rest of our lives.” It just isn’t something that we plan to do. We plan to love through thick and thin, for a lifetime; for richer, for poorer; in sickness and in health…  In reality, however, most of us have said and heard painful, unforgettable things to our spouse out of our anger, hurt or frustration and struggle with the memory of it for a long time.  Paul has a lot to say about that in his letter to the church at Ephesus. Boiled down to a phrase, he says DON’T DO THAT!!!!

Paul says that these things happen because we fall back into that old life, where SELF is at the center and our own needs and desires take control. We become tired, stressed, and just plain irritable and self creeps back up onto the throne of our life and we want what we want. PERIOD. We begin to feel bitter, angry and maybe even fly into a rage.  When on the receiving end, we tend to hang on to those feelings as if they are our protection from future pain, when in reality they will become the source of future pain.

How do we prevent that in our marriage or other relationships? Well, Paul gives us the algebraic formula. I don’t claim to be a math scholar by any stretch, but I do remember that when we needed to get rid of a negative from one side of an equation, we had to add a positive to both sides. So he doesn’t leave us hanging with a command to “stop that!” negative behavior, but gives us the positive behavior that will help it disappear.

“Be kind and tender to one another, forgive each other”…  and there you have it! If you really want to put a halt to the anger and resentment that has built up and hardened your heart, start by showing kindness to the one that you are feeling malice toward. You probably can’t do this on your own. That’s what is so amazing about true transformation – It comes from the heart of God and flows through you, bringing about the needed changes… but only as you grant Him permission to mold you.

Parents, I guarantee you that your kids are being shaped by the degree with which you extend kindness and tenderness to each other. They will learn grace and forgiveness according to the standard you are setting at home.  If you are concerned about their image of a grace-filled, loving God, then it is time to “put away every form of hatred” and show them what it means to love and forgive, right there at home.

Get rid of all hard feelings, anger and rage.

Stop all fighting and lying.

Put away every form of hatred.

Be kind and tender to one another.

Forgive each other,

just as God forgave you because of what Christ has done.

Ephesians 4:31-32

Uniting Surrender and Control

Kids live in the moment. They struggle to see beyond NOW and don’t like having to wait for the things they want. As we mature, hopefully, we learn patience and discover that there are steps we must climb if we want to get to the next level. Sometimes those steps are tedious; sometimes monotonous; sometimes difficult… but all the time important and necessary if we hope to arrive at the desired place. In all aspects of life – physical, emotional, spiritual and mental - growth occurs only as we climb to a higher level.

As parents, we see the need for this growth to develop in our children. What is appropriate for a toddler is not appropriate for a third grader so we teach… and teach …. and teach…  and on and on it goes! Often we become weary and wonder if we will ever have a moment to breathe when we don’t have to be guiding them out of one undesirable behavior into a more appropriate one. The key is to stay the course and remind yourself that training/teaching/guiding is what creates the forward momentum necessary to turn a ego-centric, immature child into a mature, responsible, others-focused adult.

The fact is, parenting is an awesome, gruesome, beautiful, impossible job that gets no vacation time, no sick leave, no monetary benefit. It is the greatest responsibility ever known to humanity; the shaping of a life, and it cannot be done well without keeping your eye on the ultimate goal. Paul tells the converts of the first century church that the way to find the plan God has for them is to become like Christ (Romans 8:29). Simple, right? Raise your kids to be like Jesus and they will find the path he has for them. Period.

While that is an oversimplification, it is absolutely primary and many things we think are important will fall away if we keep the MOST important thing, the most important thing!  Parenting is an assignment in simultaneously implementing surrender and control. Fully submitting to the authority of Christ in our lives we learn to surrender our agenda and our less than Divine desires for ourselves and our kids. At the very same moment, we must exercise strength as we take control of the behaviors of our kids. Taking control of our kids without first submitting to His control will lead the whole family on a path of futility. Conversely, shaping your child while God is shaping you will reap a harvest of peace and righteousness (Hebrews 12:11). 

If you are in a place where you feel like a broken record when it comes to raising your kids, don't lose heart. Keep your focus on the prize and your feet on the path that God has for you. Draw strength for each day from the time you spend alone with God... even if you have to lock yourself in the bathroom or park the kids in front of a video for a bit. Find the strength in the quiet place of God's presence. Be energized as you use His strength, that powerfully works within you, to bring your kids to a place where He will have supremacy in their lives.

"...With all the wisdom we have, we warn and teach everyone.

When we bring them to God, we want them to be perfect as people who belong to Christ.

That's what I am working for. I work hard with all of Christ's strength. 

His strength works powerfully in me." 

Colossians 1:28-29

The Right Path

Have you ever been so deep in thought that you missed your turn, ran into something, or missed an important message?   Your focus took a momentary (or not so momentary) detour and you ended up somewhere you never intended to go. It happens quite easily when we are distracted. And when it comes to raising kids in a hectic whirlwind of activities, distraction often becomes the norm. That being the case, is it any wonder that statistics show that parents who claim to be God followers are not raising children who grow up and choose to follow God? Distractions pull us off course and away from the path God has set for us.

 In his letter to the church in Philippi, Paul admits that he has had a few detours off the course God had for him, but he has found the secret to reaching the goal… “focusing all my energies on this one thing: forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race to receive the prize…” Philippians 1:13-14 Said another way, Carpi Diem! Seize the day!  Stop looking back at the times you strayed from the path and failed to reach your destination and focus on where you want to go and strain to reach that goal… not just for yourself, but for those who come behind you.

The proverb states, “Teach your children to choose the right path, and when they are older, they will remain upon it.” (Proverbs 22:6)  The best way to teach your children the path of godliness is to walk with them on that path. If you aren’t staying on the path, why should they?

Don’t tell them where the right path is while you take a different path because they will not value what is not of value to you.

Don’t demand that they comply with a strict code of conduct that has no meaning to them so that they will find the right path because imposing rules without relationship will leave them doubting the existence of a God who longs to walk with them.

Don’t send them to church so they can hear about the right path because they know that if that path was important, you would be on it.

Make life in your home about seeking God’s direction one attitude, one action, one decision, one moment at a time…TOGETHER.  You are not perfect. You are human. You will have victories and you will feel defeated. But there is a prize for those who are willing to strain to reach the goal and walking intimately with the One who made you, knows you, adores you and wants nothing more than to be with you throughout eternity is a pretty amazing prize. What could possibly be a better use of your energy than to travel that right path with your kids? 

What Will You Grow In 2015?

 “Don't be fooled. You can't outsmart God. A man gathers a crop from what he plants.  Some people plant to please their sinful nature. From that nature they will harvest death. Others plant to please the Holy Spirit. From the Spirit they will harvest eternal life. Let us not become tired of doing good. At the right time we will gather a crop if we don't give up.”   Galatians 6:7-9

What does it mean to plant to please the Holy Spirit? It seems like we get caught up in a pile of “Dos and Don’ts” and never quite figure it out. Recently I have had a glimpse into what I think it means…

I often refer to my dad in my writings, because I have been blessed so much by him. And I am not alone. The cancer that has him looking at the final stretch of his journey on earth, seems to have brought an endless parade of people telling how their lives have been transformed by his willingness to put self aside and allow the Spirit of God to freely live in him. I am witnessing the beginning of dad reaping what he has sown. 

By the standards of our society, it doesn’t appear that his life has reaped much of a reward. He has virtually no assets. Doesn’t own a home and never has. His last car was over 20 years old when he got it. Most all of his clothing comes from Salvation Army, he draws no pension, lives on a meager Social Security check and has a small amount in his savings account… in case someone else needs something.  Don’t misunderstand. He has always been a hard worker and didn’t retire until he was 80, but he was never the type to store up treasures here on earth. After meeting the needs of his wife and children, he gave unselfishly to anyone who needed it.

Dad planted “to please the Holy Spirit” and this is what grew within him… “the fruit of the Spirit, which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Galatians 5:22-23. There is not a single one on that list that isn’t manifested in my dad. It didn’t happen because he was determined to exhibit those attributes. They simply grew out of a life that didn’t seek to please himself, but to put self out of the way to make room for the Spirit to inhabit his innermost being so that God could be seen, not Clarence Franklin, for most of his 81 years.

As 2015 begins, make this year different. Push away the desire to live to please self and live in a manner that makes room for the Spirit of God to grow in those places where you have stepped aside. Think you aren’t cut out for that kind of thing? Think again. We were all created to thrive when we unite with the Spirit of God and we all struggle when we try to live life to please ourselves… without making room for Him.

Someday, your children will reflect on your life in the same way I have been with my dad. What a blessing it would be to hear them report that they cannot identify you in any way other than one who lived their life planting to please the Holy Spirit and reaping a harvest of lives transformed by the fruit you bore.