"An Elder must life a blameless life. He must be faithful to his wife, and his children must be believers who don't have a reputation for being wild or rebellious. For an elder must live a blameless life. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered; he must not be a heavy drinker, violent, or dishonest with money. Rather, he must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must love what is good. He must live wisely and be just. He must live a devout and disciplined life. He must have a strong belief in the trustworthy message he was taught; then he will be able to encourage others with wholesome teaching and show those who oppose where they are wrong."
So Paul actually writes this in several of his letters to different cities to encourage the leaders there in how they should act- so if he says it multiple time, it's obviously important!
Now I have read this multiple times and I have actually shrugged it off. I would read it, and probably with pride, thought that 1. I am not an elder so it doesn't apply and 2. that I don't really struggle with those things anyway. Sometimes I can be foolish, I will admit that now!
Well I was reading this a couple days ago and God really spoke to my heart. Not only should I be striving for these things as someone who helps lead in the church but I also, if not more importantly, as a pastors wife, should be helping my husband to be this way. He is the one in a pastoring position and, as his wife, it is my job to help him in any way that I can. To help him to be blameless, to encourage but not foster Pride or arrogance, to not be so needy that I keep him from his studies or his time with God, and, you may think this is funny, but the part that REALLY hit me was "he must enjoy having guests in his home".
I have always said "oh, well I don't have the gift of hospitality" as my excuse. I'm a homebody and I do really well with small groups and honestly, half of the time, I just don't even think about inviting people over. It's not that I don't enjoy it when it's all said and done, I just often forget about it and then don't feel like cleaning the house to my standards (the standards instilled by my mother- thanks mom!). I see now though, it's not a choice. God calls pastors to bring people into their home to fellowship and encourage them, my job as Johnny's wife is to help facilitate that. Just because I've never thought that I had that gift doesn't mean that God can't help me through it and give it to me now, to change my heart and help me through it. So that's what I'm doing. It may seem silly or like such an insignificant part of the verse but I felt really convicted! So maybe you'll be getting a dinner invitation or something like that as soon as Beckett gets better! I'll be seeing you!
Friday, March 12, 2010
Thought 1 - 1 Timothy 5:1
" Never speak harshly to an older man, but appeal to him respectfully as you would to your own father. Talk to younger men as you would your own brothers. Treat older women as you would your mother, and treat younger women with all purity as you would your own sister."
This verse precedes Paul's discussion to Timothy on how we, as Christians, should take care of Widows, elders, and slaves. This whole section was pretty convicting to me. I have heard many complain about how the church isn't taking care of the widows or the orphans anymore. Firstly, the "church" is not the building or the pastors- it's Christ's followers. So if you, in the church, are complaining about how the "church" isn't doing it's job- well sadly, you are really saying that you are not doing your job. I think people put a lot of pressure on the Pastors to do everything that God is actually calling every believer to do and justify it by saying "well that's what we tithe for"- the tithe is giving back to God, not a way to pay your way out of what God calls us to. Mostly, I just want to encourage the "church" to continue to step up and love others and stop waiting for someone else to do it. But I do also want to note, BEFORE God calls the church to take care of widow- he tells the families to do it and THEN if the widow has no family and devotes her life to God- then the church steps in to help. It's funny to me that Paul has to write this - I guess people were trying to get out of it then just as much as they try to get out of it now!
Now, to address the verse at the top, I began thinking... Does that really apply to today? Of course it does! The problem lies not in the verse but in how our society has changed (or maybe not even changed but of how God expects us to treat our families). When you consider the family structure of the day when Paul is writing, they showed more respect and love for one another. The family was one of the MOST important social structures (if only it were today!) which is why it's actually a pretty big deal when Christ calls us to Love HIM more than our father and mother. Today, our families have become something very different. I Love my family! I remember growing up we would always have dinner seated together- no phone calls at the table!- we'd sit and watch movies or play games. I LOVE THEM! And yet, we didn't always treat each other very well.
Why is it that we have made it easier to treat those that love us the most horribly and treat those outside of our families, those we barely know, like saints? Is it because we know that no matter how poorly we treat our families, the will always love us? Or that they know the Real us and so we don't have to put on a show for them. My question is, however, shouldn't the real us be the same where ever we are? If we work so hard to make others believe we are kind and compassionate- don't we want that to be who we REALLY are and thus we should treat our families the same? I know in my family I have witnessed many times, by myself included, where we are less forgiving of their faults, flaws, or sins than we would be of a complete stranger. We become harsher with them than anyone else. Is this because we have higher expectations of them? Probably. But it only builds strife in the relationships when you are willing to condemn your family member instead of love and help them through the rough situations. Not so that YOUR perfect little family looks good again, but out of love for your sibling, your mother, your father wanting them to know God better and have a better life.(On a side not, ignoring what they do and letting them do whatever harmful thing they want is also NOT loving- I know, the middle ground is a hard place to find) I know I have had to evaluate how I treat those in my family, I ask you to as well? Don't judge your character, who you are and what you do, by how well you treat the homeless man on the street (though it is important to have mercy and compassion on the needy and that should not go undone but it is also another topic altogether!) but ascertain your character by how you treat those that know you best, your family, as well. Maybe this is exactly the opposite for you... maybe you have an awesome relationship with your family but are rude the the stranger on the street- I guess my desire is that we would be that SAME person in all aspects of our life instead of putting on different masks. I pray that Christ would help me, and you, to love to the fullest in all aspects of our lives!
This verse precedes Paul's discussion to Timothy on how we, as Christians, should take care of Widows, elders, and slaves. This whole section was pretty convicting to me. I have heard many complain about how the church isn't taking care of the widows or the orphans anymore. Firstly, the "church" is not the building or the pastors- it's Christ's followers. So if you, in the church, are complaining about how the "church" isn't doing it's job- well sadly, you are really saying that you are not doing your job. I think people put a lot of pressure on the Pastors to do everything that God is actually calling every believer to do and justify it by saying "well that's what we tithe for"- the tithe is giving back to God, not a way to pay your way out of what God calls us to. Mostly, I just want to encourage the "church" to continue to step up and love others and stop waiting for someone else to do it. But I do also want to note, BEFORE God calls the church to take care of widow- he tells the families to do it and THEN if the widow has no family and devotes her life to God- then the church steps in to help. It's funny to me that Paul has to write this - I guess people were trying to get out of it then just as much as they try to get out of it now!
Now, to address the verse at the top, I began thinking... Does that really apply to today? Of course it does! The problem lies not in the verse but in how our society has changed (or maybe not even changed but of how God expects us to treat our families). When you consider the family structure of the day when Paul is writing, they showed more respect and love for one another. The family was one of the MOST important social structures (if only it were today!) which is why it's actually a pretty big deal when Christ calls us to Love HIM more than our father and mother. Today, our families have become something very different. I Love my family! I remember growing up we would always have dinner seated together- no phone calls at the table!- we'd sit and watch movies or play games. I LOVE THEM! And yet, we didn't always treat each other very well.
Why is it that we have made it easier to treat those that love us the most horribly and treat those outside of our families, those we barely know, like saints? Is it because we know that no matter how poorly we treat our families, the will always love us? Or that they know the Real us and so we don't have to put on a show for them. My question is, however, shouldn't the real us be the same where ever we are? If we work so hard to make others believe we are kind and compassionate- don't we want that to be who we REALLY are and thus we should treat our families the same? I know in my family I have witnessed many times, by myself included, where we are less forgiving of their faults, flaws, or sins than we would be of a complete stranger. We become harsher with them than anyone else. Is this because we have higher expectations of them? Probably. But it only builds strife in the relationships when you are willing to condemn your family member instead of love and help them through the rough situations. Not so that YOUR perfect little family looks good again, but out of love for your sibling, your mother, your father wanting them to know God better and have a better life.(On a side not, ignoring what they do and letting them do whatever harmful thing they want is also NOT loving- I know, the middle ground is a hard place to find) I know I have had to evaluate how I treat those in my family, I ask you to as well? Don't judge your character, who you are and what you do, by how well you treat the homeless man on the street (though it is important to have mercy and compassion on the needy and that should not go undone but it is also another topic altogether!) but ascertain your character by how you treat those that know you best, your family, as well. Maybe this is exactly the opposite for you... maybe you have an awesome relationship with your family but are rude the the stranger on the street- I guess my desire is that we would be that SAME person in all aspects of our life instead of putting on different masks. I pray that Christ would help me, and you, to love to the fullest in all aspects of our lives!
Skull Church 90 Day NT challenge
I've never read through the whole bible, never done a bible in a year deal, or anything like that. I always want to- I start in Genesis and read a chapter a day and it's great but about the time I hit Deuteronomy, I'm ready for a change and jump back into the Psalms or Proverbs and then read a couple books of the New Testament. I think I've read every book of the NT however, but never in order or even quickly. It's always been a chapter or less a day- breaking down the passages and looking for application through a single verse or thought. That's good, I know - but there is definitely something to be said to reading the Bible just to read it. 3 chapters or more a day and finishing off each book in a couple days helps you to get the overall theme of the book and can have just as much application as trying to dissect individual verses. I actually think, as difficult as it can sometimes be, reading the bible cover to cover can offer a lot more than jumping around from book to book in the bible in a year program. Or if not offer more, at least offer something valuable and different. We are now in Hebrews. What I'd like to do, is possibly share some of the thoughts or things that I've been learning through this. I wish I would have started this sooner really. Not only to share with you, but also for me. I'm not always good writing in a journal or if I do, it gets set aside and never looked at again, yet I often go back on my blog to look at old pics or read old posts. This can serve to remind me when these lessons begin to fade from my mind of what God showed me. I encourage you too to try this challenge- it's about 3 chapters a day starting in Matthew and working your way straight through to Revelation. Let me know how it works out for you!
Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back!
So I haven't written a blog in a really long time. There are many reasons for this... 1- I don't have all the much time on my hands (being a mom now and not having access to the computer all the time), 2- it has been said by some that I know that blogging is not "in" anymore because of Twitter and FB and no one reads them, and 3- I'd love to be a GOOD blogger like Pioneer woman or even my Aunt Martha. They somehow are able to write interesting blogs at least once a day if not more! I never feel like I really have anything interesting to write about or the things that I do want to talk about (thoughts and feelings and the like) are frankly sometimes TOO personal for the whole world to have access to or things that probably shouldn't be said because they'll come back to bite me in the butt and I'll regret them a week later.
I've been trying to be better about what come out of my mouth (or is written by my fingertips) because I just don't want to be that person that is hurtful, spiteful, or considered rude. I'm not always good at it, sometimes my tongue likes to run off and spout things it shouldn't. But I feel God has been helping me and teaching me that that is not what He desires of me. Well honestly, He's been trying to teach it to me for about 14 years! I'm just now trying to REALLY watch everything instead of just watering down what I want to say. But more than that, more than me just watching what comes out of my mouth but still thinking it, God is actually changing my heart and my mind. I'm trying to keep the filth out of my heart- to be more forgiving, to be more loving, to be more kind, and to kill any bitterness before it takes root. It's definitely not always easy- it's much easier to get mad, be hurt, etc but I've found living the way God desires of me, with forgiveness and kindness, makes me much happier than being narcissistic. Well, there's one blog for you! If I start speaking badly about people or you can sense I'm angry, you can let me know to help keep me accountable. Have a beautiful day friends!
I've been trying to be better about what come out of my mouth (or is written by my fingertips) because I just don't want to be that person that is hurtful, spiteful, or considered rude. I'm not always good at it, sometimes my tongue likes to run off and spout things it shouldn't. But I feel God has been helping me and teaching me that that is not what He desires of me. Well honestly, He's been trying to teach it to me for about 14 years! I'm just now trying to REALLY watch everything instead of just watering down what I want to say. But more than that, more than me just watching what comes out of my mouth but still thinking it, God is actually changing my heart and my mind. I'm trying to keep the filth out of my heart- to be more forgiving, to be more loving, to be more kind, and to kill any bitterness before it takes root. It's definitely not always easy- it's much easier to get mad, be hurt, etc but I've found living the way God desires of me, with forgiveness and kindness, makes me much happier than being narcissistic. Well, there's one blog for you! If I start speaking badly about people or you can sense I'm angry, you can let me know to help keep me accountable. Have a beautiful day friends!
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
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