My Life May Not Make Sense...to Others...

I love this photo that my daughter took recently. It reminds me that time and life are passing quickly. 


 "For, 'All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;  the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.' And this is the word that was preached to you."  1 Peter 1:24-25 


Life is short. Too short to walk a path not marked out for me. It's hard to swim upstream when it seems like everyone is swimming the other way, right? 


~When Robin and I decided I would be a "stay-at-home" mom there were those who thought we were in the wrong. Some thought I should work so to keep my husband in vocational ministry...just to name one example.
~When we decided to homeschool...yeah that was a big one.
~When we decided to keep homeschooling through High School...
And in another whole different direction,
~My husband and I choose to refrain from drinking any alcohol.


Then there's our music choices, what versions of the Bible we read, our clothing standards, how we spend our money... And I know there are some reading who are saying they felt God was leading them in the opposite direction in some of the areas I have mentioned and felt just as judged for following God's will for them. Right? 


I could keep listing, couldn't I? There's lots of decisions even now that we are making with/for our kids that don't make sense to others or that are, at the very least, curious. But they are based on burdens we sense are coming from God...and whether we are right or off base...we're going with them. And I don't expect to regret it. 


Really my point is that we, as fellow Christians, can be tempted to judge each other not based on a "thus saith the Lord" sin, but based on what *we* think is wise, or based on individual convictions in areas of biblical freedom. I know I've done it too and I struggle often to stop. I have to *check* myself constantly to see if I am judging another and make myself stop. I have to pray on it...hard...


Back to doing things differently...it's hard for me to stop justifying myself. Why is that bad? Well, because in my heart I know that I want people to *think I am right*. It bothers me if people think I am wrong...or bad...or unwise... Which is a character flaw for me when I fall into this...because my job is to please GOD.  I stand before HIM in judgement and HIM ALONE. If someone else's opinion of me gets in the way of that, then I am treating THEM as if they are my god. Their opinion becomes an idol. And that IS BAD. 


So, I have to work very hard to keep my eyes on JESUS, to stay in His Word and praying constantly to keep my focus and to obey His voice. And I love this little phrase by Tim Chester:


"God is gracious so I don't have to prove myself to others." 


When someone explains or wishing to explain to me why I am wrong I can stop trying to defend myself.
If it turns out they were right all along, I can confess it without letting my pride and desire to be right flare up. I'll repent and turn to Jesus, not afraid if others know that I needed to repent. You know? 
I can walk God's path for ME in freedom of other's opinions. FREEDOM, what a beautiful word!! 


Someone once said to me:
"Opinions are like armpits. Most people have more than one."


And Gregg Harris said:
"Everyone loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life." 


I rely heavily on Isaiah 30:21
"Your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, 'This is the way, walk in it,' when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left."


Yeah, life is short. Walk with God.