Let me start by saying this post is not directed to any person in particular. I promise, it is just something I have been thinking about lately and decided to write about. Now that said...
Hi, My name is Kim and I'm a failure. Ever feel like that? Have days where you just figure you should throw in the towel, wash your hands of whatever it is you are trying to do and just give up. Days where you are pretty sure you are a complete and utter failure, and it does not matter what the topic is you have failed at it.
Well I have. I have had many days like that in my years as a daughter, wife, mom and home school teacher. In my relationships as a friend, co-worker, leader or church volunteer. In my walk as a Christ follower. And upon thinking about it I have decided that I am indeed a failure and so are you.
Now, before you start bombarding me with comments on how I am not a failure let me explain. In my 46 years on this earth, which include 27 years of marriage, which include 23 years of being a mom I have failed. In someones eyes somewhere I have not, do not, will not ever live up to their standards. And guess what, neither will you!You see, no matter what you do there will be people you will not please. Let me show you what I mean.
-What age you marry,- if you marry at all. -When you have children,- if you have children. -How many children you have, -how far apart your children are born. -What you feed your baby, -How you feed your baby, -How your diaper your baby, -How you nap your baby, -Where you nap your baby,-How you carry your baby. -How your discipline your children,- how you educate your children, -how you dress your children.-How your family eats, -what they do eat, or don't eat. -What type of medical care you get, or don't get. -Where you go to church,- what your church is like, -how often you go to church, -if you use the church nursery,-if you don't use the church nursery,-if you let you kids go to youth group or you decide not to do the youth group thing.-If you stay home, -if you work outside the home, -what kind of car your drive, -how big your house is, -how small your house is, -what your husband does, -what your husband doesn't do. -Who you vote for,- if you vote,- if you don't vote.
You get my drift. No matter what choices you make in life, there will always be someone you don't please, someone you don't live up too, someone who will consider you are failure because you don't do it the way they do. AND lest we blame others, it is easy for us to fall into the same trap, and see others as failures or at least inferior based on the choices they make in their lives.
So, the point of this post. We are all failures in someone's eyes, or at least not doing what they think we should do. And, maybe, in some or many ways we do fail, we are after all human beings, flawed, messed up, needy, desperate human beings looking for what will give us significance, and wanting the approval of someone, sometimes anyone! But, the only person we should look to for our acceptance and for approval is Jesus. He is the only one, who ultimately matters. And his expectations are simple, though profound.
All He asks is that we put our faith in Him, to love Him, with our whole heart, our whole soul, all our strength and all our mind. That's it. Put Him first, love Him the most, Believe He is the only one who can give us worth, and make us acceptable for Heaven.
What about all that other stuff we hear about? Things like obedience, reading the Word, prayer, reaching others .. Yep, he expects that too, but when we allow ourselves to be in right relationship with Him those things began to become our desires, and we want to do them. And even when we don't, because of our love for Him, we will (sometimes after procrastination) do them anyway.
And what about all that stuff I mentioned above? Does He care about any of that? Does it really matter the choices we make? Of course He does and sometimes He uses others to help guide us, but He is the only one who truly matters. If you are seeking His will, and following His leading for your life, it really does not matter what anyone else thinks about all those things I listed above. And, it would do us well, instead of judging our fellow brothers and sisters, to come alongside them and love them where they are. And support them in their decisions, even if they are not the ones we would make.
Especially as women, in dealing with each other. There is much room for differences in how we live our lives and them still be godly, Christ serving lives. As women, lets support and love each other first, and save some of our opinions for when they are sought. And to offer those opinions gently and humbly, AND accept those opinions in the same manner.
Enough of my ramblings for today ..
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