Remember the Trophies

 

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” Colossians 3:23 (NIV)

 

The trophies were everywhere in our house: on the book shelves, above the fireplace on the mantle; in the utility room; in boxes under every bed. Big ones. Little ones. Some with gold lettering and some with silver but all designed with the image of a dog standing on its hind legs at a tree, barking at a raccoon.

 

My husband was an avid hunter and spent considerable time and money on coon hunting in Missouri as well as other states. And he became quite good at it, as evidenced by the number of trophies in our home.

 

I was never able to understand the whole coon hunting experience. I truly tried. Once. There was just something about running around in the woods at night, listening to dogs barking on the trail of a coon in very cold weather that encouraged me NOT to hunt.

 

Not only did the hunting have zero appeal, the trophies did not seem like a big deal to me. But to my husband? To him, each one had a story to tell. A victory to share. “See that tall blue and gold trophy?” he would ask me. “That was the hunt in Nashville. I took a chance at the last minute with treeing my dog and won the whole event.”

 

Then he would point out another one: the trophy that was not quite as large but had a First Place plaque on it. “That’s when Smokey won the Iowa hunt. Got my name in the paper, too,” he would smile. And the red and silver trophy? “Best hunt ever in Kansas.”

 

Every trophy had a special memory for him because of the importance of what had happened at each hunt to obtain it. The trophies also served as a reminder of the successes he had and an encouragement to keep trying when a hunt ended not quite so successfully. But they were also a result of months of hard work as he trained his dogs to search for their prey and never give up.

 

Colossians 3:23 is a huge encouragement to us as Christians to put everything we have into sharing Jesus with the lost, no matter the response. We absolutely must work at it with every bit of energy that we possess. And we must never give up.

 

In this world, we are going to have victories and we are going to have defeats. Oh the victory when we send a note of encouragement to someone with cancer and they are refreshed! How exciting to share the power of the cross with someone who is spiritually lost and see her begin to understand the love of God.

 

And sometimes there is a defeat: the loved one who refuses to turn his life over to the Lord; the language we use when we are caught in slow traffic. But with each defeat, all we need to do is remember the victories – the “trophies” – and we are encouraged to keep trying to be Jesus to everyone around us, no matter how long it takes. 

 

I challenge you today, no matter where you are or what you are doing, to remember the “trophies” and keep working for the Lord with all your heart!

 

Father, thank you for your spiritual “trophies” to remind me of your victories whenever I face a defeat as I share you. In Jesus’ Name Amen.

 

 

R.A.P. it up . . .

 

Reflect

• Have you ever been so focused on a spiritual defeat that you completely forgot your spiritual “trophies” or victories?

 

Apply

• The next time you are faced with a tough situation, picture those “trophies” or successes that you have had in the past and remember what God has done through you.

 

• Be encouraged by what you see and pray as you tackle new opportunities to win a “trophy” for the Lord.

 

Power

• Colossians 3:23 (NIV) “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.”

 

• II Corinthians 2:14 (NIV) “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him.”

 

• Ephesians 2:10 (NIV) “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

 

Weighing the Worth

 

 

"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other,

just as in Christ God forgave you.”

Ephesians 4:32 (NIV)

 

A round oak table was something I had wanted for years. We started our marriage with a wobbly little table that was always falling apart. I honestly thought the legs were made of aluminum foil because simply placing a paper plate on top of it would cause the table legs to bend and the need for additional screws, a nail and a tube of super glue.

 

            But one Saturday at an auction we saw it: a beautiful round oak table with 3 leaves . . . exactly what I had dreamed about for years! It had been refinished by the previous owner and did not have one scratch or water spot on it. My husband bid more than he should have – probably because I kept bumping his elbow to bid higher –and the table became ours! We proudly placed it in the kitchen and every time I walked by I would slow down just long enough to run my fingers across the beautiful smooth surface.

 

Not too long after our purchase, my mother-in-law came to visit for a week. She was an amazing cook and we loved her “everything-from-scratch” meals that she made. We knew when we both got home from work her first day there, we would be met with the aroma of chicken and homemade noodles, rolls and apple dumplings for dessert. What we didn’t think about was that we would be met with something else: scratches, long and deep, on the surface of our new table.

 

I knew immediately what had happened when I saw my mother-in-law’s face as I walked in the door and she pointed at the table, head bowed. “You are going to be so mad at me,” she quietly cried. “I cut the noodles on your table. I didn’t even think about my knife making any marks on it. Look what I have done. I am so sorry.” Deep cuts, sliced in a crisscross pattern in every direction, marred the beautiful table top.

 

Can I be honest with you here? My very first thought was “What in the world were you thinking?” and it was a high-pitched voice inside my head. Nice thing for a Christian to be thinking, huh. But God, in His wonderful wisdom, whispered something to me that immediately calmed the voice: “It’s only a table, Nancy. It’s only a table. Someday it will belong to someone else and the marks will not be important. But what you say to your mother-in-law right now IS important.”

 

I looked at the table and then smiled at my mother-in-law: “Are you kidding? It’s not a big deal. You came all the way here to stay with us and made homemade chicken and noodles for supper. I love how much you love us.” As I gave her a hug, praises went up from my heart as I thanked the Lord for reminding me that “It’s only a table.”  

 

If only I could tell you that I always showed compassion in other situations as well. My heart hurts to think of other times when I was more focused on things of no value compared to the hearts of my husband, children or friends. Can you identify with me?

 

As a Christian, I absolutely have to remember that in life, words spoken carelessly in anger cut deeper than cuts accidentally made on a table. My encouragement when things happen is to take a deep breath, remember Ephesians 4:32, and be quick to hug and love as you remind yourself “it’s only a table.”

 

 

 

Lord, how many times I have been upset over something that truly is unimportant. Forgive me for focusing on temporary things instead of hearts. Help me to look at everything in my life through your eyes. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

 

 

R.A.P. it up . . .

 

 

Reflect

• How often do you get upset or frustrated over situations that happened accidentally and say the first thing that pops into your head?

 

• What is the reaction of the person or persons you spoke to about the situation? Hurt and broken? Or happy and relieved?

 

Apply

• The next time a situation occurs and you are angry or frustrated, silently ask the Lord “Is this only a table?” and if it is, focus on the person in front of you and their feelings.

 

• Write down Scripture to keep with you to pull out when you are tempted to say or do something that will only cause heartache or hurt feelings.

 

 

Power

• Ephesians 4:32 (NIV) "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

 

• Proverbs 15:1 (NIV) "A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger."

 

• Colossians 3:13 (NIV) “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”

Hidden Danger

 

“My eyes are ever on the Lord, for only he will release my feet from the snare.”

Psalm 25:15 (NIV)

 

It never occurred to me that my husband’s favorite hobby, coon hunting, could be dangerous. He mentioned that to me one time and I couldn’t help myself. “So, what’s the danger?” I asked him. “When the raccoon chases YOU instead of the other way around?” I joked.

 

He smiled. “Very funny, but no. There are wells on old properties that are hidden because they are covered with vines and branches. You have no idea they are there until you step into one. It’s kind of like having traps everywhere. And you don’t know how deep they are, either, so you can never let down your guard and just walk through a field. You have to constantly be watching.”

 

When I asked him how he kept from falling in one, he replied “You have to always keep your light on to watch where you step.” Not long after that he came home from a hunt and told me that he had fallen into a well, just as we had talked about a few days earlier. Shaken, I immediately asked “Are you okay? What happened?”

 

“I turned off my light for just a second and my foot stepped right into a well. The good thing was that as I fell, I grabbed two huge vines that had grown down into it and I was able to pull myself out.” He raised his hand up as I started to comment: “And before you ask, yes, I kept my light on the rest of the hunt.”

 

Could it have been that David was thinking about stepping into hidden danger when he wrote Psalm 25:15? It says “My eyes are ever on the Lord, for only he will release my feet from the snare.”

 

David knew that evil men were all around him, hoping that he would not keep his guard up and would fall into a “well” of danger, a snare that would trap him. But David understood the only way he could keep out of the traps they set was to keep his focus on the Lord, no matter what he faced.

 

How do we measure up, I wonder? Because Satan sets traps all around us every day. If we do not keep our eyes on the Lord and stay in His Word, we can fall into hidden wells, too. Misplaced pride, envy, resentment, choosing happiness over joy, and lust for what others have are subtly placed in our lives every day by Satan.

 

Oh, he does a good job of disguising them with half-truths and deceptions but do not be fooled. Every single one can catch us off guard and snare us if we start believing we can walk wherever we want without keeping the Light on with every step. Don’t be deceived by the enemy. Stay in God truth – the Bible – every single day. Keep the Light on in your life to avoid all the wells of hidden danger.

 

Father, keep my eyes focused on you so that I can avoid everything Satan places in my path to try to trap me. My strength comes from you. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

 

 

R.A.P. it up . . .

 

 

Reflect

• Do you find yourself more focused on the Lord or are you falling into hidden “wells” of danger more frequently?
• Are you in the Word every day?

 

Apply

• Journal a list of every time in the last two weeks you have taken your eyes off the Light of the Lord and have fallen into a hidden well.

 

• Beside each entry in your journal, write a Scripture that encourages you to stay focused on the Lord and ask a prayer warrior to hold you accountable.

 

 Power

• Psalm 25:15 (NIV) “My eyes are ever on the Lord, for only he will release my feet from the snare.”

 

• Proverbs 3:26 (NIV)  . . . for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared.”

 

• II Timothy 2:26 (NIV) “. . . and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.”

 

• I Peter 5:8 (NIV) “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”

 

  

Doing Nothin'

 

“He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and walked in all the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left.”

II Kings 22:2 (NIV)

 

Michael was one of my favorite middle school students. He was polite, always smiling and respectful to his instructors. But I was frustrated with him, too, because Michael had a zero motivation to learn. Not a 50% desire or even 5% but zero.

 

He did nothing in the classroom. No homework, no reading, no math, no writing. His homeroom teacher and I had talked many times, trying to figure out how we could motivate him to make even a little effort to learn. She shared with him how bright he was and how he could do anything but he told her that he really didn’t care. At all.

 

Finally she asked me if I would try to encourage Michael to do something – anything – in the classroom and I agreed. A few days later Michael and I sat in an empty classroom talking as I tried to find out how to help him develop a desire to learn. He had no hobbies, he told me, and really didn’t want any.

 

Finally, I had an idea. Maybe there was someone in his life that he admired who could offer encouragement and instruction to inspire him. “Who do you look up to, Michael?” I asked him. “My uncle,” he told me. “I want to be just like my uncle.” Fantastic! A breakthrough! “That’s great,” I exclaimed. “What does your uncle do?” A huge smile spread across his face as he replied “Nothin’ He don’t do nothin’ and I wanna be just like him!”

 

In II Kings 22, Josiah had a decision to make. He had become the new king in Jerusalem at eight years of age. He needed instruction and encouragement as he led his people. He could have chosen any number of officials around him and modeled their beliefs in his life.

 

Instead he chose to follow his father David’s example and “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord.” Yes, David made mistakes in his life – I can’t think of anyone who hasn’t. But David was also a man who God said was “after his own heart” (I Samuel 13:14) and tried every day to follow Him.

 

What about you? Next to the Lord and His Word, who do you pattern your life after and look to for wisdom and advice? A Christian friend or couple who live what they believe and will pray with you about God’s will in your every decision? Or someone who will agree with whatever you decide if it makes you “happy” by the world’s standards?

 

There are a lot of people in this world who will tell you that “doing nothing” in your spiritual life is fine. “As long as you are happy, God doesn’t care what you do,” they advise.  But is that accurate advice?  Only by the world’s standards.

I encourage you as you face tough decisions every day to seek out those who will pray over you and share God’s Word so that you, too, will do what is “right in the eyes of the Lord.”

 

Father, help me to look for your wisdom and guidance through the prayer warriors around me and not through those with worldly wisdom. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

 

R.A.P. it up . . .

 

Reflect

• List the people that you consult for wisdom with difficult decisions.

 

• Is their wisdom grounded in the Word or the world?

 

 

Apply

• Call one or two prayer warriors that you know and ask them to consider being someone you can look to for spiritual guidance.

 

• Contact them when you have decisions that need to be made, listen to their guidance, and pray together over the outcomes.

 

Power

• II Kings 22:2 (NIV) “He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and walked in all the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left.”

 

• Psalm 119:33 (NIV) “Teach me, O Lord, to follow your decrees; then I will keep them to the end.”

 

• Psalm 121:1-2 (NIV) “I lift up my eyes to the hills – where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”