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.”

 

 

 

An Example for My Children

 

“Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.” Titus 2:6-8 (NIV)

                The basketball game last week was one of the most intense I’ve ever watched. It would determine a conference title for one of the teams playing. Coaches and teams were ready. Fans in the gym were ready. The referees were ready. Enter to my left and down one row a young woman that was more than ready; she was 100% focused on every single play of the game.

                Two other ladies – one of them her mother – were with her and they, too, were very intent on the game. She had also brought her adorable four year old son who was 100% focused but it was on a candy “pacifier” sucker in his mouth.

                As the game began, it became apparent that it would be a close one. The team I was rooting for would score; the opposing team would score. The game went back and forth through the first half. Fans for both teams were cheering and encouraging: “You can do it! Defense! Great job!” could be heard from around the gym along with an occasional groan if a shot was missed or a foul called that a fan felt was wrong. That is, except for the young woman in front of me.

She mocked loudly everything she believed the opposing team was doing wrong.  She verbally attacked the opposing coach: “What a whiner! She needs to sit down and shut up!” a parent: “I could just go up there and punch him in the face!” and the referees: “That was not a foul. Wake up! Get your act together!”

I found myself so focused on what she was saying and doing that at times I totally missed what was going on in the game. And then I noticed something else: not only was I watching her and listening to what she was saying but so was her four year old son and he was copying his mother’s every gesture and comment.

When she yelled “Bad call! BAD CALL! That was not a foul!” her son took out his sucker long enough to yell “You bad! You bad!”  He yelled as she yelled and mimicked her every word and move. He even shook his head back and forth, hands on his forehead, just as she was doing.

As I sat back wondering why in the world she was displaying such behavior, her mother turned to her and said “You know I just love sitting here and watching the other team implode.” And they both laughed. The young woman had learned the mocking behavior from her mother. From grandma to mother to son. From one generation to the next.

While I seriously doubt from our Scripture in Titus 2:6-8 that he was referencing our behavior at a basketball game, his wisdom about what kind of example we are to those around us and especially our children, is full of truth.

We cannot teach our children to be self-controlled if we do not exercise it ourselves. They look at us, they listen to us, they follow our example in everything we do and say. Just the opposite could have occurred at the ball game. That young woman could have shown her son how to clap for their team and encourage the players by doing those very things herself.

Titus says to set an example and to be self-controlled “so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say.” (v. 8) The parents of players on the other team were sitting around this young woman and could hear every comment she made. I’m quite certain it was not a positive impression.

Let’s do everything we can to be self-controlled in every area of our lives. What we teach will be passed down for generations. I pray we are teaching integrity and truth with kindness and compassion. Our children are watching and listening and learning from us – even at basketball games.

Father, I need your direction for my life as I train and encourage my children. I want to be a positive example for them and not one that leads them away from you. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

 

R.A.P. it up . . .

Reflect

·         How would you rate your behavior as a Christian at sporting events or other competitions?

·         Would people around you be able to identify you as a Christian or not?

 Apply

·         Memorize todays Scripture from Titus 2:6-8.

·         Before you go anywhere with your children, remind yourself that you are an example to them, either positive or negative, as a Christian.  

 Power

·         Titus 2:6-8 (NIV) “Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.”

·         Proverbs 22:6 (NIV) “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not turn from it.”

·         John 13:15 (NIV) “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.”

                 

Getting Rid of the Stink

 

“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”

Psalm 119:11 (NIV)

 

There’s an old pair of tennis shoes in my garage that I wear when I mow or work in the yard. You may have a pair like them: shoe laces broken and tied together, grass stains accented with rips, one or two tiny pebbles caught in the tread (what’s left of the tread) along with remnants of “gifts” shared by the neighborhood cat.

 

One day my grandkids decided to help me straighten up my house and somehow those wonderful tennis shoes got tossed in my closet without my knowledge. The next morning when I opened the closet door, the stench that hit me in the face nearly knocked me over.

 

It permeated the whole closet including my clean clothes and the other shoes. I only needed a matter of seconds to pinpoint the source of the smell and throw the offending shoes out on the deck. However, even though the shoes were gone from the closet, the horrible smell remained.

 

I aired out the closet for a whole day and then hung an air freshener in it. The thing was, even though the tennis shoes had been removed for hours, they still left an odor that required me to put another and another and another air freshener in the closet until it was completely gone.

 

The horrible odor had to continually be replaced with the clean fragrance of the air fresheners. Thankfully it eventually worked!

 

It occurred to me while I repeatedly changed air fresheners in my bedroom closet that I also needed to allow the Lord to clean out those smelly tennis shoes from the closet in my heart. Let me explain.

 

When the tennis shoe smell says “God doesn’t even know I exist,” Psalm 139:17-18 says “How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you.”

 

When the stench hints that “God doesn’t care about my life and what I do,” Jeremiah 29:11 says “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

 

The horrible odor whispers “She should never have said that about you. You have a right to be angry and to hold it against her.” But we read in Matthew 18:22 that Jesus answers Peter’s question if seven times is enough to forgive someone with “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.”

 

Don’t let Satan’s lies hang around in the closet of your heart. Replace his stench with God’s truth and love. And remember, too, that the “air freshener” you hang up only works so long without needing to be renewed.

 

In other words, praying once or twice about negative thoughts and then thinking you don’t have to bother with them any more is not true, because Satan doesn’t stop attacking. You have to constantly be in the Word to stand strong against him.

 

Dig through the closet of your heart, find all those stinky shoes and give them a toss! Don’t forget to replace them with the sweet fragrance of God’s words of love and encouragement.  

 

Father, so many times I allow the liar to creep into my thoughts and speak untruths to my heart. Forgive me and help me to focus on you and your truth. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

 

R.A.P. it up . . .

 

Reflect

• Why do you think you allow Satan to attack you with lies?

 

• Do you have Scripture memorized to stand against the attacks?

 

Apply

• Journal each “stinky shoe” that you struggle with in your heart.

 

• Beside each entry, journal a Scripture that shares God’s promise for that struggle.

 

Power

• Psalm 119:11 (NIV) “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”

 

• II Corinthians 2:15 (NIV) “For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.”

 

• Proverbs 4:23 (NIV) “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”

 

 

 

 

 

Letting Go

 

“What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?” Luke 9:25 (NIV)

 

Trying to capture a monkey is not at the top of my bucket list but I read an article detailing a unique way to catch monkeys alive and unharmed in the jungle so they could be delivered to zoos. Trappers had tried a number of different devices, including nets. But they were concerned that the small animals could be hurt if they became entangled in the webbing so they devised a clever solution.

 

They built several small boxes and inside each one placed a banana. Each box was nailed shut but not before a hole was drilled on one side, just large enough for a monkey to reach in with its hand. The trappers then placed the boxes on the ground around trees and left.

 

The monkeys quickly converged to examine the boxes. Finding a banana in each one, they immediately reached in to pull it out. They tugged and pulled on the banana but it wouldn’t budge. The opening was just big enough for a little hand to reach in but not for a little hand clinging tightly to a banana to come out.

  

As soon as the trappers returned, the monkeys immediately tried to flee but could not. The reason? They would not let go of the bananas! They would scream and screech and twist and pull as they attempted to escape. Every monkey simply had to do one thing: let go of the banana . . . but they refused to and were captured.

 

I see myself in that article. That box represents this world that we live in. And it’s not a banana that I want to hold on to with all my strength. It’s being in shape or having money or a bigger home or newer car or a more important career. It’s power and prestige and prominence in the community.

 

And all the while Jesus is calling to me “Let go. It is nothing compared to what I have to offer you. It’s a trap!” but I keep holding on and pulling and tugging as I convince myself that happiness exists when I have a firm grip on all those earthly things.

 

Consider this: if the trappers did not come back and the monkey continued to hold on to the banana, he would soon find that it would begin to spoil and rot and would not be anything that he would even consider eating. That is, unless he is eaten by the wild animals around him as he holds on to nothing. So it is with me and my grip on all the empty promises of this world.

 

Holding on to what is temporary and worthless compared to that which is eternal and priceless will never have a good outcome. Just as there is a part of us that wants to yell “Let go of the banana!” after reading the article, even more so the Lord is prompting us to let go of the fake possessions here on earth and focus on the precious treasures He has prepared for us in heaven.

 

Father, forgive me for focusing on the temporary things of this world instead of what you are offering me: life for eternity with you. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

 

 

R.A.P. it up . . .

 

Reflect

• What are you holding on to in your life because you consider it to be important?

 

• How does it compare to what Jesus is offering you?

 

Apply

• Make a list of everything in this world that you consider most important in your life.

 

• Next to each entry, journal what Jesus offers you instead and a Scripture that speaks to His offer.

 

Power

• Luke 9:25 (NIV) “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?”

 

• I John 2:15 (NIV) “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”

 

• Colossians 3:2 (NIV) “Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things.”