I wish I were the person my dog thinks I am

   I think I first saw it as a bumper sticker. Then, later it floated through Facebook. “I wish I were the person my dog thinks I am.” Do you remember seeing it? Maybe, like me, you were amused – maybe chuckled a bit. You gave an approving nod, and moved on.

   If you are a dog lover, you get it. Right away. I can’t speak for cats, really. Who knows what they are thinking?? But I know what Reggie thinks of me. I can see it in the wag of his tail. I can hear it in his sigh when he lies down next to me. I can actually see it in his eyes. Yes, he smiles at me, I am sure. He is pretty taken with me. He thinks I am something special. Oh, that I only were.

I have thought about that cutesy, seemingly innocuous, little statement. I have thought about it a great deal. It has haunted me. Really, the more haunting statement is, “I wish I were the person God wants me to be.”  This one is a bit tougher. I suppose it is tougher, because there is more truth, there.

Reggie just needs full bowls of food and water, a belly scratch, and a walk. That makes him pretty happy. Anything extra I do for him is just icing on the cake. Really, he doesn't require much. I can even forget a meal, once in a while. Or, maybe skip a walk. No worries! His expectations are pretty low.

But God…. He expects far, far more. No, not more. He expects it all. Everything. The whole enchilada! He does not want to be forgotten. He does not want to be overlooked. I cannot pull Him out, dust Him off and do His thing, when the mood strikes me. He wants to be the center of my life – where I am totally focused on Him. No person or thing can get in the way. Not work. Not friends. Not family. Not even good works. He is not so impressed with what I do, when I serve Him. It is my job. It is what He has commanded me to do.  Don’t get me wrong, I think God is pleased with appropriate actions and service – but impressed, No!

I have to be constantly reminded that His command is not about “doing." His commandment is about “feeling,” “thinking,” and “committing.” It is about “BEING.”

What must make it even more frustrating for Him, is that He hasn't given me a long, detailed, hard to decipher job description. It is short and simple. It is easy to remember. It is easy to understand. Love Me and keep My commandments. But, I can foul up something this simply stated. I have to be constantly reminded that His command is not about “doing.” Oh, I can “do” with the best of them. His commandment is about “feeling,” “thinking,” and “committing.” It is about “BEING.” Maybe, my “doing” actually gets in the way, sometimes. I am so busy “doing,” that I forget the important part.

Lord, help me when I stray. Do not let me forget. Guide my thoughts and very being.  I am a weak and selfish sinner. I need you at the center of my life. Help me to use your Spirit to guide and strengthen me. Thank you for loving. Thank you for forgiving.

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”  Phil. 4:8

Till God shows us His mercy

   Isn’t it funny how some ideas “stick” and some do not? I mean how you can be part of literally thousands of classes, workshops, seminars, and sermons and hear so many potentially life-altering ideas, yet most will not really “stick.” I have had to opportunity to hear many learned people, sharing great insights on life, work, religion, politics, etc. But, there is one that is firmly entrenched in my thoughts, from the early 1980’s.

   Dr. Willard Tate came to Montgomery, Alabama. Faculty and staff were given a day off to go and participate in a workshop he was presenting. I don’t recall where it took place. I think it was a local church building. I do not recall how many of us attended. I do remember it was in a small room. I do not recall the name of the workshop. It could have been “Enlightening Paul,” for all I know. If it were the case, it couldn’t have been more aptly named!

   As part of our workshop, we were provided, or purchased (I have already established the lack of memory on the minor issues of this event), a book by Dave Grant, The Ultimate Power: How to be a Great Lover of People. Whoever paid for it, it was money well spent! Dr. Tate and Mr. Grant changed my life. They presented ideas that challenged my thinking, exposed the fallacies of the “world,” and set me on a different course. There were many great lessons shared.

   My greatest take-away from that workshop, is the deadly world trait of comparison. The world (read: Satan) wants us to compare ourselves, as we attempt to find value. The world tells us we have value, or achieve greatness, based on how we look, what we know, or what we do. Think about it. All advertising is based on these three ideas. “Use our product and you will be beautiful, then you will be loved.” “Learn this information and you will be recognized and appreciate, then you have truly arrived.” “Choose this major, take this job, and you will gain status, then you will be respected.” Even when we don’t say it in so many words, we say it. It comes across loud and clear. “Look at the beautiful people. Look at the smart people. Look at the achievers. Surely, you want to be like them. Do what they do.” The world’s love becomes conditional upon how we look, what we know, and what we do.

   The world-crushing truth is that we can’t measure up. There will ALWAYS be someone who is more beautiful/handsome, smarter, or can outperform us. We cannot measure up. So, the world hurts. No matter the neighborhood in which they live, the job they perform, the pew in which they sit, people are being hurt by the world's solution – comparison.”

   I imagine that God must look at us and say, “What is wrong with you? Why would you compare yourself to man. Man, who is weak and sinful. I offer you a better solution.”  “Why do you fret about your outward appearance? What will you do as you age and the appearance changes? Have you not learned that I look on the inside? A loving, pure heart is the most beautiful thing in the world. You work on that.” He must shake his head and say, “Don’t worry about what you know, beyond my Word. Come to know me and you will know all that matters.” Then, He gently places His hand on our shoulder and speaks, “I do not care about your work. Do My will: Love Me with all your heart, soul, and mind. Serve in my kingdom, faithfully, and you have achieved.”

   I have value. That value comes from God. The world has nothing to offer but hurt, suffering, and brokenness. “I lift up my eyes to you, to you who sit enthroned in heaven. As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a female slave look to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, till he shows us His mercy.”  Psalms 123:1-2

Be Holy, for I am Holy!

In "I Call it Heresy!," A.W. Tozer writes,

You cannot study the Bible diligently and earnestly without being struck by an obvious fact—the whole matter of personal holiness is highly important to God! 

Neither do you have to give long study to the attitudes of modern Christian believers to discern that by and large we consider the expression of true Christian holiness to be just a matter of personal option: "I have looked it over and considered it, but I don't buy it!"... 

Personally, I am of the opinion that we who claim to be apostolic Christians do not have the privilege of ignoring such apostolic injunctions. I do not mean that a pastor can forbid or that a church can compel. I only mean that morally we dare not ignore this commandment, "Be holy."... 

But, brethren, we are still under the holy authority of the apostolic command. Men of God have reminded us in the Word that God does ask us and expect us to be holy men and women of God, because we are the children of God, who is holy. The doctrine of holiness may have been badly and often wounded—but the provision of God by His pure and gentle and loving Spirit is still the positive answer for those who hunger and thirst for the life and spirit well-pleasing to God

 I don't have anything deep or thought-provoking to add. I share them because they struck me, deeply. I read these words and felt immediately convicted. Is personal holiness what I truly see in my personal life? It if isn't, why not? I don't know if I really want to go down that road and answer that last question.

Maybe that is the challenge for each of us. We don't need to determine what we do or don't do. We already know that. The greater questions is, "WHY DO I CONTINUE TO DO THIS THING." Or, "WHY WON'T I DO THIS THING?"

But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy." —1 Peter 1:15-16