What Do You Value?

What do you value? It sounds like a simple question, but there's a lot more to it that it seems. A lot of us would respond to that question with things that we would like to say that we value, but our lifestyles would show otherwise. To further this point, take a look at your checkbook register. What are you spending the majority of your money on? Are you buying a lot of "stuff" for yourself? Or are you allowing God to use the resources He's given you to bless others and further His kingdom? You place your money in things or people that you value. What does your checkbook say that you value most?

Now, take a minute to write down what you've done this past week or weekend. Look over that list and take note of what you spent the most time doing. How much time did you spend serving others or spending time in scripture? If we're truly honest, most of us probably spent our time doing things we wanted to do. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with enjoying time with friends and having fun. The problem is when we invest the majority of our time in what we want to do and we give a fraction of that time to Christ to serve Him and others.

The reality is that if we seriously value our relationship with Christ, we would invest time and resources (money) in that relationship. Look at it this way. Suppose you wanted to get together with your best friend to catch up and share some exciting new events in your life. You call your friend to set up a time during the week to get together, but your friend informs you that she doesn't have an opening until a month later and even then would only be able to give you maybe 10 minutes of her time. She rationalizes it by saying that she's just really busy right now. How would that make you feel? Would you feel very valuable to that friend? No! That wouldn't make you feel very good, would it? If your friend is only willing to work you into her schedule and give you 10 minutes, that doesn't give the illusion that she values your friendship or what's going on in your life very much.

That's exactly what we do to God. We say that we value our relationship with Him, but we don't back our words up with action. We work God into our "busy" schedule, which, if we were honest, isn't as busy as we make it out to be. We could make more time for God, but do we want to? Is He a priority? Do we value our relationship with Him enough to put Him first with our finances and with our time? Spending 10 minutes a day with God doesn't constitute a relationship. You're simply an aquaintance with Christ, because, how can you truly know someone if you don't spend time with them?

Take time to evaluate your priorities and what you value most. Ask God to help you restructure your life/time to put Him first. You won't regret it!
Focus on your eternal dwelling, not your earthly one. This is not our home, so don't live like it is. Build the legacy you want to leave when you are gone. Start with your values/priorities. What do you want people to say you valued most in life?

Asking, Receiving & Reluctantly Learning Patience

Matthew 7:7-8 says, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."

A few months ago I did just that...I asked God to give me patience and as this passage says, "Ask and it will be given to you." Boy was Matthew ever right. Ever since I prayed and asked God for patience, He has put me in numerous situations to force me to learn it. Patience is not one of my virtues, nor has it ever been, so I have been going against my nature and everything in my being to try to become patient. It's been a constant struggle to relinquish control and understand that God is God and I am not and His way is SO much better than mine.

A passage that's helped me through this constant battle is Proverbs 3:5-6, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight." Leaning not on my own understanding means relinquishing control to God and letting Him guide me down the path He has for me. It also means trusting Him even when I don't understand why situations turn out the way that they do, but knowing that He wants what's best for me and He has a good and perfect plan for my life. It's through those times of confusion, pain, and questioning that God makes Himself known.

It's also in those times that God prunes us and molds us more into His image. 1 Peter 1:6-7 says, "In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." It's not a fun process, but it's a necessary one in order to grow us more in our faith and more into the people God wants us to be. I'm trying not to focus on the pain in the refining process, but to focus on the person God's molding me into. It's actually pretty humbling to know that my Creator, my Abba Father, cares so much for me that He doesn't want to leave me in the state that I'm in. He wants me to be more like Him.

Through all of the difficult times, I've learned to count my blessings and be thankful for what I do have, not what I lack. The things God's placed on my heart, He will provide...in HIS time. God doesn't operate on a 24 hour a day schedule. I've stopped trying to comprehend and understand His timing. I just know that He has His reasons (whether I know them or not) and He will provide in the right time.

I'm just placing my life in His hands as a willing vessel to be used for His glory. Sometimes my vessel cracks with the strains of life and He has to come and heal me and make me whole again. I know I'm not perfect, but God doesn't call the perfect. He calls us all to step out on faith and trust Him and allow Him to use us.

Life isn't about living in a big house with expensive things or having a good paying job. All of those things are temporary. I think that one of the main road blocks to following Christ whole-heartedly is our "stuff." If Christ called you to go serve in China tomorrow, would you go? Would you leave everything behind and go? Many people would wonder what to do with their belongings. Don't get me wrong, it's not a crime to have nice things. It's when we allow those things to dictate Christ's ability to work in our lives that creates a problem. I don't want to come across as though I'm not dealing with this myself. I have a lot of stuff and lately I've really been questioning if I've allowed my stuff to dictate my freedom to go and serve.

We need to examine our priorities. Are we more concerned with living comfortable lives that we neglect our calling and purpose to share Christ with those who so desperately need to hear His truth? We need to invest in things with eternal significance that will outlive us. What are you investing in?

So, now I will get off of my "soap box." I will warn you that I get preachy sometimes, especially when I am passionate about something. I hope this has encouraged you in how you trust God and see His plan. Even if you don't get anything else out of this, I hope you will not take Matthew 7:7-8 lightly. I asked God for patience and He has certainly provided many situations for me to learn it. When you ask, you will receive...

Sweet Tea & Conversation

It's important how we treat our waiters and waitresses who serve us at restaurants.  How we treat them reflects back on ourselves. It goes back to the Golden Rule, "Do unto others and you would have them do unto you."  Sadly enough, many servers see Christians as rude and pushy and terrible tippers.  It's time that changed.

I have a friend who makes it a point to learn the name of his server every time he is waited on at a restaurant or any other place of business.  He makes sure to use the person's name when speaking to them and carries on conversations with them and asks them questions about themselves.  I really admire that about him, because it makes the servers feel like less of a servant and more like a friend.  Some people treat waiters and waitresses like servants and are very impatient with them.  I've seen people yell at their server when their meal wasn't prepared the way they wanted it. It makes me cringe every time.  I wish I could remind those customers that their servers are people too and deserve to be treated with respect.  

I treat my servers the way I would like to be treated if I were in their shoes.  I learn their names and make small talk with them and am pleasant to them.  If something is incorrect with my order, I don't shout and yell, but I politely seek to correct it, if it's not something I can live with. (meaning, if there's broccoli on my plate, a SERIOUS mistake has happened and I can't live with that...bleh....)  I've found if you are polite and friendly to your servers, they'll be more likely to be polite and friendly to you.  There's no point in being rude and angry, because it just makes you look bad.  I also try to tip above the recommended 10%, especially if my server has really been attentive to my needs. Even if the server has had a rough night, I still try to tip well, because I know that no one is perfect. You don't always have great days. By not tipping or giving an extremely low tip, you aren't making the situation any better. Be gracious when you tip, because you don't know what may be going on in the life of the person serving you. You may be the only example of Christ that person encounters.

Almost every Wednesday my friends Kristen, Colleen, and myself make it a point to go eat at McAlister's Deli.  It kinda happened on accident.  We just started going to McAlister's more and more (the sweet tea was definitely a major factor) and ended up making it a weekly trip.  We visit the same store every week and we've become friends with several of the employees and managers that work there and know them by name.  It's nice to go to a place where people call you by name and remember what you like to drink. (sweet tea...that's a given when visiting McAlister's...I know, I'm a true southern girl) :)  We go there because we want to build relationships with those employees and maybe eventually invite them to church activities.  I look forward to our trips to McAlister's now because of those friendships.

Even if you can't or don't want to regularly visit a specific restaurant every week, you can still make a difference in the places you do visit (whether it be a department store, home improvement store, grocery store, etc.) by the way you act.  A smile or kind word can go a long way.  Everyone that you encounter (servers and employees) are people just like you and have feelings just like you do.  They are mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, and friends, just like you.  Treat them with respect and kindness.  You are able to control your attitude and choose how you treat people.  It's easier to be nice than it is to be grumpy and mean.  So, smile! You never know what a simple smile can do.  :)