If you were to ask me a year ago what the difference between being "nice" and being "kind" was, I probably couldn't tell you. In fact, the majority of people would simply say, "Isn't that the same thing?" But as I've learned from God, no, it actually isn't.
How many of you are willing to raise your hand if I were to ask you if you've ever seen someone in need of any kind of help but you've just...kind of , turned your back on them awkwardly? I know I have. Plenty of times. But I've learned this recently from the Lord: to be a true disciple of Jesus, you can't turn your back on His friends. This doesn't mean that His friends (aka - those around us) are our friends, necessarily. You probably know a lot of people who you don't like, and that's perfectly normal. But what is God trying to tell us?
There's actually a very distinct difference between being nice and being kind. Being nice is the world's brand of goodness. Being nice only goes so far, and you're only nice to people until you start losing time for yourself. Being nice doesn't require sacrifice because it's easy to hold the door out for a person or two. But come on, are you really going to hold open the door for every single person when it's a particularly busy day and there are tons of people rushing in? Heck no. You've got places to be and people to see. Holding the door for one person is plenty generous.
Or how about this. Your parents have asked you to babysit your younger sibling as they go out on a special date, but you've already made long ago plans to go to a movie with your friends on a Friday night? What does the world tell you about "being nice?" The world might say something like, "Just go ahead and tell your parents you're busy tonight. You'll babysit next week. Your parents will understand if you ask them to let Aunt Gladys watch little Timmy tonight. Go and have fun." Sounds pretty enticing, right? Harmless even. But if Jesus had asked you to babysit, would you have said yes or refused?
So here we are at God's definition of goodness: kindness. Kindness requires sacrifice; it requires you to give up certain things they you may have enjoyed previously. It might require you to hold open that door until there is no one left to hold it open for. It might require you to be late for an appointment because you were sacrificing. It might require you to sacrifice your time with your friends for your parents' night out. Whatever the cause, reason, or requirement, sacrifice is hard.
No one ever said it was easy, and Jesus really never said it was easy! As a matter of fact, Jesus guarantees, "In the world you will have trouble." Wow, you may be thinking! If that's what it takes to follow Jesus, I might think twice next time! But then what does He add? "But take courage, I have conquered the world."
So Jesus tells us, "In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world." -John 16: 33
That's uplifitng! If God is for us, then who could be against us? Didn't Jesus sacrifice the biggest thing one can ever give up? He gave up His throne in heaven to come down to earth and bear the weight of our sins. He gave up His life so that you and I could share it with Him.
So. Being nice and being kind. There's a difference. But "in our human relationships, we want others to sacrifice themselves for us, yet it seems so hard to reciprocate the same towards others on a continual basis. Nevertheless, self-sacrifice is the essence of true Christianity, and we can begin by the kind use of the tongue." -Martin G. Collins
Hugs, Beverly :)
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Getting to the Right Sources
In today's world when there are so many harsh influences that can easily pollute our hearts and minds, it's especially vital for us to filter the things that we expose ourselves to on a day to day basis. And by this, what I mean is the type of music we choose to listen to, the types of things we read, what we choose to watch on the television, and so forth.
For example, music. When you make the decision to be radiant for Christ, at first, you might think, "Oh, it doesn't really matter what kind of music I listen to...does it? I mean, I can love and serve God and listen to [so forth and so forth], right?" But let's see what God has to say about this.
"No one can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." -Matthew 6: 24
Hmm. Interesting. So what do you do if you reeeaaally like music with lyrics that are dirty, sinful, or speak a wrong message? Well, what do you do with an apple that's rotten? You throw it out! I used to adore Lady GaGa and Katy Perry and I would brag to my friends about what new rap artist I was listening to at the time. They all thought I was cool and their praise made me feel more popular and important than I knew I really was.
But as Jesus repeatedly begin tapping me on the back behind the social life glamor and asked me to follow Him, I became more and more aware that it was urgent I give Him an answer. I also knew that the music I was exposing myself to did not give Him the answer of "Yes, Lord! I follow You!" If anything, it actually said, "No, Lord. Hush, go away now. I need to be popular."
What I did then was I took a deep breath and gave myself a very long peptalk, then I quietly opened up my iTunes account and gingerly went through all my songs (yes, all 176 of them) and deleted the ones I knew did not glorify Christ. This was especially difficult because half of what I listened to at the time did not glorify Christ; it was all about lust, sex, and drugs.
I know this sounds radical and that's because, by the world's standards, it is. My older brother is a sweet boy, but if he caught me throwing away music, I'd probably get yelled at. But don't you think when Jesus watched, He was smiling so wide His cheeks hurt? What did the simple act of purging my iTunes account truly accomplish?
Well, one, the message in those kinds of songs began fading away in my mind, so I was no longer troubled by those little sinful snippets. You know, those catchy parts but are really dirty. Two, I found myself more focused on Jesus, and lastly, by tossing away the old songs, it was symbolism for my decision to stand by Christ, whether it be long, tiresome, sacrificing, or difficult.
I've never looked back on that one simple decision. I've never regretted it for a day in my life.
The same thing goes for what we watch on TV or what we read, or look at on the Internet. Ask yourself, "Does this glorify God?" and be brutally honest to yourself. There's no getting around it. You are either for God or against Him; likewise, what you expose yourself to either glorifies Him or it mocks Him. The decision is difficult, but you can do it. If Christ gave His life for us, then we can give our life back to Him. You are strong enough!
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." -Philippians 4: 13
-Many hugs, Beverly :)
**I do have some suggestions for music and books that are surprisingly amazing. For music, try listening to:
-Tenth North Avenue
-Sanctus Real
-Chris Tomlin
-New Life Worship
-Hillsong
Just play around on You Tube or try Pandora for more! / And for reading, I totally recommend:
-Before You Meet Prince Charming: A Guide to Radiant Purity by Sarah Mally
-Authentic Beauty - The Shaping of a Set-Apart Young Woman by Leslie Ludy
-Set-Apart Femininity - God's Sacred Intent for Every Young Woman by Leslie Ludy
-Answering the Guy Questions - The Set-Apart Girl's Guide to Relating to the Opposite Sex by Leslie Ludy
-Sacred Singleness - The Set-Apart Girl's Guide to Purpose and Fulfillment by Leslie Ludy
-The Lost Art of True Beauty - The Set-Apart Girl's Guide to Feminine Grace by Leslie Ludy
There are so many more that I haven't mentioned, but these are just a quick start on your journey to becoming radiant for Christ! The best of luck to all of you!!!
For example, music. When you make the decision to be radiant for Christ, at first, you might think, "Oh, it doesn't really matter what kind of music I listen to...does it? I mean, I can love and serve God and listen to [so forth and so forth], right?" But let's see what God has to say about this.
"No one can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." -Matthew 6: 24
Hmm. Interesting. So what do you do if you reeeaaally like music with lyrics that are dirty, sinful, or speak a wrong message? Well, what do you do with an apple that's rotten? You throw it out! I used to adore Lady GaGa and Katy Perry and I would brag to my friends about what new rap artist I was listening to at the time. They all thought I was cool and their praise made me feel more popular and important than I knew I really was.
But as Jesus repeatedly begin tapping me on the back behind the social life glamor and asked me to follow Him, I became more and more aware that it was urgent I give Him an answer. I also knew that the music I was exposing myself to did not give Him the answer of "Yes, Lord! I follow You!" If anything, it actually said, "No, Lord. Hush, go away now. I need to be popular."
What I did then was I took a deep breath and gave myself a very long peptalk, then I quietly opened up my iTunes account and gingerly went through all my songs (yes, all 176 of them) and deleted the ones I knew did not glorify Christ. This was especially difficult because half of what I listened to at the time did not glorify Christ; it was all about lust, sex, and drugs.
I know this sounds radical and that's because, by the world's standards, it is. My older brother is a sweet boy, but if he caught me throwing away music, I'd probably get yelled at. But don't you think when Jesus watched, He was smiling so wide His cheeks hurt? What did the simple act of purging my iTunes account truly accomplish?
Well, one, the message in those kinds of songs began fading away in my mind, so I was no longer troubled by those little sinful snippets. You know, those catchy parts but are really dirty. Two, I found myself more focused on Jesus, and lastly, by tossing away the old songs, it was symbolism for my decision to stand by Christ, whether it be long, tiresome, sacrificing, or difficult.
I've never looked back on that one simple decision. I've never regretted it for a day in my life.
The same thing goes for what we watch on TV or what we read, or look at on the Internet. Ask yourself, "Does this glorify God?" and be brutally honest to yourself. There's no getting around it. You are either for God or against Him; likewise, what you expose yourself to either glorifies Him or it mocks Him. The decision is difficult, but you can do it. If Christ gave His life for us, then we can give our life back to Him. You are strong enough!
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." -Philippians 4: 13
-Many hugs, Beverly :)
**I do have some suggestions for music and books that are surprisingly amazing. For music, try listening to:
-Tenth North Avenue
-Sanctus Real
-Chris Tomlin
-New Life Worship
-Hillsong
Just play around on You Tube or try Pandora for more! / And for reading, I totally recommend:
-Before You Meet Prince Charming: A Guide to Radiant Purity by Sarah Mally
-Authentic Beauty - The Shaping of a Set-Apart Young Woman by Leslie Ludy
-Set-Apart Femininity - God's Sacred Intent for Every Young Woman by Leslie Ludy
-Answering the Guy Questions - The Set-Apart Girl's Guide to Relating to the Opposite Sex by Leslie Ludy
-Sacred Singleness - The Set-Apart Girl's Guide to Purpose and Fulfillment by Leslie Ludy
-The Lost Art of True Beauty - The Set-Apart Girl's Guide to Feminine Grace by Leslie Ludy
There are so many more that I haven't mentioned, but these are just a quick start on your journey to becoming radiant for Christ! The best of luck to all of you!!!
Monday, December 26, 2011
God's Brand of Makeup
Maybe it's just me but I really love makeup. And I mean, I really love it. There's just something about the handy tools in my makeup bag that can magically transform me from Plain Beverly Jane to the Dashing Dame Beverly Jane!
But as I was taking off my makeup the other night, this different thought shot across my mind: Why do I even bother wearing makeup? This stuff's such a hassle to take off. And then it hit. Why do I wear makeup?? Now, I'm not sure about you, but I wear makeup for about three reasons.
1) It's fun. There's just something about applying makeup that's captivating and fun. Maybe it was even built into us, a little part that God gave us. After all, little girls get into their mothers' makeup bags alot, right?
2.) It makes us feel pretty. I should probably admit that this is true for the most part. If questioned, many women will say that they feel that they are not pretty or beautiful enough, at least, according to the world's standards. Our media has ingrained in our hearts and minds that if we don't have a body like Halle Berry or hair like Jennifer Aniston then we are not beautiful. Very few women fit the world's description of beauty, and I believe many of us use makeup as an extra cushion to make up for what we lack.
3)We do it for the opposite sex. This last reason might link together with the second one, as many of us like to feel cherished and praised by men. I can't name one girl friend I know who hasn't at one point in her life wanted the attention of males, myself included.
But all that has brought me to this: If we, as women, desire to be truly beautiful, and I don't mean just physical beauty, but true beauty that comes from the inside out, why are we running to Sephora and not straight to God, who Himself created the very essence of beauty? Why are we finding ourselves surrounded by magazines such as Cosmopolitan or even the well-meaning Glamour instead of *gulp* the Bible? We should be feeding our spirits and hearts with edifying material, sources that will uplift our soul and help us in our walk with Jesus; not sources that pollute it and cause us to spiral further into sin.
I know how it is, to want to be beautiful. I wanted so badly, so desperately to be what those around me would call "attractive," but when you're only 4'10 and already lacking a sufficient chest and hips, it's a little hard to be this thing called "attractive." I've always been petite, horribly petite, even among other petite women, I was always smaller and always wishing that God had blessed me with more.
And it's true! As women, we desire passionately to be beautiful and why? Why do we spend hours in front of the bathroom mirror fixing our hair to make sure it's juuust right? Why do we waste our free time watching You Tube for makeup tutorials? Or even subjugating our God-given dignity to wearing immodest clothing, such as booty shorts or revealing tops? It's all a vain attempt to be beautiful. We desire to be beautiful because desiring to be beautiful is a God-given desire; He created us--us--specifically for beauty, to give beauty to the world.
The only tragedy is that our ideals of beauty have been seriously distorted by Hollywood's standards. Since when did our beauty depend on having the perfect body or even the perfect face? Since when did your beauty become all about the kind of clothes you wear or how "charming" you are as a person?
True beauty comes from the heart; it comes from knowing the Lord and faithfully, selflessly serving Him. It is when we leave behind what the world wants do we become truly beautiful.
Proverbs 31: 30 says, "Charm is deceptive and [physical] beauty fleeting; but the woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."
So let's ask Jesus to touch all that needs healing in our hearts today. Let's ask that He teaches us how to be true women of Christ, beautiful in thoughts, words, and of course, deeds!
-Many hugs, Beverly
But as I was taking off my makeup the other night, this different thought shot across my mind: Why do I even bother wearing makeup? This stuff's such a hassle to take off. And then it hit. Why do I wear makeup?? Now, I'm not sure about you, but I wear makeup for about three reasons.
1) It's fun. There's just something about applying makeup that's captivating and fun. Maybe it was even built into us, a little part that God gave us. After all, little girls get into their mothers' makeup bags alot, right?
2.) It makes us feel pretty. I should probably admit that this is true for the most part. If questioned, many women will say that they feel that they are not pretty or beautiful enough, at least, according to the world's standards. Our media has ingrained in our hearts and minds that if we don't have a body like Halle Berry or hair like Jennifer Aniston then we are not beautiful. Very few women fit the world's description of beauty, and I believe many of us use makeup as an extra cushion to make up for what we lack.
3)We do it for the opposite sex. This last reason might link together with the second one, as many of us like to feel cherished and praised by men. I can't name one girl friend I know who hasn't at one point in her life wanted the attention of males, myself included.
But all that has brought me to this: If we, as women, desire to be truly beautiful, and I don't mean just physical beauty, but true beauty that comes from the inside out, why are we running to Sephora and not straight to God, who Himself created the very essence of beauty? Why are we finding ourselves surrounded by magazines such as Cosmopolitan or even the well-meaning Glamour instead of *gulp* the Bible? We should be feeding our spirits and hearts with edifying material, sources that will uplift our soul and help us in our walk with Jesus; not sources that pollute it and cause us to spiral further into sin.
I know how it is, to want to be beautiful. I wanted so badly, so desperately to be what those around me would call "attractive," but when you're only 4'10 and already lacking a sufficient chest and hips, it's a little hard to be this thing called "attractive." I've always been petite, horribly petite, even among other petite women, I was always smaller and always wishing that God had blessed me with more.
And it's true! As women, we desire passionately to be beautiful and why? Why do we spend hours in front of the bathroom mirror fixing our hair to make sure it's juuust right? Why do we waste our free time watching You Tube for makeup tutorials? Or even subjugating our God-given dignity to wearing immodest clothing, such as booty shorts or revealing tops? It's all a vain attempt to be beautiful. We desire to be beautiful because desiring to be beautiful is a God-given desire; He created us--us--specifically for beauty, to give beauty to the world.
The only tragedy is that our ideals of beauty have been seriously distorted by Hollywood's standards. Since when did our beauty depend on having the perfect body or even the perfect face? Since when did your beauty become all about the kind of clothes you wear or how "charming" you are as a person?
True beauty comes from the heart; it comes from knowing the Lord and faithfully, selflessly serving Him. It is when we leave behind what the world wants do we become truly beautiful.
Proverbs 31: 30 says, "Charm is deceptive and [physical] beauty fleeting; but the woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."
So let's ask Jesus to touch all that needs healing in our hearts today. Let's ask that He teaches us how to be true women of Christ, beautiful in thoughts, words, and of course, deeds!
-Many hugs, Beverly
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