REAL TALK from KB : Do y’all mind if I embrace my Baptist
roots and preach a bit today?
I am really into word studies; as soon as I hear somebody
justify or rationalize a behavior, myself included, I look for the key word
being debated. I can tell you that I've been mentally wrestling with a couple
of things I've heard and been hearing for a while.
First, can I say that there is a time and a calling to
mature in our beliefs? The first passage of scripture that comes to mind is 1
Corinthians 13:11 New International Version (NIV)
11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought
like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of
childhood behind me.
Then look up 1 Corinthians 3:2, 1 Peter 2:2, Hebrews 5:12, 1
Corinthians 14:20, Galatians 4:3, Hebrews 6:1
At some point we have to travel beyond the day we first
believed because we are required to do some things for Him, according to His
will and His way. How can we do this if we just believe? When I was a kid, I
used to believe that my mom could sing because her voice would soothe me to
sleep. As an adult I know that my mom’s song styling’s are just as tone-deaf
as my own. As a child I believed in Santa; as I grew older I realized that my
gifts were a result of God’s abundance and grace. So, what am I saying? I’m
saying that we “must walk a few blocks” from our salvation. Resting on a basic faith construct is a form of selfishness and grace abuse.
Why do I say this? Because we act as spoiled children; we
know that God will continue to bless us but we do not attempt to improve our
relationship with Him. It’s the same sense of entitlement that we act on as
children.
Secondly, God has been whispering to me about humility.
Keeping it 100….learning to be humble has lessened my need for bail money, in
other words I am not led by my ego. I am more inclined to pray for the
situation that allows the ego to rise up. I embrace the opportunity to identify
with the cross.
Ephesians 4:2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient,
bearing with one another in love.
Philippians 3:2 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain
conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.
Proverbs 11:2, 1 Peter 3:3-4, Matthew 11:29-30, Proverbs
22:4
How have we become so calloused and selfish in our daily
lives that forget to look to and thank the source of all? The funny thing is
that what we think defines us could all be taken away in a Job-like moment.
Would you be able to acknowledge the source of your blessings then? Why has
prayer and a relationship with God only relegated to tough times and trials or
when we get something that we believe we deserve? Again, keeping it 100- the thing that woke me
up spiritually would be considered a curse by many; I learned to truly embrace
and praise in the midst of a cancer storm. I have not been the same since and I
thank God for the blessing of cancer. If it weren't for it I would have been
happy and content with a mediocre faith walk. With cancer I learned that my joy
was truly not dependent upon my circumstances. I learned who loved me and who
would walk to the furnace with me. Like Paul I revel in my infirmity (2
Corinthians 12: 7-9)
We cannot divorce ourselves from our humanity, humility or
empathy these are the things that draws us to God. We can pick and choose how
we relate and what we want to present and believe we’re hiding from God but
there will be a day when we will have to give account on what we've done with
the life He provided. I can only speak/teach on this….but the question I
constantly ask myself is How do I want to be known when I leave here? What
can/will others say about me and what will I say to my Creator?
SELAH
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