Competing Well

Friends of Faith:

I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith. 2 Tm 4: 7
I will start where I left off a week ago: “it must be okay, because everyone else is doing it.”

If I am obeying a law, because it is the law and everyone else is doing it, but not because it is right by God, then maybe the law is unjust. Maybe I am not competing as well as I should.

Or maybe I am looking at the wrong finish line—social status, the number of “friends” I have, wealth or even health...

Maybe the law is one I shouldn’t be obeying—maybe the law was made by man (myself, a friend or a politician) and not by God.

When I finish, will I be at the true finish line? Will I have kept true to the one God, the one faith?

The way to know whether the law is God’s or man’s is to pray, read scripture, and to ask for God’s will (to listen to and be aware of the Spirit of God within us), and then to seek the advice and guidance of the Church’s interpretation. How does the Church of God speak about the “law” in question?

For he is a God who always repays and will give back to you sevenfold.  But offer no bribes; these he does not accept! Do not trust in sacrifice of the fruits of extortion. For he is a God of justice, who shows no partiality.  He shows no partiality to the weak but hears the grievance of the oppressed. ....  Those who serve God to please him are accepted; their petition reaches the clouds. Sir 35: 13-16, 20

To compete well—but not to bribe or be part of the pity party:  don’t do just what is required (a job for pay), or serve on a committee because it is a part of the job (obligation), or obey just because the law/commandments say we should or shouldn’t (to avoid punishment).  Compete Well—Serve  instead because it is right to visit a shut-in you don’t know (someone besides your grandma)....the thankful smile and warm hug are a well won competition.

To finish the race—to be rewarded not because we did the right thing, but because we did the right thing  for the right reason. It is not about the “how” we did it, but the “why” we did it.

To keep the faith—to know Him, to love Him and to serve Him—because it is the right way, not because it is the way we will get what we want. To pray for God’s will and then to trust that God knows what is best for us—even if it means we will have to be patient,  do without, suffer, or give up what we have “earned.”

After all, everything we have is a blessing from him—nothing is really ours, he is not showing us partiality because we have “done” nothing extraordinary.

In yesterday’s gospel:  “Jesus addressed this parable to those who were convinced of their own righteousness and despised everyone else.  "Two people went up to the temple area to pray; one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector.  The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, 'O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity -- greedy, dishonest, adulterous -- or even like this tax collector.  I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.’ But the tax collector stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, 'O God, be merciful to me a sinner.' I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted." Lk 18: 9-14

Is the competition to win justification here on earth (health or wealth or friendships), or is it to win justification in heaven?

Am I the Pharisee who thinks he is impressing God by doing better than everyone else? Or am I the tax collector willing to admit my wrongs, praying with my heart and soul to know God’s will, doing what he asks of me, and asking for God’s mercy and compassion when I fail?

Heavenly Father: You have promised to rescue me from every evil threat and to bring me safely to your heavenly kingdom. (2 Tm 4: 18) Help me to open my heart and listen to the Spirit within so that I may not “just” finish, but that I may compete wisely and keep the faith always. To Him be the glory, forever and ever, Amen.

I want my finish to be by thanking God for the blessings He pours out on me; offering Him any suffering with acceptance and true sacrifice; holding true to HIS truth even when it is unpopular with conventional wisdom; and unselfishly giving to the beggar, the “least,” the lonely and the broken hearted my earthly riches (time and talents).

Compete well, Finish strong, and Keep the faith,
Charlotte

Winners

Friends of Faith:

 

We all want to win—at golf, football, volleyball, in teaching a child what’s best for them and in the discussion with our husband as to who is going to do the dishes tonight.

 

But have you ever finished on the “right side” of a conversation and felt like you lost, or maybe that you shouldn’t have been in the conversation at all, or that someone “let” you win just so they didn’t have to continue the discussion?

 

And have you ever “won” the discussion about the dishes and then decided to help your husband do them? Did you realize that the discussion wasn’t about “not doing the dishes” but rather about “sharing the duty” of the dishes?

 

What is it about winning that makes us uncomfortable and makes us feel as if in reality we have lost—even when we win—that even sometimes makes us end up doing what we so wanted to get out of doing?

 

I think it’s because in actuality every time we win, we create a loser—we make someone “feel” less, and intuitively, in our heart and soul, God wants us all to be more, to become greater, not in our own eyes, but in His. He wants us to be His winner and in order to do that we need to be doing what is right by him, not making ourselves be stronger and more powerful—instead of Him.

 

It’s why it feels so good when our husband “volunteers” to do the dishes—because when he does, he makes me feel special—like he did it just to help me. Or way it feels so good when I am the recipient of the thank you for having folded and hung up his clothes so that he could find and wear his favorite shirt (instead of leaving it wrinkled in the laundry basket).

 

Both of us avoided a conflict, both of us were winners because both of us served each other by doing what might be considered “his or her duty” without the conflict, without the argument, and without either of us becoming a winner or a loser.

 

This week’s readings were a reflection on conflict, division and conflict resolution—becoming winners and losers…

"Jesus said to his disciples: “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing! There is a baptism with which I must be baptized, and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished! Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth?  No, I tell you, but rather division.  From now on a household of five will be divided, three against two and two against three; a father will be divided against his son and a son against his father, a mother against her daughter and a daughter against her mother, a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.” Lk 12: 49-53

Christ wanted us to be “on fire”—not on fire between us, as we so often are, but on fire for Him—to be a real “forever” winner because we weren’t arguing amongst ourselves, looking to see who has more or less, or looking to do more or less, but rather that we are working and praying to be a winner in His eyes, a speaker of His truths (not ours) and being responsible and charitable enough—serving each other so that we each feel special—like a winner (someone who is loved) in each other’s and most importantly in God’s eyes.
 

 

Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith. Heb 12: 1-4

 

Heavenly Father, in YOU I have won all things. Thank you for family, friends and for the ability to search for and open my heart to the truth you have set before each of us. Help me to do what is right with all that you have given me. Help me to make everyone around me feel as special as you have made them—in your image. Help me to unite, rather than to conquer and divide; to persevere in running the race and to keep my eyes fixed upon You. Amen.

 

God says we are created in him, by him and for him—to be winners through him. Our purpose is to make everyone around us winners also.

Strive today to help him create a winner in your spouse, in your child or in a stranger that comes your way—by serving them, by making them feel special through that service, and by allowing them an opportunity to do the same for you.

Blessings,

Charlotte

Winners or Losers?

Women of Faith:
It’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game. The exception to this may be what I will call the ultimate game, the game of life. There, winning is heaven, and I don’t even want to think about losing.

Unfortunately, as I try not to judge, I fear that our society may be losing as I watch us accept sin as a norm. As I watch society try to put their “spin” on what the bible teaches. And as I watch people, who grew up in Christian homes, who know there is a God, who were taught about God from an early age, leave church, ignore the commandments, or worse yet, try to justify their sin/s.

I find comfort and hope by the outcome of a vote to “oust” judges who accept gay marriage as a right, and I find Hope in the prayers of the many who I know attend church regularly and who are unafraid to “speak” against sin and who volunteer in ministry in many forms.

I also find hope in seeing those who have the faith to accept their sufferings, knowing that Christ too suffered for us.

As the gospel said yesterday: Choose REPENTANCE, it is never too late. Lk 23:35-43 “Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying, "Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us." The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply, "Have you no fear of God, for you are subject to the same condemnation? And indeed, we have been condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done nothing criminal." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." He replied to him, "Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."

The second thief is the only person we know who has entered the kingdom of heaven with Jesus because of this passage. On the cross this thief asked for forgiveness, but just as importantly accepted that he was a sinner, that he deserved earthly punishment and that his only salvation was true faith in Jesus.

Are we like the first thief, expecting God to save us, even though we have no shame, guilt or repentance for our sins? Is our pride preventing us from acknowledging our sins and seeking forgiveness?

Or are we like the second thief who admits to our sins, accepts our burdens by sacrificing our life for God, receiving just punishment for our sins and most importantly receiving God’s promised forgiveness, healing and grace given to us when Jesus died on the cross?

The earlier we learn to be like the “accepting thief” the more happiness, joy and peace we can find in Christ’s forgiveness and ultimately our salvation. And the easier it will be to bear our burdens and sufferings because like the “Footprints in the Sand” we will be carried by Jesus through the toughest of times.

Dear God, I praise Your healing grace. I yearn for your forgiveness and love. Please help me to live each day as your servant, accepting my burdens, sacrificing my time and using the gifts you have given me wisely. Help me to be less self-serving, less judgmental and more hopeful with the grace of Your Spirit. Let me be a witness to Your goodness in faith, hope and love. I ask that you open the hearts of each person, family and friend, those that I know, and will come to know, those that I can in anyway help or touch, so that we will be better listeners and learners of Your word. And especially this Thanksgiving Week, Thank you for the gift of Your Son, Jesus, who has granted us eternal salvation. Amen.

Blessings and Thanksgiving for all of our faithful friends.
Charlotte, Stan and family