I know I've mentioned this before, I have moments where being graceful simply doesn't work for me. I have been known to have moments of clutziness. It is who I am and how God made me. I am good with it unless the outcome requires doctor's visits. Luckily, He gave me and everyone else that knows and loves me a pretty healthy sense of humor. 99% of the time we wind up laughing it off and sharing a pretty funny story after the cast comes off. (I have only broken one bone in my life which is proof that God performs miracles everyday!) I was destined to be that way because it started at a very early age. I became known as a drink killer before the age of 2. The one person when spotting a drink at fifty paces could knock that sucker over in 10 seconds flat. There are times when a glass would go flying and it had to be I knocked it over with the power of my mind.
Every single time I would sit down to the supper table, I would knock over any drink sitting before me. And I mean every single time. My mother would move the glass and I would somehow find a way to stretch my arms 10 feet long and over it would go. Oh, I had a sippy cup with a secure lid. My sweet tea was safe, it was all the others that were in danger. I actually think there were under the table bets on how long a person's drink would last.
Pre-drink killer
But the glint in the eye tells of things to come!
You can imagine the scene whenever we went to dinner with someone. Mama would whip out the high chair and everybody else would high tail it to the opposite end of the table. Here I was sitting at one end of the table with everyone else smushed all together at the other end covered in plastic. I'm sure people walking by thought "Awww look at the little princess with her admirers". Little did they know that others were sitting at the end at a table for fear of ruining an outfit or looking like they had not made it to the loo in time. Everyone was hoping when the inevitable happened, the table would be long enough that the water/tea wouldn't quite reach them. Some survived, others not so lucky. I apologize now to those who walked to the restrooms explaining that no it really was tea and after a few cycles under the hand dryer everything would be like new.
I share this story because it immediately popped into my mind after my bible study this morning. You see, my bible study was "Fix Your Thoughts on Jesus". It is a part on amazing 1 year devotional by Rick Warren. This devotional was aimed at defeating temptation. It discusses media intake and making sure that we equip ourselves biblically and through discipline to avoid temptation. This really hit home because unfortunately, I have not only given into temptation recently, I have languished in it. When I say temptation I do not mean having a cupcake (which I did), not going to the gym (my membership card is dusty) or not being selective with what I have been watching the wrong stuff on TV (I am unplugging it!), I am talking about a temptation that has led me to not being very Christian-like and influencing others to do the same. And it appears I need to work on the other temptations as well. Ouch toes!
Someone recently hurt me which made me sad. And as it is in this broken world, the more hurt and sad I became, the angrier I became. Anger is not pretty, it makes you say things that are not nice. And while there may be a small element of truth to what you are saying, the opportunity to reconcile the truth gets lost in the way it is being delivered. It causes irreparable damage. I am lucky, or so I thought, that I have not said anything to this person so I can approach them when the time is right and maybe mend the hurt.
Here is where the spilled drink come in... When we are angry and do not guard our thoughts and focus on Jesus, they become like the spilled tea. They run everywhere and unfortunately in this case, it was right in my husband's lap. Because I gave in to the temptation of saying things without focusing on Jesus and did not fill my mind with things that are true, noble and right, I said things to him that have changed the way he feels about this person. I did that. I am not saying that I should not have discussed my feelings or that you should not when you are hurt. There are times you absolutely need to "vent" especially with someone who can help you re-focus on Jesus and the process of giving it to Him to help you through it. But you have to stop and focus on the things that are Godly, true, noble and right. Instead I added fuel to the fire under the guise of being justified in how I felt. I caused someone else to be hurt and angry. Way to go there, Skipper!
We have to be careful as Christians about how we face our temptations in whatever form they come. It is not just about us. Other people watch what we are doing and how we handle things and some of those people are looking up to us as examples. Seriously, you do not know how heavily that weighs on me. I am so far removed from perfect it is frightening. I feel like screaming- "Hey watch me and then do the absolute opposite and you will be just fine." I fail, falter and fall flat on my face on a pretty regular basis. I still feel like the weeble-wobbler toddler that knocked over drinks. But that is me in my confidence.
I love 1 Corinthians 10:13 it says:
13. No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
Did I mention I love what it says? Knowing to lean on God in those moments and using scripture, just as Jesus did in the desert when tempted by Satan, as your weapon. There is your Godly confidence. That stuff that keeps you out of hot water.
Did I also mention that I sometimes forget what it says?
I had a way out. Oh-so-smart-and-wonderful Hubby said "Stop thinking and talking about it. You are allowing it to eat at you and that is not healthy." I should have listened. Oh hello- my friend Shoulda Woulda Coulda.
But hubby was close to the Godly answer and it was simple. The quickest way to kill temptation is to turn your thoughts somewhere else- scripture. The verse states that God will provide you a way out so that you can endure it. BUT you have to be willing to follow the way out!!! Sometimes it is so fun to "waller" in the mud and get others dirty right along with you.
But sweetheart, God can't save you when you are drowning if you keep swatting his hand away.
I leave you with Mark 14:38 words from Jesus and the prayer that God will repair what I broke and keep us all from paying attention to what is worthless and harmful.
Mark 14:38
38. Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
love-j
PS- I just spilled coffee from my spill-proof mug. :)
I love 1 Corinthians 10:13 it says:
13. No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
Did I mention I love what it says? Knowing to lean on God in those moments and using scripture, just as Jesus did in the desert when tempted by Satan, as your weapon. There is your Godly confidence. That stuff that keeps you out of hot water.
Did I also mention that I sometimes forget what it says?
I had a way out. Oh-so-smart-and-wonderful Hubby said "Stop thinking and talking about it. You are allowing it to eat at you and that is not healthy." I should have listened. Oh hello- my friend Shoulda Woulda Coulda.
But hubby was close to the Godly answer and it was simple. The quickest way to kill temptation is to turn your thoughts somewhere else- scripture. The verse states that God will provide you a way out so that you can endure it. BUT you have to be willing to follow the way out!!! Sometimes it is so fun to "waller" in the mud and get others dirty right along with you.
But sweetheart, God can't save you when you are drowning if you keep swatting his hand away.
I leave you with Mark 14:38 words from Jesus and the prayer that God will repair what I broke and keep us all from paying attention to what is worthless and harmful.
Mark 14:38
38. Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
love-j
PS- I just spilled coffee from my spill-proof mug. :)
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