We Are More Than The Sum Of Our Parts

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

Within every old man is a young man. Within every old woman is a young woman. Within every young man is a boy. Within every young woman is a girl.

We are the sum of all our parts, all of our experiences. And yet we are much more. We are the children of the Living God, made in His image and for His glory.

Too often we label people, within our minds if not in our words. we notice the “woman in the wheelchair”, the “man who is always sick”, the “child with cancer”. Then that is what they become in our minds--the label we give to them.

People are so much more than what they appear. Yet we dehumanize people with labels. Those we like or dislike get sorted into their particular columns in our minds. We divide people into political parties, into races, religions, creeds. Humans are no longer what they were made to be, but rather what we label them as being.

Thankfully God does not see us as a color or faction. He sees us as humans with the potential to become like Him. I believe C.S. Lewis said that if we could see people as they will be in their glory after this life--we would fall on our knees and worship them. Why not? Throughout the Bible people fell to their knees in worship of angels, and we are only a little lower in rank than the angels even now.

You made them a little lower than the angels; you crowned them with glory and honor. Hebrews 2:7

Yet we will be placed in a position to judge angels when we reach our glory through God’s grace, if you can imagine that.

Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! 1 Corinthians 6:3

And God’s angels serve us in this life.

Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation? Hebrews 1:14

I say all that to help you understand our position in Christ. Is it any wonder Jesus told us not to judge others? Who are we to judge the elect of God? Yet, sadly, we do so every time we belittle another person through seeing them as less than they truly are or will become.

Do not belittle others. Look beyond your limited imagination and see past the crutches and wheelchairs and hospital beds. See beyond the gray hair, middle age spread, wrinkles, and stooped posture. 

Do the same with yourself. Stop looking only at the reflection in the mirror but see beyond it to the glory that awaits you. God’s children should be filled with joy every moment of this life, through every stage of life. Once we look beyond the mirror we will see what God sees: A Child of God in the making. One destined to be with Jesus Christ in His glory.

Prayer: Dear Lord, expand our imagination. Help us to see others and ourselves as You see us. When we do so we become more like You in our thoughts, words, and actions. Amen.

Denial Is No Solution

 “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” John 8:32

    No one likes to think about getting older and wearing out. No one likes to think about disability and illness. And this might be why some preachers denying these realities are very popular for doing so.

    Early in my disability I tried ignoring, denying, and “believing" my way out of illness. But the reality of my health issues refused to disappear. Denial is no solution for disability and disease. Yet we have a culture today that goes on living as if illness, disease, and death are far removed from our everyday life.

    Today everyone is supposed to be happy. Whether through external stimulus, or through use of medication (or self medicating), or simply denying the challenges we face each day. There is nothing wrong with being happy and optimistic, and nothing wrong with praying and believing God will provide for and take care of us and heal us.

    Yet the act of denying and pretending our illnesses are gone when in fact they very much exist can set us up for disappointment and even despair.

    Faith and belief in God are wonderful, and trusting in God through difficult circumstances should be a way of life for Christians.

    Nevertheless, denial, refusing to accept reality, and foolishly pretending a very real illness or disease does not exist is no way to survive and endure affliction. Facing our challenges head on while trusting God to see us through is a recipe for success and thriving despite our afflictions.

    We all need hope to live with our illnesses and afflictions. We should never discount God when it comes to our diseases and cures. Yet merely pretending our illnesses and diseases do not exist is a sure path to frustration. Trust God, ask Him for healing, but do not ignore or deny very real issues that need attention and help.

    Prayer: Dear Lord, help us to be both optimistic and realistic. Amen.

When Anxiety And Fear Are Within Us

When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy. Psalm 94:19 

Fear builds its phantoms which are more fearsome than reality itself. 

---Jawaharlal Nehru

Many things have caused me anxiety and fear over the years. A new or old health issue rearing its ugly head, financial difficulties, new problems arriving out of the blue. Life can seem like an endless stream of anxiety producing events.

And then there are the “phantoms”. Things that appear threatening or dangerous but never really materialize. I’ve had to deal with many phantoms over the years and the fear they leave in their wake. In hindsight I feel foolish for letting myself get so worked up over nothing.

It is helpful to look back and consider the “dire threats” that have arisen only to fade away soon after causing us much anxiety. When we learn from the past we are less likely to repeat the same mistakes. But too often we lose the lesson and repeat familiar patterns and behavior.

If at the first sign of trouble, real or imagined, we go to God in prayer, giving Him our fear and anxiety, we can ride out the storm or simply sail under the dark clouds that appear threatening but quickly fade away. 

It begins with focus. Do we focus on the things that threaten us? Or instead focus upon the Lord who can deliver us from our fears?

Fear and anxiety rob us of joy, hope, strength, and the ability to reason and think clearly. Fear is a hungry wolf that stays with us as long as we feed it. Let’s give our worries to God and stop feeding the wolf of fear.

Prayer: Dear Lord, life can seem an endless string of fear producing events. Help us to look beyond our fears and focus instead upon You. Help us to conquer our fear and anxiety through Your awesome power and the faith You have given us. Amen.