I Want to be God's Promotional Display

Ever notice how strategically retailers display items in their store to draw us in? It's all about them using psychology to grab us and encourage us to spend more on items we didn't even realize we wanted. Even the height of items matters. Lower items for the kiddos to see and beg for that "must have" cereal and the items that are placed in the middle of the ailse that we can't resist. Or those promotional displays at the ends of aisles. Over time we even start to look at those areas as we pass to see if there is anything we want to buy there.

When we went into the store to pick up just a couple of items, we're now loaded with a cart-full of items and we think we're done shopping when we stand in line to pay and we have one more chance to impulsively buy a package of gum or a magazine, or our child begs for the candy bar they see. It’s all a part of that establishment’s strategy to make us buy more.

I entitled my blog today “I Want to be God's Promotional Display". Like the strategically placed item in the store – I want to be strategically placed that others can’t resist. As followers of Jesus Christ, you and I are called to live exemplary lives that people around us respect and want to be around. Jesus says, "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16

We are called to be the light of Christ to others. We are called to represent Him well -- as we make choices of excellence. We are called to be noticed as others see our good works that bring glory to God. We are called to be His "promotional display"!
The choice is ours. We want to live our lives with excellence and goodness that bring glory to our loving Father.

Here we are just a week away from Christmas Day – and opportunities abound for us to be promoters of God -- His representatives. We can shine brightly in busy stores and wait patiently in check-out lines. We can use that time with our phones -- heads down scrolling through our messages and timeline or talking to someone on it -- totally ignoring others while we wait. Or, we can be promotional displays of God as we wait patiently, purposely smiling, noticing those around us -- like Jesus did with Zaccheus up in the tree, or the blind man begging. We can encourage a mama with an emotional child. We can offer to let someone go ahead of us who has only one or two items and we have a cart-full. We can spread "Joy to the World" wherever we are. May we be light-bearers and LIGHT-sharers as we make choices for how we will live our lives as promotional displays for the goodness and grace of our Lord Jesus. Then, others will be saying "I want some of that!"

Did You Get the Perfect Gifts for Everyone?

Merry Christmas Eve! Perfect Gifts for Everyone!
Merry Christmas Eve! Those were the words my sweet mama gave to each of her children on Christmas Eve by way of an early morning phone call. That memory is so sweet. I pray that it stays a “merry” Christmas Eve day for you even though it may mean last minute shopping, wrapping those final presents, cooking, and getting ready for the Christmas festivities to begin. Thankfully, my family and I will attend Christmas Eve service tonight that will draw us into a "Silent Night. Holy Night".

Yesterday, my pastor’s Sunday message was about the perfect Christmas gift. Do you remember your favorite Christmas gift as a child? Mine was a Tiny Tears Doll set. It was so "perfect" that she cried real tears and wet her diapers. In my pastor’s message, he said: “Lots of time is spent on finding the perfect gift. Joey, a 4-year old boy had a very busy dad with little time for his family but he found time to give Joey a bedtime story each night. After many nights of telling stories, the dad found a device that would read the stories to his son for him and gave it to his son as a gift. It worked a few nights, but the boy returned the gift to his dad saying he didn’t want to listen to the stories from the device anymore. The dad asked, “Why?” The child’s answer was: “Because it doesn’t hold me in your lap.” The child wanted his dad’s time and closeness. He wanted his dad’s “presence” more than he wanted presents.

I keep getting email messages that the subject line reads, "Give your family and friends "The Perfect Gift". I've been deleting most of those and not checking to find out what they meant until yesterday. "The Perfect Gift" is a Gift Card. My thought is “Well, it’s better than getting something you don’t need or want. But, PERFECT? I don't think so.” Back to my pastor’s message of presents versus our presence in those we will be with this Christmas and beyond.

Maybe you’re hustling and bustling around at this last minute to buy the final presents for friends and family. Be sure to include with these gifts, the gift of YOU. That looking into their eyes and them hearing your voice expressing your love for them, putting aside the cell phones to really, really listen to them. Go the extra mile of your presence by asking them how they’re REALLY doing and offering your encouragement and support. Let them know they matter – really matter to you.

And while you're at it, give them the only PERFECT GIFT we could ever give, the gift of HIM, Who is the PERFECT One, Who isn't a tangible "thing", but is the All in All, Beginning and End of joy, comfort, peace, life, love, happiness, and life everlasting. He is God's PERFECT GIFT to us. John 3:16 "For God so LOVED the world that He GAVE His only begotten Son -- that whoever believes in Him, would not perish but have everlasting life."

So how do we give that "Perfect Gift"? By giving ourselves as peacemakers, joy-peace-hope bearers, by being LIGHTS that this world desperately needs so much. Though Jesus is the ultimate, ever-ready, radiant, source of LIGHT that dispels darkness.....He told us in Matthew 5:14-16 that we are the light of the world. Your PERFECT GIFT this season? YOU, Your Presence and YOUR LIGHT shining brightly so that others will come to know Jesus Christ and His presence -- the ultimate PERFECT GIFT.

Live as Children of the LIGHT.

My word for today is LIGHT: the brightness that dispels darkness. Christmas LIGHTS are getting scarce now as most of us have taken down the LIGHTS from our homes and businesses, and packed them away for another year.

Now, it’s up to us to represent and be THE LIGHT to our family, our neighbors and our world. We are "the chosen ones" to be the peacemakers, servants, joy and hope bearers to this world that needs that LIGHT so much. We must live as Children of the Light! Ephesians 5:8 "For you were once darkness, but now you are LIGHT in the Lord. Live as children of LIGHT."

Just before Christmas my family and I went to see the new Star Wars movie: The Final Jedi. As with any Star Wars movie, the LIGHT Side and the Dark Side are at war with each other. You can sure tell that jealousy, hate, bitterness, anger and revenge caused Kylo Ren to champion the Dark Side. When we examine our hearts, it’s quite possible, we won’t find that we hate anyone, but every little “dark” thing that we allow to remain in our hearts can have a “dark” effect on us. We might not be in darkness, but we certainly might find ourselves in the “shade”.

In 1 John 2:5-7, John writes “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is LIGHT and in Him is NO darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

Jesus is the ultimate, ever-ready, radiant, source of LIGHT that dispels darkness, but He told us in Matthew 5:14-16 "YOU are the LIGHT of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a lamp, and put it under the bushel, but on the stand; and it shines to all that are in the house. Even so let YOUR LIGHT shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven."

What if OUR LIGHTS were shining so brightly that when people pass our way, they draw toward THE LIGHT and their world of darkness is dispelled? Maybe at the beginning of this new year, we should have a winter clear-ance sale and clear out all those things that hinder the LIGHT in us. Let’s open ourselves to His healing and empowering LIGHT today. When we declare with the Psalmist, “The Lord IS MY LIGHT and my salvation, who should I fear? The Lord is my life’s refuge, of whom should I be afraid?” – then there will never be a shadow of doubt which side we’re on, and all the dark forces that try to draw us to their side, will never win! May we BE the LIGHT that keeps on shining -- all year long!

And the LIGHT Keeps Shining Brightly

Day 4 of 365 days of my photo inspirations for 2015:
Tonight I was taken with the lights on many homes that are still brightly lit and shining in my children's Texas neighborhood.  While many Christmas lights have been put away for another year, I, and many others will conclude our Christmas season on January 6th, after the 12 days of Christmas, and at the celebration of Epiphany (the manifestation of the Lord)  and the day commemorated when  the Wise Men brought their gifts to the Christ Child.

As I saw those homes tonight, I was touched by our desire to hold onto the lights a little longer -- it makes for such a tender and welcoming invitation to those homes.  But, most of all, those lights continue to remind us of THE LIGHT that shines ever brightly in our hearts.

We will take down the lights from our homes, but it's up to us to represent and be THE LIGHT to our family, our neighbors and our world.  We are "the chosen ones" to be the peacemakers, servants, joy and hope bearers to this world that needs that LIGHT so much.

Though Jesus is the ultimate, ever-ready, radiant, source of LIGHT that dispels darkness.....He told us in Matthew 5:14-16 "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a lamp, and put it under the bushel, but on the stand; and it shines to all that are in the house. Even so let YOUR light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven."

What if OUR LIGHTS were shining so brightly that when people pass our way, they draw toward THE LIGHT and their world of darkness is dispeled?    Let's  BE the Light that keeps on shining -- all year long!

Give Your Family and Friends "The Perfect Gift for Christmas"

I keep getting email messages that the subject line reads, "Give your family and friends "THE PERFECT GIFT FOR CHRISTMAS".  I was deleting most of those and not even finding out what they meant until yesterday.  THE PERFECT GIFT???  A Gift Card.  And, I thought, yes, gift cards are great because you can buy anything you want.  But, why not just give someone cash?  What's the big deal of the PERFECT GIFT being a Gift Card?  I'm really grateful for any gift that comes to me, but I receive, and have even given, gift cards to stores that just maybe the receiver of the gift card just doesn't shop there.....and then when you get to the store and start looking.....it takes FOREVER to find something there you want to use the gift card for.  PERFECT?  I don't think so.

I think you know where I'm headed with that observation.  THE PERFECT GIFT?  That ONLY PERFECT GIFT we could ever give, is that of HIM, Who is the PERFECT One, Who isn't a tangible "thing", but is the ALL in ALL, BEGINNING and END of joy, comfort, peace, life, love, happiness, and life everlasting.

So how do we give that PERFECT GIFT to others -- by giving ourselves as peacemakers, servants, joy-peace-hope bearers, by being LIGHTS that this world so needs and wants.  Though Jesus is the ultimate, ever-ready, radiant, source of LIGHT that dispels darkness.....He told us in Matthew 5:14-16 "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid.  Neither do men light a lamp, and put it under the bushel, but on the stand; and it shines to all that are in the house.  Even so let YOUR light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven."

Your GIFT this season?   YOU and YOUR LIGHT shining brightly so that others will come to know THE PERFECT GIFT -- Jesus Christ!
#ThePerfectGift #LightOfTheWorld