Taking the Hide Road

Speaking as a gal whose done her share of travelling some high and low roads, I highly recommend the high roads. I've taken some perilous, torrential-rain, "low" roads that I had to turn around to take a higher road to travel. And, in the spiritual sense, I've taken some precarious "low" roads of doubt and fear and turned myself around to get back on the "high" roads of hope and faith.

There's some very angry, hurting people out there who are traveling some pretty low roads. Their hearts are broken for reasons only they know -- but most of all, they've never encountered love -- the true love of Jesus. Acting out and speaking vile and profane language is how they think they can make a difference in their world. I'm so sorry for them. If only they knew the freedom in taking the way of peace and joy that comes from our Savior. Oh, Lord, help us help them through our prayers and our living examples as Christ's followers. Here’s what God says:

~ Colossians 3:8 “But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.”
~ Ephesians 4:29 “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up that it may give grace to those who hear.”
~ Matthew 12:37 “For by your words you will be justified, and by your words, you will be condemned.”
~ Colossians 4:6 “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.”

So, how “different” are we from those who have no sense of "gracious, seasoned-with-salt" words? Some say that “It’s normal to vent and say it like you feel it. It’s normal to be angry and to speak hatefully. Normal to some is ranting and raving right along with everyone else who is travelling on those same low roads. But, those of us who take the "High Road" way, know that God called us to live a radical love-walk-and-talk life where kindness, love, joy and peace rules. There are many differences to be found in devoted God-followers.

~ We are LOVINGLY different -- extending His love freely and unconditionally to others.
~ We are TRUTHFULLY different -- believing the truth and loving the truth, speaking the truth and living the truth.
~ We are MERCIFULLY different -- knowing that God’s mercies are new every morning, we extend His mercies to those who have failed and disappointed us.
~ We are PRAYERFULLY different -- we pray in faith, we pray because of who God is and what He can do, we pray because of what God has said in His Word. We pray because we have the assurance that God hears us and answers our prayers.

We are DIFFERENT, and DIFFERENT never felt and looked so good! Being a difference maker to those on the low roads just might be the answer to this world's problems. I think I'll grab someone's hand on the low road and show them the way on the high road! How about you?

Celebrating our Differences

Once upon a time I started making Waikiki (beef) meatballs for my little family of four from my beloved Betty Crocker cookbook that was given to me as a wedding gift. Here I am 53 years later, still using that treasured cookbook and you can see I haven’t been too careful while making the sauce.

What’s different this year about my recipe, is my “different” family members. This photo represents our “different” food choices. One group still wants beef meatballs, another no-red meat group, gets turkey balls, and we have another one this year – meatless “balls” for my one vegetarian – our 13-year-old Bryson, the animal-lover, who refuses to eat an animal that was once alive! I love this family so much. I want to give them what they prefer. Bryson even said “I can’t tell any difference from the meat ones” that he loved every year before now.

These, my people, are all different. “Different strokes for different folks” is a saying that means there are different ways of doing something. We are all different and we all have different needs and wants -- which is ALL okay! What an amazing God Who created us with so much incredible diversity and variety – just like my meatballs! And, to top it off, He gives HIS kids so many options to what we prefer in life.

I’m always amazed when I think of how God created a world of different kinds of colors, tastes, sounds, foods, scenery, animals, ideas, and the list just goes on and on. But one area that is especially intriguing is the variety of people He has created. In fact, everyone is different. There are no two of us alike. We are each, individually, special.

In spite of our great diversity, the Bible says that we were all created in the image of God so we all have some things in common. We all think, reason, make decisions, worship, communicate, create, appreciate beauty. Those are "image of God" traits and abilities. But every one of us is unique, a one-of-a-kind, special, limited edition! This uniqueness doesn’t happen by accident. It’s also part of God’s grand design and plan. He forms each one of us lovingly and intentionally. There’s purpose, planning, and design that led up to our existence. Whether our parents rejoiced when they received the news of our pending arrival, or regretted their decision to procreate and conceive, we are here nonetheless, because God wanted us here!

David became a voice for each of us, expressing gratitude to God for His creative involvement in making us: “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” Psalm 139:13-15.

When we become a Christian, God’s creative work in our lives begins again in a different way. God gives each of us spiritual gifts through the person of His Holy Spirit. And with those gifts comes the opportunity to "serve up" a variety of "meatballs" -- er, rather, a variety of love and care and concern for believers and unbelievers (I Corinthians 12:7). The more we "serve up" a big old plate of kindness and generosity.....the more we hunger for more opportunities to serve. Sometimes, God will even change our minds about our likes and dislikes so we can serve even more, even better than before. Sometimes He will even change our ministries as we mature. Just like changing our food preferences – like my family! So, be YOU -- the you that God created to flourish and to be His representative to the world He has you in right now -- in this season!

Don't Be Normal. Be Different. Take the High Road.

I warn you! DON’T click on THAT link!!! Because I did. I clicked on a link that was in my timeline. The link led me to a well-known actor speaking at the Tonys Awards with such vile and profane words against our President that I quickly exited out. Here’s what God says to us about that:

~ Colossians 3:8 “But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.”
~ Ephesians 4:29 “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up that it may give grace to those who hear.”
~ Matthew 12:37 “For by your words you will be justified, and by your words, you will be condemned.”
~ Colossians 4:6 “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.”

How “different” are we from what is “normal” to others? Some say that “It’s NORMAL to say it like you feel it. It’s normal to be angry, speak hatefully about people, and on and on.” “Normal” to some is ranting and raving right along with everyone else who is just downright bitter about whoever and whatever.

"Normal” isn’t where God called us to be. He called us to live a radically abnormal life where kindness, love, joy and peace rules. Believing that way makes us not just different, but we are also difference makers. We take the High Road.

In Matthew 5, Jesus told us to be glad we are treated unfairly and wrong. What? THAT’S just not normal. In Matthew 5:11-15 He gave us a completely different way to handle those normally cranky folks. “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for, in the same way, they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

There are many differences to be found in devoted God-followers. These differences are seen in our relationship with God, in our place in the world, in our purpose in life, in our personal goals, in our commitments, in our motives, in our values, in our choices, and in our beliefs. One of the greatest differences is found in the attitudes of our hearts:

~ We are LOVINGLY different -- extending His love freely and unconditionally to others.
~ We are TRUTHFULLY different -- believing the truth and loving the truth, we speak the truth and live the truth.
~ We are MERCIFULLY different -- knowing that God’s mercies are new every morning, we extend His mercies to those who have failed and disappointed us.
~ We are PRAYERFULLY different -- we pray in faith, we pray because of who God is and what He can do, we pray because of what God has said in His Word. We pray because we have the assurance that God hears us and answers our prayers.

We are NOT normal. We are DIFFERENT, and DIFFERENT never felt and looked so good! I think I'll cruise on over to the High Road. How about you?

Don't Be Normal. Be Different. Take the High Road.

How “different” are we from what is “normal” to others? Some say that “It’s NORMAL to be stressed, fearful, overwhelmed, exhausted, angry, sad, speaking hateful about people, and on and on. “Normal” to some is ranting and raving right along with all those who are dissatisfied with politics and politicians.

My contention is that “normal” isn’t where God called us to be. He called us to live a radically ABNORMAL life where kindness, love, joy and peace RULES. Believing that way, makes us not just different, but we are also DIFFERENCE MAKERS. We take the High Road.

In Matthew 5, Jesus told us to be so different that in the face of being treated unfairly and wrong, He told us to be glad. What? THAT’S just not normal. In Matthew 5:11-15 He gave us a completely DIFFERENT way to handle those normally cranky and grumpy folks. “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

To live the life God wants us to live means we will be DIFFERENT. It will be different from the way the world and the enemy of our soul wants us to live. And it will be different from the way many of the people we know want us to live. It will be DIFFERENT when we don’t side in with hateful, mean and angry people.

There are many differences to be found in devoted God-followers. These differences are seen in our relationship with God, in our place in the world, in our purpose in life, in our personal goals, in our commitments, in our motives, in our values, in our choices, and in our beliefs. One of the greatest differences is found in the attitudes of our hearts:

~ We are LOVINGLY different -- extending His love freely and unconditionally to others.
~ We are TRUTHFULLY different -- believing the truth and loving the truth, we speak the truth and live the truth.
~ We are MERCIFULLY different -- knowing that God’s mercies are new every morning, we extend His mercies to those who have failed and disappointed us.
~ We are PRAYERFULLY different -- we pray in faith, we pray because of who God is and what He can do, we pray because of what God has said in His Word. We pray because we have the assurance that God hears us and answers our prayers.

We are NOT normal. We are DIFFERENT, and DIFFERENT never felt and looked so good! I think I'll cruise on over to the High Road. How about you?