“Standing Tall”

Out on a hot summer day in the park, I sat down in the shade under a tree, waiting for husband to return from the car after forgetting his camera. I could feel a slight breeze, except with the latest heat wave we have been having it felt more like putting your face in front of the heater, than any actual relief. I watched the little kids play in the fountain, laughing and giggling cooling off with the water spraying down in mists. As much as I would have loved to go over there and giggle and look crazy jumping through the fountain, I decided to casually walk by to catch a little of that mist. It’s a little toasty when it’s 95 degrees and you are use to a mild 76. I simply walked by drinking my bottled water and …..oh boy that mist laying over my shoulders felt good…enough to get a smile out of me. So after another quick walk by, I went to return back to my shaded spot and realized it was now taken. Okay, I got a little mist which felt great, but now I am sitting out in the hot sun, in which all this great mist I just got will quickly dry up and I will be then be in a worse position looking for more shade.

I have been praying to God over this situation I have found myself in.

I have been praying to God about someone who is a friend, and relation, not by blood, but being about the same age we have grown up over the years and kept in touch by phone. We have always been states away, but kept in contact weekly.

Before I was a Christian I didn’t realize how empty my life was. I would go out dancing at the clubs, drink a few on Saturday night and generally figured I would get around to God, sometime… My friend was the same way, not real sure which one of us was worse in our behaviors, but that was a long time ago. Now, years later and being a Christian, I find myself trying daily to grow in God’s Word and deepen my relationship to him. I believe that it’s not only a way to spiritually grow, it’s a good life to have when God is in it. My dear friend says she loves God, and has been to church off and on and maybe an occasional reading of the scriptures. Although she doesn’t live quite the way she used either, she continues to hold onto some of the old habits and has no intention of letting them go. She tries to justify those things, and feels she can live as worldly as she deems and have God. Even gets angry at God if things are not right for her and expects to be blessed, even when her actions or words goes against God.

Now, you know I could write a book on those last two sentences alone.

I don’t want to sound judgmental, she can live however she sees fit. But if she is sinning purposely on Saturday and witnessing on Sunday and talking to me about God, I feel almost offended, because I love God so much and respect him.

No one is perfect and we all sin, but to love God is to strive to be in his grace. Daily, we should want to please God and ‘put off the old man.’ We don’t need to live like we use to because we found a more joyful and fulfilling way to live in Christ. If we continually sin on purpose, or do the things we know are against God, then how can we expect God to be pleased? As a Christian I can only show with love, what the scriptures say and pray for her and try not to sound judgmental. But I have found sometimes it to be a struggle even for me to not fall into my old suit. Sometimes to not offend her I have laughed at some of the jokes that may not be appropriate as a Christian. She chooses to stay right where she is in her relationship and has said so. I wish to grow, and I really don’t want to offend, or lose a friend, but it’s hindering my growth as a Christian.

Going to the park and waiting on my husband gave me time to understand what I should do. Just like watching the children laughing and playing in the fountain, it was like the old me, doing things I use to do as a child before I knew God. The heat is like when the pressure is on, you just take what seems to be the easy way out. Instead of standing tall in your faith and God’s words, you allow yourself to get a little wet.  So you bend a little and find yourself acting a little like the old man, and then go to return, and find yourself worse off than before you decided to bend. All that work of finding that shade tree in the first place…and now you have to do it all again.  All that growing you have been doing and learning, you were progressing and taking steps forward, you fell back a few steps. You realize that even though a little dip in the water seemed harmless, it caused you to lose the shade. Now God understands we are not perfect. But if God was testing me to see if the salt was still strong in flavor, I fail every single time I am willing to bend. Who is first in my life, and who I am willing to offend? The world, or God? I realize more and more that being a Christian, even though you may think it’s okay to bend now and then you really are defeating who you are as a Christian. You cannot grow tall if you keep bending over. We are to stand firm, stand tall, even if unpopular, even if it’s a friend. We are to be a light, and if we are strong in our faith and our love for Jesus Christ, then we may be able to ‘light’ the way for others. If we are truly God’s child, then we should always try to reflect our Father.

Matthew 5:13-16 - “You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt loses its savor, with what shall it be salted? It is no longer good for anything, but to be thrown out and to be trodden underfoot by men.  (14)  You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.  (15)  Nor do men light a lamp and put it under the grain-measure, but on a lampstand. And it gives light to all who are in the house.  (16)  Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in Heaven.”