I've been trying to teach my students about character and being Christ-like, then it hit me, how am I supposed to teach them to be Christ-like when most everything in our society goes completely against what Christ taught. We've been doing a Health lesson on dieting and self-esteem. I was explaining to them them we should not judge someone based on the way they look, however they should be judged on their character. How do they treat others, what is their attitude like, do they display the "do unto others as you would have done to you", characteristic? I sometimes wonder if my blind student has it better when it comes to determining who people really are. He has to fully rely upon their characteristics and their attitudes. He can't look at someone and make a judgment about who they are based on their looks. When I asked him during class what he thought about the class based on just knowing them from their actions, he jokingly said, "You're all ugly" which in turn made us all laugh!
After I showed them this video clip, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hibyAJOSW8U we discussed how Hollywood and the media set us up to fail when it comes to looking the way the world thinks we should look. I asked them this, "How many of you have met someone who was really attractive, yet once you got to know them they weren't as attractive as you once thought they were?" The whole class had met someone like this, when asked what changed their minds they said, "they didn't have a good personality or they weren't very nice." They discussed how they didn't realize that the media had changed the way the actors/actresses looked and they just assumed that's what they always looked like. I was surprised by their lack of reality.
The scripture speaks in Proverbs 23:7, "As he thinketh in his heart, so is he." The way we look at ourselves will determine how we feel about ourselves and affect our relationships with others and Christ. Unfortunately, by the time we become adults our self-image and self-esteem has been so destroyed by things that happened to us in childhood, it takes a lot of time to reverse the damage.
Paul said he rejoiced in his infirmities, he had to rely on God to help him with whatever issue he had. If you're dealing with self-esteem or self-worth issues remember you're not the only one, even Moses dealt with it, he asked for God to use his brother to speak for him. Just remember you have one you can take it to, the One whose image you were created in!
As a side note, I've been reading a great book regarding this topic and more if you're looking for more insight check out "Healing For Damage Emotions" by David A. Seamands.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Sunday, February 13, 2011
The true meaning of Love is NOT flowers and chocolates!
For the last 4 years I have not looked forward to Valentine's Day. It's just another reminder that I've lost my husband and back in the world of dating and singleness. Don't get me wrong I'm comfortable in my singleness, however when the rest of the country is celebrating their love it's a little overwhelming being reminded you don't have someone to celebrate with! However, my family and wonderful friends always make sure I know that I'm loved on this day!
This brings me to my title, yes I know, we all enjoy getting Valentine's from our significant other, but does the chocolate and flowers really prove they love you? Do you need it to believe they love you? I would hope not, because this day comes but only once a year.
God's love however is with us each and every day and it's not the kind of love that is dependent upon if we are being obedient. His love is unconditional, no matter what we do He will always love us. However, if we aren't showing Him the same kind of unconditional love by obeying Him are we showing how much we love Him?
God clearly gives us the definition of love in 1 Corinthians 13,"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned,[a] but have not love, it profits me nothing. 4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. 13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love."
If we really follow His word for what Love means, we would never need a day to "show" our love because we would be showing it everyday! Christ showed the ultimate jester of love by dying on the cross for each and every one of us (John 3:16). I hope everyone has had a wonderfully blessed Valentine's Day!!!
This brings me to my title, yes I know, we all enjoy getting Valentine's from our significant other, but does the chocolate and flowers really prove they love you? Do you need it to believe they love you? I would hope not, because this day comes but only once a year.
God's love however is with us each and every day and it's not the kind of love that is dependent upon if we are being obedient. His love is unconditional, no matter what we do He will always love us. However, if we aren't showing Him the same kind of unconditional love by obeying Him are we showing how much we love Him?
God clearly gives us the definition of love in 1 Corinthians 13,"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned,[a] but have not love, it profits me nothing. 4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. 13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love."
If we really follow His word for what Love means, we would never need a day to "show" our love because we would be showing it everyday! Christ showed the ultimate jester of love by dying on the cross for each and every one of us (John 3:16). I hope everyone has had a wonderfully blessed Valentine's Day!!!
Saturday, February 12, 2011
The Silent Treatment
Have you ever made someone upset, whether you realized it or not and instead of them telling you they were upset they just didn't speak to you? Maybe they did tell you they were upset and still didn't speak to you. They gave you the silent treatment and expected you to read their mind and know what you did or what they needed. I was thinking about this today and I have to admit I despise the silent treatment. I would rather someone scream and yell at me, getting it all out of their system so then we could discuss it, than to just keep silent and say nothing at all. The silent treatment is like saying, you don't deserve to know what you did wrong nor do you deserve the right to defend your actions. I'm just going to ignore you and hope you figure it out! I'm not speaking about a silence when we know the best way to handle a situation and to keep peace is to remain silent. I'm speaking about the defiant, I'll just teach you a lesson silence.
I tried to relate this to how we/I can sometimes treat the Lord. By not spending time with Him each day in prayer how He must feel like He is getting the "silent treatment." Even if our intentions aren't to treat Him this way, if we are not putting into our relationship with Him what we would like to get out of it, I wonder if he is offended or disappointed. Our silence is our lack of spending time in prayer before the Lord. His word in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says, "Pray without ceasing." That would mean God doesn't want the silent treatment. When we aren't getting our way and He didn't answer a prayer the way we thought it should be answered, we are still to continue to pray. He knows best and His will is best! Without praying continuously we are in essence giving God the silent treatment.
I tried to relate this to how we/I can sometimes treat the Lord. By not spending time with Him each day in prayer how He must feel like He is getting the "silent treatment." Even if our intentions aren't to treat Him this way, if we are not putting into our relationship with Him what we would like to get out of it, I wonder if he is offended or disappointed. Our silence is our lack of spending time in prayer before the Lord. His word in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says, "Pray without ceasing." That would mean God doesn't want the silent treatment. When we aren't getting our way and He didn't answer a prayer the way we thought it should be answered, we are still to continue to pray. He knows best and His will is best! Without praying continuously we are in essence giving God the silent treatment.
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