Simple, but Not Easy!

Via TJC

“But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. Then the word of the Lord came to me. He said, ‘Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?’ declares the Lord. ‘Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel.’ ” ~ Jeremiah 18:4-6 (NIV)

The hardest part about being a Christian man is ‘being a Christian man’ - this author.

Do you ever feel like you never get off the “potter’s wheel “? That God Almighty has chosen you to pick on or that you know that your break is coming soon but it just never shows up! 

For me, the last couple of weeks have been especially challenging at home, above the normal challenges.

Shuttling around for school, baseball, church and work we have had birthdays and wedding preparations not to mention work and doing “stuff” to help those trying to make our country great.

My 7th grade son has discovered girls, and they discovered him! Consequently, my wife and I discovered some of his conversations, and we were not pleased with his “courting techniques”. Anyway, after a heated four-way conversation (including my 25-year-old stepson) that just made everyone more ticked-off, we all went to our respective corners to lament about the unkind words and intent that were thrown around like ninja-throwing knives!

I went outside by myself. I had felt defeated, inept and defeated to say the least …unqualified. I had nothing left for the battle…that’s when the Holy Spirit gently tapped on my shoulder and said, “Look, here I AM.” Folks have heard me say, “That’s above my pay grade.”

God often brings us to our brokenness so we can no longer look to ourselves, but to Him and Him alone. 

God gave me this message: “Better than imparting ‘Godly’ wisdom to your son or stepson with words, impart wisdom to them with how you Live, with how you walk out your Faith – your Character.”

I acted on God’s advice. I took my sons, started a fire outside and had a chat. This chat began where the last one ended, with loose words and kaka flying around, which hurt. I then explained to them that Christ's way of responding is the way of Forgiveness and of Love (=His idea, not mine). I explained that our best tactic for dealing with the recent, raucous events was to first Forgive the ones that hurt us and then Love them – that these are God’s “one-two punches”!  

I then proceeded to Forgive and to Love. My sons soon followed.   

Daily Battle Order: The hardest part about being a Christian man is ‘being a Christian man’. In fact, to walk the walk in the fullness of what God wants for us, is impossible ... without God.

What I can do is give & ask for forgiveness. I can use words, but my whole family is also watching how I live it.

I’ve shared how my week has gone. Consider the words you’ve shared with your family this week, and How you’ve been living them out