With the New Year fast approaching, we all have our goals about how we will better ourselves in 2012. Some of us will embark on the getting fit journey, others will try to attend church more often, some will try to get more organized and there are even some who will try to tackle all three. It's funny how the only time we try to change ourselves is during the new year. It's a fresh start. Time to start over. The rest of the year, we are probably spending a little too much time trying to change others. If only my husband would show me more attention. I wish my parents would spend more time with me. My boss is so difficult to get along with, why can't he be nicer? What we are not realizing is the easiest way to change someone is to change yourself. If you change your outlook on people, situations, etc., no one will have a choice but to change with you.
When I first read 1 Peter 3:1-12, I immediately said to myself...no way am I tackling the "obey" your husband verse. After reading it several times, I realized this group of verses is exactly what we need to discuss.
Let's look a little deeper...
1 Peter 3:1-6, teaches us that wives should obey our husbands, whether they are Believers or not, God urges us to respect and obey our husbands.
1 Peter 3:7, teaches us that husbands should honor their wives.
Sounds pretty easy, right? Unfortunately, in our fallen world, it's all about who goes first. Well, I'll respect my husband as soon as he honors me. Why should honor my wife when she doesn't respect me? Honestly, we sound like a bunch of kids. It's no fair Dad. Why do I have to go first?
The amazing thing is, if one person goes first, the other has no where to go but to change. If your husband is all of a sudden honoring you and making you feel special, you will have nothing but respect for him. Same goes for the husbands...if your wife would start respecting you, you will feel nothing but honor towards her.
The change has to start somewhere...why not with you?
As you're making your resolutions for the New Year, think of how you can help others change by changing yourself first. It's amazing the difference it can make in a marriage, a family and a friendship.
1 Peter 3:1 In the same way, you wives must accept the authority of your husbands, even those who refuse to accept the Good News. Your godly lives will speak to them better than any words.
1 Peter 3:7 In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat her with understanding as you live together.
1 Peter 3:9 Don't repay evil for evil. Don't retaliate when people say unkind things about you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God wants you to do, and he will bless you for it.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
This Week's Reading is...
1 Peter 3:1-12
Please join us on Wednesday December 28th as we take a deeper look into 1 Peter 3:1-12.
Merry Christmas!
Please join us on Wednesday December 28th as we take a deeper look into 1 Peter 3:1-12.
Merry Christmas!
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Behavior That Is Pleasing To God
Last week, my family and I took a wonderful trip to Disney. For those of you who have not had the pleasure of experiencing the kindness that Disney shows to our special needs children, let me give you a brief picture. My son Sean, who has autism, loves Cinderella. All he kept telling us before we left for Disney was that he was going to say to Cinderella "May I have this dance?" He also was pretty adamant on dancing with her. As we are waiting for our turn to see Cinderella, which was a very short wait thanks to Disney's Guest Assistance pass that was given to Sean, Sean was so excited. He was literally bouncing off the walls, laughing, smiling...he couldn't wait. Then, he turned the corner and saw her. His eyes beamed. His smile took over the room. I secretly gave Cinderella's helpers a heads up that he was going to ask her to dance. They smiled and said "we can't wait." It was then Sean's turn. He walked over to Cinderella, grabbed her hands, smiled and said "May I have this dance?" She curtsied and said "You may." Then, they danced. Everyone in the room, including parents who were there to see there own children's faces light up, watched and smiled as Sean lived out his dream of dancing with Cinderella. Moms cried. Grandparents cried. Even Sean's twin brother got a little emotional as we watched Disney World make his dream come true.
In moments like these, it's very easy to have behavior that is pleasing to God. I smiled and thanked everyone for their support. My patience with my children as well as others in the park was so easy to have because I felt the support and at that time, autism didn't seem that hard.
Fast forward a couple days later. We are now at Epcot. The one attraction that Sean really had his heart on riding was Mission Space. Unfortunately, the ride was closed at the time. He ended up not being able to ride Mission Space because we had to hurry up and catch our bus or we would have had to wait another 2 hours for the next bus. At that time of the day, we were all done. Of course, this meant major meltdown in the world of autism. Please remember my child is now 9. He starts doing what we call his "fake" cry as we are walking. Keep in mind, on my son's shirt is a big name tag that says "Autism" along with his name and my cell phone number. Most people smiled or gave me a supportive look. However, I did have to meet that one person who made it all come crashing down and made this week's post really speak volumes to me.
As Sean is fake crying, a mom...yes, a mom...stops dead in her tracks, looks at my son and gets the most disgusting look on her face. She then proceeds to say very loudly, "Ew!" right in my son's face. In that moment I could do one out of two things. One is a behavior that is pleasing to God and the other is not. I chose to look at her, smile and say "Merry Christmas!" She still didn't get it and probably never will. However, I did. I knew that chasing her down, smacking her across the face and saying really mean things to her may have felt good in the moment but it is not the behavior that Christians need to have. People are watching us and learn from us as we smile during our moments that seem to be the hardest.
1 Peter 2:12 says... Be careful how you live among your unbelieving neighbors. Even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will believe and give honor to God when he comes to judge the world.
You see, she may not have learned anything from that moment but someone else around me did. She may not have seen how staring and saying things could really impact a person. However, I did. I know that I am more careful with how I look at others, say things about others and I try so hard not to judge. After all, we have no idea what crosses others are carrying.
I like to think that this mom had no clue that my son has autism. I like to think that to her he was acting like a typical 9 year old. Thinking like this helps me continue to take moments like these and try my hardest to as Jesus did when he suffered.
This suffering is all part of what God has called you to do. Christ, who suffered for you, is your example. Follow in his steps. He never sinned, and he never deceived anyone. He did not retaliate when he was insulted. When he suffered, he did not threaten to get even. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly. He personally carried away our sins in his own body on the cross so we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. You have been healed by his wounds! Once you were wandering like lost sheep. But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls. - 1 Peter 2:21-25
In moments like these, it's very easy to have behavior that is pleasing to God. I smiled and thanked everyone for their support. My patience with my children as well as others in the park was so easy to have because I felt the support and at that time, autism didn't seem that hard.
Fast forward a couple days later. We are now at Epcot. The one attraction that Sean really had his heart on riding was Mission Space. Unfortunately, the ride was closed at the time. He ended up not being able to ride Mission Space because we had to hurry up and catch our bus or we would have had to wait another 2 hours for the next bus. At that time of the day, we were all done. Of course, this meant major meltdown in the world of autism. Please remember my child is now 9. He starts doing what we call his "fake" cry as we are walking. Keep in mind, on my son's shirt is a big name tag that says "Autism" along with his name and my cell phone number. Most people smiled or gave me a supportive look. However, I did have to meet that one person who made it all come crashing down and made this week's post really speak volumes to me.
As Sean is fake crying, a mom...yes, a mom...stops dead in her tracks, looks at my son and gets the most disgusting look on her face. She then proceeds to say very loudly, "Ew!" right in my son's face. In that moment I could do one out of two things. One is a behavior that is pleasing to God and the other is not. I chose to look at her, smile and say "Merry Christmas!" She still didn't get it and probably never will. However, I did. I knew that chasing her down, smacking her across the face and saying really mean things to her may have felt good in the moment but it is not the behavior that Christians need to have. People are watching us and learn from us as we smile during our moments that seem to be the hardest.
1 Peter 2:12 says... Be careful how you live among your unbelieving neighbors. Even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will believe and give honor to God when he comes to judge the world.
You see, she may not have learned anything from that moment but someone else around me did. She may not have seen how staring and saying things could really impact a person. However, I did. I know that I am more careful with how I look at others, say things about others and I try so hard not to judge. After all, we have no idea what crosses others are carrying.
I like to think that this mom had no clue that my son has autism. I like to think that to her he was acting like a typical 9 year old. Thinking like this helps me continue to take moments like these and try my hardest to as Jesus did when he suffered.
This suffering is all part of what God has called you to do. Christ, who suffered for you, is your example. Follow in his steps. He never sinned, and he never deceived anyone. He did not retaliate when he was insulted. When he suffered, he did not threaten to get even. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly. He personally carried away our sins in his own body on the cross so we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. You have been healed by his wounds! Once you were wandering like lost sheep. But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls. - 1 Peter 2:21-25
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
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