Tuesday, August 18, 2009
mentoring, reflecting, serving
This last few days I have been gaining a new appreciation for those dear, gentle, older ladies who mentored me as a teen and young adult! How hard it must have been for them to see the next generation's "new" Christianity, "new" language, etc. And I never considered their plight! God surely must have blessed them for loving me in spite of it all. I think I can take some comfort in the knowledge that I think I turned out surpisingly well - and I am now where they were, so afraid for these younger ones who call themselves Christians but act nothing like how I think they should,. and also for the yet-unsaved loved ones who seem so far away (and like impossible cases). So, do I just pray and trust and leave it to God to help them become holy? Or is it not still my place to sound the alarm and try to send nudges toward a deeper walk, a more separated life from the world? It all seems so hard to me.....I know God did the greater work in me, but I know also that their training was one of His tools. This Christian walk never ends and listening for His voice and counsel is important at every age. I don't want to disappoint the One who died for me...
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For years, I felt a need to make a strong statement when I didn't agree with something someone professing Christianity did. It's fine to do that, but I think it's critical to look inward first to determine if your reason for stating something is to help them or lift yourself up. Once you decide you have no personal gain anywhere in the equation, no personal reasons for it, then it's right to offer advice in a loving manner and let them live with the results. Most of the time, whoever it is, younger or older, will ignore it or seemingly so, but they heard it, and that's all you can do. God will do the rest. He has the strength, not us. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Scott, for caring and commenting. I rest in the knowledge that He has the strength, the power, the love, and the ultimate responsibility for our salvation, and that includes those I care about. The scriptural assurance that, "He who began a good work in (you) will be faithful to complete it." So, I will rest in Him, but be open to His instruction.
ReplyDeleteRight on! It is so easy to be judgmental, isn't it? I can't say I have always risen above that but it is my desire to do so. Dan is preaching on the Holy Spirit and holy living right now and I am sure it will be a reminder to me that "my" holiness is really the Lord's holiness shining through me. We are reminded to be lighthouses and not foghorns.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking the same thing this morning - that the message has implications for me, for sure! There is hope as long as I still care and want to learn from the Teacher...and I do!
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