40 Days of Lint, Day Thirty-Three: Keeping Up Appearances

Obviously, we can’t please all the people all the time, and we’ll go mad if we try. The real question is why we do what we do: Do we live to please ourselves, not caring how it looks? Or do we make the conscious effort to sacrifice some pleasures and conveniences so Christ will be honored and others will be drawn to Him? Only God can show us what is right in each situation, but He will, if we ask.

Today's post in the 40 Days of Lint talks more about our part in this:

http://bethvice.blogspot.com/2011/04/40-days-of-lint-day-thirty-three.html 

40 Days of Lint, Day Thirty: Jesus on the Throne

Today, we are three-fourths of the way through our lint-cleansing journey to Easter, and I want to make sure I present the whole truth about Jesus. I’m so grateful we can know Jesus is our friend. He can relate to everything we feel and desire. But He is also God.

Follow the link below for today's post in the "40 Days of Lint."

http://bethvice.blogspot.com/2011/04/40-days-of-lint-day-thirty-jesus-on.html

40 Days of Lint, Day Twenty-Three, Foolishness

In the 1956 movie Court Jester, Danny Kaye pretends to be a jester joking his way through his mission to save the true king. My favorite scene is his famous monologue and tongue twister, “The pellet with the poison in the vessel with the pestle. The chalice from the palace has the brew that is true!” No matter how silly the presentation, the jester’s heart to serve his king was true and good eventually won.
Find today's Lent post at:
http://bethvice.blogspot.com/2011/04/40-days-of-lint-day-twenty-three.html

40 Days of Lint, Day Eighteen, and intro to Part 3

Part Three: Pocket Lint (What is Hidden)
Welcome to Part Three of the “40 Days of Lint” series. In this section we’ll probe the areas of our lives that, to most, remain hidden. Like pocket lint, no one knows it’s there except us - and the One who knows our every thought and intent, even before we do. We don’t have to fear His knowledge of us, since...

Follow the link for today's post:

http://bethvice.blogspot.com/2011/03/40-days-of-lint-part-2-pocket-lint-what.html

Day Three in the Lent series: A Dry Fleece

If you're looking for Day Three of the 40 Days of Lint series, follow this link, or type "40 Days of Lint, Day Three" in the search engine at the top left corner of the blog :

http://bethvice.blogspot.com/search?q=40+Days+of+Lint%2C+Day+Three

40 Days of Lint, Day Thirty-Three: Keeping Up Appearances

Every day we make decisions based on evidence we see. We judge whether we want to stay at a motel or not by the outside appearance, plus the cleanliness and décor of the front office. We like job candidates with a friendly, confident demeanor, who look us in the eye and give a firm handshake. They’re more likely to get a second look than someone who shuffles in looking like they just rolled out of bed. A woman who dresses provocatively is seen as an easy mark; a well kept lawn reflects on the home owner; and a defendant with greasy hair and missing teeth is more likely to be found guilty than someone who is neat and clean. Appearances matter.

That’s why Paul encouraged the Christians in Thessalonica to, “Abstain from all appearance of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:22, KJV).

So why is it that I hear many Christians today say, “I don’t care what other people think; I know I’m not doing anything wrong.” They continue to do things that have the obvious appearance of sin. Does the scripture no longer apply? It’s true that no matter how careful you are, some people will still draw the wrong conclusions. We’re not responsible for them, but we are responsible to do to do the best we can to avoid misrepresenting Christ.

Kelly and I met online. When we started seeing each other in person, he hauled his fifth wheel from Tillamook to Salem and rented a spot at the local RV Park to stay in on the weekends. He arrived every Friday after a full work week, and we spent that evening, Saturday, and Sunday together before he headed home again. It would have been cheaper and a lot less trouble if he had slept on the couch at my house. However, we knew it would look bad for his truck to be parked there overnight (not to mention the temptation!). Yet, some still assumed we slept together before marriage.

Our goal as Christians is to look, act, and speak in a way that shows we’re sold out for Christ. The once popular buzz phrase is still a good question: “If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?” We do need to care what others think. And be willing to pay the cost to protect God’s reputation.

Apostle Paul addressed the questionable practices of his day with these words, “If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love” (Romans 14:15). It helps me to replace the word “eat” with “wear,” “say,” “watch,” or anything else I’m seeking God’s wisdom about. It helps me to remember my life affects others in the Body of Christ.

Paul was also willing to give up some things he could have done, if they were a hindrance to others becoming Christians: “Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible…I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings” (1 Corinthians 9:19-23). What a good example for us today.

Obviously, we can’t please all the people all the time, and we’ll go mad if we try. The real question is why we do what we do: Do we live to please ourselves, not caring how it looks? Or do we make the conscious effort to sacrifice some pleasures and conveniences so Christ will be honored and others will be drawn to Him? Only God can show us what is right in each situation, but He will, if we ask.

Lint Removed: Pleasing Ourselves

Cleaning Process: Protecting God’s Reputation

40 Days of Lint, Day Thirty: Jesus on the Throne

My husband laughs at how often I make friends in public restrooms. I don’t know, there’s something basic about being there together that encourages conversation. We women are relational by nature. I guess in the bathroom, we’re all on the same level.

Imagine my surprise, after a chatty little conversation with one such individual, when I find out they’re a high powered editor or keynote speaker for a national corporation. Yet they just talked to me, while washing hands at the next sink, as if we were equals, without pretense or condescension. I’m always impressed with those people like that - incredibly talented and much in demand, yet they take the time to treat me like a person of value.

That’s what Jesus does. He came in the form of a man and experienced the same emotions and temptations we do. He was misunderstood and mistreated. He knew ahead of time it would be that way, yet He still reached out in kindness and humility. That’s why we can sing “I am a Friend of God” today with the assurance that we really are.

He meets us in common, everyday situations and chats with us on our level. When we exit this “restroom of life,” we’ll see Him in all His glory, up front and onstage. Ezekiel was wowed by his vision of Jesus:

“Above the vault over their heads was what looked like a throne of lapis lazuli,* and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man. I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him. Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him.

This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. When I saw it, I fell

facedown...” (Ezekiel 1:26-28). *an intensely blue semi-precious rock

And John’s vision included even more details:

“At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper* and ruby.** A rainbow that shone like an emerald*** encircled the throne” (Revelation 4:2-3). *an opaque stone of red, yellow, blue, or green **pink to blood red gemstone ***green gemstone

Today, we are three-fourths of the way through our lint-cleansing journey to Easter, and I want to make sure I present the whole truth about Jesus. I’m so grateful we can know Jesus is our friend. He can relate to everything we feel and desire. But He is also God. As a man, He endured unimaginable torture for our sake. But now His mission is complete. Today He reigns in indescribable beauty and power.

How wonderful that we can celebrate Easter knowing Jesus is no longer on the cross, or in the tomb, but on the throne! He sits in radiant splendor, surrounded by rich colors and beauty beyond our imagination, receiving a constant flow of worship by angels and Christians who have gone before us. Yet, we can talk to Jesus anytime we want, about the most trivial matters. He will give us all the time we need. He will hold our hand, walk with us, embrace us, pray for us, or nudge us forward, depending on our need. We are indeed the most blessed of all people - we have a Friend in high places who is worthy to be adored!

Lint Removed: A Lopsided View of Christ

Cleaning Process: Look to the Throne

40 Days of Lint, Day Twenty-Nine: The Look of Love

Our pastor preached on Zacchaeus - the vertically challenged tax collector who climbed a tree to get a glimpse of Jesus. The service turned briefly sing-along when he sang the opening phrase of the old Sunday school tune. To his surprise we all chimed in, “Zacchaeus was a wee little man, a wee little man was he…” although many petered out after the first line, quite a number sang the whole song with gusto.

“Isn’t it interesting,” said Pastor Sid, “that we always shake our finger when we say the line: ‘Zacchaeus, you come down from there, for I’m going to your house today’? As if Jesus was a parent scolding a naughty child. But I don’t think He said it that way at all.”

I wholeheartedly agreed with this thought. Zacchaeus was willing to make a spectacle of himself. This wealthy man ran down the street and climbed a tree because he desperately needed to see Jesus. I can’t imagine Jesus would scold and embarrass him further. I think He surprised Zack though when He looked up into that very tree and with incredible love, spoke his name.

There are two other passages that I think we often misinterpret. The first is Jesus’ encounter with the rich young ruler, and the second is when Peter denied Him. Many think He looked on them with anger, but I believe in both cases Jesus looked at them with a depth of love we cannot even comprehend. Here’s an excerpt from both stories:

The Rich Young Ruler:

 “‘Good teacher,’ he asked, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’

‘Why do you call me good?’ Jesus answered. ‘No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: “You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.”’

‘Teacher,’ he declared, ‘all these I have kept since I was a boy.’

Jesus looked at him and loved him. ‘One thing you lack,’ he said. ‘Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’ At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth” (Mark 10:17-22, emphasis mine).

Peter’s Denial:

“‘Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean.’

Peter replied, ‘Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!’ Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: ‘Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.’ And he went outside and wept bitterly” (Luke 22:59-62, emphasis mine).

Why do we assume Jesus looked angry? I had an encounter with someone very dear to me that gave me some idea. She came to pick something up from our house and I no more than opened the door when she asked, “What are you so mad about?”

“Nothing,” I replied in surprise. “Do I look angry?” I was in fact glad for the chance to see her. Her self-destructive choices had kept her away and I missed her presence in my life. She knows her sin is breaking my heart and that I pray day and night for her. What she interpreted as anger on my face was actually jealous love for her soul.

I think we often misinterpret God the same way. Our guilt and shame color our view of Him as angry and out to get us, when in fact He yearns after us with a love we cannot fathom. He can see what sin is doing to us and the pain we’re bringing on ourselves in our self-worship. The sadness we see is that He must refrain from pulling us in against our will. Jesus does not force, but invites us to accept His love.

So when Jesus looked at the rich young man who walked away, and Peter, who vowed he loved the Lord in the daylight, but denied he even knew Him in the dark - He looked on them with love. As far as we know, the rich young man never came back, but Peter did. And he had the incredible joy of seeing the marvelous completion of God’s plan, after He rose from the dead.

Jesus looks at us the same way. The sacrifice has been made, our sins are forgiven; He calls us to come and accept His love. He longs to make us whole. Do we see Him as angry because we’re not willing to part with our shame, or as the loving Savior He is?

Lint Removed: Misinterpreting His Countenance

Cleaning Process: Accept His Love

40 Days of Lint, Day Twenty-Five: Exposed!

I heard the story of a man who was secretly married to two different women. The families lived in two different states, and had a completely separate life unaware the other existed. Imagine their shock when he died and these families discovered each other. A similar case was revealed in 2010 when thirty-three men were trapped in a mine in Chile. The families gathered for prayer where his wife came face to face with her husband’s mistress. The events of his rescue proved to be a revelation for them all.

I’ve had secrets uncovered to my own demise too. When I was a child, I disliked meat. At our home in Tennessee, I had been able to sneak it out to a spot in the garage where the cat ate it. But when we moved to Oregon, I unwisely tossed my partially chewed meat under the table to dispose of after the meal. But one night, my dad discovered my little secret. And he was none too happy.

I’ve been caught in lies, disobedience, irresponsibility, and even cruelty. I’m thankful for the times I was discovered and forced to see the harm I’d done to myself and others. It gave me opportunities to think things over and make different choices the next time.

On the other hand, it’s nice when we have secrets that are for the blessing and encouragement of others. Even when we try to keep them hidden, sometimes others find out. The best treasures, though, are the secrets we share with Jesus. He delights in our plans and rewards our efforts for His sake, even when we make a mess in our attempts.

The sins of some are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them;

 the sins of others trail behind them.

In the same way, good deeds are obvious,

and even those that are not obvious cannot remain hidden forever.

1 Timothy 5:24-25

Someday, everything will be revealed – our intentions, thoughts, words, and actions. At the Judgment seat, what’s hidden in our pockets will be emptied for all to see. We will either hang our head in shame for giving in to temptation, or gratefully praise our Father for leading us the right Way. We might fool others now, but God sees it plainly. Even our deepest heart and most private thoughts are open to His gaze.

As long as we live, God looks on us with love and compassion, calling us to walk with Him and take pleasure in His ways. But if we pull back from Him now, we’ll be exposed on the Day of Judgment. I’m so grateful for Jesus’ blood that covers all the sins of our past. We can walk in newness of spirit with Him every day. Whatever we openly show Him now is cleansed by His forgiveness. That gives us hope for the Day we stand before His throne, with no secrets to hide.

Lint Removed: Secrets

Cleaning Process: Be Honest With God

40 Days of Lint, Day Twenty-three: Foolishness

I've done a lot of foolish things in my life. I’ve paid good money for things I later realized were worthless and trivial. I’ve spouted meaningless verbiage in my efforts to be wise and helpful. I’ve embarrassed myself in front of others, even blushed at my stupidity when no one else was around. The worst sort of foolishness, however, is when I realize my words or actions have made God’s name look bad.

It’s so easy to do. Careless words can wound and fester. An unguarded look can become the poster for Christianity in someone else’s mind. When I act before thinking, worse yet, before praying, it can damage the cause of Christ and everything I hold so dear.



That’s why David’s prayer is also the prayer of my heart:

You, God, know my folly; my guilt is not hidden from you.

Lord, the LORD Almighty, may those who hope in you

not be disgraced because of me;

God of Israel,

may those who seek you not be put to shame because of me.

Psalm 69:5-6

I plead with God to weed the folly from my heart. All the hidden stupidity that comes so easily. On the other hand, I ask that He let me be His jester instead. Interestingly enough, European monarchs used to employ jesters not only to entertain but to offer wisdom and insight in the form of poetic humor. Shakespeare often used the jester in his plays to speak truths no one else dares bring into the open.

In the 1956 movie Court Jester, Danny Kaye pretends to be a jester joking his way through his mission to save the true king. My favorite scene is his famous monologue and tongue twister, “The pellet with the poison in the vessel with the pestle. The chalice from the palace has the brew that is true!” No matter how silly the presentation, the jester’s heart to serve his king was true and good eventually won.

We must be willing to serve our Master well, sometimes appearing foolish to the rest of the world. How appropriate, as April unfurls, that we ask God to remove the lint of foolishness from our hearts that would bring shame to Him and the cause of Jesus Christ. He will replace it with boldness to proclaim a message the world often sees as foolishness.

• “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Cor. 1:18).
• “God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe” (1 Cor. 1:21).
• “but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles” (1 Cor. 1:23).
• “For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength” (1 Cor. 1:25).
• “The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit” (1 Cor. 2:14).
• “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness” (1 Cor. 3:19).

May each one of us be on guard against the pellet with the poison and have the wisdom to choose the brew that is true!

Lint Removed: Worldly Foolishness

Cleaning Process: Serve as God’s Jester

40 Days of Lint, Day Eighteen: Seize the Cheese

 Part Three: Pocket Lint (What is Hidden)

Welcome to Part Three of the “40 Days of Lint” series. In this section we’ll probe the areas of our lives that, to most, remain hidden. Like pocket lint, no one knows it’s there except us - and the One who knows our every thought and intent, even before we do. We don’t have to fear His knowledge of us, since Jesus went to such great lengths to release us from the power of hidden sin. I pray His continued blessings and freedom on your life as we seek God’s complete cleansing on our way to Easter.

Day Eighteen: Seize the Cheese

What do you call cheese that isn’t yours? Nacho Cheese. And why would we want someone else’s cheese? It’s called envy and it’s been around since before the Garden. It began with Lucifer. It wasn’t enough to be part of the host of heaven, he wanted God’s cheese - He wanted to be God (Isa. 14:12-15). So he rebelled and took a third of the angels with him. His constant occupation ever since has been to take and destroy what does not rightly belong to him – God’s glory and the worship of men.

His first success was in the garden when he convinced Adam and Eve to take what was not theirs. He suggested God was withholding something they needed; they realized too late that stolen fruit is not sweeter. Ever since, we have struggled with envy; yearning for cheese that is not ours.

The progression is always the same. Something catches our eye, and we stop to admire it. Next, comes the longing. We want it; we want it badly. Whether it’s a sports car, a person, a sweater, or a candy bar, our life suddenly seems empty without it. Unless we’re willing to walk away from temptation, we will eventually find a way to get that cheese and make it our own. Achan admitted that’s what took him down:

“It is true! I have sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel. This is what I have done: When I saw in the plunder a beautiful robe from Babylonia, two hundred shekels of silver and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath” (Joshua 7:20-21).

It was the privilege of the victor in those times, to plunder the enemy’s camp. But in this case, God had instructed His people to leave the spoils as an offering to Him. It was a test. When Achan stole what was forbidden, he not only took what belonged to God, but caused trouble for his people. Because of his sin, many lives were lost.

It’s the same with us; when we steal from God, we bring harm to others as well. Often, what we hide is less tangible than robes and coins. We forget our lives are not our own, and act as if we can do as we please with the treasure at our fingertips. Time, money, energy, attention, worship, and love are just a few examples of the cheese we seize for ourselves, to use for our own glory.

These forty days before Easter gives us time for self-examination. It’s an opportunity to empty our pockets before the Lord. He already knows what's hidden there; this is purely for our benefit. Once we admit our sin to Him, He can release us from its bondage. There’s enormous freedom in honesty and confession, but none in stolen goods. We can’t enjoy what’s not ours.

We serve a generous God who loves to bless us in every way. If we don’t have all the ‘cheese’ we want it might be a test to see if we truly love Him. Or, He knows it wouldn’t be good for us right now. (Too much cheese can cause constipation.)

Our society doesn’t make it easy for us to resist temptation. Advertisers work hard to feed our natural greed. It takes daily effort to hold our hands open before God  - to give and receive from Him, and to be grateful for all His blessings.  

Lint Removed: Stealing

Cleaning Process: Give God What is His

40 Days of Lint, Day Fifteen: In the Courtyard of Denial

She used to boast how impressed everyone was that she could go to parties and not drink or do drugs. “I’m showing them I can have fun without doing what they do,” she said. “I can be a witness by hanging out with people like Jesus did.”

I tried to point out that when Jesus showed up at a party everything changed. People were drawn to Him and hungered to hear His stories about God’s love. They realized they were sinners and wanted to know how they could be forgiven. Jesus didn’t blend in; He stood out. That’s where we so often make our mistake – we want to fit in.

Peter was one of Jesus’ closest disciples and loved Him dearly. Yet on the very same day he vowed he would die for Christ, Peter ended up denying he even knew Him.

“…seizing [Jesus], they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance. And when some there had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them. A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, ‘This man was with him.’

"But he denied it. ‘Woman, I don’t know him,’ he said…

"The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: ‘Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.’ And he went outside and wept bitterly” (Luke 22:54-57, 61-62).

Concerned for his Master’s welfare, Peter followed at a distance. However, out of self-preservation, he tried to blend in. Pretty soon the night chill forced him closer to the fire. Soon, he warmed himself by the fire in the middle of the courtyard with the others. Exactly what happens to us in our desire for acceptance.

My young friend who boasted about her witness at parties is now an alcoholic, floundering in the misery of an addiction she brought on herself. The passionate faith she once claimed has cooled to being “religious.” Her lifestyle denies the One she vowed to love and cherish. She avoids Jesus’ loving look, who longs for her to repent and enjoy intimacy with Him once again. I pray daily that she will return to her Lord and Savior as Peter did.

What about you? Have you been following Jesus at a distance, fearing what might happen if you get too close? Do you find yourself sitting mutely at the fire while others mock Jesus and His message? If so, it’s time to run. Seek His forgiveness. He’s looking at you now to draw you back. He will welcome you with love and make you new by His Spirit.

That’s what happened to Peter. He went from denying he even knew Jesus, to preaching a powerful sermon where 3,000 people got saved (See Acts 2)! What made the difference? At the fire, Peter was trying to follow Jesus in his own strength, and fear took him down. But after the resurrection he was filled with the power of the Holy Spirit that enabled him to be bold about his faith. We can be His witnesses, but not with our own strength.

Lint Removed: Warming by the Enemy Fire

Cleaning Process: Be Filled With the Spirit

40 Days of Lint, Day Twelve: Outstanding in Your Field

The card read, “Happy Birthday to a guy who’s out standing in his field!” On the front was a farmer in the middle of a field of wheat. We told my uncle it was really alfalfa, since that’s what he grew on his land and he laughed at the pun. However, it’s not just a fun play on words. In order to get ahead in agriculture, or anything else, you have to spend time in your field.

Shammah was one of King David’s mighty men who excelled at what he did, because he continued to work diligently, even when the odds were against him. When Samuel listed the thirty-seven faithful warriors who served David, he began with the exploits of the “Three.” Shammah was one of the elite of these elite men in David’s army:

lentils come in a surprising variety of colors!

“When the Philistines banded together at a place where there was a field full of lentils, Israel’s troops fled from them. But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the LORD brought about a great victory” (2 Samuel 23:11-12).

Maybe you’re thinking, “So what? A guy stood his ground in the middle of a field of beans and defeated the enemy. How does that affect me?”

Lentils may not tantalize your palate, but they were essential food to the Israelites - they were filling, cheap, and nourishing. So often those are the things for which we fail to take a stand - the basics. The everyday stuff seems too boring to bother with. Guard a rare treasure? Yes! A secret passageway to a hidden world? Sure thing! But Shammah was willing to risk his life in the defense of lentils.

What is it that’s most basic in our lives – those that sustain, yet seem ordinary? The Bible. Family. Marriage, as God defines it. Purity. If we’re ever going to keep what God has given to us, we must value it first. Only then can we stand to defend it when the enemy attacks.

The second thing I see in these verses is that everyone else ran away. Yet Shammah still won the battle. Was he inspired by his great passion for lentils? Did he succeed because he stood in the middle of the field where no one could sneak up on him? Or was he a rebel soldier who worked best alone? None of the above. Shammah won because he fought for God.

So there’s still hope for us. We might be listed in the heavenly records as an outstanding warrior in our field. Shammah’s friends ran away. There will be times when our friends and family will not stay to fight the enemy, even when we’re fighting to rescue them! How many of us agonize daily in prayer for others who do not value their minds, bodies, and eternal destiny as much as we do. But with God’s angel army surrounding us, we have the advantage. God is working and those who live for Him are on the winning side. Don’t let the enemy chase you off your land; stay and fight!

Lint Removed: Enemy Forces

Cleaning Process: Stand and Fight for Your Lentils

40 Days of Lint, Day Six: Sprouting from Dry Ground

As a gardener, it always amazes me when I see weeds, even trees, growing from cracks in the sidewalk or breaking through solid rock. Why is it that what I plant on purpose has to be coaxed into existence, while these rebel plants thrive in the least likely spots? They are tenacious for life, willing to fight impossible odds, flourishing in the most inhospitable environment. They don’t care if anybody wants them there, or if anyone makes bouquets from their flowers. They laugh at our efforts to kill them. No matter how many times we pull or spray these plants, they keep coming back.

Just last weekend, my husband, stepdaughter, and I spent over an hour trying to uproot a stump growing next to our fence. It was growing in the exact spot we needed to put a new post. The old post came loose as well as several large chunks of cement. And we managed to hack the trunk into three pieces, but it still wouldn’t pry from the ground. It wasn’t until my husband attached a chain to his truck that he was able to pull the roots from the ground. Kourtnie and I watched in amazement as each piece emerged from the ground followed by a 10-12 foot root!

These renegades have two things in common – an original seed and deep roots. Somewhere back in time, a seed was dropped and it grew. It developed a strong base. Every effort to cut it down or dig it up failed, because far below the surface the root drank from hidden sources of water.

Many people view Jesus, as an ugly, unwelcome weed. Yet when they tried to destroy Him on the cross, He made a comeback. No matter how people try to erase Him from our society today - our government, our schools, our literature - He just keeps coming back. He is the original seed of God and He is rooted in eternity:

"Just watch my servant blossom!
Exalted, tall, head and shoulders above the crowd!
But he didn't begin that way.
At first everyone was appalled.
He didn't even look human—
a ruined face, disfigured past recognition.
Nations all over the world will be in awe, taken aback,
kings shocked into silence when they see him.
For what was unheard of they'll see with their own eyes,
what was unthinkable they'll have right before them.”
Who believes what we've heard and seen?
Who would have thought God's saving power would look like this?
The servant grew up before God—a scrawny seedling,
a scrubby plant in a parched field.
Isaiah 52:13-53:2, Message

Jesus grew up in a world parched for salvation, and they chopped Him down. He rose to prove His victory over sin and death. Many believed in Him then and now. However, our world continues to see Him as an intruder; they attempt to dispose of Christ and His seed everywhere. They cultivate other plants that do not have the audacity to point out their sin and need for a Savior.

Soon, so soon I can feel it in the air I breathe, Jesus will return for those who love Him. He will not appear as an ugly weed or a scraggly plant struggling to rise from the desert floor. This time He will show himself for who He really is – the Rose, The Vine, The Branch. King Jesus. This tenacious seed of God, was cut down by our sin, but He rose from the dead and will come again in victory.

Lint Removed: Viewing Christ as a Weed
Cleaning Process: Seeing Jesus as the True Vine

40 Days of Lint, Day Three: A Dry Fleece

Have you ever been given a job for which you felt unqualified? There have been several times throughout my life when I’ve been surprised by an offer I couldn’t refuse. The first came right out of college, when an editor/friend asked me to write a book of plays. Several years later, when I was in my twenties, our pastor asked if I would consider starting a Women’s Ministries program at church. The summer after my oldest daughter finished first grade, she began begging me to homeschool. Years later, after volunteering some with missionaries in the Philippines, I received an invitation to teach an international writer’s conference there.

Just this last year, God has led my husband and I to open a halfway house for men in our city. Neither one of us have ever had any aspirations to do such a thing! But time after time He has confirmed His plan and opened doors.

To each of these requests, my initial response was, “Who me? You’ve got to be kidding! I don’t know how to do that. I’m not smart enough or experienced enough.” Every time, I’ve prayed, asked a lot of questions, and lay my ‘fleeces’ out before the Lord to see if it was really me He wanted. Each time, God confirmed the call and enabled me to carry out His plan. I really relate to Gideon’s story.

Secretly threshing wheat in a winepress so the Midianite raiders couldn’t steal the grain, he was just minding his own business when an angel showed up. “You’re God’s man of the hour,” he said. “He’s going to use you to defeat the Midians.” Gideon thought he must have heard wrong.

“Who me?” I’m a nobody - the runt of my family from the smallest clan in Israel. You’ve got to be kidding!” But God wasn’t. Gideon needed a little encouragement though before he was ready to charge into battle.

“‘If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised - look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said.’ And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew—a bowlful of water.

Then Gideon said to God, ‘Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece, but this time make the fleece dry and let the ground be covered with dew.’ That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew” (Judges 6:36-40).

Why would God choose someone with such obvious insecurities? Even though the odds were already against them, God told Gideon to downsize his army from 32,000 to 300 men and go to war with only jars, torches, and trumpets. There was no way 300 men could defeat thousands of well trained, well armed soldiers. His reasoning? So Israel couldn’t boast they had saved themselves through their own strength (Judges 7:2).

It’s the same today. The strongest, most capable person without God is nothing, but the smallest, clumsiest, least educated person with God, is sure to win. So even when we’re feeling dried up and unprepared to do the job, God has a plan. He can use us if we’re willing to let go of our insecurities and let Him do the work through us.

Lint Removed: Insecurity

Cleaning Process: Answer God’s Call to Action