“Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.” Galations 1:10
Yesterday the Lord showed me something about myself. Something ugly. He showed me that more often than I would care to admit, I have been seeking the approval of man and seeking to please man rather than trying to please God. Ouch.
Now, this may be an old lesson for some…and I have probably been shown these things in the past…but the Lord showed it to me again, to remind me that I’m not there yet. I’m not to the place ~ that I’d love to be ~ where it doesn’t matter to me what people think.
You see, I have been hesitant to have people over to our house because it doesn’t meet the standards of “nice, beautiful home” that I guess I have in my head. Now, I actually love our little house. But, I also love the big, beautiful homes that I see around me! (why is it so easy to get caught up in the worldly things around me, when I know in my heart there is nothing eternal about my home and its decor?)
And I remember the words I read here.
And I wonder…how dare I be ashamed of the hallway where we don’t have trim up yet. How dare I even care that my girls dresser is falling apart. How dare I worry that my house doesn’t meet up to the standards of the wealthy around me.
After all, what is wealth?I mean really?
In the sound of happy feet running through our home…I am rich.
In the hearing of children’s laughter all throughout my day…I am rich.
In sharing the Word with my children day in and day out…I am rich.
In the abundance of clothing I have hanging in my closet…I am rich.
In the sheer size of my closet…I am rich.
In the fact that I have closets…I am rich.
In resting in His peace that passes all understanding…I am rich.
In the blessing of a beautiful husband and children…I am rich.
In the knowledge of God’s love for me…I am rich.
In the wonder of His grace and forgiveness…I am rich.
Why must I want to be rich or wealthy by man’s standards? God has blessed me beyond what I deserve. I sit in my comfortable house, on my comfortable couch…go to church in my nice, air-conditioned building with padded pews…and still I miss out on the joys of the riches of God when I choose to dwell on my have-nots.
Lord, come quickly. We need you.