Everything Old is New Again

As we age things become routine. We begin to take the people around us for granted. We begin to rely on the alarm waking us up, the coffee, the car starting up, the school bus, the traffic, the normality of life.

We see the same people struggling with addiction, with pain, wrestling with the devil--maybe we in some ways too are that person struggling with an unkind past of poverty or abuse. Yet somehow God reaches into our normality and He calls us to become new.

1 Corinthians 13 reads:

1Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
3And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
4Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
7Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
8Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
9For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
10But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
11When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
12For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
13And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity

Verse 11 reminded me of my age, but as I thought about my age I pondered if I had really put away childish things as the writer described. Or had I instead pulled childish things into my adulthood with me. Had I toted selfishness and self centered behavior into adulthood? Had I held on to the grudges to envy or jealousy that I used to entertain? Was I still as blind as I was as a child; as intolerant and unopened to others? Was I still as judgmental? Was I still as naive?

I started writing this blog today because God revealed to me that I CAN and am still learning and changing. Growth is slower. It takes me longer to realize my bad habits and my biases. It takes the shock of preaching, the thoughtfulness of teaching and the steadiness of discipleship for me to recognize my lessons now. But God revealed to me that I CAN and I am still learning and changing.

I used to think it was all about my own salvation, but more and more when I see hurt people I know that it's about extending myself in someway to persuade someone else that Jesus saves. It's about enduring with patience to be an example. Its about pressing when I don't want to--not for me, but so that I don't miss the divine appointment that God has set up--that juncture where someone will share their story and ask me to pray with them. I don't want to miss any more. I don't want to miss any more opportunities to tell others about Jesus. I found my mind racing today to tell another woman about the WEW meeting. I searched my mind to remember people that I had invited to church before that I hadn't seen in a while. Do I still have their numbers?

What does the totality of my experiences, my knowledge, my struggles or my life mean if I live it all without extending love. When I was a small child I once heard my Grandpa say "Loving somebody doesn't mean anything if you never get the love to them." How can I pass up one more person without sharing Jesus? When I was a child, I talked like a child out of ignorance. I could only comprehend what I was mature enough to handle at that time. I thought as a child because I had no other experience. But now that I'm grown I have learned to put away my childish ways. It's high time that we move into the rich destiny of the calling on each of our lives--out of the darkness and into His marvelous light. Once in the light we should walk in the light as He is in the light. He loved. He taught. He shared. He cared. He healed. He relieved people of their burdens. He cast out devils. He performed miracles. He sacrificed. He developed people. He gave. He laid down His own life so that we could freely receive salvation.

I'm growing up. I'm maturing in Christ. I CAN still learn and change. I can make a difference. I can touch somebody who's hurting. I can share that Jesus is still saving.