Love Seeks to Understand

"If you always choose the easy way, asking for the peaceful valleys, you will never see God's power displayed to enable you to take a mountain."

No need to be upset in your search (for gold)..."Fool's gold is what you find when you're panning for the real thing." In other words, you're on the right track. Keep on tracking.

"Do not neglect the gift that is in you."

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REFLECTIONS

The most noted and repeated verses of Proverbs 3 are verses 5 & 6: "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."

There are many nuggets one can take from Proverbs 3, but I'm going to focus on verse 13:
"HOW BLESSED IS THE MAN WHO FINDS WISDOM, AND THE MAN WHO GAINS UNDERSTANDING."

I'm often sought out when it comes to providing logical, spiritual/christian, what-would-Jesus-do advice. Relationships, children, career decisions, relationships, transitions, education, relationships, conflicts, scriptural references, etc. You'll notice there was a word that kept surfacing...RELATIONSHIPS. While I appreciate that young and old trust my words and thoughts when it comes to choices, obstables, life, the topic of relationships is always a puzzling one for me considering I'm single and that would appear to be a poor indicator of my having success in the area!

Truth be told I think people have watched me get burned time and time again and still carry on with dignity. How do you do it? Why are you so calm? How did you overcome the hurt? Should I confront him/her?

Simply put: Love seeks to understand.

While I cannot answer any of those questions, I know a few things to be certain when it comes to God. He cares. He does not desire for us to live a life of hurt. And, he has a purpose and plan for our lives. All this to further say that when trials come, we must seek to understand from a perspective of love. On a deeper level, I often think of how frequently grace and mercy are offered to us despite how we mistreat the relationship we have with God. He loves us even when we don't spend time with him, trust in him, or ignore his teachings.

In my personal life, I am struggling presently to understand and love. We are able to experience emotions: anger, love, joy, peace, frustration, impatience...What matters is how we choose to respond and react based on our feelings. I have some frustration with a certain someone, but I also know that I've hurt people in my life--not intentionally, but to do what I knew was best. Knowing this, I am looking for the blessings in this recent outcome--trusting that it was done for the good.

Seeking to understand is hard--it takes work. The word used in the verse is "finds." It is active and means we cannot just be stagnant. As a reminder, God seeks to give his children good things (Matthew 7).

"Trust and obey. For there's no other way, to be happy in Jesus then to trust and obey."

Benefits of Wisdom

The second chapter of Proverbs discusses the moral benefits behind seeking and gaining wisdom. Using the translation from The Message Bible, my verses of focus are 6 to 11:

"...God gives out Wisdom free, is plainspoken in Knowledge and Understanding. He's a rich mine of Common Sense for those who live well, a personal bodyguard to the candid and sincere. He keeps his eye on all who live honestly, and pays special attention to his loyally committed ones. So now you can pick out what's tru and fair, find all the good trails! Lady Wisdom will be your close friend, and Brother Knowledge your pleasant companion. Good Sense will scout ahead for danger, Insight will keep an eye out for you."

TWO THOUGHTS...

At times I feel the Bible is filled with riddles. One moment we read one thing, and another verse, chapter or book will give completely opposite instruction. For example, the other week I posted a status message that implored us to stop making excuses for waiting on God. Reality is many of us don't have to wait since God's just been patiently waiting on us. My brother immediately wanted to discuss this, taking the text in the direction of Isaiah 40:31. He gave me several texts that focused on "waiting" on the Lord and being of good courage. I had actually been focused on another verse: Psalm 37:23, which speaks of the steps of a righteous man availing...being stretched and moving outside the comfort zone into the purpose God has called us into instead of hiding, ducking, or making excuses.

Who was right?

We both were...

The awesome thing about the Bible is it is God's form of communication with us. Our way of communicating back is through prayer. The items in it are true and should help us to face the things occurring in our lives. I don't want to call it subjective, but more so personalized--it meets the needs of each person who encounters its truths.

The irony is I needed to post my message the other week to have God speak to me through the verse my brother shared on "waiting on God." I've not heard three messages with this reference to that specific verse. BOTH of today's messages--yes, I attended TWO sevices--brought this passage to surface at some point in the sermons.

I get it. I get it. Now, I just need to discern what the heck I'm supposed to be applying it to in my life! I think I know; however, the benefit of this walk is knowing He's got me covered in so many ways. He has given me Lady Wisdom who's like a mother and Knowledge who is the Big Brother...what a beautiful analogy!

Make Insight a Priority

The first day of August...

I am struggling to believe it's the eighth month of the year 2009 and am really challenged by the fact that summer is escaping us this fast. Truly, each day has been cherished, and I've done quite a bit with more to come before the start of another academic year, which is almost a month away.

This month I will take on reading and studying a Proverb a day. This is a common practice in Christian homes when the seventeen/eighteen year old is about to leave for college or the high schooler is reaching a rite of passage, etc. I find that with each time I read this book, more and more wisdom manifests itself, which I suppose is a good thing since that is really a theme of Proverbs.

In tonight's read, I've already captured a few of the highlights of chapter 1. The theme verse I'll meditate on is Proverbs 1:7 - "Start with God—the first step in learning is bowing down to God; only fools thumb their noses at such wisdom and learning."

While the sentence appears simple and clear, it is so hard to at times do. As I traveled to my hometown this morning, there was a sermon I tuned into on one of the radio stations. The pastor used a metaphor of having this bird who had built a nest close to their home. As a result, the bird was creating quite a "mess" and his wife wanted the bird gone. What they discovered was the bird had a nest of eggs, so his wife was willing to "put up with the crap" until the eggs hatched and the babies could leave the nest. Similarly, this is how sin manifests its way into our lives. If we're not careful to catch it early enough we have to deal with the "crap" because we're sensitive to the eggs--or problems--that need to be tended to due to our negligence of not guarding our hearts. Deep, huh?

Personally, I know there are areas of my life where I intentionally sin and fall short due to wanting to accomodate the "layed eggs." The end result is putting up with crap. The writer Paul in the book of 1 Corinthians chapter 10 speaks of the importance of us guarding our hearts. The only way this can fully and successfully be accomplished is when we keep His laws and the Word close to our hearts.

They say it takes 21 days to develop a habit. I pray that in focusing this type of attention to the book of Proverbs and going beyond 21 days I'll be able to better myself and grow, ridding myself of some of the unnecessary crap in my life to allow for God's showering of blessings...

This word makes for insight on another level. I took part in a beautiful showering of blessings in a gathering for a childhood friend who recently married. The coolest thing was this was my church family of second mommies and their daughters all coming together in celebration of our sister. The little girls I've grown up with and our moms were all under one roof, keeping Him at the forefront of our joy and laughter. It was inspiring and uplifting, making me once again add to my list of wonderful blessings. As we sat in the family room for the last part of the shower, words of wisdom and blessings were expressed to the new bride. It was priority to have insight in loving and accepting the generations of beauty and wisdom that all graced the room.

My life has been blessed and touched in many ways, and as one of my friends leaned over and shared with me, "I just love all of our moms and hope we'll all have that when we're that age." In my current role I try to model and pave a road daily for the students I am in contact with to help them see the joys of life. I'm hungry for this wisdom study to grow me and motivate me into another year of making a difference in the lives of others. That action alone is going to allow it to me returned to me in ways that only God knows.

I am smiling.

To God be the Glory!

GRATEFUL

I was unable to put words to my emotion until I sat and tuned in to Black in America part 2.

FACT: Black students are 12% less likely to enter college than white students.

This evening my heart was set on going to Bible Study. In fact, there was disappointment that I was unable to be there and see a friend of mine get baptized. Instead, a telephone call from one of my mentees yesterday interupted my normal Wednesday worshipping experience. My mentee is one of the nation's small population of Black students to receive a way out of her current situation and is an entering freshman to one of the most prestigious colleges in the world. Her procrastination and anxiety hindered her from knowing how to register for classes, and she called seeking advice and assistance.

I picked her up this evening and we journeyed to one of the local libraries where we went through the course catalog and chose classes. I then took her and her sister across town to get money wired somewhere per their mom's request. They said they'd take the bus back home; the family has no personal transportation.

Few know that this young lady works hard to make ends meet at home. She is even going to continue working when classes begin for the fall.

I am grateful. I am grateful that this young lady came into my life, and I hers. I am grateful that she has maintained a desire to work hard despite the set-backs and challenges she has had to face. Her invisibility and characteristics that fit the stereotype have not held her back, stopped her, or made her give excuses.

Tonight she recharges me. I am fueled once more to touch as many lives as possible, not taking my place in this world for granted.

I do not know why I was born in America and not Africa. I cannot explain why I was born black and not some other ethnicity. I do not need to adopt or exhibit the lifestyles of majority of society to have culture or be validated. I love and embrace my blackness, but I'm also a love of humanity, common sense, and people trying to make positive change.

Leadership. I am a leader. I am influential. I am here to remind others that they have plenty to give to this world.

Summer Lovin'

I love summer for so many reasons. The days are longer. The weather is awesome to allow for outdoor fun. Warmth of the sun on my skin as I make runs around town give me great pleasure. Life slows down even with how quickly the days escape us during this time of year--definitely a paradox, but it is true.

This past week and weekend happened to be what I would deem the climax of summer. I am right at that midpoint, knowing that my days are numbered before Labor Day comes and goes with the start of another academic year. With Vacation Bible School going on this week, it definitely brought home the fact that summer is here. Then I had the chance to enjoy more amusement park fun with a dynamic outdoor gospel concert with some of my favorites. I slept in today and journeyed to the late service, which was awesome. I came home, napped quickly, and had a lovely outing with a friend.

I have to comment that the older I get the more awkward the dating scene becomes. I am picky, which I know tends to hinder my progress. Not to mention my busy schedule...Of recent, my love life could be described as busily complicated. I hate the term "complicated" and would refuse to ever title myself as falling into the category. However, I seem to attract the type who are not trying to fully commit. And, the ones that do, I tend not to share the same feelings.

Tonight as I post on summer lovin' I also have added a video of the late Marvelettes, singing "Please, Mr. Postman." In an age of texting, facebooking, email, etc., I think I am longing for the lost art of a "love" note or letter, reclaiming the beauty of courtship and showing some affection.

Smile. What would a blog post from me be without have the literal and figurative meanings to come shining through? I've never been one to put all of my business out there, but I will note that I'm appreciating the journey of my summer loves. We'll see where it all goes!