Throw low and pick weeds!
I’ve been hearing a lot about posture this weekend. I don’t know about you, but when I think about posture I think about the way I’m standing or sitting. Right? Because of the rods in my back I have permanently good posture! (See previous blog” man I did not see that coming”).
Well, at church this lady was giving her testimony and she was talking about mental posture. What? Then she continued to talk about prayer. Really, this made no sense. So she demonstrated. She threw her hands in the air and said, “ thank you Lord for coming for them”. Wow.
She took the story of the Prodigal Som and talked about the older brother.
Honestly I don’t remember anyone talking about the older brother, except to say that he was ungrateful. Then she personalized the older brother and I realized I was him!!!
I was almost born under a piano at church because my mother wouldn’t leave during labor. She wanted to finish the service. I was a Pastors daughter, then wife. Yep. I stayed close to the Lord. I worked for the Lord. I was busy, for the Lord!
Then I thought about Martha in the Bible. She was Lazerous’ sister. She also had a sister named Mary... No relation to my sister. Lol.
Martha has gotten a bad wrap too. I mean, she was busy for the Lord. She was cooking for all those people. She was serving. Right?
So, if they were both faithful why do people judge them for having an attitude? The Prodigal son left. He took what he thought belonged to him because he didn't want to wait for his dad to die to get what he deserved. Sounds like a good soap opera theme. He “Took the money and ran”. He had a blast, he spent that money on everything that made him temporarily happy. Well, that was down right irresponsible. Then to top it off , he runs out of money, comes home broke and his dad throws him a party? You see what I’m saying?
Then Martha. She was cooking, she was planning, she was preparing. Doesn’t someone have to work around here?
If Martha had married the older brother they would have been a great team. They would have accomplished every goal they set. But... their posture.
They both had one thing in common. They were jealous. Think about it, wouldn’t you be? You hadn’t done anything wrong, you were doing what you were supposed to do, but Mary got the greater blessing and the dad throws a party for the slacker son?
Every fiber of their being was shouting, “ but I stayed, I worked, I didn’t quit. It isn’t fair!” No, logically it isn’t fair. Shouldn’t they each have been congratulated for their commitment? Shouldn’t they have been thrown a party? Shouldn’t Jesus have praised Martha for being a good and faithful servant?
Uh oh! I just had a thought. What if we’ve totally misunderstood the “good and faithful servant” part? What if we have it all wrong? What if we get there and we say, “Lord, I did everything you asked me to “ and he says... you never knew me.
Did Martha know Jesus or did she work for him? Did the older brother know his father, or did he just work for him? Do I know Jesus, or do I just work for him? This seems to be a running theme throughout the Bible. I mean, the guy who started work early in the morning and got paid the same amount as the guy who only worked a short period of time! Wouldn’t that make anybody angry? Let’s be real here. I ain’t that spiritual, are you?
So, what’s the point? Is Jesus unfair? Does he give more to people who “don’t deserve it?” Wait... I think I’m onto something.
Because the older brother stayed and Martha worked they felt entitled to compensation. They earned their way, they carried their share, they did their part... and it wasn’t enough?
Maybe that wasn’t the point. The Prodigal son knew he didn’t deserve anything, Mary didn’t do anything to make Jesus appreciate her more! But, they got the best stuff!
Does that mean I need to go out and mess up in order to get the approval of Jesus? Think about it. It makes sense. Or does it?
What did the older son, the Prodigal son, Martha and Mary have in common? None of them deserved the blessing. Only the Prodigal son and Mary knew they hadn’t earned the Fathers love. The older brother and Martha thought that they were entitled to the Fathers love.
Now this is getting interesting. So, what’s next? Should I shirk off responsibility, burry my talent, so to speak, and show up late? Is that the lesson? I don’t think so. I think the lesson is that none of us deserve the Fathers love. So, if we have the posture if someone who hasn’t earned it... realizing that we also never lost it...does that make us dear to Gods heart?
What if the older brother, knowing the Father loved him had asked for a party? Doesn’t the story say that’s kind of what the Father said to his son? Something like, “ you’ve been here, you could have had a party anytime!” What about Martha? What if she knew Jesus so well that she did her service because she loved him then came to sit at his feet instead of complaining that no one was helping her?
There’s the connection! They didn’t know Him. They only worked for Him. They did the right things, but they didn’t take the best part.
Posture? What if we come to Jesus knowing we don’t deserve anything good from Him, but we also take the time to get to know Him? Bingo! That’s the key. It’s all about attitude and priorities.
I can’t work my way into becoming a “good and faithful servant “. Jesus paints an entirely different picture of good and faithful servant. Later He talks about people coming to him and saying “ but Lord I did stuff for you!” “ I cleaned the church, I cooked a meal, I was faithful!” Then Jesus turns to them and says, but I never knew you.” To the others he says to “enter into my rest.”
I am convinced... if I don’t take time to know Him it won’t matter what I do for Him wow! Maybe I should repent for thinking I deserve His love? Never thought about that before.
Should I put aside the doing long enough to know Him by ... being. Love, joy, peace... knowing I don’t deserve it makes it even that much sweeter. If I don’t deserve it then I’m not mad when somebody else gets it.
Posture... attitude. Hmmm.
One more thought before I go. Your posture, or attitude changes more than you realize. I went bowling today. I’m not good at it. Yes, I own it. I don’t deserve a good score. I don’t really even know what I’m doing. But I got a couple of strikes! I even got av”Split Conversion”, After I did it I squealed with joy. I didn’t know it was nearly impossible! I didn’t know it was hard.
I’d been throwing gutter balls because I thought I knew what to do. I was frustrated. I was working hard, there was no reward! Then someone told me something I could relate to. They said, “ pretend you are out in the garden pulling weeds!” I’d tried picturing someone’s face on the middle pin and that didn’t help... no comment.., lol.
So they did, “Throw low and pick weeds” the results? I got a few strikes and a split conversion. I understood, I could relate and I danced for joy because I didn’t deserve it. I made the lowest score, but I laughed the hardest. Do you think that’s what Jesus wants from us?
So, go low and pull some weeds! Get to know Him, laugh because you can’t earn it, be happy because you don’t deserve it ... then it’s all gravy... so to speak. Wow! I get it. I hope you do too. If you do I won’t get anything out of it. Not one extra jewel in my crown, I won’t have earned one more thing. But if you smile and get to know Him... you get it all.
Well, at church this lady was giving her testimony and she was talking about mental posture. What? Then she continued to talk about prayer. Really, this made no sense. So she demonstrated. She threw her hands in the air and said, “ thank you Lord for coming for them”. Wow.
She took the story of the Prodigal Som and talked about the older brother.
Honestly I don’t remember anyone talking about the older brother, except to say that he was ungrateful. Then she personalized the older brother and I realized I was him!!!
I was almost born under a piano at church because my mother wouldn’t leave during labor. She wanted to finish the service. I was a Pastors daughter, then wife. Yep. I stayed close to the Lord. I worked for the Lord. I was busy, for the Lord!
Then I thought about Martha in the Bible. She was Lazerous’ sister. She also had a sister named Mary... No relation to my sister. Lol.
Martha has gotten a bad wrap too. I mean, she was busy for the Lord. She was cooking for all those people. She was serving. Right?
So, if they were both faithful why do people judge them for having an attitude? The Prodigal son left. He took what he thought belonged to him because he didn't want to wait for his dad to die to get what he deserved. Sounds like a good soap opera theme. He “Took the money and ran”. He had a blast, he spent that money on everything that made him temporarily happy. Well, that was down right irresponsible. Then to top it off , he runs out of money, comes home broke and his dad throws him a party? You see what I’m saying?
Then Martha. She was cooking, she was planning, she was preparing. Doesn’t someone have to work around here?
If Martha had married the older brother they would have been a great team. They would have accomplished every goal they set. But... their posture.
They both had one thing in common. They were jealous. Think about it, wouldn’t you be? You hadn’t done anything wrong, you were doing what you were supposed to do, but Mary got the greater blessing and the dad throws a party for the slacker son?
Every fiber of their being was shouting, “ but I stayed, I worked, I didn’t quit. It isn’t fair!” No, logically it isn’t fair. Shouldn’t they each have been congratulated for their commitment? Shouldn’t they have been thrown a party? Shouldn’t Jesus have praised Martha for being a good and faithful servant?
Uh oh! I just had a thought. What if we’ve totally misunderstood the “good and faithful servant” part? What if we have it all wrong? What if we get there and we say, “Lord, I did everything you asked me to “ and he says... you never knew me.
Did Martha know Jesus or did she work for him? Did the older brother know his father, or did he just work for him? Do I know Jesus, or do I just work for him? This seems to be a running theme throughout the Bible. I mean, the guy who started work early in the morning and got paid the same amount as the guy who only worked a short period of time! Wouldn’t that make anybody angry? Let’s be real here. I ain’t that spiritual, are you?
So, what’s the point? Is Jesus unfair? Does he give more to people who “don’t deserve it?” Wait... I think I’m onto something.
Because the older brother stayed and Martha worked they felt entitled to compensation. They earned their way, they carried their share, they did their part... and it wasn’t enough?
Maybe that wasn’t the point. The Prodigal son knew he didn’t deserve anything, Mary didn’t do anything to make Jesus appreciate her more! But, they got the best stuff!
Does that mean I need to go out and mess up in order to get the approval of Jesus? Think about it. It makes sense. Or does it?
What did the older son, the Prodigal son, Martha and Mary have in common? None of them deserved the blessing. Only the Prodigal son and Mary knew they hadn’t earned the Fathers love. The older brother and Martha thought that they were entitled to the Fathers love.
Now this is getting interesting. So, what’s next? Should I shirk off responsibility, burry my talent, so to speak, and show up late? Is that the lesson? I don’t think so. I think the lesson is that none of us deserve the Fathers love. So, if we have the posture if someone who hasn’t earned it... realizing that we also never lost it...does that make us dear to Gods heart?
What if the older brother, knowing the Father loved him had asked for a party? Doesn’t the story say that’s kind of what the Father said to his son? Something like, “ you’ve been here, you could have had a party anytime!” What about Martha? What if she knew Jesus so well that she did her service because she loved him then came to sit at his feet instead of complaining that no one was helping her?
There’s the connection! They didn’t know Him. They only worked for Him. They did the right things, but they didn’t take the best part.
Posture? What if we come to Jesus knowing we don’t deserve anything good from Him, but we also take the time to get to know Him? Bingo! That’s the key. It’s all about attitude and priorities.
I can’t work my way into becoming a “good and faithful servant “. Jesus paints an entirely different picture of good and faithful servant. Later He talks about people coming to him and saying “ but Lord I did stuff for you!” “ I cleaned the church, I cooked a meal, I was faithful!” Then Jesus turns to them and says, but I never knew you.” To the others he says to “enter into my rest.”
I am convinced... if I don’t take time to know Him it won’t matter what I do for Him wow! Maybe I should repent for thinking I deserve His love? Never thought about that before.
Should I put aside the doing long enough to know Him by ... being. Love, joy, peace... knowing I don’t deserve it makes it even that much sweeter. If I don’t deserve it then I’m not mad when somebody else gets it.
Posture... attitude. Hmmm.
One more thought before I go. Your posture, or attitude changes more than you realize. I went bowling today. I’m not good at it. Yes, I own it. I don’t deserve a good score. I don’t really even know what I’m doing. But I got a couple of strikes! I even got av”Split Conversion”, After I did it I squealed with joy. I didn’t know it was nearly impossible! I didn’t know it was hard.
I’d been throwing gutter balls because I thought I knew what to do. I was frustrated. I was working hard, there was no reward! Then someone told me something I could relate to. They said, “ pretend you are out in the garden pulling weeds!” I’d tried picturing someone’s face on the middle pin and that didn’t help... no comment.., lol.
So they did, “Throw low and pick weeds” the results? I got a few strikes and a split conversion. I understood, I could relate and I danced for joy because I didn’t deserve it. I made the lowest score, but I laughed the hardest. Do you think that’s what Jesus wants from us?
So, go low and pull some weeds! Get to know Him, laugh because you can’t earn it, be happy because you don’t deserve it ... then it’s all gravy... so to speak. Wow! I get it. I hope you do too. If you do I won’t get anything out of it. Not one extra jewel in my crown, I won’t have earned one more thing. But if you smile and get to know Him... you get it all.
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