a blessing...

we are blessed. yes, we are blessed as Christians, but our blessings are often misunderstood, even by us.

it is commonly heard, "look at how the Lord has blessed me," as an introduction to a person's story of great prosperity or even favor, but it is looked down upon when a Christian suffers, even when Christians suffer constantly, either because of illness, or bad circumstances at work, unsaved family members, or limited finances.

we are so much like Job's friends, who, instead of thinking that Job was blessed to have been spared from death or that he was blessed by being saved, accused him of deserving every calamity that happened to him.

even when a friend or family member tells us about how God blessed them with health, finances, etc, we so quickly think, "why not me? why hasn't the Lord blessed me?" as if His blessings are limited to the perishable things.

those blessings in actuality will not remain. and although it sounds like a harsh thing, those blessings are the equivalent of a sand particle compared to the ever-lasting blessings such as the fruits of the Spirit and salvation!!

how could we, in our futile minds, forget such a "great a salvation?"

Paul did not have problems remembering the blessings of God upon his life. yes, anyone on the outside could very easily have said that Paul was damned in life as well as in death. even a Christian brother or sister might have easily thought, "the Lord has blessed me so much because i have a roof over my head, food, family, health, and possessions, yet my brother Paul has nothing, not shelter, nor food, nor family, nor health, nor anything he can call his own other than the clothes on his back. i am blessed, but he has been cursed. the Lord has been good to me, but not to my brother Paul."

oh, but we are so wrong. so, so wrong. you see, the Lord doesn't bless in only a certain manner. the Lord's blessings are all around us, in life, even in death, in happiness and in suffering, in peace and in calamity, BUT the true blessing, which not all possess, is salvation and the fruit that it brings, which is where Paul placed all of his confidence in.

you see, where the world might be boasting in God's blessings in the perishable things, those who suffer with Christ can boast in the eternal blessings, those that will not rust, mold, or die.

to desire someone else's life: family, home, possessions, health, etc., is like desiring a cubic zirconium over a diamond. it is easy for us to know the real value of both these items, but why do we struggle so much finding the real value between blessings?

Paul died in the most solitary way. the blessings that he lacked, he never was able to obtain, but the Lord showered him with diamonds of blessings unseen by the naked eye but seen by the spiritual one - salvation, a heart that endured for the sake of his beautiful Lord, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which brought him "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control" (Galatians 5:22-23).

this is the real blessing in a person's life. you can "have it all" by american standards, health, 2 1/2 children, a suburb home, a flat screen t.v., but this is all as dung, as Paul would consider it, if one does not possess salvation.

just as those who quickly run to tell others about God's materialistic blessings in their lives, Paul made sure that he quickly spoke of God's eternal blessings through his suffering.

in the same way, we must talk to others about the marvelous way that He has blessed us, through our illness, loss, need, sadness, grief, through everything. we are not to think as Job's friends, who believed he was afflicted because he was not blessed; rather, Job was afflicted because God wanted to bless him, for through Job's suffering, he was able to see God's grace and mercy all the more clearer than those around him that were prosperous.

2 Timothy 1: 8-14

Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, ⁹ who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, ¹⁰and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, ¹¹ for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, ¹² which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me. ¹³ Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. ¹⁴By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.

Imitation is the Simplest Form of Flattery

Individuality is important in this world. Our character sets us apart from the rest of the world. No two people are the same, and the same can be said about our physical image. From time to time, however, someone's look can be copied.

Famous people are often in the spotlight, giving the world something to imitate. The onlookers take notes and try to duplicate a certain packaged image: the hair, the make-up, the tops, the jeans, the shoes, you-name-it.

We think of this behavior linked to only celebrities, but many ordinary people have their styles imitated by close friends, family, peers, or colleagues. In fact, if one would search this topic on the internet, we would find numerous blogs of annoyed individuals complaining of someone who stole their "look."

Perhaps we can relate. Maybe we took someone's look and made it our own, or visa versa, maybe someone decided to show up to an event looking exactly like you. It can be flattering having someone change their entire look to one that is more like yours, but it seems to make many irritated.

"Don't worry about it," some people write back, adding that, "imitation is the simplest form of flattery. If they took your look, you should be proud."

Our physical individualism is so valuable to us - because it is who we are identified as - that when someone tries to take it and make it their own, we feel threatened, almost as if that person has stolen a part of our person and taken credit for it.

As Christians, we must not, however, possess an individual Christianity that only belongs to us. Our inner being, our Christlikeness, should be a bigger reflection of who we are in the world than our physical attributes or style. It is what should make us different from the pot that is melting together in a hot stew of moral relativism, and we must never feel threatened by another person who wants to be the same. This identity, we share with other Christians. We are clothed with the same garment that Christ has clothed us with.

Everyone has a signature look; mine has mostly been long, wavy hair, moussed up with bangs pinned at the front; feminine tops; a cozy black cardigan; cool flared jeans, and heels.

But my image in Christ is like many others and is easier to part from than the every day wardrobe I own. My image in Christ is not my own. In fact, I am an ambassador to Christ. I represent Him. He owns my heart, mind, soul - my all.

I might feel a bit awkward sitting next to a person who is dressed head to toe like me, but if that same person began to follow Christ because of my example, I would be so humbled and grateful to God. People have come and gone, asked me, "Where did you get your blouse?" or "What kind of mousse do you use on your hair?" but those questions pale in comparison to the quest for Christ, "How do I change my life?" "How did you do it?" "When did God change you?" "Can you pray for me to change?"

God is so wonderful because even in our imperfection, He reflects His image upon our lives. If this makes others desire what we have, that is good because we live in a way where we do not desire what the Jonses have; rather, we desire what they do not have - Christ.

Paul says in Hebrews 6:12 "imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised." and in Hebrews 13:7-8 he "Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."

So to this I say, imitate away! Paul was confident enough in his faith to tell others to imitate him, which not only displays his confidence but his faithfulness to the Lord. And what should this teach us who are being watched? We must always remember that others are diligently watching, either for us to fall or to show what a real Christian looks like. This is our beauty, not in what we look like outwardly, but in the heart, that frames our faces with the light of God.

Isaiah 53

¹Who has believed what he has heard from us?
And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
²For he grew up before him like a young plant,
and like a root out of dry ground;
he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
and no beauty that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by men;
a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

⁴ Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
⁵ But he was wounded for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his stripes we are healed.

How beautiful is this Savior, who although he lacked the outer beauty that we consider so important, he overflowed in inner beauty, bearing our grief, carrying our sorrows, and hanging on a cross, a sacrifice that brought us everlasting peace. His humility and gentleness should be continuously imitated by His children in order to have the world imitate them; the flattery and all the glory, we'll leave that for the Lord.