Sunday we spoke about life and how we are often handed many lemons in life. It could be that used car you bought, or an employer giving you an unfair pink slip, or an unexpected trip to the emergency room to repair your rambunctious child’s broken leg. Maybe it’s just the everyday stress and pressure of being an employee/husband/father/Christian/neighbor/friend, etc. Or maybe it’s all the jobs that come along with being a woman (which are far too numerous to list), especially if you have small children at home.
We discussed the old adage that states, “When life hands you lemons, make lemonade”, and how many of us would prefer to hang on to the lemons to pull them out at the appropriate time to complain to others about just how sour they are. The thing is, nobody understands just how difficult your lemons are except you, because no matter how much we try to empathize and sympathize with each other we are not in their position feeling what they feel, experiencing the same emotions, hurts, struggles, and disappointments that they experience.
So what really is the point of all the griping and complaining – does it somehow make you feel better or encourage the person you’re complaining to? Nope, but here’s something you probably know but need to be reminded of – GOD WANTS YOUR LEMONS – He’ll make the lemonade, He’ll help you to use those lemons to somehow encourage someone else, to make you stronger, to build the type of character you’ve always dreamed of having.
Finally here’s a challenge to you and me, this week choose someone to bless, someone who you know has been handed a few lemons. Maybe send them an email or better yet a hand written card, maybe a positive phone call or buy them a coffee, or small gift card. If you’re so talented bake them a dozen cookies, or something you know they’ll enjoy. And whatever you do, don’t tell them about your lemons, make it about them this time and see how you feel at the end.
Will you do it? I pray that you will and enjoy the lemonade God is making through your life example. Phillipians 2:14 TNIV;NASB;CEV;NCV;CEB - Do everything without grumbling - Bible Gateway
No comments:
Post a Comment