Do you See This Woman?

“Do you See This Woman?” – Luke 7:44b

How can two people look at the same thing and see it in completely different ways?
Simon thought he already knew her story. He judged her at a glance. He had probably heard rumors – maybe he had seen her at her worst a time or two. Whatever it was that had clouded his judgment had made it impossible for him to see her the way that Jesus did that day.

What did Jesus see? He saw her loving actions, her faith, her repentance, her willingness to be extravagant in her gratefulness to him.

Stephen Covey said, “We judge ourselves by our intentions and others by their behavior.“
But at some point, does that become, “We judge others by their mistakes?“ Because Simon certainly wasn’t taking into account her actions that day. When he looked at her, he saw only her failures, her bad choices, and her sins. His eyes could see no value in her, even as she anointed the feet of our savior!

We can’t see people’s intentions, and we can’t see their hearts. We can’t see their stories. But we have to learn to look at people with love. Open the eyes of our hearts to see them as Jesus sees them. No judgment – only love.

Heavenly father, I pray that you will open my eyes to see those around me as you do. Lord, please give me the opportunity to show others that I see their value. Amen.

Make the Most of Every Opportunity

Take full advantage of every day as you spend your life for his purposes.

Ephesians‬ ‭5‬:‭16‬ ‭TPT‬‬

When you come across an opportunity to serve, worship, or join with others in His name, do not let it pass you by! You sign up! He put these things in your path for a reason.
When we make the decision to lean into the purpose for which we were created, we need to open our eyes to the guidepost that lead us in the direction that he intends for our journey. It’s not always easy or comfortable.
Maybe you are not the type of person to seek out areas to serve in, or you just don’t know where to look or how to get started. Pray for the area that you feel is holding you back and then keep your eyes open for the opportunity. You’ll be surprised at how quickly you see a need when you open your heart and mind to the desire to care for others.
Maybe you are an introvert and just the THOUGHT of joining a Bible study makes you uncomfortable. You are hesitant and uncertain about joining a group of strangers. Take a deep breath and pray for the courage to step into fellowship in Jesus’ name.
Maybe you are social and you want to be involved, but you can never seem to find the time. Open your calendar and pray that He will take the right things off your plate, so you can find the time to follow His path and realize that everything on your list doesn’t need to get done – as long as His will is done.
If an opportunity presents itself, and you are at a crossroads, still unsure about your next step, then say a prayer. Ask God if he wants you involved in this event. And then ask yourself – if Jesus were standing here today, would he tell me
“No it’s fine…
Someone else will feed these people.
Someone else can fill that seat at Bible study.
Someone else can tell your neighbor about me.”
Or would he tell you to sign up???
This is the part where we take action.
This is the part where we FOLLOW Jesus instead of just believing in Him.
When we let these opportunities pass us by, we are missing out on some of the really important things that He has planned for us.
Dear Lord, if there is someone that you want me to help today, please equip me, and put them in my path. Open my eyes to see their need. And Lord, if there is an area of my life that would be improved with companionship, please show me the opportunity if it will bring me closer to you. Lord, please calm my anxiety and my self-doubt when I shy away from experiences and events where you want me to be more engaged. And when my day feels full of things to do, please keep me focused so that I can prioritize Your will in my life.
Amen

All That I Need and More

“And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.”
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2 Corinthians‬ ‭9‬:‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

God is generous. He provides More than enough. He provides so much that we will have the ability to be generous as well. Because that’s what he wants from us… to give to others with all of our heart the way that he does for us.
We all have different circumstances and means of living, but God wants all of us to have the same giving heart.
From those of us who live an extravagant lifestyle, to those of us who are accustomed to pinching every penny – the Bible tells us that we have plenty to contribute.
Not just enough to fulfill our basic needs.
Not just enough to live a joy-filled life, rich in His love.
But enough to give generously when we see a need. And to do so worry-free!
Some days we’re going to have enough cash in our pockets to donate.
Some days we’re going to have enough food on the table to invite another to fill an empty seat.
Some days we’re going to have enough time to be a listening ear to a friend, or a volunteer at a food bank.
And some days we may feel like we have nothing to spare. No surplus. No extra. When we live our lives with a generous and giving mindset, we find that even on those days we have enough. Enough faith.
Faith that will allow us to make the sacrifice that needs to be made that day, even if we’re not sure how we’ll recover from it. We trust in His timing and His provision.

Dear God, Jehovah Jireh, You are the God who provides! I lift my hands in praise of You and thank You for all You have bestowed upon me. I pray every day that I can be a provider too. God, please open my eyes to opportunities to be generous. I want to share with others the blessings that you have showered upon me so abundantly!
Amen

The Measure You Use

Jesus said: Don’t judge others, and God won’t judge you. Don’t be hard on others, and God won’t be hard on you. Forgive others, and God will forgive you. If you give to others, you will be given a full amount in return. It will be packed down, shaken together, and spilling over into your lap. The way you treat others is the way you will be treated. – Luke‬ ‭6‬:‭37‬-38 ‭CEV‬‬

“Give and it will be given to you,” sounds like what you expect to hear when they pass the collection plate. But Jesus is having a conversation about how to treat others, and how we want God to treat us.

Jesus is telling us that what we give, whether it’s judgement, condemnation, or forgiveness, is coming right back at us!

Do we want to be measured with harshness for our mistakes and flaws? No, of course not! So we need to be very mindful of how we look at others.

We want God to shower us with His grace, so we can’t give our forgiveness sparingly.

We love when God shows us His blessings, so we can’t be picky about our acts of service, or stingy with our kindness.

The MESSAGE version sums this up so well…

“Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults—unless, of course, you want the same treatment. Don’t condemn those who are down; that hardness can boomerang. Be easy on people; you’ll find life a lot easier. Give away your life; you’ll find life given back, but not merely given back—given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity.” – Luke‬ ‭6‬:‭37‬-‭38‬ ‭MSG‬‬

“Giving, not getting, is the way.” ♥️

Give your time.

Give your patience.

Give your affection.

Give your gentleness.

Give compassion.

Give grace.

Give a little bit of joy.

You will never go wrong if you give these things.

And give these things FROM YOUR HEART.

Dear Jesus, I hear what you’re speaking, and I want to give like You do. I want to give with my heart wide open. Jesus, as I step out into the world today, help me stay mindful of the impact that my words and actions can have on those around me. Help me keep my spirit light, my mood positive, and my words kind. Remind me that I must show the same respect, the same grace, to everyone I encounter – friends and enemies alike.

Amen

My Last Day

“A good reputation is more valuable than costly perfume. And the day you die is better than the day you are born.” — ‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭7‬:‭1‬‬

As a Christian, my reputation is more valuable than any prized possession I could ever own. My faith should be the most important thing that people notice about me. Not cute shoes or a fancy car.

I should be living each and every day with a PASSION and a PURPOSE! I don’t know God’s plan for me, so I can’t see His vision for my whole life, or how I fit into the grand scheme of things.

But I can’t wait for some giant arrow that says, “This way to fulfill your purpose ➡️“

Or a blinking neon sign that says, “This is what you were made for!”

I have to live each day to the fullest, and keep thinking, what if it was all over today?

Did I do everything that I could to be who He created me to be?

Was it enough?

Could I have done more?

Should I have…

said something,

hugged someone,

listened more,

waited,

sacrificed,

loved,

or should I have just been… better?

On my last day, I don’t want to look back at my story and think, what was I waiting for?

Just because I don’t know how it ends, doesn’t mean that I can’t start somewhere. And start now.

For most of us, our purpose is not one thing that is going to take place on one day. It’s in all things.

Every little thing that we do out of love and compassion adds up.

When we live our lives bearing the Fruit of The Spirit, it shows. When others see us abide in Him through our actions and our attitudes, we don’t have to worry about our reputations.

Lord, I don’t want a lot of attention from those around me, but I do want those who know me, to know what I stand for. I want them to see that I follow Your path, and live each day like You want me to. I want to make an impact on at least one person every single day.

Lord lead me to a life that will be remembered for shining for YOUR glory.

I want my reputation to be:

“Oh yes, I know her! That girl really loves her some Jesus! 💕”

Amen

Be Productive

Plant your seed in the morning and keep busy all afternoon, for you don’t know if profit will come from one activity or another—or maybe both — ‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭11‬:‭6‬‬

Keep busy with purpose in order to be productive. Don’t allow yourself idleness. Every minute, every hour that you are not moving forward you are wasting. Losing.

Yes, it is ok to relax sometimes, but first do what must be done.

You won’t know ahead of time the single act that is going to bring you success, so you must actively continue doing everything you can to produce results.

God has a purpose for you!! How exciting is that? But you will not fulfill that purpose by sitting by and letting life pass you by – one day after another. You have to stand up and take the steps forward with enthusiasm, because His plans for you include GREAT THINGS!

So what are you waiting for? Embrace EACH and EVERY day with eagerness for the opportunities that it brings you! Stay dedicated to being productive. Because even in the stages of your life when you are not exactly sure what His plan for you includes, you will know what path to follow when you stay close to Him and what He teaches you through the Bible.

Dear God, when I become complacent, please snap me out of it and pull me closer to you. I want to live a productive life, which will lead me to fulfill Your purpose for me. Lord, thank You for every opportunity that You have provided that makes my life worth living. Amen

Be Positive

“With tender humility and quiet patience, always demonstrate gentleness and generous love toward one another, especially toward those who may try your patience.” – Ephesians‬ ‭4:2‬ ‭TPT‬‬

Lord,

I just wanted to start by saying Thank You for providing me with something today…

something that I didn’t have yesterday,

and something that I hope I will have a little more of tomorrow. Optimism is not something that comes naturally to me, but I’m trying, Lord. I’m trying to leave hurtful experiences and struggles in the past.

Lord, pour your positivity into me and help me face every situation with love and kindness.

No matter WHAT I face.

No matter WHO I face.

Soften my guarded heart so that my words come from a gentle and affectionate spirit.

Lord, cloud my judging eyes and give me a clear vision of your peace and love. Let me see the world through eyes of compassion and grace, not through eyes that are wary due to scars from the past.

Amen

Seeking Only His Approval

“Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.” – Galatians‬ ‭1:10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

We spend so much time throughout our lives trying to make people like us. We want to be admired. We want to be loved. So we do things that we think will please those around us and make us popular on social media. We post things that will get us the ‘likes.’ We change our appearance, our habits, and sometimes personality traits, trying to become a person that will be accepted. What do we have to do to just be ENOUGH in the world we live in?

Thankfully, the only approval that matters comes from the one who loves us exactly the way we are today. He LOVES the person that He made each one of us to be!! Through all of our flaws, our imperfections, and our mistakes, He looks upon us with love and acceptance.

The way we live our lives should be devoted to becoming the person He made us to be and serving the purpose that He created just for us.

Ideally, when we make God proud, we are making those around us happy. When we treat people with the love and kindness that we learn from our Heavenly Father, we win their favor.

When we serve God, we are serving others, so occasionally this strengthens relationships or leads to new friendships.

The goal is not the approval of others, but very often it’s a bonus.

Dear God, sometimes I feel so alone, so abandoned, so forgotten, and so lost. I feel like I don’t measure up to what the world wants from me. I forget that I am accepted. That I am loved. Thank You so much, Lord, for reminding me when I need it. I don’t know what I would without Your unfailing love. Amen

What Keeps Me Going

Then Jesus explained: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work.” — John 4:34

Jesus said that what keeps Him going is doing God’s will. It fuels His fire.

It nourishes Him – provides His energy. Provides LIFE.

Filling our days with doing God’s work gives us a satisfaction like a belly – full after a healthy feast. We gain strength and become more energetic. We feel content when we have that sense of “fullness.”

Dear Jesus, I want to eat the food You eat. I want my satisfaction to come from doing God’s will. I want to feel full of Your Holy Spirit. Lord, let me be nourished by doing the work that you created me to do. Amen

Be Ready

“You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.” — Luke 12:40

Live your life right every day.

Jesus is not going to be like the friend who always calls ahead before they stop by so you have time to scramble and tidy up.

Be prepared for Him to drop by at any moment.

What do you have going on in your life that makes you feel not prepared for company?

What area of life would you feel compelled to spot clean in a rush if you saw Jesus’ car slowly pulling into your driveway?

What habits do you have that you would desperately hide in a closet if you heard Him knocking at your door?

Lord, I want to be on my toes and ready for You at any time! I want to welcome You in with open arms. Help me to keep a tidy home and a tidier life that I can be proud to invite you into. Amen