We All Got "Stuff"

I have a question for you...How many people have to put up with your "stuff". Let's take a few moments to put our egos and pride aside because all of us have "stuff". Let me define "stuff" for ya...this is Michelle's definition for this blog, so don't go looking it up on dictionary.com. It is what is known as an issue(s), an area of inconvenience, weaknesses, slow mental moments. I am going to go old school on you here for a minute..."get my drift?" We get so mad at other people because of their "stuff" and we clearly feel the effects of it on our lives but what about how our "stuff" has impacted others lives? If we would really apply scripture to our lives as Christ intended us to do--we would have a lot less forgiveness issues. Consider these verses, Luke 6:41-43 (NASB) "Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother's eye.

We have to admit that there are decisions that we have made in our lives that have affected other people, family, friends, colleagues, siblings, children, etc. To say that you have never made such a decision would be like telling me you are perfect. The last time I check there is no one perfect, no not one! EXPECT for God. It could have been as simple as your choice in a mate-- two families are brought together and we all have heard the in-law stories. Having babies outside of wedlock affects the family and mostly the child who may be left with parents that don't stay together. Making the decision to have an abortion leaves a lasting affect on a mother's heart and mind, not to mention the life of a child that has been stopped dead in it's tracks. I would know because I have made many of these same choices, prior to coming to know the Lord as my Savior. Maybe you didn't do anythin of those things but even if you simply left a job before securing another, this affects the financial welfare of the family. If your children have decided to follow a life of crime or sell drugs, this affects the family, their health, their free life, etc., etc., etc.

I know it is much easier to see the faults in other people but we've all made some humdinger of decisions here and there too--to tell the truth, some of us have made a lifestyle of making these decisions to the point where our circle of people just don't know what to do with us. Let's take my son for instance. Got to love him! He is 18 years old and his only desire in life is to be "grown," while most of us grown folk wish someone was taking care of us, oh what we wouldn't do to be young again without a care in the world. What a trick of the devil to convince our young people to try and grow up so fast, that they skip chunks of time that they really need to develop and transition properly into adulthood. It's almost like a DVD, you know how you can push skip and miss large segments of a movie to get to the part you like or to the end. Unfortunately, while they are trying to skip ahead the enemy is seeking to destroy them and bring them to their end.

Like all of us, my son has made enough bad decisions in just the past year to affect his health, his freedom, his education, his future as a whole. As I have gotten older I have seen with 20/20 vision looking back how decisions that I have made have affected soooo many people. The apple don't fall far from the tree. This has caused me to be much more understanding and patient with my son during his time of discovery.

It is time we get over ourselves and stop leading people to believe our "stuff" don't stink and remember from where we came and who had to put up with us, pray for us, rescue us, protect us-- and don't let me leave out who had to pay a ransom for us! Jesus came down here to die on the cross for our "stuff" so we need to be more tolerant of each other as we all try to figure out this thing called life. Some people have a harder time at it cause they don't know the one who gives life..God! Let's stop complaining and pointing the finger at others and share Christ with them.

Can you think of anyone that you need to be more patient with as God works out areas of their life? Who can you think of that has really been affected by your "stuff?" Realizing that someone was there for you while your "stuff" was stinkin'....are you ready to inturn be there for someone?

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