Question Three!

The final question in my series is "Who are you collecting?"  I want you to consider those who surround you, those who look up to you, those who are watching you and perhaps even admiring you.  If they were to answer these three questions, you might be listed under their question 1, "Who Are You Following?"  http://goldenruleliving.blogspot.com/2012/05/1st-question.html

Of all the three questions, this group (those you are collecting) is one that you don't really have control over.  You're not always sure who they are, where they are, or why you are collecting them.  They may be your own children, your co-workers, women and young ladies at your church or even strangers. 

I just finished teaching the teenage girls class at our Vacation Bible School, I also typically teach the teen girls half of the year.  I started this blog, speak at ladies days and write articles for other publications.  But last week during that class, I kept thinking about the seriousness of this question - who am I collecting?  I want to make sure what I say matches how I behave.  Many of the people who hear me or read my articles and blog are also friends with me on Facebook.  I want my posts and pictures to match up with what I say and write.  "Practice what you preach" comes to mind.

Titus 2:3-5 says "the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things- that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed."  I have always said that I am always older than somebody else, and I don't have to wait until I'm old to be this Titus 2 "older" woman.  To prove my point, I selected a few girls in the class and asked them their age, and then pointed out someone in our group who was younger than them and who might be looking up to them as an example.

With this question, the only one we do have control over is our self.  Are we making good choices in our daily life so that if someone was following us, they would make the same good choices?  Am I imitating God so that those who are looking to us for an example are ultimately looking to God?  I Corinthians 11:1

1st Question

I recently posed 3 questions for you to think on. 

1. Who are you following?
2. Who are you connecting with?
3. Who are you collecting?

Let's spend a little time looking at the first question.  Who are you following?  I asked you to think of your mentors and people you admire and look up to. Who came to mind?  Did your mind automatically go to women of the Bible such as Ruth and Esther?  Did you think of the leaders on your job, in your school, in your church?  The president, governor, television personalities?  According to Forbes magazine, Jennifer Lopez is the "World's Most Influential Celebrity".  Is she someone you're following, or perhaps others on the list, like Oprah, Ryan Seacrest or Lady Gaga. 

In the world of social media, following someone has various meanings. Of course if you are following my blog, you'll get updates of new posts. If I'm following someone on Twitter, I receive updates from that person or group. Perhaps it means that I'm interested in what they are doing. It can mean that I admire what they do, and I want to learn more about them.  However for this article, consider following as in following someone while they're walking or driving.  By following them, I am walking in their path, and doing what they do.

My life will mirror the life of who I am following.  My pattern of speech may change, my dress and attitude will also go through changes to be more like who I am following.  This can be a positive change or a negative one.  Following popular culture may have me dressing in low-cut tops, tight bottoms and not having a concern for how my actions affect those around me.  Following my neighbors may lead to a "keeping up with the Jones's" attitude.  My goals will revolve around making my home a show place, traveling to the "in" restaurants and vacation destinations.  If I find myself following current political leaders, I will begin to stop believing in the sanctity of marriage and the home, allowing humanistic views to influence my every choice.  However if I look to find a positive mentor and example to follow, my life will take a different course.

According to dictionary.com, a mentor is a wise or trusted adviser or guide.  A mentor can be someone we follow to learn from.  King Rehoboam had a great set of mentors in I Kings 12.  These elders had stood before his father, the wise King Solomon and provided good, sound advice (vs. 6).  However King Rehoboam chose to follow his peers, young men who had grown up with him.  We can look at others in the Bible as well as examples of good mentoring:  Barnabas and Paul, Paul and Timothy, Naomi and Ruth, Elijah and Elisha, Moses and Joshua, Deborah and Barak.  Older women are to be mentors for younger women in the local church (Titus 2).  The worthy woman of Proverbs 31 shows an ideal woman.

Do you have a good Christian to follow in your daily walk?  I have been blessed by godly Christian parents who gave me examples to follow.  There have been people along the way whom I can look up to, admire and follow as well.  Paul in I Corinthians 11:1 said "Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ."  Again in Ephesians 5:1 "Therefore be imitators of God as dear children."  The one we are to ultimately follow is Christ. 

In my business, I have women who have been extremely successful, and if I follow their examples, I know that success can be mine as well.  In following godly women by modeling their love of their husbands and love of their children (Titus 2:4) I can grow more successful as a better wife and mother.  However, following Christ above all others will give me rewards above anything I could ever imagine (Ephesians 3:20).  Because I know that ultimate success is living my life and going to heaven following Christ is my highest priority. 

Forgiveness - the really hard one

Moments will occur in our lives when we struggle with forgiveness, whether it is forgiving someone who has wronged us or allowing us to forgive ourselves for things we've done in our past.

Matthew 6:14, 15 "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

That is a scary verse - if I hold a grudge, and am unwilling to forgive someone for years or for one day ... God is unwilling to forgive me as well.

I read one time that when we are forgiven, God forgets it.  In Philippians 3:13, Paul said "but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead."  We have so much to look forward to, and to press onward towards ... it would be (dare I say silly?) unwise to let forgiveness towards others trip us up.

When someone hurts us, the sting will still be there, but when we are practicing golden rule Christianity, forgiving will for the most part be quick and easy.  Remember that we are to treat others, as you want them to treat you.  (Matthew 7:12)  We may be more cautious in the future, but we will be willing to offer the forgiveness and show effort to be more Christ-like.