Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will
find life. I will make an everlasting covenant with you. I will give you all
the unfailing love I promised to David.
Isaiah 55:3
I was nine years old, and small for my age. My teacher
loomed over me like a giant. Every day, she wore her black hair in a tight bun
on top of her head. She always wore a black pencil skirt, crisply pressed white
blouse with long sleeves, wire rimmed glasses, and never any makeup. Yes, she
looked like the lady on the Old Maid deck of cards. Her name was Miss Rhoads.
I was a well behaved student, and never got into trouble,
however, I was not doing so academically well in that 4th grade
class. I was behind, and needed some help. My name was already displayed on the
bum list in front of the class for all to see. I guess Miss Rhoads thought she would help me.
She caught me by surprise. She grabbed me, lifted me off the
ground with her towering body, and began to shake me hard. Her eyes looked like
they would pop right out of the socket. I was glad she had the wire rimmed
glasses to divert the aim if that would happen. She scared me, but the words
she spoke would stay with me, the rest of my life. Her words were, “Jenny, if
you don’t get caught up, you are going to grow up to be a bum, a nothing.”
The thing is, I needed help, not words of condemnation. In
that one phrase, she had proclaimed her words of punishment. My sentence was, “Forever a stupid nothing.” Encouraging words, would have worked better. I
was not dumb, but I wore an invisible sign around my neck called stupid for
many, many years. Miss Rhoads words did not help in the least that day. If
anything, it crushed my spirit.
What is the sign hanging on your neck today? Is it ugly,
clumsy, fat, dunce, untalented, stupid, unworthy, unloved, etc.? I want you to
know that you are a perfectly created masterpiece, in the eyes of your loving
Father.
God knows we are His masterful creation, and He loves us
with an everlasting, unstoppable love. He gave His life as a ransom for us. I
think that makes our worth, very valuable. He wants us to be victorious
conquerors. We need to quit listening to the voices of the Miss Rhoads in our
lives, and instead, listen to the sweet words Jesus whispers in our ears, “I
give you all my unfailing love.”
Satan knows that as long as we wear our badges of defeat, we
are less usable to the Lord. Psalms 34:18 says, “The LORD is close to the
brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Jesus wants to heal
our broken, crushed spirits. If we allow Him, He will come and remove that ugly
old sign we wear around our necks, and replace it with a new one. This one will
say, “Beautiful! Forgiven! Perfect! Worthy! Chosen! Child of God!”
Dear Loving Father, Thank you for perfectly making each of
us. Help us to see that. Though Jesus we pray. Amen
Comments
Post a Comment