~J U S T I F I C A T I O N ~

Are we "followers" or "leaders?" Most of us encourage our children to obey authority, but not to follow the crowd. Remember your parents asking, "if your friend jumped off a cliff, would you jump after them?" Life is full of dichotomies, isn't it? We end up following fashion trends, using the same language as those we are around most, keep busy trying to belong to a group or click, or being like someone we idolize. If we are fortunate enough to have a healthy self-image we don't care, well, not quite as much what others think.

I decided to use this day at home spending some time in the warm sun, we haven't had much of it these past two weeks. Our front yard looks like no one lives here right now. So as I donned my tennis shoes and jeans, I tied up the dog on the front lawn (loose description,) and proceeded to pull weeds and wild grass. Living out here in the country, we seem to have more of them, however. It makes for easier pulling when the ground is wet from the rains we've had. Maybe I'm a little strange, but God always seems to show me "object lessons" when I get off to myself doing something.

There is a lot of stress going on now with the extra pressures that this new economy is producing. No one is immune to it in any way, shape, or form. Whether we complain about the state of our nation, or find fault with our leaders, it seems we end up choosing sides. Neither is right, would be my guess. Aren't we, after all, bearing the consequences of the decisions WE have made, because that was what every one else was doing? We often justify our actions because everyone else is doing it. Now we find ourselves trying to dig ourselves out, one way or another. Many are left with very little compared to what they had just a year or two ago. Millions of dollars have been lost, financial institutions have closed along with many once strong, long standing businesses. Marriages are falling by the wayside due to financial stress, debt, and lack of commitment. Jobs are hard to find because of a flooded unemployment base. All pretty depressing, right? In reading the Psalms this past week, I see that King David had it all, with exception of denying himself on several poignant occasions. He lost all that was important to him because he began putting his needs above others...his integrity, loss of more than one son, and the pleasure of building the Temple in Jerusalem. Hard lessons to learn, and yet he was referred to "a man after God's own heart." Experiencing just these things, you would think he would have become embittered, hopeless, and even turned from God...but, he didn't. He didn't justify his actions, he repented and allowed God to restore "the joy of his salvation." Life only gives us one opportunity to get it right. Is it worth it to not learn from our mistakes and failures and become lost in the crowd? Or do we stop to recognize that God is able to make lemonade out of lemons...Nothing is ever lost in His economy when it comes to His children. We can trust Him because He is trustworthy! Romans 8:28 For all things work together for our good. To those who love God and are called according to His purposes.