Shadows
of Men and Women
How
often do we stand in the shadows of men and women to find they are not who we
thought they were?
Two
young ladies had Marilyn Monroe immortalized on their desktops. They were surprised when I told
them Marilyn Monroe wasn’t a blond but a red head. They were even more surprised that Marilyn Monroe
wasn’t her real name but Norma Gene. They then looked up pictures of “this” Norma Gene to
find that she was indeed Marilyn Monroe. Suddenly utterances such as, “Why did she color her hair
and why did she change her name?
She was so pretty as a red head?
Norma Gene is a pretty name.”
Of course this led to more searches of people changing their appearances
where they discovered, for the most part, that these changes weren’t necessary
improvements.
I
found that when we try to change who we are, to impress others, we only end up
with disappointing results.
We end up isolated because we can’t be who we really are. Think about it?
When
we try to impress others, we only falsify who we are. People like not us but mere shadows of our selves. They
like the lie more the then the REAL thing.
God
made you for himself. He didn’t
make you like everyone else. He is
the one who created you for his purpose and pleasure.
We
must remember the lie will burn…. Everything that is false will burn. Everything is false will be
exposed.
“The
time is coming when everything will be revealed; all that is secret will be
made public. Whatever you have
said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind
closed doors will be shouted from the housetops for all to hear!”
Luke 12:2-3
On
the same note, we must not walk in the shadows of men and women but upon the
foundation of Jesus Christ. We
should abide in HIS love.
Men and women may do works and say many words but take pride in God, no
men or women. Take no pride in your church affiliation but in Christ and Christ
alone. Thank God for your
accomplishments and your provisions.
“It is better to take refuge in the LORD than
to trust in people. It is
better to take refuge in the LORD than trust in princes.” Psalm 118:8-9
Paul
writes: “Because of God’s special favor
to me, I have laid a foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this
foundation must be careful. For no
one can lay any other foundation than the one we already have- Jesus
Christ. Now anyone who builds on
that foundation may use gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay or straw. But there is going to come a time of
testing at the judgment day to see what kind of work each builder had
done. Everyone’s work will be put through the fire to see whether
or not it keeps its value.
If the work survives the fire, that builder will receive a reward. But if the work is burned up, the
builder will suffer great loss.
The builders themselves will be saved, but like someone escaping through
a wall of flames. Don’t you
realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of
God lives in you? God will bring ruin upon anyone who ruins this temple. For God’s temple is holy, and you
Christians are that temple.
Stop fooling yourselves.
If you think you are wise by this world’s standards, you will have to
become a fool so you can become wise by God’s standards. For the wisdom of this world is
foolishness to God. As the
Scriptures say, ‘God catches those who think they are wise in their own
cleverness.’ And again, ‘The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are
worthless.’ So don’t take pride in
following a particular leader.
Everything belongs to you:
Paul and Apollos and Peter; the whole world and life and death; the
present and the future. Everything belongs to you, and you belong to Christ,
and Christ belongs to God.” 1 Corinthians 3:10-23
Stay
out of the shadows, for we don’t know when a gust of wind will blow and the shadows will decide to become falling
trees instead.
Abide in God's love.
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