Spiritual Zits

FYI: I hope the new layout is not too confusing for you, but I wanted to keep it fresh!

I know that I am not old. There are people who laugh when folks of my age begin to talk of “getting old.” It’s at this point that I would like to quote a very wise song-writer name Jon Bon Jovi: “Like your favorite pair of torn blue jeans, this skin I’m in’s alright with me. I’m not old--just older.” I’ve gotten used to who I am, and I’m cool with the whole idea that I’m not going to be “young” forever. I also ascribe to the whole “you’re as young as you feel” mentality, and hope I can hang on to my “young mindset” for many years to come. I also hope that my “appreciation” for quotation marks remains.

So, this part about getting older. First, my hair started falling out. Then, I noticed arthritis creeping into my shoulder. I hoped it was an injury that could be treated, but two doctors, several x-rays, and one cortisone injection later, it’s just arthritis, that is threatening to become painful again. I am pretty sure I have it in my left pinky as well. I have recurring tendonitis in my wrists--yeah, both of them. When my mid-section started to grow a bit faster (my fingers just had a freudian slip and typed “fatster”), I really had to come to grips with my age.

Is there such a product?

With all of these things pointing towards the fact that I am “not old--just older,” why is it that I am not too old to get a pimple? When do I outgrow those things? It seems only fair that if one is going bald, they shouldn’t have to deal with zits anymore. The other day, I had an itch on my nose, and as I reached up to scratch the underside, It hurt! As luck would have it, brewing beneath the surface of my skin was one of those pimples that starts deep within the skin and hurts for days until it finally comes to the surface. All in all, it’s a very pleasant experience. Yeah, right. Just call me Eeyore.

Most people just put Clearasil on it and move on. However, I have to think about it. Here’s how all of this craziness came together in my mind. As we grow as Christians, things about us will change. Both Peter and Paul said that we can’t stay on spiritual milk for long--we must grow up in the faith and move to solid food. (1 Peter 2:2, 1 Corinthians  3:2) Since we will live forever in eternity,I suppose age really doesn’t matter, so I guess we don’t get old--just older. However, no matter how mature in the faith we get, while we still live in this limited body on earth, we can never escape that blemish that lies beneath the surface. We are all still very prone to sin.

We can do all the exercise we want to maintain our strength and our health for our bodies, and even spiritually as we pray and read God’s Word on a daily basis. However, it only takes one little temptation or unguarded thought to begin the painful process of bringing sin to the surface.  Often times, the Holy Spirit brings conviction long before anyone can see outward manifestation of the sin in our hearts, and I believe it’s safe to say that most conviction of sin is painful. Sometimes others can’t see evidence of the “spiritual zit,” (that phrase is currently being trademarked) but we certainly feel the pain under our skin. Whether we have to swallow our pride and admit short-comings, or agonize over a confession we must make to a loved-one, we feel the sting and the hurt of these blemishes.

I kept looking in the mirror over the last few days, waiting for the inevitable, but the pimple never surfaced. In fact, it seems to have healed up and gone away. If we learn to deal appropriately with our sin at the first pain of the Spirit’s conviction, the grace of God may protect us from the embarrassing, and sometimes explosive (yeah, I went there) public showing of the “spiritual zit.” If that happens, thank God from the bottom of your heart, because it is most certainly NOT what you, or any of us deserve. Then, learn from the experience and do what you can to keep your spirit clean from that point on.

We will spend time and money on products and treatments to keep these blemishes from appearing on our skin, but how many of us really put in the same amount of effort to keep these blemishes from appearing in our spirit? There are no guarantees that face wash will work, but it never hurts to try. Getting into God’s Word daily, and spending time with Him in prayer can only benefit each of us as we grow in our faith. Psalm 119:11 says, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” If we fill our hearts and minds with the things of God, we have a better chance at defeating the temptations and thoughts that can become full-fledged sin in our lives. Chances are, you’ll scrub your face today. What will you do to clean your spirit?

Songs of the Past

I’m a nostalgia kind of guy. It’s not that I’ve ever been accused of being overly-sentimental or silly about it, but I can be take back to past experiences very quickly. I’m sure my wife would like me to tell her more often, but every July 4th I remember that it was on that very day in 2001 that I kissed her and “knew…” Yeah, THAT kind of “just knew.” When I was in Baton Rouge last summer for my brother’s wedding, I remember seeing a few places that I would frequent growing up, and it triggered some fun memories of times with friends. For the record, I now realize that cruising town in a mini-van with M.C. Hammer’s “2 Legit 2 Quit” blasting out the open windows is not quite as cool as me and my friends thought.

Which brings me to the one thing that has always been the strongest pull of nostalgia. Music is my weakness, and has made me into a crazed fan more than once in my life--as one friend from college recently remembered on a Facebook post. Because I tend to saturate myself with different music, certain songs immediately take me to different places in my life. Anytime I hear “Dreams” by Van Halen, I am transported to third grade when their “5150” was my very first album. (It was on cassette--do any of you remember those?) “Go West Young Man” by Michael W. Smith was what I listened to over and over during my tenth-grade year of Youth Camp. “Love of a Lifetime” by Firehouse is one of the songs I sang at my (now) Brother-in-law and sister-in-law’s wedding that made my (now) wife pay attention to me, “Faithfully” by Journey is the song we first danced to at their reception, and just over a year later, “I’ll Be” by Edwin McCain was our first dance as a married couple.

Since it’s Valentines Day, I felt like going down that particular memory lane to make my point. The truth is, many songs will take me back, and many of them have great meaning. Just last week, I discovered and bought a used copy of a CD that was stolen from me just after college. The singer is Jonathan Pierce, who is pretty well unknown by many people. He never really “made it big,” but certainly had his fans. He got his start singing with the Gaither Vocal Band, and released a solo CD in the mid-1990’s. I bought the CD and on it are two songs that quickly meant alot to me.

Because of different things I was going through, I was really challenged with the lyrics (and powerhouse vocals) of two songs. “One Love” is the title track that quite simply just reminds us that with all that’s going on in our world, the Love of Christ is powerful enough to change individuals, those around us, and even the world. It’s a personal, pursuing, and deep love that Christ has for us, and that took Him to the cross on our behalf. “Healing Hands” is another song that simply reminds us that no matter what condition our hearts are in, no matter how beaten, bruised, or broken, the hands of Jesus are waiting to heal us and restore us with His love.

As far as deep spiritual insight goes, I haven’t shared anything new or particularly life-changing. But, sometimes the simple musings of one person can trigger our own thoughts and send us to that place where we remember songs or experiences that mean a great deal to us. Just for grins, I’m posting videos here with those songs, and maybe you will enjoy them for yourself. Either way, don’t ever be afraid to reminisce and think of how God has brought you to where you are either because of or in spite of the different places you’ve been. Just don’t stop there--make yourself available for God to continue moving you where He can use you in the future!

Need New Pants.

Lately, I have decided that it’s time to get some new pants. Some of the students at church will laugh if they read this because they pick on me already for tending to favor the same style of pants over and over. But laugh as they may, my reasons are different. I tried carrying around a certain pen for awhile believing that the retractable tip would keep it from leaking. Not so much. I now have at least two pair of jeans with a noticeable bright blue spot on the outside of the pocket. I have another pair of jeans with a rear pocket tearing away, and another with a giant rip above the rear pocket, and still another pair that’s just downright uncomfortable. My non-jeans pants are getting a bit snug in the waist, as I have put on a few pounds in the mid-section.

As I’ve been looking, I have noticed two things: pants/jeans cost more than I want to spend, and there are so many different cuts and styles of pants, it’s hard to find one I like. Maybe it’s because I’m too old to be wearing the pants that sit below my waist and that...uh, “creep” in precarious places. I just find those to be a bit uncomfortable and not my style. However, I’m too young to buy the Dickies jump-suit style coveralls that retired men wear when they volunteer their time at the church. I have three boys at home and I work with teenagers, so it’s seems unreasonable to buy a pair of jeans for $80 that already have holes and tears in them when that will just happen to them anyway. For more than one of the reasons I already mentioned, skinny jeans are obviously out of the question. I just want a reasonably-priced pair of jeans or pants that fit the right way and will last more than two weeks.

So, since I have to wear pants of some kind, as my wife informs me with great conviction, I guess I’m in a tight spot. (You know, because of the...oh, never mind.) I just hold to my belief that somewhere out there are brands of jeans and pants that fit my specific shape and requirements. Until said time, I’ll just do the best with what I have, and continue to look patiently in mens departments everywhere.

Spiritual gifts are a lot like pants. Not all Christians have the same ones, and the ones that do share similar gifts may not feel as comfortable in using those gifts as others. As God works in our lives, it’s possible that we could indulge a bit too much in, say for example, HOSPITALITY, and discover that it has become a bit too snug around our middles. As God sees the needs change, He moves us into a different area of ministry where our gift of PROPHECY is cutting-edge and ahead of the times. Some of us occasionally envy someone else their gift, and while we compliment them in person: “Oh that MERCY looks just great on you!” we are really saying on the inside: “Oh it’s so unfair that I have to wear last year’s TEACHING, which isn’t nearly as glamorous or as popular…”

These spiritual gifts are not like pants in that we don’t just get to go shopping and try on a few we like and pick our favorites. Our “pants” are more like military issue, where we are given what we will need in spite of how we think it looks or feels. God knows from our very beginning who we will be (Psalm 139:13-16), and what Gifts will best suit HIS purposes for our lives. When we open our hearts to Christ, these gifts are given to us freely. They were picked out long before we got them, but they are never out of style. They may not be the ones we would choose for ourselves, but they are certainly the ones that we will need as we move forward with God’s plans for us.

Just like pants are made to be worn, Gifts are given to be used. If you try to go into the world without either, you just don’t quite make the impact you are designed to make--you become a distraction. It’s admirable to want to serve God with gusto and enthusiasm, but the sign of a mature and growing follower of Christ is taking the gifts we’ve been given, and saying, “Okay Lord, point me in YOUR direction, and I’ll go for it!”

If you are a “pants-less” follower of Christ, it just means you haven’t spent time seeking out your gifts. Pray about it. You have gifts, and God wants you to use them. Ask spiritual leaders and those who know you well to pray with you, and maybe offer some observations on what they see in you. Ultimately, it’s between you and God, but trust me, others will know if you are not dressed for the occasion. Once you find these, they will break you in, and get you more comfortable and confident in wearing them daily as you seek to share Christ with this world.