"Mom, He's Looking At Me"

My stated profession on official documents is "childcare provider". What does this mean. Well, it means that I do just about anything your children need and you are willing to pay me for. Okay, so there is a bit more to it.

To the point:

One of the children have watched in the past would ride the bus home occasionally, which was great if he/she was in a decient mood. However one day he/she had a moment of relapse. Relapse, in that this child forgot every sense of civility he/she had ever been taught. When getting off the bus it was relayed that he/she had slapped another child. The reason stated when further intergation occurred was "she was looking at me." Why is it that one moment we're competing for attention and the next we are outraged that someone is giving it to us?

I was thinking of this in relation to my own disposition toward the attention of others. I crave attention from those I love but when it is given I often shrink away. I get uncomfortable when words such as "cute" (which originally meant bow-legged), "pretty" and "nice" (which to Shakespere meant ignorant) are used in referance to me even though those are the kinds of things that make me warm and fuzzy inside. Perhaps I'm afraid of the warm fuzzies. They're coming to take me away...ahh!

There are two extremes to this. (I'm getting good at this two point stuff. Don't worry I'm a five pointer.)

The first is: "I don't care what anyone thinks...Their opinions are nothing in light of eternity...God is my Judge..."

Yeah, but how will He judge you? "1 Peter 1:15...but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behaviour" He will judge based on what He would have done, how He would have acted, the words He would have used. Wow! Doesn't that cut to the quick of your soul? I am convicted by that thought. How often do I offer "Nehemiah prayers" (Nehemiah 2:4-5) for those brief conversations with old classmates in "stuff-mart" or the dreaded question "How are you doing?"

"Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, My Rock and my Redeemer...Psalm 19:14"

The other extreme: "If I do this or that, so and so will see me...I don't want them to think I'm loud and boistrous...I don't want to bother them."

Representing Christ is to walk as He walked. "1 John 2:6 ...the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked." Jesus didn't shrink at the sight of anyone because He knew His purpose. Ours is one in the same, "to glorify God and enjoy Him forever." He came to do His Father's will. This usually included talking to someone, sometimes touching their leperous hand or rubbing mud made from His own spit on their eyes. How do you think these people felt when He invaded their bubble of personal space? I, personally, would have freaked out.

We spend so much time thinking "I bet people were looking at me" or "I didn't want to take up your time." But at what cost? How will poeple know of what eternity holds if we don't speak it, either by wasting empty words on them or offering none at all. We are to be good stewards of the name and position of Christ which was imputed to us. Think about it. The only reason to dwell negitively on the thoughts and perceptions of others is a lack of confidence in God and His work in you/me. There are, of course, times when you know the Lord is using a person to get through your thick skull but this doesn't often come from the person behind you in the local "stuff-mart." It comes from those you are walking along-side on this narrow road.

One of my favorite writings of John MacArthur is "Found: God's Will." In this little booklet He points out Epesians 5:15-17 saying "Don't be (cover your children's eyes) stupid." The verses actually read and I will leave you with this and a hymn:

"Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is."

Take My Life and Let It Be
(Leviticus 11:44)
Take my life and let it be consecrated Lord, to Thee
Take my moments and my days, let them flow in ceaseless praise.

Take my hands and let them move at the impulse of Thy love
Take my feet and let them be swift and beautiful for Thee.

Take my voice and let me sing, always, only for my King
Take my lips and let them be filled with messages from Thee.

Take my will and mike it Thine. It shall be no longer mine
Take my heart – it is Thine own. It shall be Thy royal throne.

Take my love, my Lord I pour, at Thy feet its treasure store
Take myself and I will be, ever, only all for Thee.
Frances Ridley Havergal (1836-1879)