SHOES are for WEARING .... not for showing

An Example of Christian Training in Humbleness and Humility

Katie,  an  adorable  little girl, about 5 or 6, was always glad to see visitors come, especially us. Soon after we arrived and news items exchanged, Katie eagerly ran to her Mother to whisper something in her ear.  Mother  leaned down to hear her little daughter’s request.

The  visitors were  a bit surprised to see Mother’s  face becoming  solemn, as she  shook her head.  Quietly, Mother said to her, “No, Katie.  Shoes are for WEARING,  not for showing.” If I hadn’t been sitting right next to the Mother, I would have never heard the exchange.

Little  Katie  was sorely disappointed . . .

LENTEN MEDITATION 11 ~ Taking Down the Walls

LENTEN MEDITATION 11
For the Year of Our LORD, 2.16.2007

Let us take down the walls.

Christ Jesus our LORD bids us to come unto HIM+,
all who are heavy-laden and HE+ will give us rest.
HE+ bids us to take His+ yoke upon us
and learn of HIM+,
for HE+ is meek and lowly of heart.
HE+ says His+ yoke is easy
and His+ burden, light.

A dear Christian Sister, imprisoned for her faith many decades ago, exhorted the other Sisters with her from her village to eat the rotten food given to them in the filthy prison. The mostly-rotted potatoes were thrown to them by the prison guards. They rolled into the muck by the drain hole in the cell. The Sisters were revolted by the mess they were supposed to eat.

However, this Sister leaned down and kissed a potato and vehemently offered thanks unto the LORD, with tears in her eyes, for provision to keep them alive. She told the other Sisters how GOOD The LORD was to provide them this food because they didn’t even deserve that much. (From the book, Of Whom the World was not Worthy, by Marie Chapian).

Her humbleness empowered the other ones imprisoned with her to also eat the stinking food and sustain their lives. They rejoiced, following her example, and The LORD blessed it to the nourishment of their bodies, as well as to the nourishment of their souls. And, they made it through prison.

Let us take down the walls of our hearts and lay them bare, open unto Our Savior. Let us acknowledge and not let go of our truly humble and helpless state before CHRIST JESUS. Let us do as this imprisoned yet humble Sister did when faced with our own rotted portions that we are forced to endure… without bitterness in our hearts.

We have nothing to lose. We have everything to gain.

As a matter of fact, we cannot lose…
If we embrace them as coming from CHRIST.

No, the LORD did not imprison these Sisters; wicked men did. But ... HE+ sanctified the hardships to them for their utmost good because they yielded their lives unto HIM+. They literally took whatever was dished out to them for His+ name’s sake, for a testimony to HIM+. And now many years later, being Home with HIM+, they are in joys unspeakable and full of glory.

Dear Heavenly Savior, we ask you to help us to humble ourselves…yea, to do it before it gets done for us. Help us to practice lowliness of heart. We acknowledge our ungratefulness. We acknowledge our anger and impatience when we encounter hindrances and hurts. Help us smite our pride.

Thank you for Thy Example and the examples of Christian martyrs and confessors through the ages. Help us to go and do likewise, to the praise of Thy Holy Name. This we pray in the name of the ONE+ Who+ sacrificed His+ all so that we may have true life, both here on earth and in the world to come, for all Eternity. Amen.