Still Waters Moment Gratitude for God

Psalm 7:17 "I will give thanks to the LORD because of His righteousness; I will sing the praises of the name of the LORD Most High."

As we enter November, we tend to focus more on gratitude throughout the month due to the Thanksgiving holiday.  There are many things for us to be thankful for such as family, friends, and provision.  For this month’s devotional, we will focus on giving thanks to the Source of all the things we have to be grateful for. 

Who He is

Hebrews 13:15 "Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess His name."

There are several names for God and His attributes are inexhaustible.  He is the God of the universe.  He is not limited to time and space as He is the One who created them.  He is omnipotent, all powerful.  He is omniscient, all knowing.  He is omnipresent, everywhere at once.  While it may be difficult or even impossible for us to fathom these qualities, that doesn’t stop Him from being them and more!  The fact that this magnificent God loves and wants to know each of us individually should blow our minds!  We humans can be fickle, hard-headed, prideful, and so many other things that aren’t like Him, yet He loves us in spite of it.  Therefore, our hearts should be brimming with gratitude for His unconditional love He offers, so much so, that we can’t help but to tell others about this great God as Hebrews 13:15 declares. 

What He’s done, is doing, and will do

Psalm 9:1 "I will give thanks to You, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonderful deeds"

God is always working, even when we don’t see it.  These instances of not seeing God’s hand during a trial are numerous as they are an element of building trust and faith.  If we always saw Him moving behind the scenes in real time, or if we knew when and how the situation would be resolved, there would be no need for us to have trust or faith.  However, if you have been walking with the Lord for a while, you can look back on situations in your life when at the time you didn’t see the way out but now that you’re on the other side, you see how God was there the whole time.  These instances are to encourage us when the next trial arrives, knowing if He did it before, He’ll do it again.  The more we walk with Him, the more our victories propel our faith forward to trust and believe that all things will indeed work for our good no matter what comes our way, (Romans 8:28)!  In this way, our lives become testimonies to the greatness of God both indirectly, via observation, and directly as we tell of His wonderful works, (Psalm 9:1).

That He will never leave us nor forsake us

Psalm 107: 1 and 1 Chronicles 16:34 both state “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.”

How comforting is it that this amazing God that we have the privilege of knowing will never leave us?  This magnificent God full of positive attributes will never abandon us!  That is a reassurance money can’t buy.  To know that nothing can separate us from His love can give us a confidence that no other relationship can.  Even in challenging situations, whether it’s the death of a loved one; a sin we committed; a difficult child, etc., God is present, lending a hand to comfort, forgive, guide, or provide whatever we need.  He also celebrates our accomplishments and joyful events in our lives with us, even while authoring them.  He is a constant, unconditional friend and loves us with an everlasting love that runs deep and proved itself before we were even born given Jesus’s sacrificial death over 2,000 years ago.  To think, we will eventually be in heaven face to face with this God.  That thought alone should have us overflowing with excitement, hope, and gratitude as we anticipate that encounter.

Reflection: What difficult situation can you thank God for knowing: 1) He is working it out for your good. 2) He is using the trial to cultivate a Godly characteristic within you. 3) He is walking with you as you go through it and will never leave you alone.

Still Waters Moment The Armor of God: Pray for All the Lord’s People

Ephesians 6: 18-20 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. 19 Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

We’ve spent the majority of this year studying the Armor of God as it pertains to how we utilize each piece in spiritual battle for our personal benefit.  As we bring the study to a close, the focus scripture has us now directing our attention to our brothers and sisters in Christ.  Paul starts off by directing us to be alert and always keep on praying for all of the Lord’s people.  The life of a Christian is not easy in that when we are standing on God’s principles, we automatically go against the grain of the world’s standards.  Additionally, our interactions and experiences with people can be challenging at times.  “People” encompasses everyone from family members to coworkers to fellow church members, etc.  God uses the various types of dispositions and personalities represented in a given population to develop the characteristics of Christ within us while also calling us to be His examples. We know that trying to keep our interactions with others God honoring is not always an easy feat, especially if the people we’re called to interact with aren’t our cup of tea. This is yet another reason why supporting the Christian community with prayer is vital, our witness and conduct with others are always being observed.

We’ve learned that the spiritual battle starts in the mind and we need to pray that the spiritual mental stamina of our brethren remain God centered.  While we may not know the specifics of a person’s trial(s), the word tells us in various scriptures that we all face them.  The enemy does his best to create situations to throw us off course, frustrate and exhaust us. He wants us to get caught up in what we see in an attempt to make us hopeless and give up.  As we consider our own battles in the mind, hopefully empathy is fostered for others and causes us to act by praying for them.  When someone tells you of a difficult time they are going through, extending God’s love via prayer is like a healing balm for them.  If you are able and the occasion allows, taking the time to pray in the moment can lift another’s spirit and encourage them to keep going.  If you tell someone you will keep them in prayer, try to do it as soon as possible so you do not forget as I’m sure we can attest to the fact that life can get busy and the best of intentions can slip our minds.  Whether you pray with the person or for them in private, praying for another person is a way of exemplifying God’s love. 

Sometimes, the person you are praying for may not know you are praying.  God is pleased when we take the time to pray for them without needing an outward display of gratitude for doing so.  It pleases God when we care more for our fellow man than accolades.  Furthermore, there may be times when you are made privy of a sensitive confidential situation.  This information doesn’t come via gossip, but it could be directly or indirectly given to you.  These are instances when you must pray for the person.  It’s an honor God trusted you with the information as He knew you would keep it confidential and pray for those involved. 

In the focus scripture, Paul’s prayer request to the Church at Ephesus was that they would pray for him to be given the right words to fearlessly declare the gospel.  As Paul was an apostle, this was his calling.  While our jobs may be in a secular environment, we are still ambassadors for Christ in every environment we enter and we want to conduct ourselves as such.  The enemy will try to create situations to make us respond in our flesh, especially in places where we are known to be a Christian.  The enemy will do whatever He can to defame the name of Christ.  Praying for our fellow brethren to bear the armor and remain steadfast in the fight is a way we help them win their spiritual battles and bring God glory.

Reflection:  What fellow Christian can you pray for to be steadfast in his/her spiritual battle?

Still Waters Moment The Armor of God: Pray in the Spirit on All Occasions

Ephesians 6: 10-20 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. 

We must always remember that the armor in the scripture is the armor of God, meaning that if the armor is to be effective, we need to be in constant communication with Him, meaning prayer.  Ephesians 6: 18 begins, “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions…”.  Hopefully as we grow in our Christian walk, the “all occasions” is becoming second nature.  This may include such things in a typical day as praying in the morning that God cover you and your loved ones throughout the day.  If you pass a car accident, making a point to pray for all involved.  Praying over our meals.  Praying for a coworker who just shared of a tough time they are going through.  Praying before a meeting that your mind remains alert and a guard over your lips, etc.  

The examples listed above are probably typical prayers for most Christians.  For the purposes of this devotional, I want to focus on the occasions of praying to God when we are experiencing emotions that we may be embarrassed or hesitant to go to God with.  Furthermore, we may even believe that we are supposed to “get ourselves together” and that the feelings must be gone before we approach Him.  I grew up believing this and I will never forget the instance that God challenged my wrong thinking.

I was part of an organization made up of people in various roles in the education field in the Philadelphia area.  We gathered monthly to discuss matters of race in education.  There were about eight of us in one particular meeting and we were creating a presentation for a conference we were invited to present for.  This annual conference is a prominent one that happens in Philadelphia and education professionals from all over the region attend.  When the presentation had been finalized, I noticed I wouldn’t be saying much compared to the other seven.  I was livid about this because a lot of the content was based on my experiences with educating my students about race.  I took the el train home after the meeting and as it zoomed past the neighborhoods, I was enveloped in seething anger.  In the moment I knew I would eventually pray about it but not until I calmed down. I felt a prompting from the Holy Spirit telling me to bring the anger to Him.  This surprised me because in my mind, I didn’t want to offend Him with it.

However, an amazing thing happened.  The Holy Spirit told me to think about the why behind the anger.  A few things came to the surface.  One thing He helped me to see was that this situation touched on my insecurities regarding my perceived value compared to the others. Many of them had higher degrees and or positions than I did which made me struggle with thinking their voices carried more weight and value than my own.  Furthermore, my perception was that they agreed with this notion and the proof was in the speaking assignments in the presentation.  My value is something I had struggled with for most of my life which is why I internalized this situation the way that I did. 

The Holy Spirit went on to tell me that I am His first which meant there was a big possibility I would be used by Him for a specific assignment in any given environment. He would use me despite what was in the order of the presentation and His will for me will always take precedent over man’s.  During this entire interaction with the Holy Spirit, I was in awe that He was engaging with me in the moment of my anger, something I felt was sinful and bad and needed to be done away with before I approached His throne but that wasn’t the case.  Since I took it to Him, He was in it with me and helped me through it. By the time I reached my stop, my anger had dissipated and I felt encouraged. 

I find that many of us are hesitant and or avoid prayer altogether when we are experiencing strong emotions that feel negative.  These emotions include anger, resentment, jealousy, lust, etc. that may foster shame which the enemy tries to use against us. Shame tends to lead to hiding, or what we think is hiding which is ludicrous because nothing is hidden from God so we might as well bring the feelings before Him.  When we don’t present these feelings to God, they can fester, deepen and grow bigger to the point of being unmanageable and seen by many.  Another benefit to sharing them with God is our “recovery time” is shorter and lends itself to victory in the spiritual battle.  When we are “in our feelings” and managing the emotions on our own that leads to distraction from fighting the battle, wasted time and the need to recover lost ground.  We need the help of our Father to overcome the emotions as we cannot manage them on our own.

Again, Ephesians 6:18a says to pray on all occasions.  The enemy wants us to “hide” our negative emotions from God because he knows the benefits of going to God about them include dissecting underlying issues, (such as feeling undervalued in the above account), which enlightens, grows and frees us.  Addressing the emotion at its inception by bringing it before God prevents it from growing out of control.  We learn that God is with us and helps us, “even in this”. 

Reflection:  Are there any feelings/situations you are hesitant to pray to the Lord about?  If so, please do not give into the enemy’s tactics but consider all you have to gain by bringing it to our loving Father that wants us to come to Him on all occasions. 

Still Waters Moment The Armor of God: Sword of the Spirit

Ephesians 6: 10-17 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

I played on my high school basketball team from 9th-12th grade.  One thing that remained consistent all four years was that I was good on defense.  I boxed out and rebounded the ball well. I defended my zone or assigned person with competence and did my best to make it difficult for her to shoot by keeping myself between her and the basket.  Occasionally I blocked the shots and would sometimes then be able to snatch the ball putting it back into my team’s possession which made me feel like a beast!  However, offense was another matter altogether.  While “the beast” may have made a good defensive play, that beast quickly shrunk to a mouse while en route to the other end of the court to play offense.  I executed the plays as rehearsed in practice but anytime I got my hands on the ball, I was afraid to shoot.  I would immediately look for a teammate to pass to because the thought of shooting and missing in front of a crowd incited fear. 

If we want to live a victorious Christian life, we don’t have the choice to allow fear to overtake us defensively nor offensively.  Ephesians 6:17 states that the sword is God’s word, the bible.  In physical war, the sword could be used defensively to block an enemy’s strike and offensively by wielding blows.  We must be skilled in using our sword of the Spirit in both manners: defensively would be being responsive and offensively is being proactive.  Both require intentional action.  Jesus was the perfect example of using the sword defensively.  Matthew chapter 4 tells the account of Jesus being tempted by Satan after fasting 40 days and 40 nights.  Each time the enemy tried to bait Jesus with a temptation, Jesus responded with a relevant scripture and the enemy eventually left Him. 

For an offensive example of using the sword, let’s look at something practical.  You are presented with two job opportunities.  Obviously, you will consider the pros and cons of each position.  However, you would acknowledge you are not the authority on the final decision, God is.  Your actions would support this by praying and possibly fasting as you seek His face.  To encourage yourself and honor God, you would pick up your sword and speak relevant scripture to the situation, e.g. Proverbs 3:5-6 “5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight” and Psalm 25: 4-5 “4 Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths.  5 Guide me in your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long.”

Note that the sword of the Spirit works in tandem with the shield of faith.  As you are wielding the sword by applying relevant scripture to a situation or trial you find yourself in, your faith, the shield, is fed and utilized against the enemy’s attacks.  You continue to be proactive with scripture and Godly behavior while continuing to have faith. This also builds your spiritual strength as you wouldn’t keep fighting if you didn’t believe God would give you the victory.  Hebrews 4:12 tells us, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”  Thus, a benefit of utilizing the sword is that this living entity is doing supernatural work within us, shaping our spirit, thoughts, intentions, etc. to look more and more like His.

Reflection: What scriptures can you recite that are relevant to trials and situations you are facing?

Still Waters Moment The Armor of God: Helmet of Salvation

Ephesians 6: 10-17a 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation…

The focus scripture makes it clear that we battle in spiritual wars.  Clearly, each piece of the armor of God has a significant individual purpose that contributes to us being victorious in war.  Having the proper mindset helps us to utilize the pieces effectively and that’s where the helmet of salvation comes in.  First and foremost, we must have the mind of Christ which signifies we believe His ways are better than our own and surrender to them as a result.  This is more than a notion, but a daily, hourly, minute by minute, second by second decision.  A decision that the enemy will not make easy for us to abide by.  As his intent is to kill, steal, and destroy, he attacks us with negative thoughts and lies rooted in doubt, anxiousness, condemnation, discouragement, fear, etc.  When we put on the helmet of salvation and utilize its purpose when under attack, we activate God’s protection of our minds.

In a Roman suit of armor, the helmet obviously protected the head.  It prevented fatal blows and injuries to the skull which encompasses the brain that thinks, makes decisions and commands the body.  Spiritually, our helmet of salvation protects us from spiritually fatal blows.  This begins by applying Romans 12:2, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."  This is not done just once but on a consistently ongoing basis that includes scripture study, prayer, worship and reflection.  The purpose of reflection is to sit with the Lord, listen to Him and apply what He has to say.  This is also a time when He may reveal any hindrances or dangers in our thinking and actions.  The devil is so cunning and patient.  He will send a thought, something we may think is so minor at the time but if we aren’t careful of its potential, those minor thoughts can add up and take root.  However, when we bring ourselves before the Lord for quiet reflection, He can expose them to us.   By doing this, we enact 2 Corinthians 10:5, "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."  Some thoughts are easy to surrender to God.  Others require the strength of the Lord, and we need to tell our Father, “I can’t capture my own thoughts, Father, I need your help.”  This reminds us of His great power, mercy and love for us as well as how we are able to do nothing without Him.

Spiritual warfare starts in the mind.  This is where you decide how you see the spiritual war, are you the victor or the defeated?  Are you strong in Christ or weak in your own abilities? Despite what it looks like today, do you believe it will work for your good and God’s glory or that it will end in failure and defeat? The answers to these questions determine your day-to-day actions and ultimately the outcome.  Thus, the battlefield is definitely in the mind, (and this is the perfect moment to recommend Joyce Meyer’s book, Battlefield of the Mind as it dives into a deeper teaching on the subject and offers practical tips to achieve a victorious mindset).  Take note that the Roman helmet signified status and authority.  In the armor of God, our helmet is a symbol of belonging to and acting like Him.  Luke 10:19 tells us of the authority Jesus granted us and we must be intentional about using it!  Roman helmets intimidated their foes and incited fear within them.  When we utilize our helmets of salvation, we are resisting the devil and James 4:7 tells us he flees!  Victory is inevitable!

Fighting a spiritual battle surrendered to God’s manner of warfare takes restraint, humility and trust that His way is better.  The world lauds savvy clap backs, beefs, and physical altercations.  God is about love and peace and that doesn’t come naturally to many of us.  In fact, it can feel downright self-deprecating and humiliating not to tell someone about themselves, especially if they are wrong.  Having an audience can increase the difficulty in taking the humble route.  However, there will be times God will call us to completely go against our nature or how we would handle a situation.  Pride is a monster that God cannot stand and some of these battles are used to root that negative characteristic out of us.  Those are the moments when we are truly deciding whose way we think is better.  It’s also an indicator of a mental battle independent of another person but a fight over one’s character and self-perception.  The enemy is ever present with mental attacks such as, “I know you’re not going to let them talk to you like that!”, “You will appear soft if you take that from them”, “Their behavior is not of God, and you need to tell them about themselves!”, etc.  We are called to resist his attacks and combat them with God’s word.

Know for a fact that the devil fights dirty and no shot is off the table for him.  He will deliver all the low blows and jabs you allow.  However, if we remain steadfast that God’s ways are higher than ours, we honor God, kill pride and resist the devil.  We also exemplify the light of Christ in this dark world.  I’m not saying this is easy, speaking from experience it can be downright uncomfortable in the moment but as followers of Christ we are called to crucify the flesh daily.  The humble route is not weak; it actually speaks to the strength of the Lord at work within us.  Furthermore, while this devotional focused mostly on the humble component of surrendering, make no mistake, there are times that aggressive attacks are necessary.  However, it’s typically done during prayer which makes sense given our war is not against flesh and blood but demonic spirits.  It is an area where taking authority takes place as the prayers encompass: calling on God as we recognize Him as our Spiritual Leader; putting those demonic spirits on notice that they are not welcome in our lives, family member’s lives, our homes, etc.; and praying relevant scripture to the situation.  The more you grow in the Lord, the more you become competent in His ways and your prayers take on the tone of knowing your Abba Father, your El Shaddai, has got this and you already have the victory because no devil in hell can match God’s power!

Reflection: What is your perceived outcome of your present warfare? Are your daily actions reflecting a victorious outcome?

Still Water Moments The Armor of God: The Shield of Faith

Ephesians 6: 10-16  10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 

The shield of faith is a unique weapon of defense and offense.  Verse 16 instructs us to “take up” the shield as it is also unique in that it requires being intentional about using it as the other pieces of armor are strapped to the body. Before we can dissect what using the shield of faith looks like, we need to remind ourselves of what faith is.  Hebrews 11:1 tells us, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”  It is remaining hopeful in God despite what a situation or trial looks like.  As stated in a previous devotional, effective soldiers believe in the cause of their war, hence their willingness to risk their lives for it and we as Christians, or soldiers for Christ, believe in God’s truth.  We believe what we read and hear in the word in Sunday service, bible studies, private devotional times but we exemplify it through our daily actions.  Clearly, hearing and believing something are two different things.  This is why there are carnal Christians and Godly ones.

 Our faith is tested and grows through trials.  Just as people strengthen their muscles by providing resistance using weights, our “spiritual faith muscles” are grown by the resistance of trials.  When I was younger, I saw trials as something negative to be avoided.  In time I learned that they of course cannot be avoided and in fact, God allows them.  While initially that was a hard truth to swallow, in learning their purpose I’ve come to see them as an opportunity to grow closer to God and learn Him in a new way.  I don’t mean that to say that it always feels good to go through them, but that my perspective of them has changed. I know now that trials are inevitable and if I always look at them as a form of punishment or something to get depressed about, I am bound to live a life with a negative outlook.  However, by taking on a Romans 8:28 mindset that God is working all things for the good of those who love Him, my perspective remains faithful, hopeful, and optimistic.

 Ephesians 6:16 makes it clear that Satan, “the evil one”, will attack but hope lies within this verse as it says the shield can extinguish all arrows.  Not some, ALL!  This truth is also shared in Isaiah 54:17a, “No weapon forged against you will prevail…”  Flaming arrows are meant to set their targets ablaze.  We all know that fire destroys.  The enemy’s “flaming arrows” are meant to destroy us and John 10:10 confirms this.  As stated before, we will face trials.  However, we must decide if we will allow the trial to do God’s will, grow our faith, or the enemy’s will, destroy us.  The enemy does this by trying to incite fear and a fleshly response to the trial.  He is relentless in trying to plant negative thoughts for us to take a hold of because once we take hold of them, they show up in our actions because we have come to believe them.  The way we fight these thoughts is to take up the shield of faith and speak God’s word which extinguishes the fire he is trying to set.  Otherwise, the thought can cause a blaze that can grow into an inferno in your life which is more difficult to recover from.  Think of quickly extinguishing a small flame that appears while cooking on the stove like automatically extinguishing a thought with scripture.  Compare this to fires that have devastated communities and cities.  While recovery can happen, the effort to do so is bigger in that it usually takes a lengthy amount of time, a large amount of money and the emotional toll is extensive.

While flaming arrows can be extinguished, we have a part to play in making that happen.  As stated before, we have to act and “take up” the shield of faith.  Speaking scriptures related to the situation you face is imperative in overcoming the enemy.  Speaking them aloud takes it to the next level because you are hearing it which allows the word to get into your spirit and strengthen and encourage you in the process.  It causes the devil to flee as you are activating James 4:7 as it states, "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."  By speaking God’s word, you are submitting to Him and resisting giving in to the devil’s scheme to cause you to think negatively.  As stated before, the shield is both a defensive and offensive weapon.  In ancient Roman warfare, soldiers would soak their leather covered wooden shields in water to prevent them from catching fire when hit by flaming arrows.  The shield is defensive in that as you grow in knowing the word, it will become automatic to speak a relevant scripture when the enemy tries to plant a negative thought, thus extinguishing a flaming arrow. 

 The shield was offensively used as a weapon in that soldiers would use it to concuss or push enemies to the ground in order to then strike them with a sword.  Our sword is the word of God and as we grow to be confident in God, His abilities, and scripture, we wield that sword with power and tenacity to attack the enemy.  We speak the word with vigor and intention, expecting an outcome of victory and triumph.  Have you ever noticed how a prayer warrior prays about a situation?  The person typically prays scripture and speaks with a noticeable boldness.  Their prayer is a verbal attack on the enemy empowered by the Holy Spirit.  They pray with belief that God hears them and will answer.  This is not a spiritual gift; it is an ability we are each able to achieve if we would cultivate it.

 Groups of soldiers would also interlock their shields together to form an impenetrable wall against the weapons of the enemy.  They would also use this wall to advance towards an enemy and attack.  Surely this is the opposite of retreating in fear.  Similarly, we as Christians advance when we come together via church, ministry groups, events, etc. to encourage one another.  Faith thrives when you are in an environment that cultivates it.  When you come together to praise and worship the Lord, His presence is invited in and where His presence is there is peace.  When you hear and or share testimonies, you recognize you are not alone and the prayers and encouragement of others fosters hope and support.  Clearly, our shields are necessary individually and collectively in order to live a life of victory in Christ!

Reflection:  In what specific areas of your life do you need to be more intentional about “taking up” the shield of faith?  Does this involve interlocking your shield with other soldiers more consistently?

Still Water Moments: The Armor of God: Feet of Peace

Ephesians 6: 10 – 15  10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.

The terms fitted, readiness, and peace in verse 15 are prominent.  Let’s start with fitted.  I’m sure we can all agree that when doing a physical activity, the type of shoes worn are key in getting the best performance.  Athletic shoe companies generate billions of dollars from all types of athletic footwear: basketball sneakers, hiking boots, running shoes, soccer cleats, spikes, cross trainers, etc.  If you were to look at each shoe, you would see the features that make a particular shoe most conducive for performance in a particular sport.  Besides having the right shoe, you need to have the right fit in order to produce favorable results.  After selecting the accurate size shoe for their feet, some people have further varying tactics to ensure proper fit and comfortability of their shoes.  Some people “break them in” by wearing their new shoes around the house before wearing them outside the home.  Others stretch them by applying heat, physically bending and flexing them, or using a stretching spray.  The point is, fit is important and we see here in the word we are being instructed to make sure our feet are fitted with peace.  That means it is securely attached to us, not loose and prone to easily slipping off.  Furthermore, it is a specific footwear for a specific activity: spiritual warfare. 

Readiness stands out to me as I know we can all attest to being in situations or confrontational conversations we didn’t see coming.  The phrase, “Stay ready so you don’t have to get ready”, is so real in these instances!  To “stay ready” with peace is more than a notion.  Just speaking as a teacher of 9–10-year-old students, the classroom is a true training ground!  These beautiful young humans who are in the throes of learning how to practice self-control in a million different ways will definitely test you in this area!  Resolving unplanned occurrences, (emotional meltdowns, spills, disagreements, fights, disrespect, etc.), is a regular part of a teacher’s day but the manner in which it is done varies. Furthermore, children are one thing, dealing with adults can train you in a whole different way, (especially ones that act like children!).

Lastly, our feet are to be fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.  How interesting that of all the words that could have been used to instruct us to have our fitted for battle, we are instructed to be fitted with the readiness of peace.  Not hostility… Not rage… Not defensiveness… Not belligerence… Peace.  Being peaceful is an effective weapon in spiritual warfare as Proverbs 15:1 tells us, "A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger."  I’ve been on both sides of this coin.  I’ve been the person who had the soft answer, and I have to admit, I’ve found it comical to see the facial expression of the other person, as if their face was saying, “Really? You’re not going to say anything else?”  In the cases where someone is trying to intentionally bait you, the victory is even sweeter when you don’t give in to them.  You know the Holy Spirit is pleased with you and you can’t help but smile on the inside with a contentment that you overcame using God’s strength.  Furthermore, we have the benefit of being blessed as Matthew 5:9 tells us, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”  I’ve also been humbled by being the person the soft answer was spoken to.  When that happens, the anger tends to be squelched because the contrast between the peaceful person and the wrathful one would literally not be a good look for the latter. The anger dissipates, reminding me of those scenes after the Incredible Hulk crashes out, then phases down from his supersized body to his human one.

Where does peace come from?  The ABC’s of being a Christian: prayer, reading the word, and genuinely having Christ as your Lord.  What I mean by this is that it is one thing to accept Christ, another to have Him as your Savior, Guide, Confidant, Head of your life, Decision Maker, etc.  When you’re at that level, you will hear when the Holy Spirit quickens you not to say something that is on the tip of your tongue begging to jump!  You will feel Him encouraging you to crucify your flesh and show restraint when you have an arsenal of verbal ammunition to annihilate someone.  Succumbing to rage and pettiness escalates an angry exchange.  Proverbs 15:18 says, “A hot tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel”. It is during these peaceful exchanges that you are displaying the love of Christ.  You have provided an opportunity for Him to be edified and glorified.  This exchange can provide an entry point for a person’s heart to be softened.  It may come in a variety of ways.  God can use the exchange to help the person reflect and ponder their actions; He may open the door for you to have a conversation with them where they will actually listen; or this exchange can lay the groundwork for the person’s heart and ears to be open to a meaningful conversation with someone else, or perhaps a biblical song or sermon may speak to them in a way it wouldn’t if it weren’t for that exchange with you.  We’re not responsible for the results, that’s up to God, He just asks that we be willing to follow his instructions.  Then in our own way, as the battle for souls wages on in the world, we have played a part in helping to advance the kingdom of God.

Reflection: What are your feet fitted with the readiness of?  If it is not peace, what steps do you need to take to make it so?

Still Water Moments The Armor of God: Breastplate of Righteousness

Ephesians 6: 10-14  Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place… 

The purpose of the breastplate of a soldier’s armor was to protect the abdomen and vital organs from the weapon strikes of arrows, swords, etc. by an enemy during battle.  In the spiritual, the breastplate protects the heart as the purpose of the heart is to guide one’s daily life. It is the source of our decisions and actions as stressed in Proverbs 4:23, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it".  This scripture implies that we must be intentional about safeguarding our hearts from negative influences as they will inform our actions.  The term breastplate of righteousness tells us what our hearts, and subsequently our actions, should emit. 

To live in a state of righteousness means to reflect the ways of the Father.  This includes: showing the love of God, especially to your enemies; walking in humility and integrity; forgiving others; asking God for forgiveness when we sin; asking others for forgiveness; being kind to others; refraining from conducting ourselves in a worldly manner, etc.  We have to know of these characteristics before we can exhibit them, and we learn them by studying His word.  Psalm 1:1-2 states, “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or set foot on the path of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers.  But his delight is in the Law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night.” Verse one is an indicator of what can impede upon righteousness, verse two tells us what our intention should be in order to grow in righteousness.  To delight in studying His word indicates the want to in learning Him and His ways.  I liken this to the excitement one has when they first meet someone they are romantically interested in.  One tends to delight in spending time with them, talking on the phone, and perhaps studying their social media posts in order to learn all they can about them. Do we apply such excitement and effort in learning the ways of God?

In studying the word and having it take root in our hearts, we look more and more like Christ and become His ambassadors as what is in our hearts influences our outward actions.  In this way we become walking, talking, testimonies of God’s goodness and saving grace.  The enemy does not want us to be ambassadors for Christ!  Thus, he has declared war on us, and he wants to infiltrate our hearts in order to control the outward actions. We are in control of how we interpret and respond to circumstances and the devil wants to be our biggest influence in those interpretations.  The enemy tries to instill negative emotions within us such as unforgiveness, bitterness, distrust in the Lord, etc. via a variety of life circumstances.  One danger of these negative emotions is one tends to open the door to others leaving us with several issues to contend with.  Jeremiah 17: 9 tells us the heart is deceitful; therefore we are not always aware of what is trying to take root there and the enemy is relentless in trying to plant his ways into our hearts.  Our individual life experiences have shaped our hearts and any issues within them- some we may not even recognize are there.  Verse 10 of Jeremiah 17 goes on to tell us, “I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind…”. Therefore, it is imperative to constantly reflect and bring issues of the heart to the Lord to prevent the previously mentioned negative emotions from festering, growing and multiplying.  The Holy Spirit is our Helper, and part of that role is enlightening us to potential threats to our hearts.  He shows us how our response to or interpretation of a situation may be an indicator of a heart issue that needs healing.  However, we only learn these things by taking time to pray, reflect, and listen and take heed to what the Holy Spirit tells us. 

Lastly, I think it is important to note that while a full suit of armor provided more coverage, it could be confining.  Breastplates were preferred because of the duality of providing protection and mobility.  With mobility comes freedom.  I liken this to the ability to still have God’s joy and peace in our hearts and minds during war.  This level of living only comes with having complete trust in the Lord.  A trust that is present when you don’t know when or how a particular trial, or “war” may end but you know God is in control and He will sustain you while working it out for your good and His glory.  The joy, peace, and trust in the Lord are direct results of utilizing our breastplates of righteousness.  We know these attributes and the spiritual healthiness of our hearts are worth protecting!

Reflection: What negative issues in your present war(s) have the potential to fester in your heart?  In what ways are you being intentional about bringing them before the Lord, thus guarding your heart from evil influences?  In turn, are you taking the time to listen to what He wants to show you?

Still Water Moments: The Armor of God - The Belt of Truth

Ephesians 6: 10-14 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist… 

In our focus scripture, Paul makes it clear that we will encounter spiritual warfare.  He specifically states that we will face “the devil’s schemes”, “rulers, authorities and powers of this dark world”, “spiritual forces of evil”, and “the day of evil”.  While the thought of these entities may initially be scary and intimidating, we know that: 1) God is more powerful than ALL of them. 2) Since we are walking with God, we already have the victory; therefore, 3) God doesn’t set us up to fail.  We certainly cannot handle these evil works of the enemy in our own strength, but God, being the omnipotent, ever-resourceful God that He is, has provided us with the necessary tools to combat them all; therefore, we don’t need to cower in their presence.

The very beginning of the scripture tells us to “be strong”, which implies the alternative is to be weak.  Weak would be not acknowledging evil forces exist, or worse, knowing they exist but not doing anything about it.  That is like physically fighting someone and standing still, allowing your opponent to pummel you, and certainly you wouldn’t allow that!  We need to be more aware and prepared to defend ourselves against evil, as those forces are more detrimental than a person; in fact, they can control people and lead them to commit evil acts.  This is one reason why the scripture tells us, “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers… authorities… and powers of this dark world…”  So, when Paul tells us to be strong, we must remember that our strength comes from the Lord, as Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 12: 9-10, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.  Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”  That strength doesn’t just happen; we must call upon the Lord, acknowledge our weaknesses, and tell Him of our need for Him.  God is so good that in addition to strength, these prayers and conversations with Him also foster joy as Nehemiah 8:10 tells us, “the joy of the Lord is your strength.”  How awesome it is that we can have joy during a battle?

Now, let’s get back to the armor.  Paul used the imagery of the armor of the very soldiers that guarded him while he was imprisoned to teach us about the armor of God.  The belt of truth is the first piece of armor mentioned.  For the Roman soldier, the belt held his tunic in place as well as some of the other pieces of armor thus functioning as a foundation for the suit.  For the Christian, the belt of truth doesn’t just keep our armor in place, it keeps us in our proper place.  The bible is clear in its stance about a lot of things we face in life.  Effective soldiers believe in the cause of their war, hence their willingness to risk their lives for it.  We as Christians first come to believe in God’s truth, the foundation for the other pieces of armor..  As that belief grows stronger, we become more effective soldiers, learning the purposes of all the pieces of armor and subsequently utilizing them to the fullest extent God intended us to.  In spiritual warfare, this is the ultimate display of believing in our cause, God’s truth.

Daily we make numerous choices that determine if we are going to walk in our own truth, the world’s truth, or God’s truth.  As a Christian, a soldier for Christ, the goal must be to walk in God’s truth.  This is not easy in today’s worldly conforming state, hence why Paul says to “Put on the full armor…”. This implies we have to be intentional about behaving as Christ would.  Living for Christ makes one stand out in this secular world- that in itself is a fight.  We all struggle in at least one area not to look like the world, e.g. refraining from gossip, premarital sex, pride, unforgiveness, etc.  The reason we struggle is because the Holy Spirit within us convicts us and calls us to look like the Father.  As we love the Father and want to do his will, we put forth the effort to try to improve, hence living out our belief in the truth of what His word says as opposed to what our flesh wants.  Crucifying the flesh is not easy, sometimes it’s downright painful.  Our daily surrender is an outward showcase that we believe in His ways, that His truth is paramount.  Walking lock step with the Lord and in His truth, honoring Him and His word as the only authority, keeps us in right standing with Him.  The walk is distinctive, letting the world know what side of the fight we are on.

Reflection: Whose truth do you believe in? Yours, the world’s, or God’s?  How do your actions display your belief?

Still Water Moments: What Weapons Are You Bringing to the War?

Ephesians 6: 10-12 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

My all-time favorite movie is The Empire Strikes Back.  This second entry in the original Star Wars trilogy focuses on the main character, Luke Skywalker, being trained by Jedi Master Yoda.  I’ve seen this movie countless times, and over the years, there was one scene that always confused me.  Luke senses an evil presence in a nearby cave and, at Yoda’s prompting, decides to go in to investigate.  On the way, he grabs his weapons, and Yoda tells him he will not need them.  Luke opts to take them anyway.  Once in the cave he is confronted with an apparition of the villain, Darth Vader.  The two end up sparring with their light sabers, and it ends with a pivotal strike by Luke.  I had never understood why Yoda told Luke he didn’t need his weapons, yet it seemed he needed to use them to defend himself against Darth.  Furthermore, later in the movie Yoda refers to Luke’s cave experience as a failure, which I also never understood.

Upon a deep dive study of this scene, it turns out the lesson was that whatever weapons you take into a situation, you are bound to use them.  (I would like to pause and say this is not at all a devotional entry that is diving into the gun debate.  Just to be clear, as you continue reading, you’ll find this particular devotional is about our flesh vs our Spirit man.) It is important to note that Luke drew his lightsaber first, and obviously, the significance of this was previously lost on me.  Yoda wanted Luke to recognize that he was relying on his own strength and weapons in combat instead of “the force”.  For those who don’t know Star Wars terms, “the force” has an extensive definition, but in a nutshell, it is an energy field from which a Jedi gets his/her guidance and strength.  When viewing any of the Star Wars films, I have always likened “the force” to the Holy Spirit.  Learning the meaning behind the cave scene endeared me to this particular film even more.

Many of us carry an arsenal of weapons, e.g., the tongue that stays ready to unleash at the slightest provocation; a pre-rehearsed mental conversation along the lines of, “If she says this, I’m going to say…”; or no tongue at all – the silent treatment.  Then there’s body language: side eye, eye rolls, stone faces, crossed arms, and the list goes on...  It is a wonder how the scene in the cave would have played out if Luke hadn’t taken his weapons there.  Would he and Darth have had a clarifying conversation? A staring contest? Darth would have obviously won, but I digress :)  It is important to note that a Jedi’s goal is redemption, not conflict.  One of a Christian’s goals is to reflect Christ’s love.  Even when we need to confront someone, it is still to be done in love. 

Picture that person whom you find hard to love.  When we handle them in our own strength, we spend a lot of mental energy preparing and thinking about what we will do.  We will come up with various responses to every possible statement/action from the other person.  Then, once executed, we will replay the scene over and over in our heads, and many times to others, just to get their feedback and agreement.  The day is spent being worked up over an interaction.  All of this is insulting to God because it is conveying that we can handle these situations better than He can.  The alternative is to please God by allowing Him to have His way and use us to reflect His love. Additionally, the benefit of surrendering to His way is having His peace and thus contentment in being in alignment with Him.   

When dealing with a difficult person, verse 12 of the focal scripture shows us that it is useless to get caught up in what the person says or does.  I know by experience that this is easier said than done.  However, the scripture tells us, it’s not the person but the spirit within them influencing their actions.  Thus, our response must be in kind.  The Holy Spirit influencing our own Spirit man should be the weapon of choice.  Moreover, if the other person is in the wrong, He can deal with them because we’ve trusted Him with the situation, and His outcome will no doubt be more effective than anything we could have done.  How much better would our interactions be if we normalized beginning our day, clothing ourselves in the armor of God, just as we clothe ourselves each day in our physical clothes?  Making this vital adjustment at the beginning of our day affects the focus of the day and how we move, being a representative of Christ.  This fosters a hopeful and encouraged outlook for the day ahead, which changes our interactions, which leads to having better days overall because they are Christ-inspired.  The long-term effects of this are priceless.  In the months to come, we’ll focus on the significance of each part of the armor of God.

Reflection:  When in conflict with someone, what is your “weapon” of choice?  How do you feel after using it?  Is God glorified by it?

Still Water Moments: The Calendar vs God’s Timing

Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

January is typically viewed as a time of new beginnings and in some instances it is.  However, January is also in the middle of winter in the United States.  Depending on where you live, it can be freezing cold, the trees bare, birds have flown south, sunsets occur earlier, etc. The environment can sometimes look and feel desolate but that doesn’t mean there’s no growth happening, it’s unseen.  If we look at nature, one of God’s great teachers, many plants and trees may be dormant but dormant doesn’t mean dead.  In nature, dormant can mean resting/hibernating, slowed down, and temporarily inactive.  However, we know that this state of nature is not permanent.  While things may look bare now, we are confident that spring will bring new life.  Those trees that have no leaves have roots that are still growing during the winter although we can’t see it.  The root growth may be slower than in warmer months, but there is still growth and preparation for supporting the life to come, the flowers that bud from the branches before the leaves grow.

Do you have the same confidence that personal growth is taking place in you even though it may not be seen or felt?  Please do not get caught up in frustration and disappointment if the new year is not starting with everything you wanted in place.  Nature shows us that even when things look desolate, there is still growth happening.  The same goes for us as Christians.  God does not get caught up in our timetables for personal goals as Isaiah 55: 8-9 tells us, “’For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’” declares the Lord. “’As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’”

As long as we have breath in our bodies, God is concerned with our sanctification.  This forward movement is a Creator designed personal journey complete with biblical encouragement, circumstances, support systems, trials, etc. to cultivate growth in Him.  Our journeys don’t reset based on the Gregorian calendar. They progress based on the timing within His plan and our allegiance to it.  Just as roots continue to grow in winter to support forthcoming life, our growth helps to support the forthcoming blessings that we wouldn’t have been able to handle  previously.

If what you desired for the new year was something tangible, such as a new home, job, relationship status, etc. you may wonder how personal growth relates to receiving or not receiving these things.  It’s all in our interpretations in receiving or not receiving them.  If you received them, is it viewed as a blessing from God and elevates your worship in the process?  That is growth!  Or is it seen as something you deserve because you’ve “lived right”?  On the converse, if you didn’t receive the item(s), do you feel punished? Forgotten? Or do you see it as an opportunity to cultivate your faith that it will happen in God’s timing?  Furthermore, do you see it as an opportunity to trust His timing and that He knows best?  I’m not saying having these mindsets are easy or natural.  I am saying we are faced with an opportunity to choose a positive Godly perspective which incorporates growth in the process.

There is a quote that says something to the effect of, “Trust His heart even when you don’t see His hand.”  This statement brings me comfort in instances when I don’t see God moving in a situation.  It is a reminder to trust that He is working although I am not seeing manifestations of it yet.  Even if we are “temporarily inactive”, (i.e. stubborn and hesitant to follow God’s direction), God never is.  He doesn’t give up on us and because He loves us so, He will continue to draw us by His Spirit.  We can delay the outcomes by not complying with His instructions, but growth is imminent once we align with Him.  While you may not be where YOU wanted to be at this time, celebrate the growth and the forward movement in the process, no matter how small.  Celebrate that HE has a plan for you that is enveloped in His love, care and intentions for you.

Reflection: When it comes to your personal spiritual growth, (hopefully), you are not where you were this time last year.  Think about the ways you’ve grown over the past year and celebrate and praise God for them!  Ask Him to show you how you can further that growth in the coming year.

Still Water Moments: The Art of the Principal

Jeremiah 32:17 Ah, Lord GOD! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you. 

An effective principal has good communication and management skills as they have to oversee numerous positions and systems to ensure that the school runs efficiently.  Monitoring various employees in the school includes offering proper support to help them do their jobs well to contribute to the school being a quality one.  They monitor the performance of students and hold teachers accountable for their instructional practices to ensure quality academic engagement in students, (sidebar- this does not excuse parents/guardians from their pivotal role of providing academic support at home.  *Steps down from soapbox). 

Additionally, an effective principal also needs to make sure he or she is visible, approachable, and makes others feel valued.  There are so many categories within that term “others”: parents/guardians, students, teachers, office staff, custodial staff, culinary staff, special education staff, testing/academic coaching staff, PTO, etc. This list does not mention the various other entities they are involved in such as committees, clubs, fund raising organizations, community partnerships, after school event organizers, etc.  They are also responsible for being accountable to superiors of their own.  When it comes to managing the various people that make up the school community, it would be one thing if it was just overseeing individuals in their assigned roles.  However, things get more complicated because these roles intersect and may cause issues among those involved.  The special education department may not be able to provide proper support for a student due to a staff shortage which stresses the general education teacher… A parent may be upset with a teacher or administrator because they don’t approve of how a situation with their child was resolved… Some personality conflicts among staff require mediation… Thus, it is also vital that the principal have good conflict-resolution skills.

All of the previously mentioned responsibilities seem overwhelming for one person to manage at once.  Surely, the principal is assisted by various other administrators e.g. the vice principal, secretary, department heads, etc.  Even still, being the face of the school carries its own weight.  Comparatively, when we think of all that God manages and how He does it seamlessly, we should be in awe.  Our trust should be bolstered because this amazing God sees all and knows all the details of the situations we find ourselves in.  This includes ALL of the details we’re unaware of.  These are just some of the attributes that make Him God.  Proverbs 15:3 tells us, “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.”

He knows the motives of hearts, outcomes before they occur, and what would and would not be in our best interest.  Thus, if he says “Yes”, “No”, or “Wait”, we should willingly obey no matter what it looks like to us because He knows every single solitary detail of it all, especially the things we’re blind to within ourselves that affect outcomes. 

As stated previously, effective principals have good communication, management, and conflict-resolution skills.  God’s skills are perfect- we need only to be intentional about taking the time to hear what He is communicating to us.  We need to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading as He doesn’t force Himself on us but He is present, waiting daily to be acknowledged and invited into the intricacies of our lives.  As this year comes to a close, let us look to the next with hope because we know He is already there orchestrating things for our good and His glory, (Romans 8:28).  Let us take comfort in the simple yet authentic words of the old children’s song, “He’s got the Whole World in His Hands”, for surely He does -He created it!

Reflection: What situation(s) in your life are you having trouble entrusting to God?  Try reflecting and journaling why you think that is.

Still Water Moments: The Art of the Assistant Principal

Hebrew 12: 5 And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you, 6 because the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastens everyone He accepts as his son.”

When I was a student in elementary school, the vice principal wasn’t as visible as the principal.  It wasn’t clear to me what his or her job was.  Now that I’ve been working in an elementary school for a few years, I have worked with a few vice principals that have cycled through the position during my time there.  Through various work tasks I had several direct interactions with each of them.   One thing all of the vice principals had in common was being a Jack of all trades as their responsibilities included but weren’t limited to: doing the morning announcements for staff; opening the doors in the mornings and greeting scholars; finding coverage for a classroom if a teacher calls out; handling school bus issues; resolving parent concerns in regards to teachers; attending IEP and 504 review meetings; taking professional development courses; organizing and/or leading assemblies; conducting formal and informal teacher observations; conducting teacher performance evaluations and subsequent conferences; creating daily schedules for each grade, etc. I’d like to give the disclaimer that this is just my own observation as the vice principal role can look different in other schools. 

A big responsibility of the vice principal is the discipline of students.  Some infractions are cut and dry as there are specific consequences for certain infractions written in the Student Code of Conduct.  Other violations require thoughtful reflection for the best course of action.  Sometimes a conversation with the student is enough to correct the behavior.  Other times removal of privileges or a phone call to a parent may be necessary.  No matter the consequence, a meaningful conversation regarding the violation is a golden opportunity to present the student with the opportunity for personal growth.  This is done if the vice principal challenges the student to reflect upon his or her mistake(s) and how it contributed to a consequence.  Discussing the better choices that could’ve been made instead is also helpful in aiding the student to consider their options and outcomes.  This verbal exchange helps the student develop the life skill of taking accountability for their actions.  If the student doesn’t look at themselves but tends to blame others for their negative choices, he or she may stay stuck in said cycle.

Our attitude towards our mistakes correlates to how God corrects with us.  If we are prideful and not repentant, God’s response will most likely be more intense than it had to be as Proverbs 16:18 warns us that, "pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall".  However, we are more likely to experience His grace and mercy if we sincerely come to Him with a contrite heart, confessing our sin.  Moreover, we are presented with the opportunity for personal growth when we willingly endure and reflect upon God’s disciplining of us.  If we continue to read Hebrews 12, verse 8 tells us everyone experiences discipline, so why not make the most of it?  Verses 9-11 go on to tell us the benefits we will reap if we do: authentically living; sharing in His holiness; and a harvest of righteousness and peace.  While enduring doesn’t always feel good, we are blessed to have God with us the entire time encouraging and helping us through our struggles and mistakes and celebrating our progress and growth! 

Reflection: What is God teaching you through the discipline you are presently enduring?

Still Water Moments: The Art of the English Language Development Teacher

2 Peter 3:18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

The purpose of the English Language Development Teacher, (ELD), is to help cultivate various English language proficiency skills of students whose first language is not English.  At the beginning of the school year, our ELD teacher provides each general education teacher with a chart containing the English language learners in their assigned grade.  The chart contains various skills such as reading, writing, speaking, and listening.  The students are given a score between a range of 1 and 6 for each. 1 being beginning, 6 being reaching, or proficient.  The grade level teacher then uses these scores to incorporate proper accommodations and modifications into lesson plans, direct instruction, and grading in order for each of the students to grasp the content according to their abilities.  For example, when a teacher gives a writing assignment to the class, a beginning English language writing student may be allowed to give a verbal response instead or write their response in their native language. 

The ELD teacher pulls her students from the general education classroom each week to work in a separate classroom.  She assesses and monitors student progress and adjusts their skill scores accordingly.  The assessments can be informal via conversation and classwork, or it can be formal testing.  This monitoring of student progress spans the years that the student attends that specific school or until they reach proficiency in all domains and no longer need the services. 

Just as the ELD teacher monitors the English language acquisition of her students, God is always monitoring and cultivating our growth in His word, His love language for His children.  Just as a beginning English language learner starts at a beginning level, we as Christians were all babes in Christ at some point whether you grew up in the church or became saved as an adult.  When we first began reading the bible I’m sure there were instances of enlightenment as well as perplexion.  Deep dives and studies of the word, whether in group bible studies or individual devotion times, were necessary for interpreting the word.  Amazingly, the bible is inexhaustible, meaning we will always be enlightened by the scripture, learning different facets, layers and interpretations of scriptures we have heard for years!  This makes studying the word an ongoing vital practice.

The ELD teacher’s direct instruction to her students allows them to apply the skills learned with her in the general education classroom.  This symbiosis of the two separate environments benefits the student by furthering their acquisition of the English language and content taught in various school subjects.  Comparably, we are to read and study the bible, then apply it in everyday life.  Colossians 3:16 tells us to “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom…” Our growth is directly correlated with our willingness to study and be obedient to the instruction, (the bible), by exemplifying it in our daily interactions and practices.  We should be reflecting upon and monitoring our own growth via conversations with the Father where listening to Him is key. Just as when we were students in school, some assignments were easy, fun and engaging.  Conversely, other assignments were challenging, requiring extensive studying and research.  While walking with the Lord can at times be easy, fun and engaging, make no mistake, in order for us to grow we also need challenging experiences too.  The advantage is, He is ever present, walking with us, speaking to us, encouraging us to do His will.  We benefit from this lifelong learning journey by optimally attaining a proficient level of trusting Him, further enriching our lives.

Reflection:  Think about your own growth in the Lord.  Celebrate the areas of growth!  Make note of the areas you are currently being challenged in and seek the Lord via prayer and His word as to how to navigate them.

Still Waters Devotional: The Art of the Testing Coordinator

Romans 15: 4 For whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction, that by having endurance and encouragement from the Scriptures, we might have hope.

My K-12 years of schooling were before the “digital divide”.  Most of my employment afterwards was in learning centers that didn’t prioritize educating via digital platforms.  For the purposes of this devotional, it is worth noting I am not drawn to technology and do not typically stay current with the latest tech trends. Thus, when my middle-aged self began teaching in an elementary school a few years ago, I hated standardized tests as students complete them on computers.  I preferred good ole paper and pencil over computers.   Anxiety would loom the morning of the test as I anticipated all that could go wrong.  First of all, please understand that these tests are a lot more formal than a unit test.  There is required training for teachers beforehand where dos and don’ts are reviewed.  There is a specific script and strict protocols that must be followed before, during and after the test as well as forms to complete and submit afterwards.  Thus, it should be understood if a teacher’s nerves are a little heightened on these days.  We’re not even going to get into the pressure some of us feel for our students to perform well.

When testing days arrive, it is a feat to have all computers charged beforehand; (most classrooms don’t have enough chargers); have all students properly navigate to the testing site, (one wrong move by one or a glitch and the whole class has to wait); read the mandatory pages of instructions to them; and finally, have them all begin at the same time.  There would always be a mental battle to pray to the Lord and ask for his peace on these days.  Once the test began, I would be on edge, nervous that one of the students would raise their hand due to a technical glitch that prevented them from answering a question or moving forward in the test.  Inevitably, it would happen and the anxiety I felt would grow from fear it would be something I couldn’t fix.

This brings me to the role of the school testing coordinator.   They administer the trainings with all staff that serve a role in giving the assessments.  They also provide all the materials we need before we administer, e.g. the testing manual, pencils and scrap paper for students, and paperwork that must be signed by the teacher for each assessment administered. During testing, the coordinator walks the hallways before, during, and after to ensure everything is running smoothly.  If an issue arises, she is summoned to come and help resolve it.  Sometimes there may be a wait if she is solving a tech problem in another classroom. 

The coordinator’s role reminds me of the Holy Spirit’s.  If we put ourselves in the role of the teachers, the “training manual” on how to administer the test would symbolize the bible, God’s word.  We read the word during our quiet time and hear it in church.  Then, just as teachers have to apply the training they’ve received when they administer a test, we as Christians have to apply the biblical word we’ve read and heard to our daily lives and situations.  Apply is a verb, an action word.  James 1:22 states it is not enough to hear the word, but we must be doers of it, we must apply it and authentically walk with the Lord to the point it is evident that there is something different about us as followers of Christ.  Just as our coordinator provides tools for administering a test, we are fortunate that the Holy Spirit provides various “tools” to help us endure tests and trials.  He gifted us with a valuable and reliable tool, the bible.  If you refer to the theme scripture, Romans 15: 4, we are told it was given to us for instruction and encouragement, two vital things we need in this Christian walk.  This is our “study guide” for the tests and trials we endure.  We are so blessed that wherever we are, we’re able to easily access it on our electronic devices, thus our tests can be viewed as “open book”.  Furthermore, we can also utilize other “tools” for guidance and hope, e.g. biblically based books on subjects relevant to our lives; praise and worship music that strengthens our relationship with the Father; church community and services that encourage us; etc.

While our testing coordinator is one person who can only be in one place at a time, the Holy Spirit is omnipresent, everywhere at once.  Thus, we are fortunate that we don’t have to wait to talk to Him about our issues.  He is always there and longs to commune with us.  We are fortunate that He guides us and helps us as we apply His word, forever the faithful, loving, attentive, Teacher. 

Reflection: What tools encourage you the most during times of testing?  Do you have a routine to implement them on a consistent basis?

Still Water Moments: The Art of the School Nurse

Still Water Moments

The Art of the School Nurse

James 1:22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

Ahh, the school nurse.  When I think of our school’s nurse, I chuckle inside thinking about the various types of excuses students use to seek her care.  Without a doubt, there are ones that genuinely need her aid due to an injury, ailment, or routine treatment for a health condition.  Then there are “the others”.  The ones that go to varying degrees of creativity to cross the threshold of her doorway.  There are the ones that want a band aid for a nonexistent cut.  The ones that typically “get sick” at the same time each day to try to avoid a particular academic task.  The ones that feign an illness because they know a parent is home and they want to join them.  My personal favorites are the ones who play during recess as if they are training for a triathlon, then when it’s time to go back inside they say they’ve been battling a headache since the morning and ask to see the nurse.  Some students, if left unchecked, will be repetitive visitors to the nurse’s office day after day, week after week.  Teachers that recognize the various shenanigans look at themselves like the first line of defense in preventing an unnecessary trip to the nurse.  We are helping her to be able to streamline her time to attend to students with genuine medical needs, as well as her administrative duties.  We are also preventing students from avoiding completing academic tasks.

Students that are genuinely hurt get the nurse’s care that they need and if they perform any follow up directions she gives, they get better.  If they don’t, healing is prolonged.  Now, let’s think of times we need spiritual and or emotional healing and how we approach God’s assistance on the matter.  We know that God is ever present.  He has a solution for any and everything we face.  Not soliciting His advice is like being in your doctor’s examining room and not telling him or her about an ailment you’ve been having.  For many of us, informing is the easy part.  Following the directions given by the doctor is the challenging part.  When told to cut down on sugar, carbs, processed foods, caffeine, etc. and increase exercise do we immediately go out and make these lifestyle changes?  How do we respond when God gives us directions on how to handle a situation we’ve been praying to Him about?  Do we immediately obey?  It can be quite challenging if it’s something we don’t want to do. 

When we ignore the solution God gives us to solve a matter, we stay stagnant in our walk.  He does not change His mind just because we don’t like His instructions for our part in resolving the issue.  Admittedly, crucifying the flesh hurts but it is ultimately for our good which will feel better than dealing with the sin of disobedience.  We may find ourselves at a crossroads, do we really want to get better, or are we more apt to stay complacent and not make the necessary change(s)?  It gets worse if we secretly vie for and enjoy the attention we get from others when we lament about our trial, but that’s another devotion. 

Imagine having a deep cut in your hand and the doctor prescribes an ointment to soak it in each day.  After each soak, it needs to be wrapped in fresh bandages.  Furthermore, use of the hand should be kept to a minimum to allow the cut to close and heal.  If you don’t follow one or all of the instructions, you run the risk of hindering the healing process and possible infection. Similarly, and more detrimentally, disobedience to God’s directions opens the door to other negative characteristics such as pride, stubbornness, a hardened heart, etc., (or it could be an indication these traits were already within), which inhibits our spiritual wellbeing and hinders growth.  Furthermore, the negative characteristics for which healing is necessary have now multiplied.  Returning to the crossroads, we must further ask ourselves if we want to spend more time than necessary attending to a matter and run the risk of making the situation worse or do we follow the Good Shepherd’s leading, trusting Him to heal our spiritual concerns.  Jesus said in Luke 11:28, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

Reflection:  What predicament do you currently find difficult to follow God’s directions to resolve?  Are there any underlying issues, e.g. pride, resentment, entitlement, etc. that need to be examined and addressed with God’s loving guidance?

Still Water Moments: The Art of the Culinary Staff

Matthew 4:4 Jesus answered, “It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'” 

School cafeteria meals have come a long way since I was a child.  Over the years, nutritional guidelines have caused schools to provide more healthy balanced meals to students.  There has been a push to provide more fresh food options and serve less processed foods.  The reason for these improvements over the last century includes children being ill, malnourished, and obese.  We’ve come to understand that the types of food we eat affects how we physically feel and our overall health.  Additionally, we have deduced that diet directly affects student learning and outcomes.

I’ve always admired people that maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle.  To be transparent, I do struggle at times with choosing to eat healthy on a consistent basis.  I love carbs and sweets, and I have to fight on a daily basis not to go overboard with them.  Since I know I am not, (presently), strong in that area, I have to be careful of the amount of them I buy and bring into my home so that I am not tempted to eat too much of these foods at once.  When I eat out, I feel the pain of crucifying the flesh during the instances I order a salad or vegetables for my side as opposed to the french fries I’d rather have.  Therefore, I’m in awe of people who seem to do this seamlessly, as a way of life. 

We all know the why behind the need to practice self-control when it comes to healthy eating.  The benefits typically include: a healthy body and lower risk of illness; a better quality of life as one tends to feel well physically and have more energy; one benefits mentally as healthy eating can improve clarity and focus.  Just as we reap physical benefits from eating healthy physical foods, we reap spiritual benefits when we feed our spirit man “healthy spiritual food”.  Just as it takes intentionality, restraint and discipline to maintain a healthy physical diet, these same attributes are necessary to maintain a healthy spiritual one.  The first and most vital example of feeding the spirit man would be to read the bible on a consistent basis.  This is God’s manual for life, a precious guide and gift He has provided to us for encouragement, instruction, and learning about Him and His attributes that we are to embody. 

How often do we study scripture, specifically, memorize it, take a deep dive and learn the meaning of it, meditate and reflect on it and apply it to our lives?  The scriptures share many benefits that come with these actions, such as Joshua 1:8, "Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”  The bible is inexhaustible, meaning no matter how old we get, we will always learn from it.  There will never come a point in time where any of us will say, “I’ve learned everything there is to learn from the bible”.  Hebrews 4:4 says the bible is living and active! How many times have you gained a new perspective of a scripture you have heard for years?  The more we read the bible, the more enlightened we become, and we grow exponentially when we apply it!  1 Peter 2:2 states, “Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation“.  Newborn babies need milk to survive.  They long for it, cry for it, and over time when they visually recognize it, smack their lips and start reaching for it.  This is how we should view the word.  We need it to survive, and the wonderful benefit is we don’t even have to cry for it, it is at our fingertips in many forms!

Besides church services and bible studies, other examples of healthy spiritual nourishment sources include Christian music, programming, movies, plays, books, podcasts, etc.  Furthermore, we also have to be mindful of what we’re feeding more, the spirit man or the flesh.  This directly affects the state of health of our beings because whichever we feed more rules our perspectives and actions.  When listening to secular music or watching secular movies, are we careful not to allow ourselves to listen and or view things that offend the Spirit or go against the word of God?  When talking to friends or a group of coworkers, do we refrain from engaging in gossip or topics that go against the word of God?  Just as I have to be intentional about not overdoing it with junk food and ensuring I eat more healthy foods, I have to do the same with feeding my spirit man more than I do my flesh.  Over time, as we grow in Christ, we should improve what we lend our ears and eyes to.  This grows our spirit man and makes us look more like Christ, an optimal healthy state of living.

Reflection:  What are you feeding your spirit man?  Is your spirit or flesh being fed more?

Still Water Moments: The Art of the Custodian

Acts 3:19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.

If you’ve been reading this devotional for the past few months, you may have guessed by now that there has been a theme of relating to the different positions in a school through a spiritual lens.  We will keep this 2025 theme going by examining the role of the custodian.  In addition to making classroom repairs, groundskeeping, ensuring sanitary supplies are consistently stocked, they allow us to work and operate in a clean environment. Students and school staff are not slowed down by muck and mire, as a clean, orderly environment positively affects the mental and frees us from further distractions, helping conditions to be conducive to learning. 

I teach my students to appreciate our custodians and not take them for granted.  I’ve had students accidentally spill water, then request that a custodian be called to clean it up.  I try to take advantage of such teachable moments and explain the importance of cleaning up after oneself.  This includes picking up various items dropped on the floor; cleaning out the classroom sink if a mess was made; using a disinfectant wipe to clean their desks, etc.  The custodian still comes at the end of the day to do an overall cleaning of the classroom, as they are the professional and thus will have the cleaning supplies and equipment to do a thorough job, however the students learn an important lesson of accountability and self-sufficiency by cleaning up after themselves.  

It’s the same with us and God.  Sometimes we have to initiate the “clean up” process ourselves, then God can come through and do the overall thorough cleaning.  1 John 1:9 states, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”  Thus, the first step is acknowledging there is a mess to clean up, then God can initiate the process of purifying, or cleansing us.  Let’s look at an example of a person dating someone, knowing God is not pleased with the relationship.  The sin would be ignoring God’s prompting to end the relationship.  Once the person makes the decision to repent for ignoring God’s voice and end the relationship, the person has put themself in the advantageous position of hearing God’s directions which is always better than man’s. God may lead them to end the relationship by severing communication, e.g. blocking the person on their phone and severing social media connections, etc.  These are major actions that require His strength and faith to carry out and maintain.  However, once the person follows through on these actions, the clean-up process progresses by preventing: possible toxicity from coming their way; the barrage of feelings of guilt that come from entertaining an ungodly connection; and compromising oneself, etc.  They also stop an unhealthy bond from growing deeper, making it all the more difficult to sever the connection the more it grows.  Now God is able to come in and help heal the person from any negative effects the relationship may have caused.  This includes correcting wrong mindsets that settled in.  He’ll also enlighten the person about things they didn’t know about themself and how they got in the situation in the first place.  Then with His guidance, they take that vital information and use it as a precaution to prevent it from happening again and to work on spiritual growth.  God shows Himself in the role of sanctifier, helping us clean up the messes we create which causes us to operate more efficiently in our Christian walk.

Understand it’s not always sin that God is prompting us to clean up.  He might show us things we need to work on and improve such as tendencies, character traits, distractions, etc.   We need to remember not to get down on ourselves when God shows us things we need to correct.  2 Corinthians 5:17 states, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”  While the new creation begins when we accept Christ, the process of the new increasing and the old decreasing takes time and work on our part.  It also includes God’s grace.  We would feel overwhelmed and condemned if he gave us a list of all the things that need to change the moment we got saved.  His grace allows this progressive sanctification to happen over time as it states in Philippians 1:6, “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”  He will be cleansing us until the day we leave this earth.  Being a willing participant in this process makes it go smoother and acknowledging our “muck and mire” makes us relatable to others as we are each in a clean-up process.

Reflection:  What “muck and mire” is God showing you needs cleaning up?  What literal steps will you need to take to start the process?

Still Water Moments: The Art of The Specialist

2 Peter 1:3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence…

In most schools there are teachers called specialists that have training in a specific area such as music, art, physical education, etc.  Each class within an elementary school usually sees each of them 1-2 times per week for a lesson based on their area of expertise.  My brother and I are blessed to work in the same school where he is the physical education teacher.  You can call me biased, but I have the proof that he goes above and beyond any gym teacher I’ve had.  He finds ways to incorporate math, reading, and social emotional content into the lessons and activities he prepares.  Mind you, he tailors it age appropriately for all of the students in the school, grades preschool-5th.  He has posters, photos, a vocabulary wall, and self-created anchor charts on display to support the content he teaches. 

If you have been walking with Christ, you have learned that He doesn’t just specialize in one area, but He embodies every good thing we need Him to be.  Look up the names of God and their meanings to be in awe of His vastness and encouraged by His ability!  For example, He is Jehovah Rapha, The Lord Who Heals; Jehovah Shammah, The Lord is There; Jehovah Shalom, The Lord is Peace; and the well well-known Jehovah Jireh, The Lord will Provide.  The astounding thing is these are just a few of His names!  He is the original Specialist, the great I Am, (Exodus 3:14), Who specializes in everything at once!  This personal God is omnipotent, thus in the same moment He can make Himself seen and known to each individual as whatever we each need Him to be at that given time.  Revelation 3:20 states, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me." God longs to build a relationship with each of us and in doing so, we reap the benefits of learning and encountering Who He is. He is inexhaustible so we can spend a lifetime experiencing His many characteristics if we would take the opportunity to receive and welcome Him into our daily lives and circumstances.

As followers of Christ, He has placed gifts within us that enable us to “specialize” in an area that benefits others.  This gift may be utilized in ministry but for the purposes of this devotional, I’m focusing on those 1:1 moments that may be impromptu to you but not to God.  These gifts may be utilized with a friend, coworker, church peer, family member, stranger, etc.  God just calls us to be willing to be used and obedient to follow His prompting when He orchestrates opportunities to use the gifts.  Perhaps you’re a good listener, or a person whose disposition radiates welcome and comfort.  Maybe God gives you discernment about a person’s insecurity and prompts you to encourage them.  You may be the sought after person that consistently gives God inspired good advice.  Maybe you’re the person that knows how to reach children, teens, the ill or someone who has experienced trauma.  We can’t underestimate the ability God puts within each of us to turn someone’s outlook around if we allow ourselves to be used by Him.  In this manner we further the gospel by showing Christ through our actions.

Reflection: As you study the names of God, which one speaks to your present situation?  Try speaking that name aloud repeatedly and experience the comfort of getting to personally know that facet of God!

Still Water Moments - The Art of Differentiating Part II: We, the Peers

Colossians 3:12

Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,

 Teachers that work with primary and secondary grades most likely have needed to converse with their students about equity in learning.  It is comprehensible that a student may not understand why their peer may be able to use a calculator during a math test while he/she cannot.  Such situations foster teachable moments and life lessons in which the teacher explains that in order for every student to succeed, various supports need to be available to meet individual needs for learning.  While peers may see and be privy to accommodations and academic level groups among students, a teacher never discloses the grades and personal learning/academic details of a student to the class as those particulars are between the teacher, student and their families. Just the same, Christ individualizes our “lessons” according to where we are in our walk with Him; our “learning styles”; and personalities because He is a personal God.  Thus, we shouldn’t ever judge another’s walk because we aren’t privy to all of these details. 

There is a difference in knowing what a person has gone through versus actually experiencing it yourself.  For example, if two people were to experience the same difficult situation, their response and management of it will most likely be different.  There are so many intricacies that make us who we are: temperament, upbringing, economic status, education, living environments, life experiences, traumatic events, support systems, etc.  All of these factors and more have shaped the individuals we are today and our approaches to life.  Thus, to make statements like, “Well, if that were me…” most likely is not fair.  In these instances it would behoove us to take heed to the direction in the theme verse, Colossians 3:12.

There are some things about ourselves we don’t even know.  This is another reason it is not beneficial to judge another, as we all have our own blind spots. However, Christ knows what they are!  Just as the schoolteacher knows his/her student’s academic abilities and how to individually cater to them, Christ knows His children and how to individually grow each of us.  While a school teacher may have a snapshot of a child’s make-up in a given school year, God is the Master Teacher and knew us before the foundation of the world.  He knows every single thing about us, including our future.  Thus, He considers these things, blind spots and all, when He individualizes our spiritual growth.  This is what we call progressive sanctification.  Therefore, if our growth is progressive and God is in charge of managing the progress, who are we to judge the progress of another?  Whatever private information we are privy to about an individual should be covered in prayer.  When a person shares details of a sensitive situation they are experiencing or God gives you discernment and impresses upon your heart to pray for someone, it should be an honor to be trusted as a tool of healing for that person.  God is using you in helping to uplift someone and further the love of Christ and that cannot be taken lightly.

Reflection: Think of the people God has impressed upon you to pray for.  What ongoing steps do you take to ensure that this responsibility doesn’t gradually veer into judgment?