WOW! This was a week full of revelation for me. I finally realized (somewhat) my "worth".
Worth (n): usefulness or importance, as to the world, to a person, or for a purpose. (thanks dictionary.com)
Matthew 10:29-31 ESV
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
Luke 12:6-7 ESV
Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.
I'm sure you've heard that you should pick a penny up if it's on the ground heads up because it's lucky. I believe that the only reason a tails up penny on the ground is unlucky simply because someone didn't pick it up and now it has to stay there. Thank goodness God doesn't look at us like a tails up penny on the ground. In the book of Matthew, we are told that TWO insect eating, noisy flocking, untidy birds are sold for a penny -- a heads up or tails up penny. Doesn't it seem crazy to you that Jesus seemed to be the only one who really cared for them sometimes? Doesn't it seem crazy to you that Jesus seems to be the only one who really cares for us sometimes? When we fall short of the glory of God and are tails up on the ground, our heavenly father does not look down at us and leave us there simply because we are 'unlucky', He does one of two things. He either picks us up and puts us back on the path we strayed from; OR he flips us over to be heads up and sends someone at the perfect time to pick us up. If we were just a penny, we would be worth a couple of filthy birds, but Luke tells us that we are worth so much more than a penny. We are worth so much more than a few birds. We are worth so much more than we could ever imagine... but why?
I've had an eye opening week this past week and I thank God for flipping me back to heads up and sending wonderful people to pick me up. I was able to hold my own, in a sense. People who I initially met and thought, "Wow, they are smart. I'm going to hold my tongue so I don't sound like a complete and total idiot" actually opened my eyes to a world I was blind to. I was not afraid to voice my opinion and share my experiences, but I was also not afraid to take in their wisdom and build from it.
The dictionary of Denise defines "smart" as such:
smart: (adj) catching onto and building off of concepts quickly and effortless
How did she even know that answer? She is so smart.
The dictionary of Merriam-Webster defines "smart" as the following:
smart: (adj) very good at learning or thinking about things; showing intelligence or good judgment; causing a sharp stinging
That was a smart investment.
The Bible defines smart as ... wait a minute! The term "smart" is non-existent in the Bible.
I have never in my life considered myself to be a very smart person (based on the dictionary of Denise definition). Some things came naturally and effortlessly, but I still continued to better the effortless things to make them even better than they were. This week, part of my wake-up call was ditching my definition of the word because that was tearing me down. The Bible doesn't even use the terminology "smart", so why exactly was I wanting to fit into a mold of something that doesn't really exist in my father's eyes? I am, in fact, very good at thinking about things and showing good judgment, which makes me somewhat "smart" according to the published dictionary. Miriam-Webster's definition also points out that SMART people cause sharp stinging, and in that case I don't even want to be in the smart category.
A conversation this week brought up new thoughts on living as if we are mimicking Christ's image. Was our heavenly father "smart"? Did he show good judgment and was good at thinking about things? (Keep in mind that He was and is the judge and He provides and directs our thoughts.) Does He cause hurtful, painful, sharp stings? I personally don't think the Messiah's goal was to be smart, so why was that my goal?
Everything that has been placed in my path thus far and will continue to be placed in front of me (obstacles and celebrations alike) are building and shaping me into the person my God wants me to be. Yes, I will fail. I will end up tails up on the ground. But I have no doubt that He is going to pick me up and show me that the few sparrows that I feel I am worth is such a skewed view. When I am picturing a few sparrows, a penny, the cheapest metal tails up on the ground, He isn't even picturing a gold coin, the finest metal of all. My Lord, thankfully, is picturing fruit. We all know that fruits differ from vegetables because they have seeds. God pictures us as fruit and leads us to moments to spread those seeds. He will water them. He will give them His light. We must sow the seeds of the fruit He is giving us. We can't take copper or gold through those gates made of pearl, but our fruit-filled hearts (our loving, joyous, peaceful, patient, good, kind, self-controlled hearts) will be the perfect key to open the gates. I'm worth so much more than a definition that is honestly a worldly concept and very much based on people's opinion. I'm worth so much more than a few sparrows. I'm even worth more than gold. I am being given the opportunity to grow and sow, and if I really embrace the fact that I am in fact good at thinking and making good judgment, then Miriam and Webster could tell me "job well done". If I'm being honest though, I would rather my heavenly father look at my heart and say "job well done". Miriam and Webster can't unlock those gates made of pearls, but growing and sowing fruit will make that key more attainable. There will be days I will continue to feel like a penny tails up on the ground. There will be days I will also feel like a penny heads up on the ground. I'm looking forward to the days where I feel like the finest piece of fruit. God's apple a day keeps the devil away!
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Worth (n): usefulness or importance, as to the world, to a person, or for a purpose. (thanks dictionary.com)
Matthew 10:29-31 ESV
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
Luke 12:6-7 ESV
Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.
I'm sure you've heard that you should pick a penny up if it's on the ground heads up because it's lucky. I believe that the only reason a tails up penny on the ground is unlucky simply because someone didn't pick it up and now it has to stay there. Thank goodness God doesn't look at us like a tails up penny on the ground. In the book of Matthew, we are told that TWO insect eating, noisy flocking, untidy birds are sold for a penny -- a heads up or tails up penny. Doesn't it seem crazy to you that Jesus seemed to be the only one who really cared for them sometimes? Doesn't it seem crazy to you that Jesus seems to be the only one who really cares for us sometimes? When we fall short of the glory of God and are tails up on the ground, our heavenly father does not look down at us and leave us there simply because we are 'unlucky', He does one of two things. He either picks us up and puts us back on the path we strayed from; OR he flips us over to be heads up and sends someone at the perfect time to pick us up. If we were just a penny, we would be worth a couple of filthy birds, but Luke tells us that we are worth so much more than a penny. We are worth so much more than a few birds. We are worth so much more than we could ever imagine... but why?
I've had an eye opening week this past week and I thank God for flipping me back to heads up and sending wonderful people to pick me up. I was able to hold my own, in a sense. People who I initially met and thought, "Wow, they are smart. I'm going to hold my tongue so I don't sound like a complete and total idiot" actually opened my eyes to a world I was blind to. I was not afraid to voice my opinion and share my experiences, but I was also not afraid to take in their wisdom and build from it.
The dictionary of Denise defines "smart" as such:
smart: (adj) catching onto and building off of concepts quickly and effortless
How did she even know that answer? She is so smart.
The dictionary of Merriam-Webster defines "smart" as the following:
smart: (adj) very good at learning or thinking about things; showing intelligence or good judgment; causing a sharp stinging
That was a smart investment.
The Bible defines smart as ... wait a minute! The term "smart" is non-existent in the Bible.
I have never in my life considered myself to be a very smart person (based on the dictionary of Denise definition). Some things came naturally and effortlessly, but I still continued to better the effortless things to make them even better than they were. This week, part of my wake-up call was ditching my definition of the word because that was tearing me down. The Bible doesn't even use the terminology "smart", so why exactly was I wanting to fit into a mold of something that doesn't really exist in my father's eyes? I am, in fact, very good at thinking about things and showing good judgment, which makes me somewhat "smart" according to the published dictionary. Miriam-Webster's definition also points out that SMART people cause sharp stinging, and in that case I don't even want to be in the smart category.
A conversation this week brought up new thoughts on living as if we are mimicking Christ's image. Was our heavenly father "smart"? Did he show good judgment and was good at thinking about things? (Keep in mind that He was and is the judge and He provides and directs our thoughts.) Does He cause hurtful, painful, sharp stings? I personally don't think the Messiah's goal was to be smart, so why was that my goal?
Everything that has been placed in my path thus far and will continue to be placed in front of me (obstacles and celebrations alike) are building and shaping me into the person my God wants me to be. Yes, I will fail. I will end up tails up on the ground. But I have no doubt that He is going to pick me up and show me that the few sparrows that I feel I am worth is such a skewed view. When I am picturing a few sparrows, a penny, the cheapest metal tails up on the ground, He isn't even picturing a gold coin, the finest metal of all. My Lord, thankfully, is picturing fruit. We all know that fruits differ from vegetables because they have seeds. God pictures us as fruit and leads us to moments to spread those seeds. He will water them. He will give them His light. We must sow the seeds of the fruit He is giving us. We can't take copper or gold through those gates made of pearl, but our fruit-filled hearts (our loving, joyous, peaceful, patient, good, kind, self-controlled hearts) will be the perfect key to open the gates. I'm worth so much more than a definition that is honestly a worldly concept and very much based on people's opinion. I'm worth so much more than a few sparrows. I'm even worth more than gold. I am being given the opportunity to grow and sow, and if I really embrace the fact that I am in fact good at thinking and making good judgment, then Miriam and Webster could tell me "job well done". If I'm being honest though, I would rather my heavenly father look at my heart and say "job well done". Miriam and Webster can't unlock those gates made of pearls, but growing and sowing fruit will make that key more attainable. There will be days I will continue to feel like a penny tails up on the ground. There will be days I will also feel like a penny heads up on the ground. I'm looking forward to the days where I feel like the finest piece of fruit. God's apple a day keeps the devil away!
