“Dead Giveaways”

In Germany, you can often spot an American in an instant.  Here are a few “dead giveaways” that you are an American.   
1 You are standing at the check out counter waiting for someone to bag your groceries.
2 You are studying the chained grocery carts trying to find where to put your euro to release one of them.
3 You have your American dollars mixed in with your Euro dollars and your American coins mixed in with your Euro coins.
4 You don’t drive your bike. You ride it. And you don’t ride it everywhere. Mostly you take the car. 
5 You drive a Honda Odyssey Mini Van.
6 You drive a Honda Odyssey Mini Van with an OU Sooner sticker on the window. (My husband says I am an easy target.)
7    You leave a big tip.
8    You use your turn single to enter a roundabout, but fail to use them when exiting the roundabouts.
9   You have on average, 8 yellow bags of trash for pick-up on yellow bag day, and your German neighbors have only 2 or 3.  
10  You open your mouth and speak.

I didn’t even get into how we dress, drive, or shop. I love the humor in this. I have mostly enjoyed this clashing of cultures. It has taught me much and stretched me spiritually and mentally. But as I thought about this, I wondered am I a dead give away for a Christian?  What would that list look like?   Here are a few thoughts.  Servant, generous, thoughtful, shows interest in others, giving of your time, a picture of peace in chaos, friendly driver, not a gossip, mostly optimistic, Godly speech, a sense of Godly priorities, conviction and passion for God and His Word, repentant, humble, able to say “I’m sorry,”  trusting of God.  
Galations 5 outlines for us the “fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”  These are DEAD GIVEAWAYS for spotting a Christian. “Dead Giveaway Christians” are always pointing people to Christ whether they say it out loud or not. Their lifestyle and habits will preempt any words from their mouth. If this is true, then it only follows that our lifestyle and habits can also negate our words or affirm them. 

I was especially convicted in two areas during the series “The Vow,”  (Lifechurch.tv)  1 For true intimacy to happen between me and my husband, I must trust God to trust him (Paul) with secrets, hopes, fears, anger, joy, everything!  In the same way for us to have intimate friendships, we must trust God to enable us to trust others.  The second thing I was convicted of during this series, was “act like a Christian.”  These days, it is often the case that the word Christian conjures up so many negative thoughts, stereotypes, and preexisting secular images and ideas, and not all very appealing or complimentary.  But the truth is “Christian” is a very scriptural word first used at Antioch. (Acts 11:25-27) Personally, when I think of “Christian,” I think of “Christ like.”  Maybe it is time, we started showing the world the true definition of Christian. Are you and I a “dead giveaway?”

The Value of a Woman used by God

In preparing for a speaking engagement at an upcoming conference, I have struggled with the title of my given topic:  “The Value of a Woman used by God.”  Hmm… If you dissect this title, you could reach two very different conclusions.  
1 A woman’s value when she is used by God.  OR
2 The Value that results from a Woman who allows herself to be used by God.  

You guessed it. I am formulating my lesson around the latter interpetation.  Here is what we need to understand as women.  Our value in Christ is intrinsic.  It is not earned. It is not rewarded on the basis of what I “do.”  It is not conditional. 
1 John 4:19 says, “We love because he FIRST loved us.”  God knew us in the womb. Before we were born, all of our days were ordained by God.  He knew us in that secret place.  (Psalm 139:13-17) Our value in Christ is not contingent upon how many sins we have committed in our past or in our present.  If it were, I would be of no value to God.  (Psalm 103:2-12)  Romans 5:8 says “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this:  While we were YET sinners, Christ died for us.”  

For those of us who have children, do we love our children because of their good looks, their athletic ability, or their artistic skills?  Is our love to them doled out conditionally, based on their performance?  Do we hold our love back until they meet our needs or until their efforts meet with our approval? As convicting as these questions are for us, our answer must be a resound No!  We love our children simply because they are ours.  They are a part of us. They belong to us.  This doesn’t mean that we don’t discipline them, expect excellence from them, and charge them with responsibility.  But rather, it means that no matter what, we love them unconditionally and unselfishly.  And so it is for God our father.  “We love because He first loved us.”  Our value is intrinsic in our “sonship” with the Father.  John 1:12-13 says  “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” 

And then, when we realize from whence comes our value in God, when we embrace this truth that we are a daughter of the King, first and foremost because He chose us to be, then just watch the “value” that is yielded when we yield our lives to the One who loves us the most.  Marriages will be restored.  We will have Godly offspring-not only biological but spiritual offspring; we will be comforted; Forgiveness will be granted and received; the church will grow; individual spiritual growth will abound; Joy will be had by so many.  Lives will be transformed beginning with your own.  If you are reading this, I don’t care who you are, where you have came from, or what path you are on.  You are a child of the King.  You are His and He is yours.  He is waiting for your response.