Soil

He who has ears, let him hear. ~ Matthew 13:9

Some of life's lessons have a tendency to go right over my head. Just when I think I'm heading down the right path - bam. I hit a wall of sin. Broken, I look to the sky, needing a lift from my Saviour. Ever faithful, He picks me up, brushes me off and sends me on my way.

I sat in Matthew's seat at school last night. Surrounded by parents and teachers for back to school night, I realized that I fell into the grown-up category. How could this have happened?

It was just yesterday that I was facing Jr. High myself, and everything awkward that went along with it. Greasy skin, shapeless bod, goofy hair and mismatched clothes. I was anything but cool in Jr. High, but I so longed to fit in. Seeing things from an adult perspective last night made me ache, wishing I could give it just one more go around.

Did I just say I wish I could be in Jr. High again? Wait just a minute - there is something really wrong with this picture. Why would anybody want to re-live such torture? I think what I mostly longed for, was to do seventh and eight grade again - as an adult. I'm a different person since I accepted the Lord.

Back then, every lesson fell on the rocky soil of my life. Not only was I squeezing God's message out, so many school of my disciplines were missed, several lessons I never took to heart, homework that went undone and tests I should have studied harder for. Regret can be a poisonous thing.

I prayed silently for my son as I sat in that little chair, grateful that he will get the chances that I missed. The chance to feel good about himself, to really apply himself and know where he is going. Matthew already knows which college he wants to go to, he already knows what he wants to be when he grows up.

The soil of his heart is ready.

Jesus spoke in parables. Stories that people of his day could really relate to and apply. He used common examples to explain the intricate tangling of theology. The soil of one's heart measured their teachability.

How's your soil? Have you choked God's messages out due to worry and unbelief? Have you tasted the bitter weed of regret, letting it choke the fruit out of your life?

Precious friend, while it is true that we only get one go-around on this earth, we must always remember. We serve a God who is in the business of second chances, and third, and fourth . . .

It's never too late to discover what you want to be when you grow up. God's still peeling back the layers of dirt in my life.

Believe He can do it the same for you. From mustard seed to fields of green - every chapter of your life tells a story.

Every story matters.

Rules

"I desire mercy, not sacrifice . . . " ~ Matthew 12:7b

Written in stone were my goals for the weeks ahead. Knowing where I am supposed to be going made filling my agenda easy. Every slot of time held productive activities, from studying to writing - all for the dream of going somewhere.

I looked my dear friend square in the eye, professing to live out the words that hit my spiral journal. With trepidation, and the loud beating of my heart, I knew that the first step was going to be to let some things go. The rest would mean consistency - the daily choice of letting go - the choice to pick up the new.

The first week I soared like an eagle. I didn't miss a single beat. My life mirrored the perfectly planned out rulebook. But somewhere between the weekend and Monday, my best intentions began unraveling. My commitments got clouded up in what I "felt like doing." Ever been there?

Friday was set for writing. It being my day off, I had a huge block of time to devote to a new assignment. It was in my list of rules, sitting patiently between reading and blogging. But something more important tugged at me, giving me permission to throw out my rule book for the day. My son Matthew needed school clothes. Jr. High would begin in a couple of days and this was our chance to spend some quality time. This was my chance to bend the rules.

Rules. They can either make us or break us. In Matthew chapter twelve, Jesus is ridiculed for not keeping the Sabbath holy, one of God's great big rules. While the rules were put in place as guidelines (for our protection and good), something more important took precedence. Healing the sick and saving sheep seemed more in line with God's most important rule - that of love. The Pharisees just didn't get it.

Where have you become too rigid? Have you carried the guilt of failure in the name of keeping the rules? Are you your worst disappointment?

I encourage you today, to hold the rules loosely and get back on that horse. While being a good steward of the time and resources God gives is important, it should never take the place of the divine appointments Jesus sprinkles in here and there. Keep balance, but leave enough margin on your calendar and in your heart for God's interruptions.

Rules keep order and align our hearts to Him. Without them, we can become a crooked and perverse generation. But just remember, God's rules and our rules can be worlds apart.

However lofty the goal, always remember . . . LOVE trumps.