I Think Jesus is Teaching Me Something

These were the words of my neighbor today. I was cutting up some romaine lettuce and saw her sitting in the street. I thought, “Hmmmm…wonder what is going on.” It ended up that she was just waiting on the school bus. But we chatted awhile and got caught up some. She leads a very busy life. I like to go over to her house on occasion and sit there and absorb the mayhem of so many-just sheer numbers- then go home and feel so quiet and calm and serene!

How many does it take to make a mother of four sons feel like her house is quiet? Well…to be honest I can’t quite remember now how many there are. They had four biological children. Through the foster care system they adopted 7 more, but they have had a foster baby for awhile now…three children are grown and out of the house. Twelve minus 3 equals 9. BUT she just got two more foster babies. So, that makes 11, I think, that are over there right now-ranging in age from 6 weeks to 21 years. Yeah. Yeah. Are you shaking your head? It is amazing.

I enjoy talking to her about all the changes we are going through with all of our sons becoming teens. She has been there and done that. It is nice to commiserate together. She started talking about how different her life is from the time when she had just her four. It was at this point that she said she thought Jesus was teaching her something. I laughed aloud and replied that I was certain that He was because I have found that He is forever teaching me something moment to moment, day in and day out!

I told her that I found that there were just a few key principles that I feel like Jesus keeps driving home for me. The two I mentioned to her were: 1) That I simply don’t know very much. The older I get, the more I know, the more I realize that I don’t know a thing. I am clueless. I am humbled again and again and again. 2) That the only thing that matters is Jesus. Everything here will pass away. Kingdoms will come and fall. People will come and die. Our work will be built up and destroyed. Even love, if given for the wrong reasons, doesn’t become something that lasts forever; your motivation must be Jesus-then you will build wisely and store treasures in heaven. It is all about Jesus.

She nodded her head in agreement. She totally agreed. She said she felt that number two was the lesson He was driving home quite heavily for her lately. It is truly all about Jesus. She felt as she looked at what her life had become-messy, crazy, full to bursting-and how much she had changed and her dreams and goals had changed-it hit her HARD. All that matters is Jesus. He must be the center of your life, your plans, your dreams, your outreach, your love offered…or you are building with straw. In the end it doesn’t matter that your life isn’t what you thought it would be if you have served Him well and showed Him forth in your life. Amen, dear sister, I thought. Preach it!

Scripture tells us, “Commit your way unto the Lord and He will bring it to pass.” “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” See, the key is that as you delight in Jesus, He changes your heart. Suddenly, what you used to think as important is important no longer. Suddenly, you care about things that you never cared about. He will direct your paths. “Lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge me and I will direct your paths”! Yes. Jesus is the author and perfector of our souls. When He is in the center, the rest will fall into place. Trials, sufferings, losses, heartaches, joy, fulfillment, contentment-EVERYTHING-means more, makes more sense, and simply MATTERS because of Jesus. He does work all things together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose! Amen? Amen!

I didn’t mention to my friend that the other lesson Jesus is constantly teaching me is grace! Grace-how to give it more, how much grace I am blessed with continually. As He shows me how little I know, I see His grace all through my life-protecting me, guiding me when I was clueless-when I didn’t even yet know Him. As I am humbled again and again it enables me to extend grace. And that causes me to want to extend more love. That is the fourth lesson I am constantly learning. MORE love. Less stress about the small things…grace and love. Humility, grace, and love with Jesus in the center of it all-the source of everything good.

Thank you, Jesus. I enjoy talking with women wiser than myself. I enjoy reflecting on Your goodness and seeing it reflected in others lives as well. Your patience is evident as You wait for me to get a clue. May I build up treasures in heaven, for Your glory. Amen.