My Nana and a couple of people on Facebook can’t be only ones to witness my joy. Remember back in 2012 when I wrote about a young woman that gave a painful testimony in one of my classes? What I didn’t write about was the day I waited after class (for a REALLY long time) to give her a pocket-size New Testament w/Psalms & Proverbs bible. I also didn’t write about the phone conversation I had with my Nana after following this little victory. From this conversation came a simple correction that today is anything but - because I no longer have a simple mind. I no longer have a simple mind that believes what it wants to believe because my flesh is DYING!
Amen?
Amen. Let’s get into it.
While I was gabbing to her about this serious first step – giving a bible to a non-believer – I told Nana that we are all God’s children, to which she replied “We are all God’s creation, but not all of us are His children.” I was like, “But we all sin…”
“Yes,” she agreed. “But as believers who have accepted Christ , we are children of God that sin.”
My grandmother of 77 years (over three-quarters of which was spent ministering locally and globally) gave me something here that I didn’t and couldn’t receive like the gift it was. Correction was never something I considered a gift. And even in this moment, where two were gathered together (by cell) in His name, I wasn’t ready to trust the correctional officer with the experience. Nana didn’t quote any scripture to prove herself and her words true, she just spoke it. Weeks later, I found scripture (especially #s 37-39, 43, and 44) to back up what she spoke.
This afternoon when we talked, I told her that I wanted to thank her for that then but thank God that both of us made it into 2013 so I could thank her now! And then I shared an experience had Friday at a bible study.
A young woman was sharing her views, one of which was the exact same thing I said to my grandmother on the phone in September. I shared our conversation with the young woman with the hope and expectation that she’d be enlightened (and encouraged) to receive it. And why wouldn’t she? It was the Word of God that corrected me so she should take that Authority and be convicted in the same way, right?
Wrong.
The young woman responded with “Yes, but….(many words which I fail to remember except the following) I see everyone as a child of God.” Yikes! This could have escalated into an argument. And I don’t get into arguments over the Word of God. Why? Because we abolish all arguments that set themselves up against the power and authority of Christ. The Word of God is the Authority. And at that moment the young woman didn’t seem like she was putting her views into proper context, rather than simply refusing correction. At that moment I took my thoughts captive and kept it moving.
I thank God for this moment because of the Word that kept me and renewed my mind. And the reminder that I got from a Facebook friend’s status this afternoon:
“Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.” -2 Timothy 4:2-5
My patience almost slipped completely at that young woman’s words, but it didn’t. God is certainly raising me up with His Spirit. I pray that He continues to do the same for this young lady.
This isn’t a write-up to show up, show-out and show-off. This is the Grace and Revelation I’ve received that I refuse to keep to myself. Stay strong Family.
Everybody else, we love you and can’t wait to introduce you to our Dad!
