Are You Ready To Water Plants
Proverbs
17:5 “Those who
mock the poor insult their Maker;
those who rejoice at the
misfortune of others will be punished.”
This is one of the verses that has
driven my life. One that I go back to time and time again when I see someone
that is poor, and I hear others mocking them. The other half of the verse
drives me too. When someone that seems to ‘deserve’ trouble or misfortune or
even to suffer natural consequences – I do NOT rejoice when that happens. Yes,
I say a ‘thank You’ to God for using His justice in some cases, and then I add a prayer asking that He allow that persons eyes and heart to be opened to Him.
None of us want to be judged or
suffer punishment from God due to what we did or said to someone else, right?!
Unfortunately, these two areas are some of the easiest to fall into the trap of
doing without even realizing it. Even though we don’t understand what God could
possibly have in store for someone less fortunate, He does have His eyes on
them at all times. Each and every one of them ARE His child that He created.
True, their hearts may not be turned towards Him, and they may be suffering due
to their choices, but that doesn’t give us the right to make fun of them. No
jokes, no name calling, no cursing at them as we drive by, none of that! Pray
for them, their heart, their beliefs and their abilities to rise up.
The same is true for people that we
see or know that are suffering misfortune. Either by their choices or by what
seems to be an accident. God has a plan and a purpose in EVERYONE’S life!
Yours, mine, theirs. We are NOT to rejoice or be glad when hard times fall on
anyone. Not even the evil people of the world. They too are His children.
Rebellious and trouble-makers maybe, but His children nonetheless. Next time
you see or hear of someone “getting what they deserve” try and look beyond what
you see or hear. There is always more than we know. Pray for them. Pray for
yourself. For them, to see God and turn to Him – for this misfortune to be what
makes them decide to come to Him and accept His salvation through Jesus. For
ourselves, that we let God be the judge. Let Him deal with what is appropriate
for them.
In all of these situations we come
across with people in our daily lives, the real thing to do is to pray for
them. Even if we don’t know what to pray, just asking God to fulfill His plan
for their lives, no matter what that takes. Do we have to jump in and try to be
a “tool” in His plan? Most likely not. But that is where we can pray for our
hearts too. That IF we are to be used by God, for Him to give us the heart,
resources, and abilities to do so. We are NOT called to save the world and
everyone in it. We ARE called to spread the good news of Jesus, HIS saving
grace, forgiveness, mercy and truth. If we all work on our “3 Min. Salvation
Story” then we can have a word ready to share with anyone at any time, in the
limited space we have of time with them. Short and simple. We are to spread the
seeds of Jesus, and someone else will come along and water them. Then again,
YOU might be the one to come along and ‘water’ what someone else has shared. Ever hear of "six degrees of separation"? We
really are all only separated by 6 degrees in other people’s lives. Get ready
and be ready to give your testimony to anyone at any time – then you will be
doing what God calls you to do. Go plant, water, work in the soil, or even be a part of the harvest - whatever God is calling you to do - follow His guidance, and you will see much fruit!
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