It was the straw that threatened to break this camel’s back.
“Your dog has fleas.”
On any level on any given day, this news would have frustrated and completely grossed me out.
But yesterday was different.
Yesterday it almost did me in.
No, a case of fleas isn’t the end of the world, but it came at the end of a week full of exhausting setbacks and irritating life stuff that had left me weary to the bone and vulnerable to letting my emotions rule the day.
And then I remembered a story a friend of mine told me recently.
A pastor friend of his was diagnosed with ALS, (Lou Gehrig’s Disease). He was well aware of the prognosis of the killer disease. But as soon as the words left the doctor’s mouth, his response was this:
“I have spent my life teaching people how to live. Now God is giving me the opportunity to show them how to die.”
Wow.
He found diamonds in the rocks.
Those two sentences have rung in my ears over this past week as “life” has happened and slowed my racing heart.
He lived and died like this:
Matthew 5:16 – In the same way, let your good deeds (good attitude, good faith and trust in God even in tough times) shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.
He was not going to let the fact that he was dying get in the way of his life being a beacon of the beauty of his God.
What if I viewed everything that happens in my life from that perspective?
Every frustration, disappointment, setback.
Each “negative” given the same level of purpose and opportunity as every “positive”.
Hmmmm….
I’m thinking a lot would change, and at the top of that list would be my attitude and focus.
It’s God’s vision and dream for us that we would let Him shine through our lives even when we don’t feel very shiny.
Consider this verse:
2 Corinthians 12:9 – Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.
Weakness in my self, in my plans, in the make up of my days can still radiate His goodness, faithfulness and love if I embrace those things as opportunities to know and experience Him more intimately.
It’s what they were meant to do.
Diamonds in the rocks.
Or, in my case, purpose in the fleas.
Another chance to let Him shine….
