Says Who?

July 8, 2013

Good Morning My Beloved Ones,

I pray that you are walking humbly with one another and with your God.

Today I want to talk to you about “Says Who?”  A few days ago, I was driving down the street and I heard the Lord whisper in my spirit, “Put your seatbelt on”.  I usually only wear my seatbelt if I’m going on the freeway.  I figure that by the time I get my seatbelt on, I’ll be there already if I’m just going from point A to point B in town, so it’s really not necessary.  As soon as I heard the Lord’s instructions, though, I complied and thought to myself, “Thank you Lord.  There must be an accident or a policeman ahead.  You’re watching out for me.”  

No sooner had I completed this thought than the Lord spoke to me again and said, “How can you serve me when you won’t even obey the law.  You’re just being stubborn and lazy.”  Ouch!  With my belt clicked securely in place and my head hung in shame, I acknowledged the truth of the reprimand I’d just received.  You know what’s worse?  I could’ve avoided the spanking altogether.

You see, every time I get into the car with one of my granddaughters, she’ll say to me, “Grandma, you forgot your seatbelt” and I always answer, “I’m a grown up.  It’s not your place to tell me what to do.”  Now I’d received the very same message coming from a different source.  If I’d listened to the child, I’d not have been scolded by the Father.

Why is it that we respond differently to advice, criticism and instruction based upon who is giving it?  Have you ever noticed how difficult it is to receive instruction from one much younger than yourself?  

Have you noticed that when the words come from

your best friend you call it advice, but the same words from a spouse or sibling are viewed as criticism?  The reason, my friends, is pride, and it’s one of the things God hates most.

The next time something is spoken to me and my pride wells up and says “Oh yeah, says who?”  I’m going to tell it, “It doesn’t matter.”  The message is the message.  It should not matter who God is using to deliver it.

Every word that is spoken to us should be judged not by whose mouth it leaves, but by whether it lines up with the Word of God.  If it doesn’t, reject it.  But if it does, we’d be wise to heed it, regardless of the source.

The wounds of a friend are faithful, the Proverb tells us, and so are those of a spouse, parent, sibling or a grandchild.  Lord, help me to learn from these before you have to teach me the lesson yourself.

Hopefully more humble, your sister Raelynn