Kathy Weckwerth

Everyday Encouragement

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3 Things That Irritated Christ

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So often in life we have things that bug us.  Things that make us irritable and mad.   Things that make us wonder why people act the way they do. When those moments in time come around, I try to look at Christ’s example and reflect on how He dealt with the things that ticked Him off.

You might ask, “Huh!?  He was perfect, remember?”

Of course He was, but He was also a sinless man.  He went through the same circumstances and situations that you and I go through every single day.

In scripture, I picked out 3 specific instances where I believe Jesus dealt with things that irritated Him.

  1. Hypocritical People: The Scribes and the Pharisees- Matthew 23:1-12~ Jesus was not happy with people who were hypocritical.  Lately, we’ve seen a lot of this within our world of social media.  During this time of election, I was surprised at how many times I saw brother against brother, or someone who stood strongly proclaiming their faith, and then quickly turned against one leader or another because of believing gossip.

I also was shocked to see people professing to follow Christ, and then following leaders who promoted things against God’s Word.  Here’s a picture of the moment where Christ is talking to the people:

“Then Jesus said to the crowds and to His disciples: 2 “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. 4 They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.”  Matthew 21:1-4

  1. Selfish Gain: Jesus and the disciples were headed to the temple in Jerusalem, but once they arrived they discovered that the temple had been overtaken with people selling their wares.  Some were even selling doves that had been taken from the poor.  Christ would not tolerate that a holy place would be overtaken by those who were selfish and abusing others to acquire gain.

 “Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves.” 

  1. Friends who weren’t supportive: While Jesus was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, just before His crucifixion, He asked His friends to stay with Him, to stay awake and pray.  He knew the hour for His death was rapidly approaching.  But they did not.  I believe He was dismayed and frustrated at His friends’ lack of concern over His request.

“Then He returned to His disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with Me for one hour?” He asked Peter.”  Matthew 26:40 

Maybe you’re like me and you’ve had struggles with being disappointed in others.  For me, my 3 top things that make me irritated are 1)People who don’t respond 2)People who don’t follow through when they have an important task to accomplish 3)People who don’t take me seriously.

When I get to the place where I feel like Jesus, disappointed, angry, and betrayed, I just remember that even Jesus had these emotions.
Here are His steps for you and me:

  1. Stand your ground
  2. Speak the truth
  3. Show others that you have expectations

It’s okay to be frustrated.  It’s okay to not quite know how to respond to people.  But Jesus was very clear, He stood His ground, He spoke the truth, and He let people know His expectations.

Is there someone in your life today that you need to call?  Are there changes you need to make?  Are there friends who maybe should be cut free?  Are there people in your life right now who are anxiously hoping they can be a friend, but you haven’t had room?

Today, start by remembering how Christ dealt with His irritants. Then, let’s look and see where you and I can implement His lessons in our own personal journey.

Big Boots to Fill

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P1050405I keep a couple pairs of my daddy’s cowboy boots in my entry way.  They just sit there on a mat next to the closet door, to remind me.  They remind me of the person I want to become, the person I think God needs me to become.

When I was little, from the moment I remember, I was obsessed with my father.  I wanted to be near him, I wanted to be with him, I wanted to be like him.

As my siblings and I would scramble out to the car on a Sunday morning, I would hurry out so that I could sit between Mom and Dad, nestled between them in the big old Plymouth’s front seat.

At church, I’d hurry in, wearing my little brown dress with the orange flowered smocking at the top, white anklets with lace, and black patent leather shoes.  I towed my Bible in my right hand, while my left hand held Daddy’s.

“What I want to be when I grow up is a pastor.  I want to tell everyone about Jesus.  That, and I want to be the lady with the big, tall hair who plays the piano.”

My daddy would smile and encourage me that until the day I was taken from this world, it was my job to let people know about Jesus.  That was 50 years ago.  In that time I have worked hard to teach people about a Savior and lead worship to six congregations.

As a child growing up, my father was present.  He was there for piano recitals, band concerts, meetings with teachers, and meetings with pastors.  He cheered me on when no one else did.  He believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself.  And he loved me so genuinely that it taught me how to love.  He prayed so tenaciously, that it taught me how to pray.  He loved God and music so passionately, that it taught me to do the same.

 

When I went through difficult times, my dad prayed with me.

 

When I fell down, my dad would pick me up and ask me what I learned from the fall.

 

When people around me let me down, Dad would say it was a lesson on who to trust.

 

When I prayed and didn’t get an answer, Dad would encourage me that waiting was the answer.

 

And for the most part, whatever I didn’t know about life but thought I did, Dad helped me along the way.

 

He loved genuinely.  He laughed heartily.  He felt deeply.  He appreciated greatly.  He gave willingly.  He acknowledged the broken and lifted them up.

He reminded me of someone.  Someone who we read about, someone who we prayed to, someone who we believed died on a cross for our sins.

Yes, he was someone who I could only hope to emulate, because he strived to emulate the One we followed … the One I follow.

He was like Jesus.

And my hope is that when I see those boots on the mat, that every day that I walk out my front door and see those boots sitting there, I will be reminded that he was a wise and wonderful man who loved me and loved God.

I want to be like that for my husband, my children, my friends, my God, my world.

They are big boots to fill, but I’m trying, Daddy.  I’m really trying.

Stock Up on Best Life’s Favorite Spring Things!

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With spring arriving, it’s time to think about freshening up that dull skin, limp hair, and dried out hands!  Here are some of our favorite products.  You can find them at your local Walmart, Target, or Walgreens!  Freshen up, lighten up, and lift your spirits!

  1. Goody Hair bands $2.17
  2. Body Benefits Body Buff $2.00
  3. Simple Sensitive Skin Experts Radiance Cleansing Wipes (Pack of 2) $13.45
  4. Sally Hansen Insta-Dri nailpolish $3.99
  5. Calgon Luminous Bath Pearls $13.69
  6. Bath and Body Works Soap in Stress relief eucalyptus $7.50
  7. Conair Hairbrush $3.88
  8. Bath and Body Works Body Lotion in Stress relief Eucalyptus Spearmint $13.00
  9. Burt’s Bees Lip Shimmer in Caramel $4.50
  10. Swisspers Cotton Applicators $2.06

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Six Soul Cleaning Steps

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clean-1445150Soul Cleaning is a much-needed attempt to clear out your heart and mind and get you in a better place to walk away refreshed and restored.

In scripture, we will often read the cries of a distressed heart from King David.  After David has been in sin, he cries out to God and says … time for a soul cleaning … Psalm 26:2, “Test me, Lord, and try me, examine my heart and mind.”  He’s planning on blowing the cobwebs off of his dusty soul.

Here are some steps to spiritually take this spring, to clean out those closets and cobwebs of your heart and soul.

  1. Find a quiet, restful place and begin to think and journal about the weeks or month.
  1. Ask the Holy Spirit to convict you and show you where you have unresolved issues and sin.
  1. Spend some time contemplating how you got to that place of sin and determine how you can avoid revisiting this same issue again.
  1. Confess your sin before God and mentally imagine a big huge Mr. Clean eraser removing everything you’re confessing.
  1. Walk away with a renewed sense of freedom and restoration from sin.
  1. Commit to God that you will begin the steps to daily confess and keep your heart, mind, and spirit forgiven by God’s grace and your mind will remain de-cluttered.

daisy-in-the-sun-1397229[callout]When you make time for self reflection and confession, you will continually keep your heart and mind free, de-cluttered, and ready to live your best life![/callout]

The Church Doors

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IMG_1928By Kathy A. Weckwerth -As I hastily prepared a toasted english muffin, slathering peanut butter across it and grabbing my cup of coffee, I headed out into the morning wind to make it across the yard to my Wednesday morning Bible study.

The little church looked so peaceful as it rested in the grove.  High above the towering trees stands the steeple and peering out through the winter winds whipping the snow flakes, I took a deep breath in and thanked God once again for his kindness.  This will be the fourth Christmas that Farmer Dean and I will celebrate the birth of our Savior within these walls.

As I pulled my keys out of my pocket, I realized, I had the wrong keys.  No worries, I’d just get them from my car.  But alas, they were nowhere to be found.  With 30 minutes to go until everyone arrived, I began to panic.  And so I did what I do so often, I dialed up the Farmer.

“Deano, do you have my keys?”  I questioned.

“Nope, you do.”  he  answered.

“What!  Where?”  I began to panic.

“Probably locked inside the church.”  he replied.

Ah, yes.  That was it.  You see on Monday I entertained at the little church, a lovely group of women from the neighboring town of Starbuck so they could celebrate their Christmas party.  I was so busy cleaning up and locking up … I forgot to grab the old keys.

I quickly called one of my friends and she picked up the keys on her way out to study.  But in the midst of the wind blowing, and the icy snow pelting our windows, each one of us sat in our warm cars waiting and watching for the key to get us inside.

I smiled and said to God, “You have an interesting sense of humor.”  You see, while we waited, and wait we did, there was nothing we could do.  We just sat.  And waited.  And waited.  But in those moments between our car, the snow, the quietness, the peacefulness, I realized something.  In a sense, this was what it must have been like for Mary and Joseph.

They were traveling.  They were approaching doors that were closed on them.  And they were waiting.  Waiting on doors to open.  Waiting for God to meet them.  Waiting for arms to be wide open.  They were welcomed not into a holy palace filled with bright shiny gold, but instead, they were welcomed into a dark, safe place next to the animals.

The doors were opened on that day of Christ’s birth and new life was given, hope was delivered, and prophecy fulfilled.

As I pondered all of this, I looked up to see my Bible study friend handing me the key.  I laughed and headed straight for the double doors that looked warm and inviting as they held the beautiful rustic Christmas wreaths.

[callout]Christmas is a time to reflect on the presence of God.  Christmas is a time to reflect on the presents of God~ His Son, forgiveness, open arms, and the key to salvation. [/callout]

Merry Christmas to you and yours,

Kathy and Farmer Dean