I spent my childhood summer vacations at my grandparents’ farm, located in a small fishermen’s village in South Brazil. The farm is by a breathtaking saltwater lake.

One of the most beautiful sceneries that I recall from those days was the sight of the lake at night. As you drove by on the interstate along the lake, the vision would fool any stranger to the area. One could swear that the lake was actually a village filled with street lights.

Around 5 p.m. each day, our “neighbors” would come by grandma’s house, carrying their nets in large wicker baskets, along with a kerosene lamp that would go on the poles by their fishing site. One by one, the fishermen would set their trap to catch the fish: giant nets, and a small kerosene lamp, shining a steady, however dim, flicker of light.

The fishermen in the village know it too well. The fish in that lake will not come unless the light attracts them. No light, no fish.

The scene reminds me of Jesus’ famous words at the beginning of this column, recorded in the fifth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew.

Like fishermen, we cannot “fish” in the dark either. Truly, if our light does not shine wherever God plants us, those who don’t know his grace are more likely to flee instead of run to him.

Truly, if our light does not shine wherever God plants us, those who don’t know His grace are more likely to flee instead of run to Him. @AJC #MondayMotivation #MondayDevotional
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I have seen it one too many times. Children of churchgoers (and even ministers) rebel against God because their parents’ talk does not match their walk. It’s true — how many people cringe at the mention of Jesus or God because of exposure to self-righteous, religious parents or relatives whose words did not translate into actions?

The apostle Paul reiterated this crucial aspect of the Christian life in his letter to the church in Ephesus:

“Walk as Children of Light! For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light!”

Indeed, those of us who claim to love and serve God should take this light-shining business seriously because the implications of having a testimony that does not match our words can be devastating.

How many people cringe at the mention of Jesus or God because of exposure to self-righteous, religious parents or relatives whose words did not translate into actions? @AJC #MondayThoughts #MondayMotivation
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We may go to church every Sunday, serve in 10 committees, sing in the choir and teach. Yet, if we come home and make our family miserable because of attitudes that scream that we are walking in the flesh, we will push the “fish” swimming near our nets away from the Lord instead of closer to him. And what great representative of God’s kingdom would I be at my job if I had Bible verses hanging all over my cubicle but displayed a bad attitude with a co-worker, or did a careless job?

“What will they say when you leave?”

I was recently listening to a song when this phrase in the chorus pierced my heart. The piece challenges believers to remember that each act and word of love, compassion, carelessness or hate builds a testimony that will outlast.

Indeed, when life is over, everything that we strive so hard to acquire is left behind. But the impact that you and I make in the lives we touch will generate ripples that can impact generations to come.

Indeed, when life is over, everything that we strive so hard to acquire is left behind. But the impact that you and I make in the lives we touch will generate ripples that can impact generations to come. @AJC #MondayMotivation…
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This impact rests in gestures that show that we care. It lingers in the hearts of our children each time we wipe tears away and kiss boo-boos. It echoes in the forgiveness we extend when someone hurts us or the smile we offer when no one else seems to care. These tiny beacons of light are the heritage our journey on Earth will leave behind. More than empty words, these acts more effectively attract people to the God we love.

As this year comes to an end and we fill our minds with new goals for the new year, may we be challenged to inventory our testimony to those around us honestly. More than determining our success by the number of checks on our to-do list, may we challenge ourselves to examine the impact of our actions and words: Did we show compassion to those who were hurting? Did we offer forgiveness to those who hurt us? Did we say that we love our family, not only with empty words but also with gestures that confirm what our lips proclaim? In other words, did we effectively live as a light in the darkness around us?

I used to say that it did not matter what people thought about me. But in a sense, I have decided that it does indeed matter. For I hope that every time I leave a room or, ultimately, the day I leave this world, my life song will say that even with all my imperfections and mistakes, God’s love steadily shone through me and that the world was a better place because I lived.

What do people say when you leave the room, and, ultimately, what will they say when you leave this world? @AJC #MondayThoughts #Foodforthought
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This article was originally published in Patricia’s column to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Saturday, December 18th, 2021. Click HERE to read it on the AJC’s website.

The post Take Inventory of Your Testimony This Year-End {The Atlanta Journal-Constitution} appeared first on Soaring With Him Ministries.

FREE COPY OF POST: Overcoming Perfectionism 08.19.14

Key Verse:

“So don’t be too good or too wise! Why destroy yourself? On the other hand, don’t be too wicked either. Don’t be a fool! Why die before your time?  Pay attention to these instructions, for anyone who fears God will avoid both extremes. Ecclesiastes 7:16-18

PERFECTIONISM

A monster disguised in pretty clothes. Its victims look put together at all times. Their homes are spotless. Their grades, commendable. Their hair is in place any time they hit the door.

If you are a woman, I guarantee you’ve been jealous of a perfectionist before.

But as it is in many things in life, when it comes to the Joneses, there is so much more than what meets the eye.

I know it well. A recovering perfectionist, for many years I struggled with thoughts of inadequacy and failure. I strived for straight As and dreamed of straight hair. Perfectionists were usually raised by a perfectionist parent and therefore their tendency to strive to be the crème de la crème in everything they do is usually a cry for love and acceptance.  Unfortunately, unless they recognize the issue, they carry on the legacy to the next generation, unintentionally pushing their poor children into the same trap.

We live at the age of airbrushed, anorexic beauty. My anti-age cream is advertised by a gorgeous 20 year-old model, who won’t see a wrinkle on her face for another, well, 20 years.  50 year old millionaire actresses sell us the lie that we can fight the losing battle of sagging, wrinkling and hormonal changes at the blink of an eye.

Without a doubt, physical perfectionism plagues our society, infiltrating our families and distracting even many of our beautiful young girls, who are hiding in the restrooms, drowning in the hopelessness of anorexia and bulimia.

Then there’s performance perfectionism. Many of us believe that we must be perfect in all we do. Our homes must be perfectly clean. Home decor must change with the seasons.

We may find ourselves comparing our marriage to some of our friends’, who may seem to have more “sparks” flying around, or whose husband seems to be more romantic than ours. Before we know it, we are nagging John to death, trying to change the man we fell in love with into someone he’ll never be.

And let’s not forget our children’s school performance and sports galore! The pressure to be on accelerated programs and Honor Rolls steal many children’s hide-and-seek moments today. Our baseball, softball and football fields and filled with young boys and girls who are missing their summers for another championship. Missing church for another trophy. We push them. They push themselves. And we all miss the mark.

We fight to perfect ourselves, our children, our spouses, our homes.

And we all become miserable, tired and broken together.

It’s not an easy trap to escape from. But if we want to have an abundant life, escape we must!

We can start by reminding ourselves of this truth: That God is not impressed by our looks or performance. He wants our hearts (Deut 10:12).

Hearts that understand that our perfection is only found in him (Ephesians 2:8-10).

Hearts that make His priority list ours. (Psalm 18:30)

Hearts set less in seeking perfection and more in perfecting our love and devotion for Him.  (Psalm 51:10)

Indeed, today I realize that perfectionism is the world’s and Satan’s way to make me rely less and less on God.

And more and more on fallible, inadequate me.

Instead of attaining perfection, the result will always fall short of our target: We become stressed out, needy of approval, self-indulgent, impatient.

Simply hard to deal with.

Through the Grid of God’s Grace

Our good works and great performance should be viewed through the grid of God’s grace. By grace we are lavished each day with opportunities, gifts and talents which allow us to do our best and be our best.

As Dallas Willard said “Grace is God acting in our lives to do what we cannot do on our own.”

Indeed, God never designed us to accomplish perfection without him. The point of the gospel is that we are unable to be perfect. We all fall short; we all “miss the mark” (Romans 3:23). Sinners need a Savior, and that’s why Jesus came. When we trust in Him, He forgives our shortcomings, imperfections, and iniquities.

We can then stop striving for unreasonable, unattainable worldly “perfection” and rest in the Perfect One (Matthew 11:28).

Verses to Meditate Upon:

“And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns” Philippians 1:6.

For without Me you can do nothing” John 15:5.

“As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him” Psalm 18:30.

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