THE NEW EWE

"What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!'"

Luke 15:4-6

July 7, 2021

LIFE IN THE FOLD:

I recently read a quote that said, "The things you do for yourself are gone when you are gone, but the things you do for others remain as your legacy." The more I have thought about those words, the more I've realized how true they really are.

After I am gone, people close to me may remember things that I liked, but that's not going to be what stands out in their minds. They're not going to care that I liked pedicures, purses, shoes or running around in my nightie and loose comfortable clothes when I was home. They're not going to think about how often I shave my legs, what kind of shampoo or soap I used. They're not going to remember my cooking habits or how I kept house. All of those things that I like to do for myself or that I personally like or how I personally do things are not going to matter to anyone. All of those things will be gone, will die, when I do.

But what are those things that people are going to remember? They are going to remember foods that I cooked for them and times spent at my home eating a meal together. They'll remember acts of kindness and how I treated them. They will remember words of encouragement I spoke to them, songs I sang, or listening to me play piano. Time I spent with them, taking care of their children and the children remembering me being their caregiver, being a friend when they needed one, willingness to do things with/for them..... those will be memories that will stand out to them. The time I spent with them and things I did will be what will remain as my legacy.

What was written in the Bible about Jesus for us to read and learn from were not about His personal habits, favorite foods, favorite color or what His favorite shoes or clothing looked like, who His friends were growing up or how they spent their time, etc. But what was remembered and recorded were His words as He taught, Him going off to be alone to pray, His miracles, His love for children and those who were accused and rejected by others, the things that He did. He was remembered for the disciples that He chose. He was remembered for His friendship with Lazarus, Mary and Martha. He was remembered for His great love and kindness; but also for being ridiculed and rejected.

When you think of David, what do you think of? His great love for God and being someone who was called, "A man after God's own heart." Him slaying Goliath, when the rest of the Israelite army were too afraid to face him. His great friendship with Jonathan. The battles that he fought on behalf of Israel. Him failing when he got Bethsheba pregnant, then having her husband killed; but then him crying out to God and repenting. His greatness as a king. David was in the lineage of Jesus. His heart for worship and writing so many Psalms.

What about Joseph? He was greatly loved by his father, who made him a coat of many colors. He was sold into slavery by his own brothers. He consistently showed integrity and humility, even when falsely accused and thrown into prison. Joseph never became angry or retaliated, even when others mistreated him or lied about him. He was an interpreter of dreams, which led to him getting out of prison and becoming second in command of Egypt. His interpretation of the pharaoh's dream protected Egypt during years of famine. He showed mercy and forgiven to his brothers and were reunited with his family.

It is the things that people did, their words, their character that was remembered about men and women and recorded in the Word of God. Those are the things that are important and that truly matter.

So how do we best do this? 1 Peter 4:8-11 says, "Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay. God has given each of you a gift from His great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve others. Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ."

When we are fulfilling the purpose that God has given us and being used in our gift, then it's not work and a hardship. Not everyone has the gift of speaking and not everyone has the gift of serving. If we try to operate outside of our God-given gift, we become miserable and unhappy. It becomes work instead of operating as God created us and intended. We each must find our gift and walk within it.

But something that we are all commanded to do is to show deep love for each other. Jesus told us to love others as we love ourself. When we truly love others, then those things that we say and do become just part of who we are. We do the things that we do, because we want to. We're not intentionally thinking, "I'm doing this to build a better legacy," but we are just doing what comes naturally and daily using our gift to serve others. Then when we are gone, the legacy of our lives is left behind in the memories of others.

I end by reiterating the statement I made in the beginning: "The things you do for yourself are gone when you are gone, but the things you do for others remain as your legacy."

JON'S PERSPECTIVE:

We have a nephew who served in military for several years, then pursued a video production career, then went to school to learn motorcycle repair. Now, he is a teacher. He loves teaching. It's what he wants to be when he grows up.

When I was a teen, I thought almost everyone knew what they really wanted to be when they grew up. But since then, I've learned that many, or maybe most, people don't know till they try a few jobs. Some people never figure out what they want to do for work.

The same goes for finding our gifts. The gifts we use for God's glory aren't always the same as our job, or the gifts we use to live. They commonly line up, or work together. But not always.

Just don't be surprised if it takes a few tries to find that special gift you are supposed to share with others. If you look around at things that your church, neighbors, and community need, you will probably find some need you are happy to satisfy.

ON THE MENEWE:

Frito Corn Salad

Mix first 5 ingredients together and chill. Stir in corn chips just before serving.

You may not want to add all of the corn chips, but add only a little at a time.

Some people prefer to serve the Fritos on the side or crumbled on top.

THIS, THAT AND THE OTHER:

Several years ago, Jon and I traveled to Singapore. While there, we ate at several places that were called hawker stands, which were everywhere. They were small booths set up where you could order different kinds of foods. We ended up with some good food, but had a couple of bad experiences. One morning we were walking around exploring and saw a hawker stand that sold what looked like fried fritters. They looked delicious, so we bought some. We took one bite, and were greatly surprised; and not in a good way. Inside was some type of bean curd filling. It was disgusting! Jon generally will go ahead and eat most things, but even he couldn't get these down and we ended up throwing them in the trash.

The second experience is something we still laugh and talk about from time to time. We were out walking and decided to eat a meal at one of the food hawker centers. We stopped at one that had a few tables back behind them so we could sit and eat. Jon ordered duck and noodles, and I ordered a Thai noodle dish of some kind. Jon received his order first and took a bite and had me taste it and it was really good, so I was anxious to try mine.

When my food arrived, I took one bite...... and it was the hottest, spiciest food I have ever put inside my mouth! I had tears rolling down my cheeks, broke out into a sweat, and my face was flushed -- and that is NOT an exaggeration! It felt like my insides were on fire. Jon insisted that we switch dishes and I ate his duck and noodle dish and he managed to get down most of the Thai dish. But he also had the teary eyes, sweat on the brow, and fiery insides! I honestly don't know how he managed to eat it.

[Jon: It gets easier once your insides are cauterized.]

THOUGHT TO PONDER:

It's hard to hear God's voice when you've already decided what you want Him to say. - TobyMac

OUR HEARTFELT THANKS TO YOU:

We love you!

Loretta & Jon

http://www.graysheep.org