The first shall be last...

"...that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.  For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? nos if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?" ~1 Corinthians 4:6-7

Having come across this passage today, I felt drawn to it.  A couple of weeks ago, Jamie told me that when I start talking about freedom and this country, I am so passionate and seemingly self-righteous that it leaves no desire for anyone to question me.  Ouch!  I don't like confrontation or criticism and so I wonder if that is why I can be so hard on this subject.  This is hilarious since the things I stand so solidly on (the cross, conservativism, Biblical role of women) are deeply offensive to many and commonly come under sharp criticism.  I guess God likes keeping us out of our comfort zone where we can be stretched.  Also, I was reading one of my new fave blogs and she stated this:

"We are journeying together in this thing we call life. If I have ever appeared to have it all together - I apologize - because I am a very flawed sinner saved by grace. Nothing more."  (Women Living Well)

Truthfully, that is the story for all of us.   I, too, apologize if I have come across like I am totally with it.  I TOTALLY AM NOT.  Spend five minutes with me and you'll quickly see that I get irritated with my kids, am at times indifferent to my husband, have an incredibly critical attitude, can't keep my house clean, and really have to work hard to understand politics.  (Did I mention that I failed and dropped out of poli-sci in college?)   Yeah, those are just the first faults that come to mind.  I can list hundreds of others.

In a culture where media surrounds us with Lindsay Lohan, Obama, Angelina Jolie, and even widely-known Christians, we can easily think highly of these who gain so much attention in the world.  But, really, we all are the same.  It is God who raises one up and sets one low.  And remember "the first shall be last and the last shall be first" in eternity (Matthew 20:16).  You are no less special than anyone else.  "Then Peter opened his mouth , and said, 'Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons.'" (Acts 10:34)

Mostly, I just wanted to apologize for any puffed-up attitude I have had in my writings.  I know there have been some.

"How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant of the weak and the strong.  Because someday in life you will have been all of these." -George Washington

With much love in Jesus,


p.s. Enjoy this dance that parallels this theme.  I can't embed it at this time so you will have to click on the link: Mad World

In every century, on every continent, warriors such as these (unknown God-fearing men great in the kingdom of God) are the ones who press forward the kingdom of God.  They lay aside the distractions of life to do exploits in the spiritual realm.  Whether or not they become famous on earth is beside the point.  They are heroes and heroines nonetheless.  (Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire, p. 177)