The Wipe Board

This morning as I was writing my grocery list on our wipe board I realized it needed a good scrubbing. Not just with the eraser but a good wash. Besides our grocery list and daily notes we have three points we like to remember that are always written on it.

1. Live with nothing to hide, prove and lose - Jim Kress
2. Do what is right regardless! - David Ladd
3. "Do all thing without complaining and disputing." Phil. 2:14

A thought came to me as I was re-writing them back on the cleaner wipe board. I realized that as time slowly erased those three points I so wanted to remember that it was slowly being erased from my mind as well. I've become inward focused instead of outward focused and on what God wants me to do. I don't live with nothing to hide, prove or lose. In fact, I've been so intent and bullheaded about things that proving my point has gotten in the way of life. Doing what is right regardless is also something I've let slide. While talking with a friend I hedged on speaking the truth because I didn't want a fight to result from what I should have said.

"Do all things without complaining and disputing," has been the number one thing I've forgotten. How often have I found myself becoming so frustrated and stressed out that I just open my mouth and let my words fly? Or, more likely letting my fingers fly over the keyboard through complaining e-mails. I have chosen to forget this verse and allowed my emotions to run how I feel. I feel like the person James describes in James 1:22-24, "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in the mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like." I really need to be like the person in verse 25, "But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it - he will be blessed in what he does."

If you've become like me you're not alone. I know we all make mistakes and do things we wish we hadn't. Know that we have a loving Father who wants us to repent and turn towards Him for guidance. We will fall but He will always be there to pick us up when we turn and ask for help. One good source for guidance is from His Word. It never changes and applies to our lives here and now. I challenge you to pick out a verse a week to memorize. Put your verse on a note card and tape it to your mirror. Don't just memorize and forget it. Take the Word with you throughout your day. Put it to the test and use it in every situation you go through. When you memorize, don't water it down with your own words. Maintain a high standard for what you're memorizing by remembering it word for word. In time it will flow through your head and out of your mouth. When you're struggling it'll come to your mind to guide you to Jesus and how you should respond. Above all hide it in your heart.

Lastly, I am sorry to those that I've complained to throughout this year.

Krista Jones
12.18.07