I reaaalllyyy enjoy riding my bicycle. God allowed me to be taken off blood pressure medicine, and biking has helped me control it for the past several years. One evening a few years ago after I arrived home from the office, I asked my boys if either of them had ridden my bike because it wasn’t in the garage. The garage door had been left open the night before. They both said no sir. About the same time my neighbor was in front of her house, and I noticed that her SUV was not in her driveway. She informed me that some individuals went through our neighborhood checking for ‘soft’ targets…she had left her car unlocked. I went in the house and told my wife, “Well, I will never see that bike again… $600 bucks down the drain.”

I then called the sheriff’s department to report the theft. They sent out an officer and I filled out the report. Less than an hour later I got a call from the sheriff’s department asking me to describe my bike! They found it…Across town…In the back of my neighbor’s SUV! Wow! They said it wasn’t damaged! Look at God!

Three guys from across town worked our neighborhood. Even though my WORDS showed no faith, my ACTIONS of reporting the theft and filling out the report were FAITH IN ACTION. I got my bike back that night, brought to me by an officer who lived in my neighborhood…it was undamaged. My neighbor didn’t get her truck back for over a month, and it had damage.

God used an OBJECT, my bike to give me an OBJECT LESSON in faith.

Jesus teaches us that we can move mountains with our faith in Him…

Matthew 17: 20-21

20 So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. 21 However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”

When things seem impossible, never loose your faith. And, please do better than me, let your WORDS agree with your ACTIONS.

#OBJECTLESSON
noun
a striking practical example of some principle or ideal.
“they responded to emergencies in a way that was an object lesson to us all”

BE BLESSTIFIED!!!

Matthew 15:7-12  (NKJV)

⁷ Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: ⁸ ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth,
And^[a] honor Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.

⁹ And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”^[b]

¹⁰ When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear and understand: ¹¹ Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.”

¹² Then His disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?”

Jesus called the religious leaders “Hypocrites”, which was a pretty significant insult in that time. So much so, that His disciples called Him to the side and said in today’s terms… “Uhhh, you know you pissed them off right?”

But, Jesus didn’t say it to make them angry. Jesus didn’t say it to insult them. He didn’t say it to hurt them, He said it to help them, and help us too.

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Jesus didn’t insult them, but they were insulted. But, many times we all are when we are confronted with truth about ourselves…we sometimes naturally get defensive.

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Even today, truth is a viable defense when accused of defamation. If it’s true, it’s not libel or slander…and what Jesus said about them is true.

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But, we should only say something BAD to or about someone if there is some GOOD to come out of it.

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We should only say something bad to or about someone with an intention to help them and not hurt them.

It should be our intention for them, or those who hear it be better. It should be our intention, help them submit to God’s will, His word…His standards.

Jesus also proved you should never say anything about someone who you would not say to their face.

If Jesus had called them hypocrites to hurt or embarrass them, it would have been wrong.

If Jesus had called them hypocrites when they weren’t present to belittle them, it would have been wrong.

But, Jesus never sinned, so we know He wasn’t wrong. We know His intentions. But even when you have good intentions, it doesn’t mean that people won’t be insulted.

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The same goes with us today. We should be willing to give and accept constructive criticism, so we can grow and mature in the LORD…that’s when an insult isn’t an insult.

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We should pray the discernment to determine when to be loving and when to be sharp.

How many times have you sincerely told someone something to help them and they were insulted? When was the last time someone told you something to help you and it was insulting?

It doesn’t even have to be as sharp as calling them a hypocrite.

“You are unorganized”

“You are lazy”

“You are selfish”

“You’re too promiscuous”

“You’re too loud”

“You’re too insensitive”

“You’re too sensitive”

“You don’t listen”

“You’re too wasteful”

“You’re a bully”

“You’re too timid”

“You are a coward”

You are intimidating”

And the list goes on and on.

Has anyone said any of the statements to you before? Have you ever said any of them to anyone?

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It’s WHY it was said that determines whether or not is an insult.

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Now, most people who are confronted with something that needs to change about themselves will initially be insulted. But, much of our growth comes from that uncomfortable moment of truth and self-examination.

When Jesus called the religious leaders hypocrites, it was His intention for them to acknowledge it, repent and grow.

So the next time that someone, ‘insults’ you, even if they meant to hurt you, ask yourself, “Is this true about me”?

Even if they meant to insult you, if it’s true, you can take what was meant for evil and turn it into good. You can turn what could have been bad fruit into good fruit.

Genesis 50:20  (NKJV)