I read those words “get out of their verses” again the other day. I regularly go back to Jeff VanVonderen’s book Families Where Grace is in Place. A must read. He’s speaking to parents, though every relationship could benefit from heeding the warning.
In this portion of his book, he refers to the verse “Children obey your parents,” pointing out that God was speaking to children, not parents. He wasn’t commanding parents to make their children obey. *ouch*
When we hang out in “their” verses we start pointing and condemning and judging. When we read a verse or hear a sermon and think, “Suzy could really use that,” we miss it.
We can quickly hold others up next to the truth, identifying their flaws and reciting their wrongs, yet all the while a plank hangs from our own eye.
He’s calling us zoom in and focus on our own hearts before Him.
Most times He’s speaking to me. The words on the page are for me. The message from the pastor is to me.
Granted He leads me to intercede for those I love and occasionally He prompts me to speak a word of redirection to those beside me who stray. But mostly, I think He’s speaking to me. And I don’t want to miss it because I’m busy fixing everyone else.
Lara, you go love your enemy.
Lara, you forgive the one who hurts you.
Lara, you lay all your anxious thoughts before me.
Lara, I’m speaking to you.
Fill me, Lord…
Is it just me? How have you had to “get out of their verses” so you could zoom in and focus?
Ooooh, you’ve posted an ouchie this morning, LOL. I can totally relate, and I’ve grown much in this area. The Lord has really worked on me.
He faithfully works on me too, Christine. 🙂 Love to you, friend.
*Gulp* You’ve really convicted me this morning with this. The other morning I made my son memorize the verse “Be kind one to another” to help him remember to be nice to his sister; but maybe I should be the one trying harder to be kind to my children. Thank you for sharing!
The line is difficult as a parent. Training up includes teaching them to meditate on truths. But I know what you mean. It is so much more important that we model what we are training them to do. It’s like when I’ve grabbed a toy from them while saying, “Don’t grab from people!” Lovely.
I often get the “Mommy get out of there” word from the Lord or a well intentioned friend. As I try to direct her every stumble physically and spiritually. The truth and reality is that if I actually do my part of this childhood equation, God really will take care of His part and she hers. I feel her frustration mounting when I try to become her conscience and don’t let the Lord work. I totally understand this and have to work on it a lot. Thank you for sharing this! So very true!
I used to do this in regards to my marriage. I would listen to a sermon or read a passage and think if my husband would just do this we’d have a great relationship. I now realize that I need to concentrate on my part and quit being his “personal Holy Spirit.” Life,and love, is so much better when we let God be God.