Have you ever been to church and listened to a sermon, and then immediately after Church you are almost tested on what you heard? I have: many times, including today!
Today at church, my husband preached on James 1:19-27. You are probably familiar with this passage, "be doers, not hearers", "take care of widows and orphans", and "be quick to hear, slow to speak", and "slow to become angry". During the sermon, I nodded my head in agreement to all those things. Of course, I deal with them, but at the time I was thinking "man, I'm glad I've gotten some of this figured out. I don't want to be quick to anger".........little did I know the great deceiver wanted to use my own thoughts to trick me just shortly thereafter.
In the car on the way home, my husband told me of a complaint he had heard about me (as a pastor's wife, they never stop, but you don't get used to them). Someone told him that "your wife is showing favoritism to some people in the church. The other week she had some people come play kickball in your backyard, and she didn't invite my children." At that moment, there was not "slow to anger".............I was hot!
In early January, my husband bought me a kickball. He plays flag football, and I'd been wanting to get a group together to play kickball (I'm still a kid sometimes). So one Friday afternoon about 2 o'clock, I saw how pretty it was out and I sent out text messages to everyone I knew, and posted on my facebook status "Becca wants to play kickball, come at four to my house, if you're in!" About 20 kids and parents showed up and we had a blast.
So today when this came up, I thought "I can't even play kickball with someone questioning my motives". There I was, eating lunch, trying not to get anger and saying over and over again "quick to hear, quick to hear, quick to hear", and praying God would show me something I could learn from this.
We reached home and there was a message on the phone from a churchmember. What did it say? It said, "Hey guys, we just wanted to let you know, it's nice out and we want to play soccer in the field behind your house, hope it's alright; maybe we can even get a kickball game going!"
I have never laughed so hard. Sure, I still don't know if I need to approach the parent that is upset with me, but I felt God was saying, "You know what, I got this. You be open to me, and my leading, and I will guard your heart from the deceiver." He knew, I was too quick to anger and just needed a good laugh.
You may be a pastor's wife, you may know one, but either way.............if she wants to play kickball every now and then let her. Be careful not to make her feel like she's losing her ministry opportunities.....she might just wanna run around like a little girl for a few minutes. And maybe, just maybe, she may need you to love her for who she is too.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
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