Have you ever been part of one of those neighborhood yard sales? Everyone has stuff piled around and sometimes you don’t know who owns what. Someone might ask, “How much for the treadmill?” If they ask someone who didn’t even know there was a treadmill there, they have to find the owner. The person who was asked can’t price it. They don’t own it. Someone has to take ownership to make the transaction.
Ownership is a big deal. Only the owner says what stays and what goes. In the same way, do we own traits that might need a transaction? Are there habits that we could trade in for something better? Are there things inside of us that The Lord would gladly exchange for our well being if we gave Him the chance? I’m sure there is. We’re all a work in progress, but that’s the key word. Progress. We all should be progressing in our lives to look more like The Lord desires. “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” (Romans 8:29 NKJV) This is the primary reason you are here. We are to worship The Lord and want what He wants for our lives. Jesus is the only standard in which we can measure ourselves against. He’s very clear about how He wants us to represent Him as His children. “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” (Galatians 5:22-23 NLT) There it is! That’s the list of what The Holy Spirit wants to transform you into. Maybe take a moment and look over the scripture again. Do a self evaluation and see how you’re measuring up against this list. If we’re honest, a lot of the time, we’re focused on how others are measuring up to this list, not ourselves. Ouch!
We all are imperfect people, so we’re all going to have character flaws that get under each other’s skin. This is just the way life goes. We have to accept people the way they are and not try to change them. That’s God’s job. We need to actively present ourselves to God and ask Him to change us for the better. The only way we’re going to ask for help is to admit that we need it. This is where we have to own it. Whatever “it” is. If you’re always dealing with the same kind of issues, there’s a good chance that this could be the red flag Jesus is trying to show you. Instead of asking Him to change others, try asking Him to change how you respond. Jesus said, “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own?“ (Matthew 7:3 NLT) This verse causes you to look in the mirror of His Word and ask for help. He meets us all with mercy and grace for every need.
We’re all on a journey in life. We’re going to cross paths with many types of people. God loves every single one of us. We can get irritated from time to time with specific character traits. Ask The Lord for His grace as you deal with others. Ask The Lord for His mercy as He works in you. If there’s something that you want His help in changing, don’t ignore it. Time is of the essence. Be the best you that you can be by taking ownership.
Today’s writer is Brandi Crowe. A hairdresser for over 25 years, she is currently the owner of Brandi Crowe salon in Buford, GA. She loves hiking, a good cup of coffee, and spending time with family and friends. Brandi lives in a custom farmhouse with her husband Robby and cat Harold.
