New Hope Christian Fellowship

In spite of a very busy schedule in my classroom, I try to teach art once a week. The idea is to provide my students with an opportunity to have some fun in school. It is also a chance to experiment with different materials and techniques. I have several kids, however, that tend to get very disappointed when their project does not look like my example (not normally great art in the first place) or like the real object we are trying to draw. They make a mistake and simply give up. I have seen several of their projects where they scribble over their drawing and stop altogether.

Sometimes I think our Christian walk is like this a little. We see and hear about great men and women of God and the wonderful things they have done. It seems, at times, that they have no faults. Then we look at our own lives and see all the imperfections and failures. It can almost be enough to want to make us quit this Christian life because we don’t stack up. In reality, God does not require that we be perfect. He expects us to try and become better. We need to learn from our mistakes and not make them again. He desires that we grow. And, in those moments we fail, He provides forgiveness. The true question is not how good we are, but are we growing and become more like He requires each and every day?

On Saturday we were visting family and my son had lot of energy and was running around. So, to calm his down, I took him onto the porch and together we watched the rain. It was relaxing for me and calmed him down. While we were out there I explained to him that the plants needed the water so they could grow big and strong. He then spent the rest of the day saying that the plants need the rain. He learned something that day.

Now, the fact about the rain was not an important one and he probably would have learned it eventually, but he learned that fact on Saturday and he learned it from me. I am reminded of the fact that I am not perfect and still have things I need to learn. God, as our Heavenly Father, is trying to teach us things we need to know. The question is are we listening? Are we hearning the lesson He has for us? There may be times it comes quietly in a peaceful setting or it may come in the storm. God will provide the lesson. It is up to us to hear it and apply it.

Today I was watching the house next to the church have it’s roof redone and thought about my home. I have owned it for about five years and in those five years I have repaced the fence, the water heater, and the furnace, in addition to painting and other small stuff. I would like to think that overall, my house is in better shape than it was when I bought it. Now, I know that there are still things my wife and I would like to do and that my home needs work. However, I also know that these things will happen in time and as I live here, the better our home will be.

Jesus has been a resident of our lives for a certain amount of time. We are not perfect, but hopefully we are getting better. God will continually be working on us until He calls us home. So, we should constantly be growing and improving as we continue to walk this Christian life. So, just remember that when life seems rough, it may just be the construction that is leading to a better you.