Brush Yourself Off
I was watching Jon-Jon playing
soccer the
other day and he took a nosedive
into the
grass forehead first. OUCH! I
started to
get up but he bounced right to
his feet and
trotted off down the field. The
coach asked
if he was OK and he casually
replied, "sure,
I hit my headband!" It got
me to thinking.
What happened to us as we became
adults?
Have we reverted to infants?
Whining when
things don't go our way? We fall
down and
don't get up but wait to see
if someone is
looking. Well, as the song says,
"Pick
yourself up, brush yourself off,
start over
again!"
It is no major news item that
steroids and
God knows what other drugs are
being used
in the world of bodybuilding
today. It's
a mess, we all agree, but the
people I truly
feel for are the ones who come
off the garbage
and look to rid themselves of
the ugliness
that enveloped them. They end
up so isolated
and alone. Scorned by those they
left behind
and rejected by the one's who
should receive
them. We shouldn't condemn them
and turn
our backs on them. We should
congratulate
them! They have seen the error
of taking
this stuff and what great harm
it has done
to their bodies, whether the
damage is long
lasting or temporary. Why is
it that when
the hollywood star or any face
in the news
say they have a drug or alcohol
problem and
admit themselves to a rehab place,
they are
lauded as being stand-up citizens,
yet if
a pro bodybuilder does so, he
is shunned
by all? As far as the pros go,
he has broken
the silent code of "No way,
man, we
don't use steroids!" And
they want nothing
to do with him. The natural bodybuilders
want nothing to do with him either
because
he was a phony, he was a roid
boy and always
will be! With nowhere to turn,
what choices
does he have? To return back
to the world
of steroids and drugs? He can
fall down the
deep pit of rejection and despair.
Or he
can pick himself up, brush himself off, and start
over again. True, it won't be
easy for him,
and he will have a rough road
ahead. Wouldn't
it be nice to be on the side
of his road
offering support? Let him know
that there
is something to be said for taking
a stand.
Encourage him, befriend him.
Offer an ear
to listen, open arms to welcome.
As Christians we are so quick
to devour our
own. We stand there in our haughtiness
and
ridicule those who fall, those
who fail.
"I cannot believe that Mrs.
So and so
did that! And she's a Christian?!?
Harumph!",
you can almost hear them say.
Well people,
I think Jesus said it best about
a plank
in your eye? (And why do you look at the speck in your
brother’s eye, but do not consider
the plank
in your own eye? Or how can you
say to your
brother, ‘Let me remove the speck
from your
eye’; and look, a plank is in
your own eye?
Hypocrite! First remove the plank
from your
own eye, and then you will see
clearly to
remove the speck from your brother’s
eye.
- Matthew 7:3-5) Hey, here's a new thought, how about the
church's women's group rallying
around that
lady and helping her up, surrounding
her
with love and prayer? Naw, too
foreign a
concept, isn't it? Why would
we do that when
it is so much easier to puff
oursleves up
at her expense? Not one of us
is perfect,
yet we all think we are from
time to time.
Pride is a dangerous thing and goes before
the fall (Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty
spirit before a fall. - Proverbs
16:18)
We also must remember that when
it is our
turn to fall down that we must
pick ourselves
up, dust ourselves off and keep
on going.
(For a righteous man may fall seven times
And rise again, But the wicked
shall fall
by calamity. - Proverbs 24:16) When you fall, don't whine, don't have
a why me party, Pity parties
are always a
party for one you know. Confess
your fault,
ask for forgiveness and move
on. If people
keep holding it against you,
let it be like
water on a duck's back. If you
are truly
repentant, you are forgiven and
that sin
is gone, washed away by the blood
of Jesus.
(As far as the east is from the west,So far
has He removed our transgressions
from us.
- Psalm 103:12) Remember that you fell and were forgiven.
When someone else has fallen
and they are
truly repentant, don't turn your
back on
them, God didn't turn His on
you. Help pick
them up, dust them off and help
them along
their way.
And now our prayer. Lord, we
often let our
pride get in the way of our walk
and we think
we are better Christians than
others. Please
forgive us of this sin. Help
us have a heart
like yours, a loving and forgiving
heart.
In Jesus' name we pray. Amen!
Now, go with God and lift that
iron!
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