Influences for Good

"Ever remember that Jesus is your helper. No one understands as well as He your peculiarities of character. He is watching over you, and if you are willing to be guided by Him, He will throw around you influences for good that will enable you to accomplish all His will for you." -Messages to Young People, pg 17.

I never thought of it before. God throwing good influences around me? Enabling me to accomplish all His will for me? If I am willing to be guided by Him? 

I don't have to be surrounded by evil influences, nor become numb to poor decisions. I don't have to accept this world's definition of "good" or "ideal." God's willing to send spiritual backup. Such a powerful thought & refreshing truth. 

I am willing to seek His will. And He will send those influences. And in many ways, as I think of it, He already has. I'm so thankful. 

Broken People, Perfect Gift

Of all my family's traditional Christmas decorations we had growing up, these always seemed to fascinate me the most. Mary, Joseph, a shepherd,  three wise-men, and a radiant baby Jesus---yes, the Nativity Scene definitely captivated my young heart's attention. Apparently I wasn't alone for my siblings also loved to play with the figurines and rearrange the scene time and time again. I'm not completely sure why my parents let us children play with the breakable ceramic people & animals while our imaginations explored the story, but they  were quick to let us. 

And being clumsy children, we dropped the figurines. 

We accidentally broke Joseph in half, and decapitated a shepherd.

And Daddy glued them back together.

And we broke them again. 

And Daddy fixed them again. 

And again. 

And again. 

There was no anger, no "You can't play with these again." 

Only my parent's forgiveness for us and my father's repair and healing for our Nativity friends.

Over time the cracks and dark glued seams showed more and more. 

And to this day, it is very broken ceramic people that tell the most amazing story in our home.  

I'll admit. Sometimes it bothers me. I want the story to be perfect. I want perfect people to tell the story of our perfect Savior in a perfect way. But my Nativity scene full of imperfect people, and so is my world. 

But thankfully, God doesn't call perfect people to tell of the greatest Gift ever given. He calls all of us to tell it. Us, the broken, the hurting, the confused, the sinners. He glues our broken pieces back together. He gives us the Gift of His Son, the greatest gift ever given, and calls us stand before the world to tell the perfect story of the Lamb of God through our imperfect lives. To show His perfect love through our often very imperfect hearts, that we might accept His forgiveness and day by day strive to be more like Him. 

How can this be? You might ask. How can you tell the story?

Well, you see there's a special person who's never been shattered. He's never failed.  

It's Jesus. He was, and He is, and He is to come. 

And so the story can be told through imperfect people, because of the unchanging perfect Lamb of God.

And if we can point our world to Him, they will never be disappointed.

Broken People. 

Perfect Gift. 

Beautiful Christmas.