Have you ever wondered why they faulted Jesus for hanging around with publicans and sinners?
The truth is that many of them see the light more clearly than some of those that are “baptized.” -
They listen.
They learn.
They want better and have the desire to do better.
The ones I have worked with and observed has allowed me to see why we were called to the hedges and highways. They are teaching me much just by the way they deal. They are real. They don’t make excuses which makes it easier to penetrate and go right to the root of the heart. Always having the compassion to help people, In time past I had this burning desire to become a psychologist. That was the thing to do! Help people comprehend their own minds so that they could ultimately achieve the mind over whatever the matter was,
but the Lord had other plans- How about you
a.) still be a psychologist but be classified and have the office title as a servant
b.) depend on me for your wellbeing
c.) give me all the glory when I allow you to get down to the root in the lives of people, I lead you to.
Y E S!!! I gladly whole heartedly say YES!!! The wonderful thing about Jesus is that many times I don’t have to say anything at all. Or I only say a few words and He takes it from there! He goes into the lives of other people and do what only He can do! I’m just the passenger rider. A few days ago, after getting off work I was looking for a particular location and turned down a road that let out to another road. This other road let out to the beach and so I was fine with that…. at first. After a day’s work- why not ride down the beach and unwind while I collect my thoughts from the day? I was feeling pretty good until I ran into AAAALLLLLLLLL THIS traffic traFFIC TRAFFIC OH MY GOODNESS THE TRAFFIC!!!
It took me one hour and about forty five minutes to get through what would have normally taken about 15 to 20 minutes! I saw BIG TRUCKS, RIMS and multicolored viny plastered on the backs of windows!!! (I know because I yelled across the way and asked where I could find some for my window) Every lane was jammed packed, law Enforcement was everywhere patrolling/posted up and we were only allowed to go 5 miles an hour! The beaches were packed, the other side of the road was packed and there I was looking at all these generation Z’s bouncing on the backs of trucks to loud banging music, girls hanging halfway out of windows and through sunroofs, big shinny cars with intentional flash and guys with smiling teeth and enthusiasm! After the shock factor, I began to ask the Lord, “why am I hear Lord?” After observation for about twenty minutes at five miles an hour and seeing all these major floats on the tops of cars, trucks, you name
it I began to ask the Lord, “Why am I in the middle of this huge parade?” Now the short and quick answer would be because I turned down the wrong road, but Father always has a plan. This time I began to look at the crammed out jammed out city street full of people and I noticed something different!
I saw this man of color cruising this big truck with big tires! Shirt off and he couldn’t have been any more than 24 years old. He was bobbing his head to some hard music I mean up and down up and down- and we met eyes. This guy was across the highway and when he saw me watching he did something I call weird. He stopped bobbing to the music for a minute to give me a downward head nod. Wow!
I had nothing fancy on and I wasn’t half dressed (thank goodness) just in my work uniform trying to get through the crowd and he gives me a respectful head nod? The vibe in this parade was like SPRING BREAK BABY!!! They were free! Law enforcement did not correct them about their music or anything_ they were just cruising down the coast. With the music and the feeling this guy could have easily given me an upward – “what’s up” and kept going. When pausing to observe, he was the one that I noticed first. Next an olive skinned guy- maybe 21 was riding beside me and I’m looking.👀 He sees me while he is mimicking the words to this killer rap music and feeling the beat- He lowers his eyes while still mimicking the song. The vibe was- That EVERYONE was rapping “at“ each other. If they caught the eye of folks out there, then that’s when they really would go hard! Case in point, I remember four guys of color on the back of this big low rider. The speaker was all the way live, and they were like going in. Well as they would pass by cars and trucks, different ones of them were rapping that song back at the boys and the boys would rap it back to them! I mean these were total strangers to each other brought together by music from some trap star. So, when he lowered his eyes it was as to say, “I know this is crazy.” Driving on through I ended up beside this middle-aged olive-skinned man. He looks to be every bit late 40s May 53 or 54. The way he was observing everything I could tell that he, like me, had gotten a rude awakening that this was the wrong day to end up on this road. I perceived that he was ready to get out of the madness and to end his day in peace and quiet. While looking I saw him see another olive toned skinned young man just across the highway. This young man was coasting but with his head hanging all out of the window shaking his short curly hair and saying words to some song he was listening to. It was then when I saw the middle-aged olive man shake his head to himself while looking at this young man across the way. No smiling, no laughing, just a head shake like “that’s a shame.” It warmed my heart to have seen this because here you had two people that were the same color down in the deep south, and the older did not give approval about the younger just because they were the same skin. His attitude was more like a personal shake my head but not noticeable to cause any trouble with uncontrolled children. His attitude was- I’m ready to get home, that’s a shame, is this what my tax dollars is paying for? Lol
I shared the parade with you to let you see that even those that seem roofless can see the light of the Lord, even while they were in the mist of “we don’t care, it’s our time to have fun.” Why is it that sinners and publicans received Jesus while the upper echelons rejected Him? I’m just guessing but maybe they thought He didn’t have anything they needed and so they spent the whole time trying to prove Him wrong or catch Him doing wrong? That’s heavy but also truth being told. Will you let Jesus in??
Jumping subject, I was walking outside early one morning around 3:00 and I saw a few raccoons busy on top and inside the dumpster area. I did not see those things until I was right up on it about 15feet! It stopped sudden and looked at me, I stopped sudden and looked at it! Nobody moved. I said, “You stay your space and I’ll stay mine.” I began to turn my back and walk the other way and when I looked back to see where it was, it had started back searching the trash. Yesterday I saw a cat early in the morning. (it was still dark out) I saw the cat walking a piece in front of me about 15feet and it did not notice that I was there. I began to kiss at the cat and in doing this, the cat looked back and then trotted off to the side. When I looked again, the cat was walking with me a piece off. I shared these stories to say Yes, the Lord gave us dominion and power over everything but when He called that child to sit in the middle of them and then said, “those who are like this child will enter the kingdom of heaven,” I can just imagine a kind heart. Yes, we are the ones who rule but why go into there habitat and stomp at them to get out of the way, when a kind approach is showing the love of God to even animals.
The cat could have charged me, the raccoon could have charged me, but they carried on doing what they were doing not feeling threatened none the least. I believe having dominion comes with a great level of wisdom,love, and a great level of respect for humanity and living things. Dominion to chop all the trees down would leave us with no oxygen! Shooting deer’ for sport is not praised in the bible and neither is fishing for sport. They fish for a living in the Bible, meaning people were going to consume it. Do we still kill things only to plaster the head on our walls and to grow in pride that this is something that “I HAVE DONE?”
Telling and showing all the buddies the masterpiece is what it’s about. We rule, but should we not step back and let the duck and her ducklings pass through? Where is the kindness? Do we continue to run over slow turtles 🐢 in the road way when we can easily and safely miss them? I know it seems odd, but animals can since kindness and if they can feel it then people all over should be able to feel it too! Jezebel had no respect for another man’s stuff and had this man killed just so she could give the land to her husband. Therefore, her skull, hands, and feet were only left.
Her head thought wicked! Her hands did wicked! Her feet went wicked places! Who knows… Perhaps the dogs that ate her were the very ones she used to stamp her feet at and yell at them to move. She could have used her head to think, I’m in their habitat. She could have used her hands to clap and warn that she was near. She could have used her feet to pause and let them pass but her evil heart left her without a carcass. Is it about the dogs? No- but it is about how we treat others. Jesus is pouring His Spirit out on those who are willing to treat there neighbors like they want to be treated. Do we still litter the earth? These small things tell us about the heart beating inside. Are we do for a shaking, an awakening, a stirring?
I do not drink- but the title the Lord gave me for this blog made me want to look up- what in the world is the difference from being shaken or stirred??
*Whether the drink should be shaken or stirred depends on the ingredients of the cocktail recipe—and for some, their own personal preference. For example, vigorous shaking will completely obliterate the delicate, oily texture that a perfectly stirred Martini can create, but even so, shaken is still the preference of many Martini drinkers. It’s important to note which method of mixing you’ll need to use in the drink recipe beforehand so that you are properly prepared with the tools necessary in order to craft the cocktail.
* Daiquiri: Daiquiris always contain some version of fruit or citrus juice and will always have to be shaken in order to achieve the right texture and blend of flavors.
baring the Fruit Of The Spirit requires a shaking. Then getting that perfect oily texture requires and causes a stirring. With all this motion going on, you might be talked about- but at least you’ll have the ingredients of how to come out still being in Father God’s good graces!
In Jesus name! They used to say *please be kind and rewind - those old vhs tapes!!! Lol
How many of us really did?
Am I my brother’s keeper Cain said? The answer is YES!♥️