But what about...?

The other morning, I had run into Target to grab ONE thing! Yeah right. You know how that goes!! Well, my youngest son had been saving his money for a special toy that he finally found there at Target. He asked if he could buy it and I said yes...I was actually excited FOR him! Well, then my oldest...who has not had anything specifically in mind said, "What about me?"

Immediately I thought, well just because HE got something does not mean YOU have to get something. Did I just hear my mother in my own head? Yikes.

My thoughts went back to the instance in Scripture where Jesus, speaking to Peter, says "Follow Me" and it's as if Peter looks around and responds with "Lord, what about him?" pointing to John. Jesus must have felt like I did that day at Target and like most mamas do at one point or another...Why should he have any bearing on you, Peter? You are different people with different callings and I have a plan for YOU and one for HIM.

Well, as I have been meditating on Psalm 37:7, the Lord has used the second part of this verse to bring to my own mind the times I look around and say "What about them, Lord? Why do they get a raise when we get laid off? Why do they get to move but we have to stay? Why do they get away with that while we get disciplined for less?"

Psalm 37:7 says, "Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways , when they carry out their wicked schemes."

The Lord's command here is not only to be still and wait patiently but also to NOT FRET WHEN men succeed in their ways. The Lord is not only telling US to not fret about it, but He is affirming that men WILL succeed in their ways and you WILL want to point the finger and say "Lord what about them?"

See, Peter's issue, is often my issue...Jesus says FOLLOW ME. That in itself requires sacrifice, dying to self and a host of other "flesh killers". So we point to someone we think is getting away with something and wondering 'how come THEY don't have to follow Him so strictly?' What Psalm 37 is teaching us though, is that to follow Him IS a blessing. It is telling us that we CAN trust Jesus when He says 'Do Not Fret...yes, others will succeed and carry out their wicked schemes even, but YOU will be blessed to follow Me.' The intimacy of a relationship with a God who says, "I want our relationship to be right and intimate."

So I am trusting Him today...whether or not I SEE the blessing, I am trusting that walking closely with my Jesus IS the blessing! Thank you, Father, for being strict with me and keeping me focused on You alone!