Beloved, please consider carefully what I write!

Like so many others I used to be quick to evaluate a person by what I saw and heard. Very often it was ugliness that was there. God convicted me, so I asked Him to help me see every person through His eyes, and He gave me this poem.  I am sharing the first two verses, and I pray they will change your actions and reactions toward others as they have mine.

Within the heart of every man
There dwells a private pain.
Shards of memory from the past,
Determined to remain.

Regrets that slash and rip and gash.
Piercing wounds, splintered dreams.
Sorrows hack and tear and claw.
Stabbing guilt, anger screams.

That person we are evaluating may be suffering from a recent death, a betrayal, chronic financial woes, wrong choices, chronic illness, a horribly dysfunctional childhood, a broken home—the list could go on and on. And none of us can truly know another’s pain. 

God’s word is very explicit about judging others by only what we see. “He who answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame to him. Proverbs 18:13 “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. Matthew 7:1-2. “Judge not and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven.” Luke 6:37.

Lord, please forgive us for judging a hurting soul, and help us to show mercy as you have shown us mercy.

Now, I challenge every one of you who are sitting in the judgment seat. What is your pain? Whatever it is, just bring it to Jesus and He will heal. Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and My burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30

 –Rebecca Somoskey

     Often I have allowed yesterday's pain and tomorrow's trouble get my attention. And Satan was right there ready to use them to paralyze me. But God has taught me much from nature, and I've learned to figure Him in every moment of my life.  A while back I watched as a brilliant cardinal flew in , perched himself in a laurel bush, threw back his head and began to sing with all his might.  I said to myself, "He ain't distressed about yesterday's troubles, or what he wears, and he ain't worryin' about tomorrow's eats. He knows God has clothed him in the most glorious array and He will provide for today. That's all that matters." Then I thought about the laurel bush he was using for his stage. "That bush ain't worried that his blooms are all gone. He knows God will have a brand new batch come spring. Until then he'll just nap through the winter and let his Maker take care of things." So, my Friend, consider this:

He knocked upon my door today. I ran to open wide.
There stood Yesterday's Regret. I invited him inside.
He hovered in my shadow all the live long day,
Reminding me of past mistakes and he would not go away.
By night I was in anguish, my weary heart so sad. I cried, "Dear Lord, please help me. My past has been so bad."
"My child," He said. "Those things are gone, deep beneath the blue. I don't remember them at all. You must forget them too."
She knocked upon my door today. Tomorrow's Fear was waiting there. "Come in," I said, and opened wide. She was followed by Despair. They rode upon my shoulders all the live long day,
Asking, "How will you?" and "What if?" They would not go away. By night I felt so helpless. There seemed to be no way.
I cried, "Dear Lord, please help me. I can't face another day.*
"My child," He said. "Don't e'er forget. Just remember how
I've not ceased to make provision always up till now.
So when Regret or Fear comes knocking, refuse to open the door.
Live your life just for today, and they'll return no more."

Our Lord said, "Don't worry about what you will eat or drink or wear." Matthew 6:34 --Rebecca Somoskey

     When two wolves battle for the higher, or alpha, position in the pack, they fight until the weaker one submits by rolling over on it's back with it's feet in the air to show it's surrender. Dogs do the same. When I was young we watched western movies where the sheriff would pull his pistol on the outlaw and yell, "Stick 'em up." If he was smart the outlaw would immediately throw down his gun, raise both hands in the air and shout, "I give up! Don't shoot." His actions signified his surrender to the higher authority. When our grandsons pretend they are police officers they will yell, "Freeze!!" when they come face to face with the bad guy.  We sometimes witness the same scenario in real life.
     The Bible teaches us to submit to authority and the laws of the land because it is God ordained for our good. 1 Peter 2:13 -15 says, Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.
     Most of all it teaches us to submit to our Alpha Father for our good, for if we fail to do so there are consequences. If we continue to break God's laws he may have to arrest us--get our attention--through unpleasant circumstances and call on us to surrender. Sometimes those circumstances become so severe they will literally freeze us. One outward sign of surrender is to raise our hands toward heaven and cry out to God, "Father, I give my all to you." God has great plans for each of us, but they all hinge on our surrender and submission to Him.
     Lord Jesus, You surrendered in the garden when you were facing the cross.  Matthew 26:39 says, He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible , let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will."  So the least I can do is surrender to you and allow you to order my life as you wish. To do so is the only way to defeat Satan and keep the joy in my Christian walk. Yes, Lord, I give up!!
     James 4:7: Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

--Rebecca Somoskey

One day Emory came through the back door grinning. "You know, it cost me about thirty-five dollars to put the floors on both of our new porches, and I've walked across them hundreds of times. Those "sawmill reject" boards have gotten me to where I was going just as well as if I had spent hundreds of dollars for gold plated ones. Either way, I'd still be the same person inside.

I had to laugh because what he said expressed perfectly our whole perception of life, but it took us years to come to this understanding. We have learned to K.I.S.S.--keep it super simple--because that is what Jesus taught. Matthew 6:19: Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there WILL your heart be also. Luke 12:15: Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.