The Six-Letter Word.

Change. As we approach 2014 I am challenging myself [and you] to get out of people pleasing and keep your eyes on God. This allows us to share love, speak life and walk by faith when we encounter the most hard-to-please people and face the most difficult situations.

The first verse on my mind is about family, and how Jesus viewed family ties:

Matthew 11: 46-50 

^46-47 While he was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers showed up. They were outside trying to get a message to him. Someone told Jesus, “Your mother and brothers are out here, wanting to speak with you.”

^48-50 Jesus didn’t respond directly, but said, “Who do you think my mother and brothers are?” He then stretched out his hand toward his disciples. “Look closely. These are my mother and brothers. Obedience is thicker than blood. The person who obeys my heavenly Father’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”

Jesus said family isn't about blood relations. If that were the case, we would not be children of God because we have sinner DNA. We are just big failures in the self-control department: Rage, Unforgiveness, Jealousy, Lust, Laziness, Greed..they rear their ugly heads in our lives, and we often defend them.

Fortunately, Jesus does have God's DNA. There's a reason His name is the one and only Son of God. Yet he also became son of man and submitted to walking through life as we know it, experiencing our pain and human nature. We don't have a God that doesn't understand. In fact, He understands every single bit of the fallen world and in Christ empathizes. I have read that Jesus's favorite name for himself was son of man. He used it more than any other name. It seems he didn't want us to place him on a pedestal to simply look up to, but to turn to him as "God with us", Emmanuel. We can turn to him with full assurance that the Almighty extends grace and love. His gift for we who believe is grand and full of glory-- we are adopted into righteousness becoming children of God! By faith in Christ's life, death, and resurrection we are no longer slaves to sin but filled with the life-giving spirit of God. That is pretty much the most incredible news I've ever heard. People are u.g.l.y. This is news we all need because ugly people do evil things in our world but people filled with the Spirit of God bring love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23)

When it comes to a life of faith, family are those that walk alongside you choosing faith in God and a life obedient to him. Some are offended by that, but it's what Jesus said, and I'm taking it to heart. Love your family, serve your family, honor your family-- but don't let negative people have a discouraging effect on your life because they have "family" status.

It isn't just family that can be difficult to please-- it's the friend that is continually offended, the unhappy significant other, the employer with unattainable expectations, the picky neighbor, or whoever comes to mind. It's strong in my mind that I'm both a wife and mother-- and I don't want to set the precedent for my family to care more about pleasing people than pleasing God. That said, it's difficult not to be liked!  This brings up the second passage I wanted to share:

 Acts 13: 50-52.

"Some of the Jews convinced the most respected women and leading men of the town that their precious way of life was about to be destroyed. Alarmed, they turned on Paul and Barnabas and forced them to leave. Paul and Barnabas shrugged their shoulders and went on to the next town, Iconium, brimming with joy and the Holy Spirit, two happy disciples."

People who are hard to please are often unwilling to change themselves. As the verse points out, when their precious way of life is being threatened they focus their discomfort on you. If you try to speak to them about improving your relationship [requiring change], they put all the blame on you. Paul and Barnabas knew the truth-- people's hurtful actions and words are more a reflection of their inner turmoil than anything to do with you. 

We don't have to react to these kinds of people, and we don't have to keep them close. Paul and Barnabas shrugged their shoulders and went on brimming with joy and the Holy Spirit, two happy disciples. 

Don't let the grumps, know-it-alls, and hard-to-please people distract and disarm you in 2014... even if they're 'family'! Shrug your shoulders, shake the dust from your feet, and move forward with the joy of the Lord-- knowing you are loved by God and have a great purpose to do good with each day you are given. 

On to 2014.