An Insightful Moment Under a Tree

I hope Im doing this right... (I think Ill use green whenever I post, so its easier to identify who is speaking, if thats ok)

So what did I get out of the first lesson, An Insightful Moment Under a Tree, was more of a confirmation than anything. At church yesterday morning, God spoke to me and said that “I use women too.”

Growing up in the Bible belt, its always been an underlying theme that men are the leaders. That is who God uses, and you know, women can take over what ever is left – whatever is too lowly for the men to do – like teach Sunday School or whatever.

I don’t think I ever really believed that, although it was still in the back of my mind. Yet somehow, I refused to be the leader, unless it was the jobs that no one saw. Which I don’t mind doing, they have to be done, so Ill be the servant – Ive never been one for the spotlight when it comes to service.

Ive noticed recently that God is calling me to something big – He hasn’t told me what it is exactly, but I know it’s a leadership position… Ive pretty much been making excuses and telling God that He doesn’t want ME for that, someone else would be better – maybe a man – yeah, a man is much better – he can be a leader….

And then again, last night as I was reading the lesson…. There it was, women – listed in Jesus’ family tree…. This is not a common practice, if Im not mistaken… during this time, women were pretty much deemed as property, and to have your name listed was important in and of itself, but to be listed alongside with the men? Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Uriah’s wife (Bathsheba – she was important to the story, but did not merit a name in this passage), and Mary… all of these women that were named acted on faith – going against cultural norms, and seizing the opportunity God had placed before them… how many other women were given the same opportunities but passed them by – how many missed the chance to be written into history with honor?

So… do I keep saying, no, God, I don’t want this opportunity, or to I start taking responsibility and go where Im asked to – without question, whole-heartedly? Its up to me to decide who I want to please – men or God? Which just so happened to be my memory verse for last week… “Am I still trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.” – Galatians 1:10

My favorite quote from this lesson is about a sentence after Jules, which is really cool, since we’ve applied them in different ways… “That He [God] works in us, and through us, and, more often than not, in spite of us. That He works with us, as a gardener works with his garden…. Whatever it takes to bring it to fruitin. Or however long it takes.”