Internal vs. External Riots

What has been is what will be, what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun. Ecclesiastes 1:9 (CJV)

Rodney King Riots~~ LA, 1992

Ferguson Riots ~~MO, 2014 

I’ve seen this before. In fact, I remember when the verdict came in and the riots spread from Los Angeles all the way to Atlanta, GA .

Back then, I wondered why people were destroying their own communities. I questioned why those who were fueled with such intense anger and sheer rage would steal from their friends, neighbors, and local businesses.

And I find myself wondering the same thing. How does destroying your own community punish those you believe have wronged you?

It’s easy to sit in the comfort of our own homes and ask these questions, isn’t it? But the truth is that we do it also.

No, we may not be breaking windows or stealing flat screen televisions but we do it with our forks and spoons. And, like those who riot, we justify our actions with our words.

It’s easier to feed  anger than to find healing for it. And it’s quickly justified and excused because we’re only hurting ourselves.

May I suggest that instead of sitting in judgment of those who are so angry that they are rioting, that we take the log out of our own eyes, stop hurting ourselves with our forks and spoons, cease the internal rioting, and seek the healing we need.

How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the splinter out of your eye,’ when you have the log in your own eye?  You hypocrite! First, take the log out of your own eye; then you will see clearly, so that you can remove the splinter from your brother’s eye! Matthew 7:4-5

Wrinkles

Okay. The other day I was putting on my eye makeup. After finishing the rest of my makeup I looked back at my eyes to make sure there were no smudges or clumps of mascara. And then I noticed what seemed like a crease in my makeup. I rubbed and rubbed it but it would not go away. And then I realized that it’s not a crease in my makeup, it’s a dang crease in my eyelids. It’s a stinkin’ wrinkle!

Well, obviously, I am not ready for wrinkles. I like the grey streaks in my hair because I know that I can cover them up if I ever want to. But wrinkles! They are here to stay. And they promise to bring more friends with them to reside on the landscape known as my face.

So, I do what every other woman my age would do. I go to buy some kind of miracle cream that will erase all signs of aging. As I step up to the consultant, I tell her that I want a cream that will make my face look as young as my body feels. And you know what she tells me? She says that my skin is beautiful and that although her products are good they are not necessary and I “definitely don’t need them” yet.

Really. Isn’t it sad that I look at myself and see what’s wrong and others look at me to see what’s beautiful? And you know, it’s the same with God. I go before Him telling Him everything that is wrong with me and my life. And He’s doing best to tell me that I am beautiful and He’s got everything else under control. Sometimes we need to shut up, listen to those around us,  learn to take the compliment, and receive the love!

Everything about you is beautiful, my love; you are without a flaw……

Song of Solomon 4:7

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