You will bloom

I read this verse in the Psalms yesterday and can't get it out of my spirit. "Our days on earth are like grass, like wildflowers we bloom and die." Psalms 103:15 I felt like God spoke to me through this verse to focus on the bloom part. A flower is just another green plant until it blooms, then the flower distinctly signals it's species. In fact, plants are known by the descriptive name of their flower, the rose, the lily of the valley, the honeysuckle. There is an account in the scripture of Aaron's rod, which was a pretty typical accessory for every man in those times. It was a walking stick, a symbol of success, a reminder of the past, a means of defense, a tool of his trade. One day God told Moses to get the "stick" from the leader of each of the 12 tribes of Israel and put them before the Lord in the Tabernacle. Aaron's 'stick' blossomed and bloomed. In fact the inside of the most sacred room of the Tabernacle was decorated with "open flowers". I believe this verse contains a promise, that while we have but a temporary time to serve an eternal God, His promise to us is that we will bloom before we die. I don't feel like i've bloomed yet, what about you? I'm holding on to God's promise that if I live for Him, by His grace and power that I'll bloom and blossom into something that others can see and appreciate. We are in the middle of series about the family called HomeWork, and we'll be talking about how God wants our families and our lives to bloom as a tribute to His power. That word bloom can mean to grow in number but also to grow in maturity. It can mean to grow in size, or to grow together. It can also mean to grow up. God's desire is for every expression of growth in your life. The amazing truth is that Aaron's rod was just a dead stick, but in the presence of the Lord, the dead stick was made to bloom. We are just dead in our sins until we believe in Christ. Then His power makes dead things grow, it's miraculous. A favorite song of mine by Desperation Band goes like this: It's the miracle of Christ in me, a mystery that sets me free, I"m nothing like I used to be, just open up your eyes you'll see. Let's bloom.

Getting Along with People

One of the best skills that can be learned is the skill of getting along with people. In fact, so much so that a name has been given to it, EQ, or emotional quotient. EQ is a way to measure a person's emotional intelligence. As a college and bible school graduate, I'm thankful for all that I have been taught, but the one thing I don't remember anyone formally teaching is how to get along with people. Of course my parents tried as I grew up, but in a formal sense, no one really talked about the most important skill that you can learn. Paul sums it up in one verse to his protege' in the faith, Timothy. Timothy had been left in Colosse to pastor that church after Paul's departure.

1 Timothy 5:1-2 (NLT)

5 Never speak harshly to an older man,* but appeal to him respectfully as you would to your own father. Talk to younger men as you would to your own brothers. 2 Treat older women as you would your mother, and treat younger women with all purity as you would your own sisters.

• Always appeal to those older than you rather than telling them. It shows respect for elders, which God commands, when we choose to appeal or ask rather than to tell.
• Treat younger men as brothers. I never had a brother, but I have sons and to watch them interact is hilarious. They punch, fight, play, kid, share and laugh together. I always wanted a brother because of the special bond that brothers share. You can be yourself with your brother.
• Treat the older women like you would your own mother. Moms have a special place in our hearts as they should. That lady who's older than you is probably someone's mother and should be afforded that level of respect and courtesy.
• Treat the younger women as a sister. Living by this one verse takes all the tension out of dealing with those of the opposite sex. If we treated women as our sisters in Christ then we always see them in the right way and not in unhealthy ways that demean women.

Simply put, we live like we are related, I know that I enjoy my family so much because we live this out naturally, but I also enjoy my awesome church family because I choose to view them as my family in Christ.