This morning as I was praying about the glory of God, I was reminded of something that once happened and how God connected it to His glory.
I had headed out to run errands, I stopped by the local grocery store on my way to meet my mom for our morning walk. Hurrying down an aisle, I glanced up and stopped in my tracks. Just ahead of me was a person (who hadn’t seen me yet) who had caused a lot of havoc in my life several years ago. He was dishonest and betrayed me in a business dealing. Only a handful of people knew the truth – he and I knew the truth for certain. It was a hard season for me. He was a member of my church, a family member of the pastor. I had gotten thrown under the bus in the deal.
My flesh wanted to turn and go the other way. But I began to talk to myself out loud. I said, “Listen Kim, if God brought you to this store, at this moment, it is an opportunity, don’t pass it by. God wouldn’t bring this before you if you weren’t ready to handle it.” I continued down the aisle. He looked up and saw me and said, “How are you!?” I responded, “I am great, how are you?” He leaned in to hug me, I hugged back, and we parted ways.
I grabbed my items, left the store, and went to meet mom. We started walking, I was still thinking about my encounter with this person. I opened my mouth to tell her about it and the Lord stopped me with a question – a loaded question. He quietly asked, “Can I trust you with my glory.”
I don’t really know how God does it, but He can ask you one simple question and there are numerous insights and instruction in that one question. In a few words, He will reveal our heart and our minds. I knew in that question; He was asking me…
- Can I trust you to love my people even when they betray you?
- Can I trust you to forgive without limits?
- Can I trust you to not talk bad about them to anyone, even your mom?
- Can I really trust you to carry my glory?
- Will you love like I love?
- Will you turn the other cheek?
- Will you love them anyway?
I kept my mouth shut. I didn’t mention my encounter. This was my mom, after all, she would have taken up for ME and told me what she thought about him. Then all that negative stuff would be in my heart. I would probably say things I would regret. Then I would have to get all that yucky stuff out of my heart once again. I stayed silent.
Can God trust us to carry His glory? If we want to carry what Jesus carried, we must walk like Jesus walked. We must turn the other check. We must forgive quickly and forget the wrongs done to us. We must be able to walk through a crowd who desires to stone us, without fear. We must trust God with things like that.
We must also love as God loves. Unconditionally.
1 Corinthians 13 says; Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.
It always goes back to love. This person, even though they did me wrong, I must forgive and release them. I cannot return evil for evil, and please God at the same time. I must choose the high road and I must choose love. Above all else. Love never fails. My prayer today is this. May we all carry His glory – for He is surely pouring it out, to those who can be trusted to carry it.
