Equity

 

While at the celebration service of Miss Myrna Smith this past Sunday afternoon, I heard many sweet stories and stirring challenges, but I was intrigued by a one-word concept that her granddaughter, Tait, used.  She used the word “equity”.  When someone pays their house payment, a portion goes to interest (money paid monthly to the bank for making the loan) and a portion goes to principal (the actual amount that was borrowed).  And over time, the increasing principle that is paid (and accumulating value) is called equity.  The same is true in relationships.  We should invest time, kindness, and effort into giving to others before we ask others for favors.  Dr. Gary Chapman calls it a love tank.  When we are kind to others (our emotional equity) they will be kind to us.  When we are loving toward others, they will be loving toward us.  But we must contribute to this emotional equity (their love tank) before we can make a withdrawal.  Jesus explained it this way in Luke 6:38, “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.”  The more you give to others, the more that they will be inclined to give to you.  The tighter you are with your good deeds, the harder it will be when you ask for help the next time that you move to a new apartment.  Especially if you have a piano.  Think about it and be kind today.

Google Voice

 

I turned on my GPS and began my trip … a little too early.  Because I had to circle around the parking lot of the gas station to get to the entrance/exit.  And with each turn, the sweet Google lady (that we affectionately call, “Googletta”) didn’t yell at me, she simply said, “Recalculating”.  My friends in the passenger seat would never be that kind.  They would correct me getting louder with each incorrect turn.  But the Google voice is always so patient, not judging or demeaning.  The dear Lord has many attributes that are wonderful, but the one for today (like the Google voice) is “longsuffering”.  Romans 2:4, “Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?”  I am so glad that the Lord is patient with me.  And God is patient with you.  God is patient to the point of longsuffering.  Think about God’s longsuffering towards you today.

Wet Floor

 

Saturday, I was helping clean the church, and I mopped the fellowship hall.  I did it in two phases so that we could continue to walk on dry flooring.  I mopped the back ¾ of the room, turned on a fan, and let the floor dry for 30 minutes.  Marleen and Kat left, so I finished mopping the rest of the room, backing out of the door and turning off the light behind me.  But in the church vestibule, I reached into my pocket to get my car keys and my heart sank.  I looked back into the middle of the fellowship hall and saw my car keys, wallet, and hat on the table … across 20 feet of wet floor!  But I instantly saw a solution: I went around through the church auditorium. through the ladies’ Sunday school room and into the back door of the fellowship hall, where the floor was dry.  Hey in life, we often see the problems before we see the solutions.  But with the dear Lord’s wisdom, there is always a solution to every problem.  Always.  I Corinthians 10:13, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”  Look for God’s solutions to life’s problems.