Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Renewal of our mind.....




 


trans·par·ent

  [trans-pair-uhnt, -par-]  Show IPA
adjective
1.
having the property of transmitting rays of light through its substance so that bodies situated beyond or behind can be distinctly seen.
2.
admitting the passage of light through interstices.
3.
so sheer as to permit light to pass through; diaphanous.
4.
easily seen through, recognized, or detected: transparent excuses.
5.
manifest; obvious: a story with a transparent plot.


World English Dictionary
transparent  (trænsˈpærənt, -ˈpɛər-) 
 
— adj
1.permitting the uninterrupted passage of light; clear: a window is transparent
2.easy to see through, understand, or recognize; obvious
3.(of a substance or object) permitting the free passage of electromagnetic radiation: a substance that istransparent to X-rays
4.candid, open, or frank


Good Morning friends,

I thought I would look up the definition of being transparent. 
I was so shocked to see nearly what we were talking about in the definition. 
Candid, Open, Frank, Easily understood or recognized, Easy to see through.
But I think what really stood out for me Is that it allows the uninterrupted
 passage of light to come through.

     Jesus once again addressed them: “I am the world’s Light. No one who follows me stumbles around in the darkness. I provide plenty of light to live in.” 
    John 8:11-13
WOW.  I Don't know if that blew your breath away like it did me. Uninterrupted light? Like I have to let God do anything HE wants anytime HE wants, anyWay HE wants? 

I also looked up the antonyms for Transparent (Those are the opposite)

Antonyms for transparent

  • blocked
  • cloudy
  • dark
  • opaque
  • questionable
  • unclear




And now seeing these are they really anything we want to be? Not me.
God wants Broken vessels, people who He can use. 
Are you a heavy clay pot? or a clear glass bottle?
Is your faith questionable, Unintelligible, unclear?
I realize today is a ton of questions, because I am learning this too as we go on this journey.
The Jehovah Witnesses, are very obvious. Ever wonder why? Because they literally wear their religion, white shirt, black pants, tie, name tag. You can see them a mile away. But the thing about them is they are Not afraid to speak the truth they believe.  Can we say as much for us? I am not saying run out and buy a white shirt,  or a giant Bible. But be Jesus with skin.
Show people the love, grace, compassion, joy, forgiveness only Jesus can bring. There are so many times people have asked me questions about the Bible or Jesus and I have never told them I have a relationship with God. Why is that? I am no great example by any means, I try but I am also human. I am loud, obnoxious, in your face, loud, fat, flawed, undeserving woman. But isn't God the one who made me exactly that way? Didn't HE know my personality and my strengths and weaknesses? Did he not create my mind? my mouth?
Can He use me? I am not perfect like this family in church, who look perfect, and their kids are so obedient and there dog is never dirty and their house is always clean. 
My kids are naughty, my house is never fully clean, I can't have a dog to add to the mess and I am not perfect. So how do I measure up? how do I become spiritual? That family the perfect one, yeah they have a son who does drugs, the grandfather is a raging alcoholic  they live in a house and drive cars they can't afford, they hurt so badly, but because they felt they could fool everyone by looking all together, you can't fool God. 

    Romans 12:2
    Don’t live any longer the way this world lives. Let your way of thinking be completely changed. Then you will be able to test what God wants for you. And you will agree that what he wants is right. His plan is good and pleasing and perfect. 
His plan is good, pleasing and perfect. Not us with what we try to be with our facade. But if we let that mess go and let God strip away all that doesn't matter, we will be exactly what God wants us to be.

I had a lamp growing up, I hated it, sat by my bed every night and glowed brown. It was glass the color of dirty water, always put off a gloomy glow. 
One day I was cleaning and put it to soak in the sink while I cleaned (this was the 80's a ton of Aquanet was involved in why it was so dirty) When I went back to scrub it later the brown was cracked and falling off. That part I hated was just a film or a coating. As I scrubbed the lamp transformed into this beautiful cut crystal clear beautiful thing. When I turned it on it was bright and cast little rainbows on the ceiling. totally like day and night. Transformed, made new, transparent. 

What are some of the things in your life that hold you back from being transparent? things you are afraid others might see? Things you think you are hiding? Are we really not just begging for someone to see and say let me help you with that? Or just handing it to God and saying I am done? 

Think today, make a list, pray for clarity, ask someone else, what is holding me back from transparency?

I will do the same today and we will discuss that soon.

Be blessed

Always
Suszi

No comments: