Champion Wrestlers

Jacob, famous as a con artist, found himself conned, a liar deceived, and a manipulator outmaneuvered. His life mirrored the meaning of his name, "heel-catcher," a term that implies following someone closely to overtake or deceive them.

But, Jacob is also famous for wrestling with God for a blessing, which was anyway intended for him all along. While this episode is quite funny, does it not sound familiar?

We too, are constantly wrestling with God to get His blessings - in the way we think we deserve. God wants to give it His way and we want ours. Sometimes, the wrestling looks a bit like negotiating with God, and at other times it looks like reminding God of his promises while asking him to act.

But sometimes, our pride and arrogance, intelligence, come in the way. Let us learn to accept in humility rather than demand in arrogance.

Like Jacob, let our encounters with God be to demand a blessing according to God, not demand our desires according to us.

Like Melanie Campbell says- "Many people know about God, but never have a true, life-changing encounter with Him. Knowing what God has done for others isn’t the same as understanding what He has done for you".

A Kind Word

“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel” - Maya Angelou

A compliment, a thoughtful deed, an act of kindness, a blessing and a thank you go a long way in making someone feel seen, heard and valued. Words and actions can create a feeling of being important. We are all created in the image of God and when we recognize that fact, we acknowledge that other people have a worth in Christ. We don't look through people. When someone talks, we pay attention. We don't humiliate, nor do we build ourselves at someone's expense. And if we have done that by mistake or inattentively, we apologize so that the other person feels valued.

It takes a lot of strength, humility and empathy to be genuinely kind, so let us start training today. 

Proverbs 16:24

Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.

Proverbs 15:1

A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

1 Thessalonians 5:11

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

Colossians 4:6

Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

Living For Glory

Matthew 20: 21

21 “What is it you want?” he asked.

She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”

Man's natural instinct is to strive for Glory, small or big. The question is who's Glory? Self or God?

1 Corinthians 10:31 says "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God".

Yet, some people credit all their successes to their own knowledge and hard work, (much like Nebuchadnezzar and his self-praise regarding Babylon, Daniel 4, 28-37) relegating God's grace to church circles at best, and some not even that. Some even preach the gospel, inspired by themselves and uninspired by God, for their own glory as speakers or knowledgeable people. We thus become idols to ourselves. Romans 12:3 ...

According to Paul Tripp in TGC, Typical signs of self glorification (among others), are

- Parade in public what should be kept in private.

- Be way too self-referencing.

- Talk when you should be quiet.

- Be quiet when you should speak.

- Care too much about what people think about you.

Since it is man's natural instinct, we must be self-aware of this weakness and consciously defeat such inclinations, and the only way to become self-aware is through the word which shows us the mirror. Remember, God does great things in us and around us so -

"That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty: that ye might fear the LORD your God for ever"