Reality Check

I tend to bemoan about a few things on a daily basis. Such things may be cooking, cleaning, homework, paying bills, etc. If we put them on a scale of one to 10, they are all way closer to 1 than 10. I am grateful for this fact but sometimes I need a reality check. I received that check at outreach yesterday. Outreach normally slaps one with a view of their own life. Dithering over the annoying line at HEB is senseless compared to a child who has no emotional support and neglecting parents.

After visiting with kids and energizing worship, our lesson was about Pharaoh & the last plague. Of course, the story was intriguing to them but I kept referring back to Pharaoh's hard heart. One little girl, whose siblings were also present, began to share about her 15 year old brother. Apparently, he threatened to shoot people at his school and is now in jail. Not only is he in jail, but so is his daddy and uncle. Sadly, the little girl was distraught that he did not receive any Valentine candy. Her brother stated that he may have a hard heart. Discussion led to making wise choices.

We prayed for this young man, Eric, before we left and his family has yet to leave my mind. I pray he allows God to change his heart and his 3 siblings cling to Christ as hope. They are precious children, who have not been given a fair shot. It is pitiful to view their reality check versus mine.

As I drove home yesterday afternoon, I pondered our scripture from the lesson.

"Blessed is the man who always fears the Lord, but he who hardens his heart falls into trouble" Proverbs 28:14

Wow, that situation just leaped off the pages of the Good Book. I pray that I allow God to soften my heart and characterize my life with HIS joy.