HSBC Coffeebreak

Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
Phil 2:8 NIV

I am blessed with a friend who is always interested in my life. When we meet for breakfast, her pointed questions never fail to get me talking about me. While waiting in line at the cafe, she asked how it was going with my strong-willed three-year-old son. I told her things were not really improving and I expressed my exasperation and frustration.

Her next statement caught me off guard. She said, "You know, I really feel the Lord is raising up a generation of men who will be warriors for Christ. I know too many strong-willed little boys in this generation and I really think God is preparing those boys who will not back down...to never back down for Him. He is planning something big...and He will use Braden to carry out His plan."

Standing in awe at her statement, my heart melted and my perspective of my son was forever changed. Instead of despising his steel will, I could appreciate -- maybe even respect -- his God-given personality.

Because she was interested in my life, and not just her own, I am sure she not only changed my view of my son, but quite possibly saved his life! :-)

Clearly, her friendship and interest in my well-being blessed me in more ways than she'll ever know. God wants us to be interested in the lives of others so we can speak truth, love and encouragement into them...and in this case, wisdom. I am so thankful she chose to speak it into mine.

Written by
Angie Howell

HSBC Coffeebreak

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil- this is the gift of God.
Ecclesiastes 3: 11-12 NIV

When my first baby was still a newborn, I remember constantly being stopped in the grocery store by older women telling me, “Enjoy her while she’s little, they grow up so fast.”

I remember struggling inwardly with two different responses. One thought was, “How can I enjoy it anymore than I am?” The other response was, “It’s not really all that fun you know.”

The first month of my daughter’s life felt like it lasted an eternity. She seemed to cry all the time; I didn’t know what she wanted; I never knew when she might start crying while I ran errands, and I feared it. I didn’t know how to get her to sleep, and I wasn’t convinced I was fit to keep her alive, let alone that I was really the best one for the job.

My oldest child is now six and something strange has happened now that my fourth child has been born. When I hold her in my arms it usually makes my eyes tear up because she is so precious. I can see the seconds flashing by, and there’s no way to hold on to them any tighter.

I’m probably slower than anyone else at learning these things, but I have gained a lot of confidence and experience with babies. I’ve had a chance to watch my other kids grow into fascinating individuals. I’m guessing it will only be a blink or two before my children will be grown and on their own. Maybe then I’ll stop mothers in the grocery store, and while their babies fuss in their carts I’ll tell them, “Enjoy them while they’re little, they grow up so fast.”

Why do we tell others to enjoy life before it passes? Does it actually change anything or make it any more enjoyable? Maybe after a few more years I’ll figure out how it make time slow down, or how to enjoy my kids when they’re miserable to be around, but I haven’t yet. I don’t know if talking about the speed of which life passes accomplishes anything, but it is so true, that we seem unable to say it enough. Or maybe it’s just a fact that can’t be changed whether we realize it or not.

Perhaps God has placed eternity in the hearts of men so that we can’t get used to this temporal world. It’s natural that we would fight the passing of time. Our heavenly home is not a place of death or good-byes or losses. This world is a place where goodness, purity, and pleasure are always so fleeting and fragile that we grasp it as though our life depends on it. But until we reach heaven, “I know there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live.”

Written by
Melody Anderson

HSBC Coffeebreak

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “You are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Luke 10:41-42

A couple of months ago I took a part-time temporary job as a way of making a little extra money for Christmas. It was fun, and for a time, I did not have too much trouble juggling an already busy family. I even marveled at myself at how well I was keeping the family schedule going.

Then came THAT day. Have you ever had one of those days? It started out all right. I knew I was going to have a more than average workload because I had volunteered to do a couple of extra jobs. “Don’t worry,” I gloated, “I am sure it is all under control.” I worked hard to accomplish my many tasks, but shall we say a number of complications entered the picture? So, I passed off a chaotic mess to my husband as I left for work. The poor guy did his best, but most men are not equipped to multi-task like us women (and frankly, they usually do not over commit like we do either! ha ha). He did a valiant job, but the lesson for me came when I was driving home from work. I pulled into the center lane to turn left toward our home and there right in front of me was my husband and daughter in the same center lane turning the opposite direction as he was rushing her to a birthday party. I laughed at how ridiculous it all was. We were in a race going opposite directions. Not only had we missed each other, but also they hadn’t even had any dinner, as I had underestimated the cooking time on the hastily thrown together mess of a evening meal I had made.

When I got home, I reflected on those events and how my life had changed in the previous weeks. With my newly organized schedule, I had quit doing my devotions in the morning (why is that usually the first thing to go?). In reality, I was just barely holding my days together. We rarely ate dinner as a family anymore (a precious and guarded time until now). The Lord, in His merciful and gracious way, allowed me to see that my life was out of balance and I was on a one-way course toward disaster.

I had to evaluate my day and ask myself if I was choosing the “best part.” I had added too much into my schedule and dropped the most important part. Martha did what was right and good, but for that moment, when Jesus was in their presence, Mary chose the best part and was blessed for it. Let us not forget to sit at our Savior’s feet so He can pour out the blessing of His loving presence on us, too!

Precious Jesus, King of my heart, let me not forget to sit at your feet each day. Help me to seek first your Kingdom and trust that you will take care of the details that I am worried about today.
Amen

Written by
Joanne Kauzlarich

HSBC Coffeebreak

All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags;
Isaiah 64:6 NIV

Scripture is clear, the very best achievements of man fall short of God’s perfect, holy righteousness. All we have to offer is not good enough to satisfy His righteous requirements. We have no hope of spending eternity with Him except by accepting the gift of Christ’s righteousness, which He has offered on our behalf. So why does God still want us to live righteous lives?

My daughters give me gifts all the time. As I type, they are cutting up paper and littering scraps all over the floor. Five seconds ago, my two-year-old handed me a treasure, made just for me. It’s a one inch square of paper, folded carefully in half with some intricate code written on the inside. I can tell it’s very special by the solemnity and care she used in handing it to me. I feel honored; it’s the best she has to offer.

My six-year-old is just beginning to read. She drew me a picture of a boy washing dishes and the words coming out of his mouth say, “I HAT Too Woch ThE DICh.” (I hate to wash the dishes.) I’m delighted. She did it all by herself; it’s the best she has to offer.

The gifts of my children help me understand Isaiah 64:6 when it says, “all our righteous acts are like filthy rags.” Most of the time it takes a lot of hard work to do what’s right. After struggling and sometimes sacrificing in order to live in a way that pleases God, to hear that my righteous acts are as filthy rags to God is almost insulting. Then I think of the gifts of my children. It’s not as though the things they give me are all that nice. They aren’t perfect; they aren’t even correct. It’s not because their gifts are any good that I love to receive them; it’s because I delight in my children.

Compared to God, my best, proudest achievements are as comic as my children’s attempts to do great things. Then why, if my righteous acts are so feeble and pathetic, does He want me to do them? When I think of my children’s gifts, I can imagine our Father in heaven, looking down on the daughter He delights in. There she stands offering her filthy rags, and He says, “After all, it’s the best she has to offer.”

Written by
Melody Anderson