Craig Clouston

 

Stay and Smile!

June 21

…become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there…

Ephesians 4:13, 14

The first day of The Women of Faith Conference had been a special time of learning and sharing for Lisa; it was about to become a time of personal growth.

Following the afternoon session, Lisa and some friends headed for a local restaurant.

When the food arrived Lisa began eating, listening to the discussion around the table. Without warning something snapped between her teeth! Unsure of what it was, Lisa spit it into a napkin.

Upon closer inspection she realized it was one of the veneers from a front tooth! The irony of being her dentist’s assistant was not lost on her. She was not amused. Her first impulse was to drive the two hours home and get it fixed in the morning.

But then the truth assuaged her vanity... It isn’t as if this changes who I am, she realized. So what if people see me like this. No broken-tooth grin is going to make me pull up stakes and go home! I’m going to stay and smile at everyone I meet! And stay and smile she did!

Sharing her experience with a friend the following Monday, Lisa said, “If I had gone home I would have missed the best part of the conference!”

†

How many times have we let the wind and waves of immaturity dictate our decisions only to find out later what a wonderful time we missed; God shows up and we are not there to experience it. The enemy robs us blind.

Lisa refused to let her ‘less-than-perfect smile’ alter her itinerary, and reaped the spiritual benefits.

Maturity comes through experience; experience comes from making choices. When we allow Jesus to assist in the choice-making, the enemy’s lies are silenced and we are able to persevere in spite of uncomfortable and embarrassing situations.

Unless and until we press in for the fullness of Christ we can be swayed by things that should not alter our course.

Are we willing to miss out on God’s blessings because of immaturity or vanity? Or can we find the courage to do as Lisa, and stay and smile?

Prayer

“Lord, I want Your knowledge and wisdom to be my guiding light. Help me overcome and persevere when the enemy would have me retreat and quit. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”