Most of us have read and said, “You reap what you sow.” We get that from Galatians 6:7. We love to quote it when someone is doing something to us we do not like. But, you do realize this also applies when someone is doing good things, too, right?

We have all heard, “what goes around comes around. ” When people say what goes around comes around, they mean that if you behave in a bad way, bad things will eventually happen to you, and if you behave in a good way, good things will eventually happen to you.

Well, I have had my share of what goes around comes around. I laugh at someone falling (then I help them up lol) and then it isn’t no time until I am the one falling down (and I laugh so hard, I usually cannot help myself up!).

I want to share a story of sowing and reaping (40+ years later!)

SO MY CHURCH (BRAT) STORY begins:

We were at a church in Kentucky where my dad and mom were holding a revival. The church was a pretty good size, but something was really strange to me. They had the restrooms on the sides of the stage. Men on the right, women on the left. The stage was pretty high, so if you are on the stage singing, playing music, or ministering, you could see people coming and going all through the service. From the stage, you could see everything!

I remember a toddler that was throwing a tantrum and screaming bloody murder being dragged by his mom to the bathroom. She was trying to be discreet and take the toddler away from people because he was throwing one more fit. I mean, really, we have all seen it happen to the best of mothers, if you have a 2 or 3-year- old, they will throw a tantrum in public at one time or another. So from the stage, I can see this tiny little woman dragging this toddler to the bathroom, and he was just dead bodyweight. I had to look away because I could feel myself getting invested in what was going on. I do not know how in the world she got him up there to the bathroom, but she did. They disappeared in the bathroom, and he came out a new kid! Smiling and happy. Not sure what happened, but it worked! They were both smiling. So it was a win-win whatever happened!

I witnessed quite a few things during the time that we were there. But the last night we were there, I saw something I could not unsee!

A lady comes upfront and is shouting her bun down off her head (you know, bobby pins flying, hair hanging down while some of it is still in the bun) and just dancing and have a good ol’ time. All of a sudden, she just “runs” to the bathroom. I happened to be standing on that side of the stage. Smiling to myself, I thought, “Uh oh, she is in trouble. Something hit her pretty fast and hard.” So, I kept my eye on her, waiting for her to come out of the bathroom. Some time went by, and then here she came. She came running out of the bathroom with her hands in the air and just picked up where she left off in her worship. But, I noticed something. I busted out laughing – I mean hysterically laughing.

She had come out of the bathroom with toilet paper stuck in her skirt! She was walking and dancing and the toilet paper was following her and getting longer and longer. The roll was still in the bathroom, and she was about midway through the building. Her skirt was hiked up in the back and the toilet paper streaming from it. She had no clue. She was praying for people, she was dancing, she was all over the place. That must have been a mega roll of Charmin, is all I can say. It just never ended. I was laughing uncontrollably at this point. I had to leave the stage. I could not take my eyes off of her hiked-up skirt with an unending roll of toilet paper floating behind her. Do you guys know how hard it is to stop laughing once you have reached the snorting stage —- It ain’t gonna happen!

NOW FAST FORWARD TO 2021 where the reaping takes place!

It was a Sunday morning service and I had on a pair of jeans that had a tag in the back that was aggravating me to death. I squirmed and wiggled and tucked the tag. Nothing was working. I had a sore place where the tag hit my skin. The worship was amazing, as usual, and the building was filled with praises. But I was so distracted by this stupid tag, I couldn’t think of anything else but fixing the problem. So, I went out to search for a pair of scissors in my office. Oh, no! I left my keys that would unlock my office door in the auditorium, but I wasn’t going to disturb people by running in and out. I looked and could not find scissors anywhere. So, I thought about it and got this “brilliant” idea.

I would go to the bathroom. I would get some toilet paper and make a small square and put it on the tag and that would give me a cushion and ‘voila’ no more rubbing and irritating my skin. I go to the private bathrooms behind the stage area and “fix” my problem. Pretty satisfied with myself, and the itching stopped, I was ready to go back in to worship and be with my church family.

I slip in through the side door and walk quietly to my seat, which was upfront. I took my place beside my husband and started to lift my hands to pray.

All of a sudden, I feel someone tugging at me from behind trying to get me to sit down. I look, and it was Angie Steffey, a really good friend of mine. She and her husband, Barry, are sitting right behind me. I look at her like, “Have you lost your ever-lovin’ mind?” She pulled me down hard enough to set me in my seat, and she says (something like), “Stay down!!!!” I look at her again, has she lost her mind? She had a look between amusement and panic. She whispered in my ear, “Stay down you have toilet paper hanging out of your pants!”

I thought it was so funny!!! As I sat in my seat, I pulled the toilet paper out of my pants. I turned around laughing and was going to explain what happened. I really wanted to explain that I intentionally put the toilet paper in my pants, then I realized it was more weird for her to know that I intentionally put it there. I looked and Barry was looking straight ahead like, “I didn’t see nothing!” But he had a look of amusement on his face. That caused me to laugh even more because it was Barry – quiet – reserved Barry (that I have since learned has an ornery streak). We have laughed about that morning a lot.

For some reason, in that moment I remembered the lady in Kentucky and how much I laughed at her. I thought, well, my chickens have come home to roost!

WHAT’S ON MY MIND?  GLAD YOU ASKED!

This reminds me of the child’s story “The Emperor’s New Clothes.” By Hans Christian Andersen. If you haven’t read it, it is worth the read!

Summarizing what this has to do with anything lol. Some men (con artists) were supposed to make the Emperor fine, new clothes. The thing is, they really didn’t, but no one would tell the Emperor he was ummmmm….”exposed.” Long story short, he went through town, everyone was saying how grand he looked ~ except a young boy.

This young boy could see that clearly the Emperor was ….ummmm…”exposed,” so he declared that the Emperor did not have on any clothes. The townspeople were appalled by this moment of truth! (Now, to get the whole story, you gotta read it!)

Now, back to my story:

No one told this lady she was ummmm….”exposed!” Everyone pretended she was just fine. Even though she wasn’t. They kept on like she was fine and her clothing was all in place…but it wasn’t.

I have to say I see this happening more and more in our society, which I expect from the world because they are not living by the standards of God. I hear them saying right is wrong and wrong is right. Just because it is legal doesn’t make it right. Just because it is illegal doesn’t necessarily make it wrong. For instance, it is illegal in China (now we are seeing the direct result in Afghanistan) to have a Bible. It is also, illegal to openly worship God. You will be shot, strung up, or tortured. Does this make it wrong because their government says it is wrong?

Isaiah 5:20 NIV

Woe to those who call evil good
    and good evil,
who put darkness for light
    and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet
    and sweet for bitter.

What I find appalling is “the church” closing its eyes to things God calls sin. They are going about their lives like they do not see it all around them. They are like blind people that cannot see. I know people who say they love God and have surrendered wholly to Him, living against Biblical standards. Living for themselves. Manifesting the works of the flesh found in Galatians.

Are we overlooking the fact that the Bible clearly states: that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God? How can you justify living in the works of the flesh when Jesus calls us to repentance. There is no justification.

Hatred is hatred no matter how you dress it up. Fits of rage (anger) are fits of rage. You can say, “I have a temper like my daddy,” or “I have my grandma’s temper.” No, you have YOUR temper, they still have theirs. It is a choice.

You get to choose every day who you will serve. Are you going to serve Jesus or serve yourself? Are you going to build the Kingdom of God or build the Kingdom of self?

Joshua 24:15

… choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. (ESV)

Let’s make a decision right now – I mean right now in this Holy moment to serve the Lord. To let our eyes be opened to the things around us that are sin. That our ears would be open to hearing the voice of Jesus, the One we serve.

MAKE A CHOICE! Choose Jesus, no matter what your flesh wants to do. Old habits are hard to break, but break the cycle today! It stops now!

PRAY THIS WITH ME TODAY (in your own words)

Jesus,

I repent for every time that I said I was serving You and I was actually serving myself or serving this world. I realize that my choices have kept me from You and kept others around me from knowing You. I know that I have brought shame to Your name and shame to the cross when I acted as the world acts and reacts and said I was serving You.

I know you are a loving and forgiving God. I know You see us in our “human form,” but You also see us as resurrected children of God. Lord, resurrect my spirit to be one with You. Let me hear Your heartbeat as You hold me, and I rest my head on Your chest. Let me be walking in the steps that You are taking. Today, and every day hereafter, I choose You. I choose to listen to You above the chaos. I choose to hear You no matter what the world is screaming in my face to hear. Block out every voice and every choice that is not like You.

I love You, Jesus. I want to be a child that You are proud to call Your own. I CHOOSE YOU! I CHOOSE LIFE!

Amen

Listen to this! Choose life!

https://youtu.be/eX4fC4WFCIU