I liked to prank people. I was the kind of kid that would do anything for a good laugh or scare. I liked to jump out from behind a door when someone was coming into the room. I would scream like someone was attacking me for no reason. I would say something serious, and it was actually sarcasm (still do that one!).

Knowing me as an adult, I know you find that hard to believe, but really! I was always looking for the next laugh. Always!

Listen, I was the middle child and a preacher’s kid. What else was I going to do with my time? Too old for the younger ones and too young for the older ones to play with, so I had my own games.

It was all fun until it wasn’t!

Here is where my story begins.

SO MY CHURCH (BRAT) STORY begins:

I was about ten (10), I would say when I thought it would just be hilarious to scare everyone all day long. Jumping out of nowhere, screaming at absolutely nothing, acting panicked because someone was coming and I didn’t know who they were. Just making up anything to pass the time between my chores, praying and reading my Bible, and when I had to get ready for church.

My two older sisters were probably the easiest because they were the busiest and did not pay much attention to their surroundings. They tried to ignore me, but you know you cannot ignore me (if you have ever met me)! They would get mad and yell at me to stop, and then go on their way.

This one particular day, I kept following my sisters around and just jumping, screaming, yelling, just anything to get a good scare! What I was not anticipating was the tables turning against me.

You have to know that there was one bathroom and four girls. So, you can already see the dilemma at our house. The remedy was that we would each take a turn and would only be allowed to stay in the bathroom getting ready for 30-40 minutes, starting with the oldest, Debbi. As she got finished, my second oldest sister would go in. Then it would be my turn.

My second oldest sister went in and then it would be my turn. Well, 30 minutes passed, 40 minutes passed, 45 minutes passed, and I was getting anxious about how much time I actually would have to get ready for church. So I planned something for revenge! I will show her.

Keep in mind I was already on a roll trying to scare everyone.

I knocked on the door, pleading for her to get out and let me in. She laughed at me. Like literally laughed out loud at me and refused to exit the bathroom.

I was getting more and more upset. I am the kind of person that likes things on a list; you do them, mark them off and do the next thing. She was messing up my list! I wanted in — it was my turn.

I thought, “I will show her! When she comes out, I will stand behind the door and scare her – scare her so she would never forget that she imposed on my bathroom time! “

Finally, she comes out of the bathroom, acting like she had not taken at least 15 minutes of my bathroom time. I was so excited to scare her!

I didn’t know that she was anticipating that was precisely what I would do. She comes out of the bathroom armed and ready with a wooden brush with wire bristles.

I jumped out and yelled like a banshee. She totally clobbered me with that brush. She about beat me to death under the guise of “being scared!”

Needless to say, that broke me from jumping out from behind doors to scare anyone. Now when I see a wooden brush, I have flashbacks to that day! I may even have a few scars to remind me!

WHAT’S ON MY MIND?  GLAD YOU ASKED

Growing up as a kid, you never think of the consequences of your actions. You just go along, doing what you want and thinking it will work out perfectly, the way you imagined it would. But, that is not the case.

Every action has a consequence, positive or negative. When we do not think things through, we hurt other people. We just want a certain reaction from them. But it does not always play out that way.

Galatians 6:4-5 Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, for each one should carry their own load.

We may do things in secret, and think no one knows, but they do. We may gossip about someone and think they do to know what we said. We may do things to make someone else look bad and think we can get by with acting that way, but we can’t. We may intentionally wait in the shadows and come out of nowhere and do something just to get a reaction out of someone. We may think it is funny to disturb someone’s day or life with our actions. To them, it is not funny. It could be hurtful and traumatic.

Ecclesiastics 12:14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.

Luke 12:3 Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops.

This causes people to be on guard. The causes people to stay in attack mode and that is when the tables turn.

I can blame myself for the “injuries” that day. But my sister was responsible for her actions/reactions that hurt me. We all have to take responsibility for our own actions. We can blame another person for “making me mad,” or “making me do/say things I do not want to do.” But the reality is, we are the keeper of our heart we have to own that response.

Romans 14:12 So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.

James 4:17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

Let’s learn what triggers us. Let’s overcome the obstacles that holds us captive in fear. Let’s show the heart and love of Jesus!

I John 4:19 We love because he first loved us.

Show the goodness of Who He is!

Let’s get ready to meet with Jesus in prayer!

PRAY THIS WITH ME TODAY (in your own words)

Jesus

Thank you for being the keeper of my heart. I want to always share your goodness. I want to walk in Your ways and not my own.

I pray that my heart would stay faithful to You. More of You and less of me. Take my thoughts captive and give me the thoughts of God. I want to respond to Your Spirit and not respond to my own feelings.

Help me to be more like You, Jesus

In Your Name,

Amen