“Blessed are those who endure when they are tested.” The key word (for me) is “Endure.” I get an “E” for effort! Yay! If God views me by how well I do on His tests, I’m in deep trouble. As a matter of fact, most of the time, it’s an epic fail. I hang in there, try my best and learn how not to do it the next time. That’s how you grow. My mom used to say “Bought Sense” whenever I made a mistake that cost me dearly. “Bought sense is better than taught sense” is how the old saying goes. You may forget what you are told or taught. Indelible are the lessons that were purchased with your own hard earned resources or your own blood, sweat and or tears. Luckily, God grades on a curve (Grace) and sometimes He even gives me the answer sheet (Mercy). He already knows my strengths and weaknesses. I look to Him to soften the blow of life’s hard knocks, believing that my endurance will prepare me for the make-up exam. Like any good teacher, God wants His students/stewards to stick it out and eventually pass with flying colors.
NJ
NJ
Two things I took away from this chapter: One - how I view my life. I believe it comes down to choices - a series of decisions we make now that we will reap the benefits of (good or bad) later. Kind of like a game - each move can cause a chain reaction or leave you open and vulnerable or cause you to win. So I try to be careful with my choices, knowing how they can affect my life later on. Secondly, this chapter felt more positive than the last as it encouraged you to be a good steward because of the rewards you would receive later on rather than punishment based motivation. The scripture from James 2:18 occurred to me "I will show you my faith by my works." So we work not only because of the rewards but because it is a natural result of who we have become by virtue of our relationship with God.
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