B-A-C
Loyal
- Joined
- Dec 18, 2008
- Messages
- 11,267
A piece of your heart.
Janis Joplin had a popular song in the late 60's.
The song wasn't very edifying... It was actually about a bad relationship.
The lyrics said... Com'on take another little piece of my heart now baby,
Break another little piece of my heart.
Now while this isn't a spiritual song, it does show that even the secular world
places value on the heart. A friend of mine has an old 1957 Chevrolet car, his
dad gave it to him. It was in very bad shape when they got it... had several dents,
broken windows, and some rusty spots. I don't think the engine ran very well.
But they've been working on it for close to 20 years now. It definitely looks a lot
better than it did 20 years ago.
About 3 years ago he won a car in a raffle drawing. It also was a 57 chevy
that was the same model as the one he and his dad have been working on. This car
is immaculate, it is perfect. It runs great, has great paint on it and could
even be in a car show. I asked him once, as a joke... "Which car do you like better?"
I expected him to say the nicer "perfect" car. But he surprised me by saying, no.. it
was the older car. The reason was because of all the blood, sweat and tears he had put
into that car over the years.
We all know that Jesus loves us, and that He loved us enough to die for us.
But do we also know that God puts a little blood sweat and tears into each of us.
He's gone through the hard times with us. He blessed us when we didn't deserve it
or even expect it. He watched us suffer because of bad decision we have made.
He smiled at us proudly as a Father who watches his children mature and become
a responsible adult. God has put a lot of effort into us. Much like that old car
that has been worked on over the years, we aren't perfect yet, but we're a long
way from where we were when we first became a Christian.
My friend recently showed me some pictures of what that car looked like 20 years ago.
In the pictures taken last month, I can still tell it's the same car, but it's much
better now.
How much does God love us... that He would "give a little piece of His heart" to invest
in each one of us. That He would go through the pain and sorrow with us, and He would
also go through the joy and rejoicing with us in the triumphs of our life.
There is a movie called "Fireproof". It's about a marriage that is falling apart because
the two people have become so busy with life and their individual dreams and goals, that
they have forgotten about the other person in the marriage. But the husband starts investing
time and money, and even his heart into this marriage. And, as he starts putting a little
blood, sweat, tears and effort into this relationship... an amazing thing starts to happen,
he starts falling in love with his wife again. The Bible says... where your heart is...
that's where your treasure is also.
I used to work with a young man, he was hard to work with. He had a pretty bad attitude,
and often showed up to work high on drugs, and with a chip on his shoulder.
He pretty much hated life. I sort of got where I dreaded coming to work everyday.
But then one day it was as if God said... "You can let this defeat you... or you
count it all joy, when you face these trials". These trials are what give you a chance
earn rewards in heaven. But more than that... these trials can make you grow in your walk.
We can either say... "Sigh, I have to go up those stairs again this morning".
Or we can choose to say "I'm going to run up those stairs this morning". It's our
choice to be defeated before we even start sometimes.
I found out this young man had a sweet tooth. So I started buying him candy bars
every day. It wasn't much., it only cost me a dollar a day. He didn't ask me to
do it, and in fact he was kind of annoyed at first. But he ate the candy bars.
Some days he still gave me a hard time and directed his attitude towards me.
But I kept on buying the candy bars. It took a long time, but eventually he started
changing his attitude towards me. He asked me why I was nice to him all the time.
I think that's when the Holy Spirit kicks in.. and gives us the ability to witness.
One day he told me... "You almost persuade me to become a Christian". (Acts 26:28; )
He never did make a decision to get saved while I was working with him. He left the company
a few month ago. But I know I planted a seed. He saw I was willing to invest a little blood,
sweat and tears into him. I was willing to "give a little piece of my heart".
When we invest our heart in something or someone... that someone starts becoming important to
us. People can see when they matter to you, and something amazing starts to happen.
Lives are changed. Right before this guy left the company... both of us really started looking
forward to spending a little time together everyday. I was actually sorry when he left.
I wonder how that happened?
Janis Joplin had a popular song in the late 60's.
The song wasn't very edifying... It was actually about a bad relationship.
The lyrics said... Com'on take another little piece of my heart now baby,
Break another little piece of my heart.
Now while this isn't a spiritual song, it does show that even the secular world
places value on the heart. A friend of mine has an old 1957 Chevrolet car, his
dad gave it to him. It was in very bad shape when they got it... had several dents,
broken windows, and some rusty spots. I don't think the engine ran very well.
But they've been working on it for close to 20 years now. It definitely looks a lot
better than it did 20 years ago.
About 3 years ago he won a car in a raffle drawing. It also was a 57 chevy
that was the same model as the one he and his dad have been working on. This car
is immaculate, it is perfect. It runs great, has great paint on it and could
even be in a car show. I asked him once, as a joke... "Which car do you like better?"
I expected him to say the nicer "perfect" car. But he surprised me by saying, no.. it
was the older car. The reason was because of all the blood, sweat and tears he had put
into that car over the years.
We all know that Jesus loves us, and that He loved us enough to die for us.
But do we also know that God puts a little blood sweat and tears into each of us.
He's gone through the hard times with us. He blessed us when we didn't deserve it
or even expect it. He watched us suffer because of bad decision we have made.
He smiled at us proudly as a Father who watches his children mature and become
a responsible adult. God has put a lot of effort into us. Much like that old car
that has been worked on over the years, we aren't perfect yet, but we're a long
way from where we were when we first became a Christian.
My friend recently showed me some pictures of what that car looked like 20 years ago.
In the pictures taken last month, I can still tell it's the same car, but it's much
better now.
How much does God love us... that He would "give a little piece of His heart" to invest
in each one of us. That He would go through the pain and sorrow with us, and He would
also go through the joy and rejoicing with us in the triumphs of our life.
There is a movie called "Fireproof". It's about a marriage that is falling apart because
the two people have become so busy with life and their individual dreams and goals, that
they have forgotten about the other person in the marriage. But the husband starts investing
time and money, and even his heart into this marriage. And, as he starts putting a little
blood, sweat, tears and effort into this relationship... an amazing thing starts to happen,
he starts falling in love with his wife again. The Bible says... where your heart is...
that's where your treasure is also.
I used to work with a young man, he was hard to work with. He had a pretty bad attitude,
and often showed up to work high on drugs, and with a chip on his shoulder.
He pretty much hated life. I sort of got where I dreaded coming to work everyday.
But then one day it was as if God said... "You can let this defeat you... or you
count it all joy, when you face these trials". These trials are what give you a chance
earn rewards in heaven. But more than that... these trials can make you grow in your walk.
We can either say... "Sigh, I have to go up those stairs again this morning".
Or we can choose to say "I'm going to run up those stairs this morning". It's our
choice to be defeated before we even start sometimes.
I found out this young man had a sweet tooth. So I started buying him candy bars
every day. It wasn't much., it only cost me a dollar a day. He didn't ask me to
do it, and in fact he was kind of annoyed at first. But he ate the candy bars.
Some days he still gave me a hard time and directed his attitude towards me.
But I kept on buying the candy bars. It took a long time, but eventually he started
changing his attitude towards me. He asked me why I was nice to him all the time.
I think that's when the Holy Spirit kicks in.. and gives us the ability to witness.
One day he told me... "You almost persuade me to become a Christian". (Acts 26:28; )
He never did make a decision to get saved while I was working with him. He left the company
a few month ago. But I know I planted a seed. He saw I was willing to invest a little blood,
sweat and tears into him. I was willing to "give a little piece of my heart".
When we invest our heart in something or someone... that someone starts becoming important to
us. People can see when they matter to you, and something amazing starts to happen.
Lives are changed. Right before this guy left the company... both of us really started looking
forward to spending a little time together everyday. I was actually sorry when he left.
I wonder how that happened?
