change, constant change

God has really been moving in my heart in regard to seasons. We are all in a certain season. God has really showed me how valuable each season truly is. Some last longer than others. Some better than others. Each valuable in God's eyes none-the-less. How we conduct ourselves in different seasons, how we love God in different seasons, how we glorify God in different seasons, and yes even how we love others in different seasons is all that really matters.

I was once told a story about how a father was trying to teach his 4 children a lesson on how you never truly no another persons story and how you can never just assume or judge anyone. He was teaching his children how we are all so different and experience such different things. By teaching his children he decided to send out his oldest child to go look at a tree a little under a mile from their house. It was summer and the tree was in full bloom. When the son returned the father asked, "What did you think of the tree." The son replied how full of life and green and full the tree was. The father sent another child out in the fall, the child returned with how beautiful the tree was with all the different colors. The father sent a different child out in the winter and returned and said how dead the tree was. How it looked terrible and was not giving forth life. Then the father sent the last child out in the spring. The child returned saying how it was budding and about to be beautiful and full of life. This is the same tree, just different times. Under different circumstances the tree changed, at times for the better and at times for the worst. Regardless it was still a tree. Now I guess I may begin to loss you here because you may be thinking well it's just a tree. Yes, but how fast to judge. God says I do not judge by the outward appearance but I judge by the heart. How un-Godly to pass judgement. It makes my stomach turn at how many times I will see a mother with crazy children and pass judgement that she must not know how to parent. Or I see someone clearly making bad decisions and I quickly judge who/what they are living for. God tells us this is not our place. He says none can judge but ME. God alone is the only one would can judge because He knows our whole heart. This is great news because if we were living for the judgement of this world I know I would not make the cut.

This lesson just amazes me. How easy I know I fall to judging. “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye." -Matthew 7:1-5