How Do You Measure Up To The Truth?

Do you carry around a measuring stick?

Last Friday I introduced you to Kaye Wilson.

She is a beautiful, intelligent, well-educated, capable woman.

She has 5 wonderful children, plays the piano, speaks french, and is a certified parenting coach. (which means she literally “knows” how to parent, right?)

If I put my measuring stick between the 2 of us, I come up short!

Children

Kaye 5 / Rebecca- 1

Education

Kaye- well-educated /Rebecca -never finished college

Gifts and Talents

Kaye- piano and fluent in French

Rebecca- quit french horn in High School and after 2 years of French class, can only say, “Hello, friend.” and “How are you”.

Even though Kaye far surpasses me when measured, she and I have something in common.

We have struggled with self-confidence.

My husband I attended the Army Ball a few years ago.

I bought a beautiful dress, amazing shoes (that tortured my feet), and was having an epic hair day!

I lost some weight, firmed up and felt sassy!

The Husband was all decked out in his Dress Uniform! (Hello Soldier, wanna make out in the elevator?)

As the evening progressed, the time came for a potty break.

Fix the makeup, tuck everything BACK into the Spanx, (it’s amazing how “stuff” migrates out-of-place) and make sure my hair hadn’t deflated.

As I walked towards the bathroom, I saw a woman looking at me with her eyes WIDE OPEN! It took me a moment, but then I realized.

We were wearing THE SAME DRESS!! (Raise your hand if you’ve had that happen!)

I could have smiled, said something witty, and shrugged it off.

Wanna Guess what I did???

I took out my measuring stick. (Not literally! No room left in my Spanx.)

She was taller, younger, thinner, and looked amazing in “our” dress.

The rest of the night, I made sure I didn’t get too close to her.

If I did, everyone else would find out what I already knew.

I didn’t measure up.

Break the measuring stick of comparison. Click To Tweet

Measure up to what?

Cindy Bultema recently said, “Satan may tell you what is true, but he will never tell the Capital T Truth.”

What does that mean?

It’s true that she was taller, younger, and thinner.

Does that make her more valuable than I am?

What if it was the other way around?

Would being younger, thinner, and taller make ME more significant?

Of course not!

Thinking it doesn’t make it true.

Even if it IS true, is it the “Capital T” Truth?

What is the “Capital T” Truth?

You were created in His image. (Genesis 1:27)

You were fearfully and wonderfully made. (Psalm 139:14)

You have value. (Matthew 10:31)

You have been saved by grace. (Ephesians 2:8)

You have security in Christ. (Romans 8:39)

You are the light of the world. (Matthew 5:14)

You have a glorious future. (Romans 8:18)

**Undoing 41 years of listening to things that may be true (or complete lies) but aren’t the Capital T Truth is difficult.**

Acknowledging brokenness without restoration is uncomfortable.

That is what this season of my life is about.

Who do I believe I am and does that line up with the Truth?

Am I willing to walk in a manner worthy of my calling?

Are you?

What do you hope for in your life?

There are many things I’ve “wished ” for over the years.

I’ve wished for straight hair and for Kirk Cameron to be my boyfriend.

I’ve wished I was taller, shorter, younger, older, smarter, and cuter.

I’ve even wished for a pony!

There’s an old song written by Dusty Springfield that goes, “wishin’ and hopin’ and thinkin’ and prayin’. (Try to get THAT out of your head now!)

The difference between a wish and hope.

I have a vivid memory of my oldest brother researching our ancestry for a school project.

He told us our family is part Scottish.

Well, I assumed that because of this, I would have the natural ability to become a world-famous “Scottish” dancer.

For weeks I went out to our driveway and hopped around (thinking I was making up some EPIC Scottish dancing moves) WISHING someone would “discover” my Scottish dancing talents.

Dance like no one's watching! Click To Tweet

~~Unfortunately~~ Fortunately, my Scottish dancing wish never came true. (Thank goodness there wasn’t YouTube “back in my day”.)

After that, I decided to focus my “talents” on becoming the next Mary Lou Retton.

I “practiced” leaping across my bed for HOURS at a time.

I had the “finish” pose NAILED!

The rest of it?

Not so much.

Wish is a term that refers to a desire or point to something one longs to have.

It is an impossibility or to desire something with little chance of it coming true.

I could wish all day, but I was never going to get discovered for my Scottish dancing talent.

No matter how many vaults across my canopy bed I made, the Olympic Gymnastics Team was not going to see my amazing finish pose and ask me to join them.

In spite of not getting things I have wished for, what I DO have is HOPE.

Pete Miller wrote “To hope is to anticipate a future event with a confident expectation of its fulfillment.”

To put it another way, hope means to have confidence in the future.

I hope The Kid grows up to serve God.

I hope to live a long happy life with The Husband.

I hope to grow in my pursuit of purpose.

I hope to move into our new home soon.

I hope to take a nap.

Romans 15:13

Now may the God of HOPE fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him so that you may overflow with HOPE by the power of the Holy Spirit.

“As You” is not a passive phrase.

You take steps to believe in Him.

The more steps you take, the more confidence you have.

Which is scarier? Doing something for the first time or doing it the second? Or third?

What would you do if you were overflowing with confidence?

Last week I talked about God’s unfailing love.

Remember Isaiah 54:10 “Mountains may move and hills shake but God’s love will NOT be moved from you.”

No matter what, God’s love will NOT be moved from you.

God will fill you with joy and peace AS YOU (take action towards) believe so that you may overflow with confident expectation by the power of the Holy Spirit.

As Valentine’s Day approaches, you can have HOPE (confidence) knowing that you are loved with HIS unfailing Love.

Psalm 62:5

Rest in God alone, my soul, for my hope comes from Him.

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