May #jammed: Growing Grace.

Day 129: Invisible.

“Don’t eat with people who are stingy…” Proverbs 23:6(NLT)

The first lesson competition dance taught me, besides sticker shock, was fake eye-lash application. It’s a lot more intimidating than it looks, and far easier than waving a mascara wand at a moving …flinching object. Still, the mistakes at the beginning were to be expected, and as I tried to slide those lashes into place I left a trail of gray glue.

A total new-bee to all things glued on …I picked up the gray glue instead of clear. Thank goodness for think, black eye-liner. I added a step because I didn’t pay enough attention to the first one …or get a little bit of an education on lash glue before I bought it. The gray stuff was probably cheaper. That’s what I get for being stingy.

Today’s verse defines a miser. A stingy person who says they are generous but isn’t heartfelt about sharing their wealth. The danger in this is dishonesty, and it’s bound to show up like a streak of gray lash-glue eventually.

“They are always thinking about how much it costs.
    “Eat and drink,” they say, but they don’t mean it.” Proverbs 23:7 (NLT)

This not only addresses the whole issue of sharing wealth with each other in generosity, but I believe this can be applied to accumulating people in our lives. How often to we agree, or go along with, so not to make waves …or to be accepted? We do it way more often that we like to admit. We’re programmed to seek approval, and look for it from the wrong places. 

“You’ll be sick and lose what little you did eat,
    and you’ll waste your breath carrying on a pleasant conversation.” Proverbs 23:8 (VOICE)

Jesus was honest and generous. Generosity shouldn’t stem from dishonesty or legalism. It should come from the heart. If we’re just being generous with our money, our time, or our friendship to gain something in return, then we should check our heart’s intentions with His Word.

How many times do we walk away from friendship disappointed, but can honestly say we got what was coming to us? When we tell our feelings to follow Jesus’ feet, we can be wise in giving of ourselves.

Father, Praise You for the honesty of Your Word. Thank You for blessing us in this life, and forgive us for our lack of pure generosity. Bless us to give out of our heart for You, and not to our own agenda; and help us to be aware of frivolous attempts to redirect our gaze from Your eyes. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 Get the conversation started by commenting below, and let’s encourage one another as we face life in 2017 armed with grace! 

#greatgrace17

Happy Un-misering,

Megs

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