In Part 1 I shared a life story of my dad, and in summary, we must take time to listen when people speak so that we can learn from their experiences, ditch the bad and use the good to improve, empower and make a difference in our lives and in the lives of others.
I recall another story told by my dad, of how he as a 13/14-year-old boy had to leave school to go and work, away from home, with the goal to help support his family. He left home without proper shoes and a jersey. How hard it must have been for my grandma to see her eldest, just as boy, leave the house to go and work.
How difficult it must have been for my dad to go away and live with other people, so he could work on the railway, earn money and send it home to help feed his siblings and put them through school. Although hard for him, it also made a man out of him and he shared how happy it made him to see his siblings complete school and even the joy of sending them Christmas gifts, a first for the family.
Would you just send your 13-year-old off to go and work in another place? Well, in those days there was no choice, and it was the norm for many families. What stood out for me was, how alone my dad must have felt and how my grandma must have lied in her bed, thinking about him. You know what my dad said? He was never alone. He invited Christ into His life at a young age, and He had God with him all the time.
Through the stories of life, history is formed. From history we learn and can use it to plan the future to improve and better our lives. From history we also learn how good and bad decisions can make or break relationships, finances and ultimately result in either prosperity or a downfall in family life, marriages, economies, and countries.
We all read and watch the news. Not a day goes by without people being killed, things being stolen, and our beautiful planet being destroyed by ourselves making wrong decisions. It is a constant chase after more, better and bigger. I always ask myself, why? You see, that is the devil’s story. His mission according to John 10:10 is to steal, kill and destroy. However, in the same verse, Jesus says: “I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.” Romans 8:28 says: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”
Yes, bad things happen in life, but God promises in Romans 8:28 that He will take the bad and turn it for the good of those who love Him. You might not feel like that now and might even say that there is no God of love for if He did exist, why does He allow bad things to happen to good people? In my 50 years life journey thus far, I have many stories to tell and although many did not have good endings, each of them was seen by God.
He hears and sees everything and therefore I don’t blame Him for anything in my life. I realise that He gave me life and a special gift, called choice. You received it as well, we all did. We have a responsibility to make the right choices in life and need to remember that we will harvest according to what we sow.
Yes, the devil is real and is known as a destroyer, murderer and deceiver, who wants to sow hatred, anger, destruction, unforgiveness, lust, greed and so the list goes on. Remember his mission is to kill, steal and destroy and therefore he will use and abuse people to accomplish his mission. When people fall into his trap of false hope and promises, they get pulled into his devious plans and schemes, and that is when they make wrong choices which leads to hurting others. God does not hurt people. People hurt people.
The Bible is full of stories of how people chose wrong, which ended in curses, destruction and death. We also read of how others made the right choices which for them it resulted in abundant blessings. Every story from Genesis all through to Revelation is truth, God’s truth and therefore His heart. He shared it with us so that we can learn from history and be empowered and prepared for the future. Remember, if we don’t read it, we will never understand His heart and His plan for our lives. To understand life, we need Godly wisdom and knowledge which Proverbs 1:7 tells us: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.”
Love in Christ
Princess K