Lesson for the Week

Becoming a Better Me
(01/06/09)

Recently my mother read a story to my daughter called “The White Glove”. The story was about a boy who asked his grandmother to knit him a special set of gloves. While the boy was out playing in the snow, he lost one of his gloves. During that afternoon, the glove was found by several different animals: each one deciding to make the glove a temporary home in the cold weather. As each animal entered the glove, it kept getting larger and larger until it was almost unrecognizable. Do you feel as if you are being stretched in your life? Do you feel stretched to the point sometimes where you may not even recognize yourself? Being stretched in the Kingdom of God is not a bad thing as long as the lessons you are learning are bringing you to a better understanding of who God is, and of who God wants you to be. “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 5: 22-24, NIV). I see the “new self” as being that better version of ourselves we keep striving for; but without God’s help, we will always miss the mark. God is at work every day creating opportunities for you to “put off your old self” and “put on the new self”. As these opportunities arise, let God walk you through each one so that your relationship with Him may become stronger and your “new self” will shine.