Articles
Spiritually Shabby Reflects on our Father
Spiritually Shabby Reflects on our Father
The following was written by Richard Clinard and shared with me by Wilma. I think it is worth sharing.
When I was growing up, the one thing that you did not do was embarrass your parents. That is not to say I never did it! I can almost hear my mother now, "Richard Matthew, do not embarrass us!" Mom was high on what other people thought about her youngins! I feel the same way today.
I think in a similar way, our Heavenly Father would have each of us live in such a way that would have others see him in His proper place. Calvin Miller writes, "The great sin against God is to live in such a way that others don't see us as wealthy in the spiritual sense." To live a spiritual shabby life is to cause others to see God as a poor father!
The great sin of the prodigal son was in his making his father look bad! If anyone saw him at the hog pen, they would have surely thought that his father didn't love him at all! They would have never dreamed that hanging on the wall in a big house back home was the portrait of this filthy hog herder! When we walk through life looking just like everyone else in life, everyone else may think we are just like everyone else! But when we walk through life with the confidence that God is our Father, and that He is a Father who cares for his children, and who provides everything, down to the very bread we eat and the clothing that we wear, then others can see how glorious our Father is! But if we walk through this life not caring how we present ourselves; not caring about our attitudes, our actions, or our appearance, others will think we have a poor father!
Jesus said, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven!” Remember, HE IS A GOOD, GOOD FATHER!
