NOTE:
This
is a Guest Post used with permission from Ilene Sims
of Kansas City, Kansas.
The older I get, I don’t take things so seriously; not like I used to. I now have this incredible opportunity to laugh at myself and enjoy things. Growing up in a traditional church - you always had to be serious about things. The teachings were great, but in some ways those teaching were like a pendulum that went too far to the right, or too far to the left.
We
were not permitted to wear lipstick, nor pants, yet when I worked at
a major Airline - the wearing of makeup was at the top of their check
off list. Our outfits that were given to us as part of our dress
code consisted of two (2) jackets and two (2) pairs of pants and one
(1) skirt.
Of
course back then in the 70’s, my denomination still didn’t permit
the wearing of pants, but my choices were slim, because I wasn’t
about to wear that skirt day in and day out. I did wear the pants
and one day I decided, I was not going to wear the make up and the
manager was about to write me up for not having it on.
What
I learned from all of that is it wasn’t what was on the outside
that made the difference, but it was what was going on in my heart.
I loved Jesus then and I love Him more now, and many people only
wanted to please Him by their own works or righteousness (self
righteous ways). Father God was looking at my heart and He knew me
from within.
Jeremiah
says: I will write my words upon their heart and that was taking
place in my life. That Word was being inscribed on my heart as I
spent time in His Presence. The Love of God was being poured out on
me, and I was “lovin it”. I was putting on a new wineskin, and I
liked what I was seeing and experiencing.
The
scripture (Romans 10:10) says: “with the heart man believes and
with the mouth, confession is made unto Salvation.”
So
now when I go to a big meeting and I’m all dolled up with the hat,
shoes and bag -“the look.”, I know in my heart, I am loved by
Him. Even when I’ve looked down at my feet, and noticed that I had
put on two mixed matched shoes. My heart is free and I laugh with
glee, because my heart is His hands.
Blessings To You,
Ilene Sims
End
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