Brownies

When I was in grade school it was my great distinction to be a Brownie. You remember… the first step to becoming a Girl Scout, a pea-sized imitation of one of the most incredible honors on earth (or at least that’s what it seemed like in my young mind). Okay so…my older sister was already a Girl Scout and “OH MY!” did she ever appear to be important when she put on her Girl Scout uniform and sash. The whole “get-up” left her looking, well…stunning! There she would stand before me like Queen Elizabeth when she was decked out in her official Scottish kilt, plaid sash, badges, buttons, and pins…gleaming like the sun! Oh, how I wanted to be in that official uniform some day.

My best friend in grade school was Susan Edwards. I loved her. We had many happy days together, but there was one HUGE problem…she was a Bluebird-the pea-sized version of a Camp Fire Girl and the arch enemy of the Girl Scouts. I still recall wearing our opposing uniforms to school. In the hallways of Lou Stubbs Elementary, there was sisterly “love in the air” on Monday through Friday… EXCEPT on uniform day.

Susan and I actually survived it all…she eventually moved away, and we grew up.* The memory that made all the difference for me was that I was not able to become a Girl Scout. I became ill and was forced to resign my “commission” with the glorious club. It was a bitter disappointment in which I still feel the sting every now and then.

Our lives are full of these “stings”…the sting of disappointment, the heartache of dreams not fulfilled, possibilities gone, hurts not healed. These are stings much bigger than the crash of my Girl Scout career.

“Christ is building His Kingdom with the broken things of earth. People desire only the strong, successful, victorious, and unbroken things in life to build their kingdoms, but God is the God of the unsuccessful-the God of those who have failed...He can lift earth’s saddest failure up to heaven’s glory.” (J. R. Miller)

As I studied I Samuel 17, I was intrigued with a character that I had overlooked. David was still a young shepherd boy when he was summoned by his father to check on his brothers as they fought for Saul. Goliath, the Philistine champion had come to defy the armies of the Living God. David was appalled that the Israelite armies were worried about this “small” problem. You see, for David, the physical size of this large warrior was not the issue…the problem was the “size” of Goliath’s mouth. Defying the Lord Jehovah and His Kingship was just too much for David. As you know, God took care of the problem through this young shepherd who had placed Him first in his heart. Now to the character whom I had overlooked…Eliab, David’s oldest brother. Eliab overheard the young shepherd claiming a victory for the Lord. His reaction to his younger brother was one of “burning anger”. Eliab poked fun, called David conceited…claiming him to be wicked (vs. 28). So much for brotherly love. As David saw it, he had a bigger job to do than listen to the “sting” of his brother’s comments. Hurts and disappointments are but one of the vehicles that the evil one will use on us. He wields his wand of insecurity at us all, knowing that we can be paralyzed to the point of becoming inactive for the Master and His work. The Marquis of Salisbury, an English diplomat, upon being criticized for his colonial polices, replied, “Gentlemen, get larger maps!” I love this statement because there is always going to be someone who wants your map to be smaller…in other words, if opposition is inevitable for you as a child of God, DON’T give in to it. Get a larger map, walk with confidence…your great God has called you to the battle field, and He can take care of the “stings” that dare to freeze you.

Is someone hurting you? Is someone speaking unfairly against you or your family? (Ps. 37:1) Are the people that you believed in disappointing you with their inability to stand next to you? Remember that the God who commands the universe is YOUR defending warrior! (Ex.15:2-3) He is steady and sure! (2 Peter 1:3-4)

“Your Rock is Christ, and it is the sea that ebbs and flows with the tide, NOT Him.” (Samuel Rutherford)

It is true…I never had the chance to earn my glorious Girl Scout uniform, but I DID get a few good stories out of the whole experience. The experiences that the Lord allows you to walk through are really the KEY! He loves to feel you snuggle up even closer through all the stings of life (remember it wasn’t His idea for the world to be lost in sin). He won’t let go of you!

Ladies…get larger maps!

I love you all...have a great day!

lori

*Susan and I are now friends on Facebook….isn’t that neat?