Judging the Flood

So, recently on facebook, someone I thought I knew said that God was wiping Houston off the map because of the sins they had committed.   This person followed it up by making comments about homosexuality and a few other sins she felt the people there had committed.

Seriously?

First, let me remind you of Genesis 9:11, where HE promises that “never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.”

Second, this person, among others, also said that God was punishing DC by hitting it with an earthquake.   Mind you, the earthquake was miles away from DC, so either God has a really bad aim and hit Mineral, VA by mistake or…..yeah, the earthquake was just that.  An earthquake not meant to punish anyone, it was just some plates shifting causing a quake.

Third, when God flooded the earth, he saved the sinless by having Noah and his family build an ark.  So either you’re saying that every single person down south, men, women, children are full of sin or …oh wait, I got it…God sent all those rafts and canoes to save the innocent, right?

I don’t believe God is trying to wipe anyone out.  Do I understand the flooding and the hurricanes and the tsunami’s and fires that wipe out homes and kill people?  No, but I don’t believe God is doing it to punish people. 

Disasters happen, they have since He created the earth. 

I don’t feel I have the right to tell anyone they are a sinner, since I am a sinner myself.   I don’t want people pointing out my sins, and I don’t want to be pointing out others sins.  Any sins made are between the sinner and God. 

And I have enough I have to confess to HIM without adding i spent my time judging my neighbors.

Matthew 7:1-5

1 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 

2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 

4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 

5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

I love you.

Nope, no trash here.

This morning, I spent time doing my hair, dressing in my VBS shirt and decided to forgo the make-up,  then looked in the mirror smiled and said “Still not trailer trash.”

Then my smile faded away and I thought, “How sad is that?”

Remember that incredibly stupid saying “Sticks and Stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me?” 

Well, yeah they do.

And they leave forever scars in your mind.

I was recently talking to a friend who said her husbands comments about her arms has prevented her from wearing sleeveless shirts for over 30 years.

Another friend told me she doesn’t wear open toed shoes after a lady in the next bathroom stall told her she had ugly feet when she was about 16 years old.

I met a lady in the make-up aisle who said she never wore lipstick after being told she had ugly fat lips by a classmate in elementary school.

To this day, I wear bangs because I was told I had an ugly forehead and struggle to wear short skirts and shorts because I was told I had ugly knees. 

But it was two assistant principals that let me know that they wouldn’t waste their time with me because I was never going to amount to anything and I would be a drunk piece of trailer trash when I grew up.

I had gone to them asking for help for a situation at home.

Instead they turned me away after telling me I was a nothing.

I wish I could say I turned out the way I am because I said “Well I’ll SHOW YOU!” and became determined to show them wrong.   No, that’s not what happened.  Their words almost destroyed me.

And now, 37 years later, I still hear it.  I look in the mirror and mentally pat myself on the back for rising above their predictions.

Woohoo, I’m not trailer trash…yea!  Let’s go on with my day. 

Gosh, that’s pitiful.

So, as of this morning, I’m stopping it.  No more listening to what others say about me in a negative way.   Words from over 30 years ago have nothing to do with the person I am today. 

And I’m going to go a step farther.  I’m going to make sure I’m not responsible for anyone feeling less than good about themselves.   I will only see the good, I will constantly remind myself that every single person on this earth was hand drawn by God and deserve to hear how perfect HE made them.

I’m going to stop focusing on what hurts and hold on to what heals.

Stop looking for the bad, in me and in others, and focus on the amazing.

To my friends who are feeling bad or need a lift me up, I’m going to be the person they call on for a pick me up.

Because I’m not trailer trash.

I am precious in HIS site.

I love you.