Welcome to the blog of Pastor Alton Stone, from Simpsonville, SC. Pastor Stone is a retired Ordained Bishop of The Church of God, Cleveland, Tennessee with over 45 years of pastoral ministry.
Saturday, January 2, 2016
You'll See God Looking Back
Bob perks shares this story:
Standards. Guidelines. Rules.
For some reason we often times just toss them all away when we make everyday decisions.
That's why we need something bigger than ourselves. Something to compare ourselves to every time we are faced with a choice. The obvious is our faith.
"God is bigger than everything," you might say.
If we accept God as the ultimate guide and nothing or no one is bigger than God, why do we still do wrong? Why do we make bad choices? Even knowing that God is present in everything we do, we still do things against God's will.
Without meaning to offend anyone, I suggest that we do it because we can't see God. Of course one can be quick to list a thousand ways God is seen in their life. I agree. But, to me, I do those things because I am not looking him in the eye. We are not face to face.
God knows this, that's why he sends people into my life. People I respect. People He has chosen to look me in the eye with conviction.
I haven't always known this. This revelation came to me recently because I had choices to make.
Without revealing his name or the exact circumstances, I will tell you the basics.
A few years ago God sent him...at just the right time. That's how God works.
We were an unlikely match. Two strangers with two extremely different backgrounds. He knew this was meant to be, I wondered if he was crazy.
Long story short...he became my standard for how I should live my life. He is a Godly man.
Recently while working on a project for him, I suggested that if there was something he didn't like or didn't meet his requirements,he could just drop it.
That's when it happened.
"I know you wouldn't send me anything but the best," he said.
The same expectations of God.
Since then I rate everything I do, on what he would think and whether it was my best.
"You could do more, if you would like," he suggested.
I knew he was just trying to help me. He was paying me for my work. At first I did more, then I thought I was taking advantage of his generosity. I wrote to him to say so.
He never responded.
So, I held back but I could hear his words over and over..."You could do more."
He is not God. But I see God in him and I accept that God sent him.
When I write to my friend, he rarely responds with any more than one or two sentences. He doesn't have to because I know the answer before I ask it.
Like talking with God. We ask, but we know the answer.
I suggest that if you are not surrounded by people who bring out the best in you, you better start looking closer. Your life is filled with them.
The very next time you see a friend, neighbor or family member, look into their eyes.
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