Blessed to be Broken

The other day I stopped what I was doing to check and see what birds and critters may be at the feeder. To my surprise I saw a bird on top of another bird. I thought, ewww, because I thought they were, well, doing that birds and bees thing.

So I slapped the window with the palm of my hand and the bird on top immediately flew off. To my horror, the blue jay that had been on the bottom started flopping around. I quickly ran to get my neon pink rubber gloves out of the cupboard. I put my sandals on and ran over to the bird. Sadly, it was lifeless. I said a quick prayer for the poor thing and disposed of it. Made my heart sad.

You could hear the loud squawking from the other birds in the surrounding trees in my yard. I imagine if they had the means, they would’ve had their phones out recording the incident. But, they’re birds and not being fluent in squawking, I’ve no clue what all the chatter means.

I gotta admit, I was a little traumatized. It’s not that I don’t know things of this life can be cruel, it’s just I really don’t want to be the one to see it.

As I sat with God processing it over the next few days, I asked Him, why would you let me see that? You know my heart and how this type thing affects me. And then I felt in my heart Him saying, you’re more traumatized by a bird’s pain than you are with the things you watch. Hmmmm. I had to sit and chew on that one for a bit.

Desensitized. Let’s look that up, shall we? “Having been made less sensitive. Having been made less likely to feel shock or distress at scenes of cruelty or suffering by overexposure to such images.”

Me, chews on inside of cheek. Ummmm. Crap. Pictures of the type of shows I watch run through my brain. I justify the watching by saying, it’s not real, it’s tv. But the shows I watch on tv, matter.

I watch tv because I’m bored, and usually for a lack of anything sounding better. I get tired of the sappy, unrealistic hallmark type movies, reality shows are well, so not even close to reality, fixer upper shows bore me, and the list goes on. But, I also don’t like horror or extreme blood and gore type shows or shows with excessive sexual content and filthy language. Which nowadays is most shows.

I mean when a 90 year old Betty White is still acting like a sexual magnet, shouldn’t we stop and ask ourselves what’s going on here? And if I’m gonna go there, let me take it a step further. Women complain all the time about men and their innuendos but women can be downright explicit as well.

Some would say, lighten up, it’s just tv. But, isn’t that the whole reason why we should demand better? If not for ourselves, but for our kids and future generations?

The excuse or justification for allowing such things into our homes has forever been “sex sells.” Sigh. Indeed it does. Right down to selling children into the pits of sex trafficking hell. Evil desires penetrate the most innocent age bracket and somehow, some where, some one is raking in the cash. Picture a greedy Ebeneezer Scrooge rubbing his hands together and laughing maniacally as he counts his blood money.

None of this is new. We just have more access to it now. In Genesis 19:1-29, God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah for their sexual travesties against one another. But, instead of learning from it, we repeat the most grievous sins from past generations. Almost as if we’re trying to outdo them.

The battle for our humanity is real. The question we have to ask ourself is, “What part am I playing in being the answer?”

The concerns we face daily are bigger than showing someone how to do their hair and makeup. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with that. I’m just saying if that’s your only concern therein lies a problem. Vanity will eventually cripple you. You can’t outrun or out procedure time.

I stated earlier that I didn’t want to be the one to see the cruelty of things. I’d like to think most people would say the same. But the truth of the matter is, turning that proverbial blind eye doesn’t make things magically disappear.

God gave each of us gifts to help one another. Yet, daily we use those gifts to hurt one another. If the past hasn’t taught us that it’s not working, I don’t know what will.

Thankfully, there’s One who never changes, and has all the answer. Jesus Christ died and rose from the grave so that we may live. He showed us the way we should live and love. It’s our choice to follow His example or keep diving deeper into depravity.

Warning! Eventually the depravity will catch up to you. And from my own personal experience, it will wreck you. I’m so thankful my eyes and heart were opened to the love of God. While I would prefer to stay silent or turn a blind eye to the ugliness in this world, when I chose to follow Christ I chose to speak up.

In the past, people pleasing would have stopped me from writing anything controversial. But, when God lays a message on your heart, it doesn’t go away until you obey. I don’t know how this message will hit anyone, but that’s when I leave it in God’s hands. He already knows.

There’s always time to turn from our wicked ways. The choice is yours for the making. Free will is a gift. How you use it, can begin a ripple that turns into a wave of peace or a tsunami of epic destructive proportions.

Not sure where to start? I’ll leave you with this instruction from Micah 6:8:

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

Friend, it’s never too late to change a path. The beauty in following Christ is He can take whatever was meant to harm you, and turn it into good and glory for His namesake. He wastes nothing. I’m learning this as I daily walk with Him.

I may not always agree with the how and why of things, but I absolutely trust that God is working all things out. Emphasis on ALL. Thank you Jesus!