A Chosen People

I posted what my family is having for dinner tonight here. You will want to try it. I promise.

I've gotten many nice comments about yesterday's post about marriage, many of them being about me being so transparent about the struggles I personally have, as well as the struggle my marriage has survived. I have told many, many people through the years: I have begged the Lord to not let that time in my life be for nothing -- let me use it for His glory! And He has been faithful to allow that!

This morning I was doing my reading -- I'm in the middle of November in my One Year plan! A little slow I am -- in 1 Peter 2. The first verse is really tough for me -- it basically mentions ALL the things those of us who are 'basically good' really struggle with:

Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.

Um... yeah. If I allow God to look really closely at my heart -- most of those things are a constant battle for me. I'm really hung up on 'malice', honestly. Oh, and sure, it can be tied into the whole marriage thing... all of these things can.

Dictionary.com defines malice: the desire to do harm to others

I would never desire to harm someone, would I? Maybe I just need to correct their thinking just a little bit. Maybe I need them to re-think the way they parent, or spend, or attend church, or dress, or live in any way. The WAY I approach someone about any of those points can be harmful, and God has convicted me of my flippant, criticizing tone -- frequently with those people I love the most.

I can't even go on with hypocrisy, "Oh, NO! Here she comes again... (sickly sweet tone and smile) Hey!! Great to see ya!" Ummm-hummm....

Envy?... but have you BEEN to my gym and seen what those women look like? Honestly. And what those dual-income families can do and buy? Please.

Yes, the Lord has convicted me good today! And my reading today wrapped up with the best part:

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Live a life worthy of my calling. Put away all that malice and envy, hypocrisy and slander so that I may declare the praises of him who called me out of it!