Hello world! It’s been a bit since I’ve checked in and said hi. For some reason I really like stimulating my brain and started back to my doctorate a few weeks ago. Considering my words have been spent reporting on the fantastic ideas of performance psychology, sometimes my brain has no wit left to share…but today there was a little! Hi!
A few months ago I saw an opossum (a possum??…apparently a possum is Australian and an opossum is North American (according to wikipedia that might be lying)…I’m struggling with this!) that was the size of a large cat a few doors down from my babysitter’s house. So, of course, I tell Kyle to let me out so I can chase it. I sneak down the sidewalk as it heads toward a run down house. I start to think it may run off before I can see it up close so, yes, I start running at this opossum! Why wouldn’t I do this?
I get back to the car and Kyle is putting away his phone that was recording his insane wife. For those of you watching…this is your grandma. Yes, in fact she is chasing an opossum (still struggling with that phrase – a possum).
I promise hunting rodents is not a hobby of mine…(or maybe it is considering I caught my kids’ hamster at least six times before it finally croaked…I’m learning something new about myself) it’s a learned behavior I inherited from my family. I remember being a kiddo riding through a park with my family. Next thing I know, my mom brother, and I are out of the vehicle chasing an armadillo. What we would do with an armadillo if we caught it? No one knows!
All that to say, today I was driving home from an appointment and on the side of the road I saw a creature chowing down on a dead rabbit. An RV drives by the little guy and it holds its position. I drive by and it keeps eating it’s lunch. We are talking rural area road…where the shoulder is like three inches wide. The armadillo was right there. Never even seemed to flinch. Well of course not! Armadillos are fearless because they wear armor! Well at least that was my thought.
If you’ve never memorized Ephesians 6:10-20 you should! If you’ve never read it, here you go!
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.
Last semester I had lots of conversations with students about being fearful of sharing the gospel. Why we are. Why we aren’t. Why it matters. Does it matter? We talked about spiritual battle and how to be ready for it! So my thought today was simple…maybe we should be like the fearless armored armadillo!
Clothed in armor! Fearlessly standing next to the unknown!
Bye friends!
P.S. The picture of Malachi relates in no way to the actual post…so don’t feel as though you are missing something…this picture was simply way cuter than one of an armadillo! 🙂