‘…; practice playing second fiddle.’ Romans 12: 10

 In today’s life ‘playing second fiddle’ is just unheard of and most people will pull their nose up.  Thinking about people in general we don’t like ‘playing second fiddle’ and it always has to be about us and what we need, what we want and where we are going.  No wonder most of us are in general angry and upset because we feel we have to take a back seat.  

Then why would we want to follow Paul’s instruction in Romans of ‘practicing playing second fiddle’.  When going shopping I will return to the shop where the people are nice and friendly, where I feel comfortable and where people make me feel special.  I definitely won’t go to a shop where the people are rude and obnoxious.  

Well for today let’s practice playing second fiddle and let’s be nice to the people around us.  Smile at the people you work with, ask them how are you.  Take five minutes in spending some time in their presence and finding out how they really are.  Stop making everything about yourself; take the time in making friends.  Being nice will help you gain ground. 

Drop the attitude that you are just the ‘secretary, call centre agent, systems analyst or receptionist’ just being friendly and helpful puts your company in the number 1 spot.  Being the nicest person in your office makes you stand out and people will be drawn to you because of your friendly disposition. 

Do you want to make a difference in your home, company, business or church?  Then start by ‘playing second fiddle’, being nice to the people around you.  Dropping your miserable attitude and accepting the challenges you face head on.  Stay focused and be kind to your peers and your colleagues and not forgetting the little people in your life, especially the little people.  

 

We tend to say it’s not my job, and I didn’t through this piece of paper on the floor I won’t pick it up.  If you see it laying on the floor pick it up, it won’t kill you.  My mom taught us that if you see something laying on the floor pick it up, that is the right thing to do.  You saw it and you know you should pick it up so just pick it up.  No one sees it but remember one day someone will notice that you are doing your bit.

Not forgetting that the Lord promotes and you will be promoted at the right time, by doing your bit.  So let’s be nice or even very nice to all the people around and in our lives.  Let’s think of them for a change and act responsibly toward our husbands, children, friends and colleagues.   ‘Start transforming yourself into the nice person, playing second fiddle.’  You will reap the fruits.

'The Beauty of the LORD our God be upon me.'

Psalm 90:17 ‘Let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands for us; yes establish the work of our hands.’

Without our jobs we cannot provide for our children and take care of all our needs.  Most of the time we take our jobs for granted and we just plod along.  You know, my boss should feel privileged that I actually came into to work today.  The sad part is I actually know people with that kind of attitude.  They are never grateful for anything they receive and always feel that they have been done in somehow.

Tomorrow is Monday and I want to pray and ask the LORD my God for the beauty of the LORD my God to rest upon me, and that He would establish the work of my hands, yes establish the work of my hands.  I cannot do this on my own, the environment that I work in isn’t what I am used to and the people are very possessive on their knowledge sharing.  I want to pray and ask the LORD my God to let me enjoy God’s super natural favour with God as well as with man tomorrow at work.  I want to pray for guidance and understanding.  I want to ask God to give me the wisdom and understanding.  I also need the protection of my Lord.

All these things I ask humbly in the name of Jesus Christ my Lord and saviour.

Protection

Job 1: 10

¹⁰ “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land.”

Satan was in the meeting speaking to God, he and God where discussing Job.  I believe that there are many meetings held each day around God’s people.  Satan will come to God with whatever You are doing and tell God about your sins which you have committed.  I believe today was one of those days, I am not the most perfect of people and I do have a temper problem.  Yes, little old me, a temper?  Believe me I have a bad temper.

It was a difficult day for me, I faced it head on, chin up and back straight but I thank the Lord it is over and I made it.  I believe that God is in control over my life and I can trust in Him.

My prayer is: 'Lord please may I come into Your hedge of protection, may I ask You to keep Your hand of protection over me, my family and friends.  I believe I am Your child, keep me safe, please Lord.  In the name of Jesus Christ I pray.  Amen'

2nd Wedding Anniversary!

Hey, hey it is my 2^nd anniversary!  This has been an interesting time in my life and I must be honest I am starting to see the changes in my own life.  

Firstly remember I am a city girl with this bad ass attitude, my way or the highway.  Ah, now let me tell you that doesn’t work like this.  My husband has a firm hand over me and keeps me in toe.  I am still my own person and have many new interests.  

How was my day today?  Well the normal, got out of bed at 04h30 and then left the house by 06h00 arriving at work at 07h00.  Then to top it off in an early morning meeting at 07h30 to 08h30, then back in the office.  I worked on three projects; getting information from people isn’t that easy.  I firstly completed my own scope of work, followed up with the suppliers and then going back to the next person.  As I work according to my time keeping schedule I then finally got to lunch time.  I missed my husband; he was in a meeting all day.  What a bummer!

Lunch was two banana’s and two strawberries, yum.  Tea, tea, and more tea it kills the hungry bug in my stomach.  Tee-hee, nothing I cannot handle.

Great we then get into the afternoon; I have Millicent at my desk the two of us both idiots right now trying to sort out our problems.  We have problems, no access to systems, needing to beg and ask constantly for information.  Learning is difficult and man we are really struggling, this power house isn’t that easy to get into.  But I enjoy the challenge and I hope and pray my work will be seen and recognised.

Yippy time to go home, 16h15 waiting for my lift, hmm run over the street, hop into the car and off to collect my husband.  Hmm, what a handsome chap, navy blue trousers and pin stripped white and blue shirt.  Behold the sigh of this handsome man, waiting for us to come along and take him home.  The drive home is peaceful and he normally takes a nap when he doesn’t have to drive.  I sit next to him reading a novel as usual.  We finally get to the toll gate, through it almost home, another 15 minutes to 20 minutes.  At our drop-off we get into our own car and then back into the traffic, it can be a bore but hey there isn’t any other way.  Life is like that.

This morning, I was reading God is in control over our lives and it doesn’t matter what we think, we must just realise that God knows best.  Sometimes I look at my life and wonder can I have any impact on anybody and do I have the ability to actually be the best that I can?

What is impacting my life this moment is the looking after two young teenagers, two beautiful Yorkshire terrier puppies, two beautiful little birds, a beautiful Golden Mantle and a beautiful yellow canary.  They both sing so beautiful, my Golden Mantle – Birdy sings all day long and not forgetting my lovely canary in toe.  Then the horrible cat and my love for my little coy fish, white and orange, man has he grown.  Hard to believe when you keep in mind the water in Witbank is very, very dangerous and not human friendly.  Yip this is about my whole life in a couple of words.  

‘In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,’  Ephesians 1: 11

Lord today I dedicate my marriage back into Your hands, You have predestined both Andus and I to be here together in this year as husband and wife.  Lord I want to pray and ask that You will work out everything in conformity with the purpose of Your Will.  We need You in our lives, You know our dreams and desires.  I dedicate all the children into Your hands and I dedicate my husband and myself into Your hands.  Keep us close to Your heart, let no harm come to our marriage, our finances, our home, our vehicles and whatever we deem precious and important to us.  Our friends and family, keep all of them safe too, I plead the blood of Jesus Christ over all our lives.  Amen

Renew me from the inside out.

Romans 12: 17 – 19 ‘don’t hit back; discover beauty in everyone.  If you’ve got it in you, get along with everybody.  Don’t insist on getting even; that’s not for you to do.  I’ll do the judging, says God.  ‘I’ll take care of it.’ (The Message)

Life has not been so kind to me and I find the older I get the more I want to ‘hit back’.  I know and have come to realise that most people go through the same things.  People are fickle and boy can they disappoint you.  Looking back at what has happened in my own life, I sometimes feel that it is my right to actually ‘hit back’.  Well it isn’t that easy and being mean spirited doesn’t work for me.  I don’t want to become someone that is all bitter and twisted.  I don’t want to sit at home in a couple of years and think back to the years of being bitter and twisted. 

I want to make a difference, I want people to look at me and say ‘she is always kind, understanding and friendly.  She doesn’t carry grudges and she always tries to look at the bright side of life.’   Yes, people are always going to disappointment and I need to get used to that, I might as well play ‘second fiddle’ and get used to that.  It doesn’t mean I don’t care.  I care, I don’t like disappointment, I don’t like people being nasty and rude to me.  I don’t like people ignoring me and not doing as they are told.  So what now? 

I am going to take a deep breath; I am going to take these people in prayer to God.  I get angry and irritated but let me tell you something, I will not let them steel my joy, I will not let them take away my dreams of being loving, kind and understanding.  I want to show grace, have compassion and love them for who they are.  

I will trust in the Lord God, I am going to make Romans 12 my motto for the next couple of years.  I am going to carry this around with me until it becomes me.  I want God to change me from within so that this old body will shine and just maybe be renewed as my mind and soul gets renewed.

Do yourself a favour; take a look at the people around you.  Look at the people that serve the living God, I mean look at their faces.  They radiate a beauty and seem to have a kind of inner strength and peace about them.  Then go and look at the person that isn’t serving our Lord, they seem to have burdens so heavy it draws on their faces and they seem tired and worn out.   Look and you will see it.  Look at Joel Osteen and look at Joyce Meyer (Joel is my age, and Joyce is older) aren’t they beautiful?  Yes I believe they are.  Compare them to someone you know who really doesn’t care about the Lord and the life after this life.  Look at them and think about it.

Lord God, I want You to renew my body, mind and soul.  Most of all I want You to come and life within me and renew me from the inside out.  Lord please renew me.