Guest Post: Filled to be Spilled
Filled to be Spilled Have you ever considered how, regardless of our size and shape, women resemble pitchers as they continually pour into the lives of others. After all, that’s why pitchers were created. Well, actually they were first created to be filled then spilled of their contents. And, what is stored within a pitcher is always what is revealed when poured. For example, if our lives are filled with activity, they will overflow with busyness. However, if our lives are filled with Jesus and His Word, they have the potential to teem with purpose. Although God’s primary intention in creating women is for them to fulfill His purposes, this is sometimes forgotten amid the daily tasks of being a wife and mom. Even though we desire our lives to be meaningful, they sometimes end up appearing to be merely motion-filled. In other words, we look at the achievements that pour from our daily lives but have difficulty recognizing God’s purpose in them. If we desire to live purposefully for Jesus, we will need to begin considering what we use to fill our lives. Without the proper “filling,” the “spilling” will be less than God’s best. Colossians 3:16a tells us: Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom,. . . God so desires for us to be filled with His Word, its truth continually permeating our thoughts, words, and actions. Then, as we pour our lives into others, the character and truth of Jesus will be revealed (fulfilling His eternal purpose for us.) Since God’s Word can be practically applied in daily living, we should become intentional about being filled with and pouring forth its principles. So, what might these practices look like in the life of an active wife and mom? To begin with, we need to remember that filling takes precedence over pouring! So, it’s wise to prepare in advance Scripture verses to focus on throughout each day. Since opportunities to meditate on truth may be brief, plan to intentionally use any available time rather than fill it with other activity. As you invest your time in being filled with truth, it is encouraging to know that God’s Word is the only thing that comes with a guarantee of eternal purpose (Isaiah 55:11). As a result, when you choose to pour truth into the lives of others, you are investing in eternity rather than in the temporal. Some practical ways to pour truth into every day life might be: As you swap creative recipes and craft ideas with fellow moms, choose to develop and share unique ways to encourage each other’s family members with truth. As you communicate to your husband all that occurred throughout the day, point to evidence of specific things God is accomplishing in your life. When you send a card to encourage a friend, include written promises of God. While the play group is sharing all the plans they have for their children’s future, convey what God has planned for all those who love Him. Practice making the Lord the focus of your texts and tweets. When instructing your child, explain the purpose behind each request by linking the instruction with a biblical principle. As you experience the effect truth has on the lives of those you pour into, you will have an increasing desire to be filled with God’s Word. So how about you? What are some practical ways you pour out truth to your family or into conversations around you? I invite you to leave a comment to the question. By doing so, your name will be entered for a drawing for Carla's new book, "Parenting Moment by Moment." Carla will sign and mail her book to you! Drawing will take place at 10 pm PST, Sunday, February 6, 2011. Winner will be announced on Tuesday's post (2.8.11). For more information about Carla's ministry, please check out www.carlamaclachlan.com.