"I had a four year old girl in my Sunday School class and every time her mother would bring her to class she would cry when she left. I had learned that she loved popcorn so one Sunday I brought Popcorn to class in my favorite Tupperware Bowl. There was plenty of it left after class so I told her mother she could take the rest home just as long as she returned my bowl to me.
Every time I saw her, I asked her for my bowl but she never had it but kept saying she would bring it and when I wouldn't see her, I would ask her mother-in-law about it. The woman kept telling me that she would bring it but she never did. The last time I asked for it, she said they couldn't find it now.
I was so upset and riled up about it and evidently talked more about it than I realized. One day I was talking about it to my sister-in-law and she had a bowl similar but
smaller and she said, 'Debbie, I want to make sure you make it
to heaven. Take these bowls.'
My sister-in-law felt I had bitterness about the bowl and I realized it then too. You see, it was my favorite Tupperware bowl that I had won when I got married. My mother-in-law sold Tupperware and I had a good party that day! My obsession with this bowl was more of a sentimental thing. The bowl meant a lot to me".
End of Debbie's Story
As Debbie told me this story, it brought to my mind about my dad's ex wife who took a lot of my Grandma's possessions that would have been good stuff to pass down to us kids as memorials. It upset us a lot because we knew she had no use for the stuff but merely kept it, sold it, whatever she did....out of spite. Of course Debbie's situation was not done out of spite but happened because of irresponsibility.
Anyway, I got to thinking about our situation and thought, yes, Grandma's stuff meant something to us all but we had to realize it was just "stuff" and just as with Debbie's situation, we have to be very careful what we allow in our heart. None of these things will we take to heaven with us for they are just material things. And yes, God does care about the things that we care about, but sometimes we can really allow things to bother us that are really not worth it and will really not mean anything when we stand before God.
We can be so guilty of what we let ourselves get so upset about and start to allow bitter feelings to settle in. This just opens up the door for the devil in other areas of our life. The Bible says that he is like a roaring lion going to and fro seeking whom he may devour. (I Peter 5:8) He watches us daily and just waits for the moment to pounce on us. It starts out small, with maybe a bit of resentment, but once that feeling or thought is rooted in the mind, it can begin to grow into hatred and bitterness. God's Word says that we need to make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord and see to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. If we allow bitterness to take root and grow, it not only can hurt us but also defiles those around us.
When we look back on these moments, think about how silly it is, the things we allow to get us so upset and we tend to hold a grudge. Please be careful of what things or situations that you allow to start festering in your mind that can begin to affect the heart. The Bible says to Keep guard over our heart for out of it comes the issues of life. (Proverbs 4:23) Do not give the devil room. (Ephesians 4:27)
What's going on in your life today? What have you been allowing to bother you for some time now and really need to finally let go of and move on?
Do not lose your soul over a bowl! Forgive and move on.
God bless,
Connie Schmoll
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