Rachel Hauck

Best-selling author and award winning author Rachel Hauck lives in central Florida with her husband and loving pets. She earned a B.A. degree in Journalism from Ohio State University and spent seventeen years in the corporate software world before leaving to write full time. Rachel loves to teach and mentor writers.

She is a Book Therapist at www.MyBookTherapy.com, a daily craft blog and community for writers. Rachel is the past president of American Christian Fiction Writers and now servers on the Advisor Board. Visit her blog and web site at www.rachelhauck.com.


Dodging Raindrops

Beauty's Only Skin Deep


Walking through Publix the other day, I thought, “Wouldn’t it be great if I could just take a pill and poof! be twenty pounds lighter.”


I went on my first diet at fifteen. I lost twenty-five pounds in a month. Now, I’d be lucky to lose one pound using the same method. Our bodies change with time. We don’t seem to want to grasp that concept, but they do. If I’m going on fifty, why do I want to look like I’m going on fifteen? Or worse, feel like I’m supposed to look like I’m going on fifteen?


Beauty is a time-honored tradition. We all love beauty. But we’ve put beauty in such a narrow box. Thin. Tall. Without wrinkles. Without gray.


Anyway, I’ve dieted only a few times in my life. I’m not one to say I’ve “tried them all” and they don’t work. Most diets do work. It’s people who don’t.


Dieting, like most things in life, requires discipline. Isn’t discipline such an ugly word? I mean, it starts with “dis.”


We spend a lot of time focused on the outside: How we look. How others perceive us. But beauty or looks is one thing we cannot take with us into the next life. There will be no accounting for what we did with our hair, weight, or gym membership.


However, Scripture tells us we will give account for every idle word. For the talents (money) given to us, and what we did with our time.


We can take it with us, or send it on ahead. This life is merely an internship for the next. Jesus speaks of our being rulers over cities. How do we earn that privilege? My guess is what we did with our time, money, and words.


We seem to own these values. Hold them close to the chest. My time. My money. My words. We want to do with them what we want when we want. But Jesus tells us, “Watch out, you’ll give account.”


See what He says in Matthew 6:19–21 (NIV).

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

MONEY


Wow, where your treasure is, there you’ll find your heart. Pretty serious. What can we tell about one another from our treasures?


While we should be wise and prudent, save, and even invest, we cannot put our faith in our bank accounts, our 401Ks. I’d rather give to God than to the bank.


Proverbs 19:17 says, “One who is gracious to a poor man lends to the LORD. He will repay him for his good deed” (NASB).


We are not going to owe God. He will take care of us.


So, what are you doing with your money?


TIME


We have many demands on our time today. But I have a sneaking suspicion our ancestors could make the same claim. What they lacked in option, the made up for in labor. It took our great-grandmothers a day to do the laundry. It takes me a few hours.


Travel, work, and play are all eased by technology. We have more disposable time than any other generation. But what are we doing with those precious hours?


Paul writes to the Ephesians: “[Make] the most of your time, because the days are evil” (Eph. 5:16 NASB).


Doesn’t seem to leave much to interpretation. If we don’t manage our time, someone or something will. Paul’s reference to evil might indicate that if we are not making the most of our time, evil might try to take over.


What we do with our days matters. What are we giving ourselves to? Show me a man’s weekly schedule and I’ll tell you what he values and loves.


What are you doing with your time? Even the most abstract person can create some kind of schedule to maximize her time. Don’t be run by the tyranny of the urgent.


WORDS


Driving home from work one day, a trucker cut me off. I swore at him. And the moment the words left my mouth, the condemnation I placed on him flew in my own face like hot coals. You never saw a woman repent and shout blessings so fast.


God spoke and the world was created. Words mean things. They matter. They count. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve prayed for young people who were emotionally and mentally locked down because of negative words and lies spoken over them.


You know what I mean. “You’re stupid.” “You’ll never amount to anything.” And we wonder why they don’t.


Jesus said in Luke 12:2, “But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. Accordingly, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms will be proclaimed upon the housetops” (NASB).


I’ve said something I never want repeated, let alone shouted from housetops.


James 3:8 tell us, “But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison” (NASB).


We must watch our words. The Lord spoke to me once so clearly, “You cannot tear down what I’m trying to build up.”


I realized, even with some teasing, I cannot wound for the sake of fun. I cannot think some of my words are frivolous and idle, while others are deep and powerful, according to what and when I want. No, all of my words count all of the time.


I want to be on God’s team, working to build up and not tear down His beloved.


Take stock. What are you doing with your money, time, and words? Are you unable to tithe or give but pay a $90 cable bill? Get rid of cable. It’s going to get burned up when you give account.


Are you too tired to get up for prayer, or attend corporate prayer meetings? Get rid of distractions. Go to bed earlier. Step off of a committee or project. Prayer will endure. But will the other things you’re doing? Even the good? Is it the enemy of the best?


Are you using your words to build up? Are your words defensive and about presenting your case rather than encouragement and understanding? How can you reflect the heart of Jesus for your family and friends through your words? In the end, when you give account for your idle words, will being right and vindicated matter more than being humble and encouraging?


Let’s do as Paul says: Be wise, for the days are evil.



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