Keys to the Kingdom – Carolyn Tucker

I was born in 1958, so I’ve seen many versions of myself in the mirror since graduating from high school. In recent years, there have been times I’ve wondered, “Who stole my face?“ However, I’ve never looked into the mirror and thought, “Who is that?“ I still recognize myself, thanks to Revlon. After all, grandmas are just antique little girls!

I like the everyday language of The Message for James 1:23,24: “Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear! Those who hear and don’t act are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what they look like.”

It’s one thing to read your Bible; it’s another thing to do your Bible. Your life as a Christ follower begins in knowing what God wants you to do. And then we glorify Him when we actually do it. “Not everyone who says to Me, ’Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” (Matthew 7:21 NKJV).

With a new year ahead, may I suggest we look daily into the perfect mirror of God’s Word. This mirror accurately reflects every detail of your life in a clear image. Comparing yourself to other people will always give you a fuzzy image. The best way for you to have a “Happy New Year” is to obey God’s Word. The proof is in the pudding with this scripture: “But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it (James 1:25 NLT). God’s perfect law is love — plain and simple. The lifestyle of a real disciple is loving God and loving others. In a nutshell, be a doer of the Word and you will be blessed.

God’s Word is the only trustworthy mirror for our spiritual lives. “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip His people to do every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16,17 NLT). You will not find godly direction from reading your horoscope or consulting a psychic. In fact, if you’re participating in anything apart from God’s spiritual realm, you’re opening the door to a spirit of darkness.

Joel Hemphill composed the encouraging song “He’s Still Workin’ on Me” many years ago. As long as we continue in Christ, we’ll be transformed into His likeness. “In the mirror of His Word, reflections that I see make me wonder why He never gave up on me. But He loves me as I am and helps me when I pray. Remember, He’s the Potter, I’m the clay. He’s still workin’ on me to make me what I ought to be.” God loves you too much to leave you the way you are, so He will keep sculpting you into His image. Now that’s a happy thought for the year 2021!

The Key: Jesus is the fairest of all, and His Word tells you when you need to clean your mirror.

Little things matter. Need proof?

Ask the players on the Dallas Cowboys football team when the holder failed to turn the seams to face the kicker.

Ask me when I ignore auto-correct while texting and my friend reads “You look greasy” instead of “You look great.”

Ask my friend who trusted the pop-up thermometer on her Thanksgiving turkey and sliced into its bloody center.

Ask the bachelor who mistook salt for flour in the birthday cake he prepared for his date.

Ask the families of the Challenger disaster after a fifty-cent O-ring failed to do its job.

Ask my husband when, after I set off the fire alarm by burning mashed potatoes, he gave the security company the wrong password.

No doubt, you readers have your own tales of some minor issue escalating into a major problem. Hopefully yours are more on the humorous side instead of resulting in a more serious outcome like some I have mentioned.

Every day we can make little things matter. A smile to a stranger…perhaps even a “Good morning.” An offer to help a wheelchair shopper nab something on the top row. The will power to resist that chocolate chip cookie (so I’ve been told). A giggle.

If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones.” – Luke 16:10

Jesus addressed the crowd with a story of a rich man who had three slaves to whom he gave an amount of money, referred to as talents, and told them to care for what had been handed them. The first steward was given five talents, the second, two, and the third, one. The first two servants used the talents to trade and gain profit, returning to their master with double the talents. The third servant was fearful of his master and hid his one talent, returning only that to his master.

The story concludes in Matthew 25:29-30: For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Oopsie! No mere slap on the wrist for this guy. He did nothing to grow what he had been given, to improve someone else’s life. This master is ticked off because, according to him, little things definitely did matter.

Jesus took time for the little things. He chose 12 disciples, not 120. He always was willing to stop to heal one hemorrhaging woman, one blind man, one paralytic. He fed 5000 with two fish and five loaves of bread. Little things with big impact.

Not all of us will become preachers at mega churches or have a Grammy-winning album or translate the Bible into the Jieng language, but most of us will start 2021 with at least one resolution. Instead of setting large goals (I will lose 100 pounds this year/witness to everyone I meet), how about aiming for a pound a week or being in tune with God’s prodding? You know, attainable goals.

We just need to know that in taking care of the small details, we will be serving our Master well. In doing that, large things—God-pleasing things–can be accomplished.