Christian Devotionals and Scripture Applied to Everyday Life

So often it seems that the loudest voices get results. I have noticed it in personal venues, at work, and in the world at large. The people who raise their voices and persistently demand attention often get what they want, but at what cost?

Sometimes it’s very hard to decipher between right and wrong, good and bad, or true and false. Often circumstances are deceptive, and certain people master the art of deceiving others into thinking they are something they are not. They blend right in with those they imitate and can wreak havoc without anyone really knowing what happened. In fact, discerning who represents truth and who doesn’t is often as hard as recognizing the right blue jeans.

I had a freak-out moment the other day. I meandered into the event center to check out the merchandise for our upcoming auction and the first thing I saw was a huge rattlesnake. Granted it was stuffed and in a glass case, but the beady eyes, thick body, and raised tail still gave me the creeps. It is no wonder that one of the names the Bible gives to our enemy, Satan, is “the serpent of old.” This dangerous and slithering reptile is not something I want to meet alone in a dark alley – or an event center for that matter.

“She looks so much like you!” a fellow high school mom remarked to me the other day as we sat watching our students practice for the upcoming play production of The Music Man. I glanced at the stage and had to agree. Abigail shows some physical features that loudly proclaim she is mine. While every child will likely resemble his or her parents in certain ways, each of us hope we have given more than just physical characteristics to our offspring. Hopefully positive character traits have rubbed off as well.

It’s funny how the smallest things can embed themselves in your memory. There are so many things we forget, but then the most insignificant of experiences sticks and throughout your life comes to mind. Sometimes it even shapes how you look at God.

Sometimes it seems like ungodly people win. We see it in business as well as in every day life. Those who have worldly wealth put the stranglehold on those less financially blessed and get what they want through the power of the dollar. Others use status to claw their way up the ladder, ousting others who may be more qualified. Unfair circumstances can create huge frustration and bewilderment for those who are trying to do right, but God has something to say about these matters.