I mentioned in Saturday’s post that I spoke at a women’s retreat. It was a half hour segment of a retreat called, “The Vision” that our church does each year.
Though my preparation time was limited, I walked up to the podium extremely confident about what I was supposed to say. I love that feeling.
Encouragement from my mother in law and confirmation in prayer tucked into my pocket I told them how to lead. Not a subject I was excited about. Not something I’m gifted in.
Yet, we all lead. In prayer I realized this lesson is not about what a leader is, but about choosing the direction our natural influence will take people. I closed my eyes, thinking of my children, ready to take my care for them to the throne of God and He met me first. I saw a picture in my mind. A tree by a stream, a powerful tree with branches that reached out over a meadow and gave shade and shelter. I saw mountains in the background and the whole view was peaceful.
I waited, because I knew this was something the Holy Spirit wanted me to see. This is where I need to lead them I thought. A place of peace. Just like a verse I read recently…James 3:18 “Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” My children’s lives are the fruit of what I’ve invested in them. The seeds of righteousness won’t grow unless they are sown in peace by those who make peace. Am I leading them in peace?
I treasure those glimpses of His purpose, those views into His intention and I focused on it for a while. The next morning, the morning I was supposed to speak, I landed in my daily reading at I Peter 5. Every verse seemed to be pulsing out of the pages at me. “This is the message” I was hearing. These words were what God wanted the women to hear at the retreat. So that’s what I did. I didn’t have time to do more than print out the Scripture in a readable format for myself. I got ready to go and prayed all the way there. I had a few minutes to sit quietly in a back room before I went up and in that time I read through the Scripture again and asked God how He wanted me to tie it all together. It was coming to me bit by bit.
With the microphone in hand I quoted Psalm 1 to them, how my prayer is daily to see my husband and my children walk in the wisdom and promise of those words. Then I went through I Peter 5 with them, breaking apart the thoughts and sentences, reminding them of the loving God that asks for our trust. I read Psalm 18 to them, to show them the kind of Savior we serve and I landed in that meadow. I told them about that tree I saw. The peace and the comfort of a place without burdens. I thought I was supposed to take them there, I thought that was the message, to lead others into peace, but as I leaned into the Word as I looked at their faces and as I recalled my purpose in the lives of my children, Psalm 1 came back to me. I quoted it again…in time with my thoughts…”And he shall be like a tree, planted by the rivers of water, who bears his fruit in season and his leaf shall not whither, whatever he doeth shall prosper.”
“We are not just leading them to that tree,” I said, “We’re leading them to become that tree.”
Influence. There is nothing like it.
Nothing.
The will of God being acceptable and accepted in the hearts of those we love.
The fruit of righteousness, sown in peace.
A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver. Proverbs 25:11
I am often reminded that words of wisdom that come at the right time are gifts from God. Two Sundays ago, we walked into a word from our pastor that was clearly from God and was the guidance that we needed at that exact time. So thankful that you heard clearly and were able to deliver the right word at the right time.
Excellent! This is such good stuff.
Thank you for sharing it; especially that picture. As a mother of four, I appreciate this.
Thank you Amy and Rhonda!
Mary, I am preaching from 1 Peter 4 this week. If anyone speaks, they should do it as one speaking the very words of God. Thank you for letting others hear (or read) the very words of God. Be the tree. Be the tree
Thanks Matt, very encouraging!
Just now saw this and that is awesome. I was wanting to hear you speak, but this helps me imagine it. Good Word. I have raised three Trees, and you are doing the same. That was my dads favorite scripture, by the way.