Feb 14, 2007

What's Your Handicap- A lesson from the least of these..

I have been blessed with a special needs child. Her name is Lindsay and her life message to me has been - Grace. She is my greatest teacher. To say that these past 17 years have been easy would be an outright lie. We have helped her endure 14 surgeries, countless illness and overwhelming obstacles, discouragement, and set backs. She has a very rare chromosome deletion, of which she seems to be one of the most severely affected. Her mental capacity is that of a 6 month old. Her physical body and mind are severely affected, yet she is one of the most pure, loving, tender, cheerful, optimistic people I have every met on the face of the earth. Each day her very presence confronts my wrong thinking.

Although she has huge weaknesses according to the worlds standards, I cannot help but absolutely adore her and cherish all the special things about her, like her ability to smile, the fact that she unconditionally loves me and everyone else around her. She thinks the whole world loves her, and she exudes a level of joy and trust that is beyond anything I have ever experienced. I have this special shirt that I love to wear on her. It says, "Spoil me rotten, because I'm worth it" One Sunday during worship the Lord showed me that this is a message for his church. You see, we all have weaknesses, we are imperfect, we are handicapped. The way of the world is to reject anything less than perfect. God reminded me that all of us are like her, some of us can’t see well, some of us are stinky, or walk funny etc, and despite all that, He wants to "spoil us rotten" because His love is what make us worthy. He has an ability to see the unique hidden treasures that only you possess.

The word Handicap means "thing that makes progress or success difficult; a physical or mental disability, disadvantage"

So, what is yours? We all have them, some of us more than others. Does that make us less likely to be loved, accepted or successful? No, it makes us more in need of Jesus.
2 Cor. 12:9-10 says,
"My grace is sufficient for you (not everyone but you), for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake , I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong"

May this simple message penetrate your spirit and speak truth to the lies that you have been believing about yourself. May the level of His power increase in Your life and may you in turn, share this lesson of acceptance and grace to all those "less than perfect ones" around you, and find the hidden treasures that they possess.

2 comments:

Amy said...

Cheryl,
Great blog. You always make me think. Take a look at my latest blog, it's a bit long, but I am interested in seeing if you would have taken the test for Lindsay if you could have known. (I know you think her situation happened at the time of birth..but ) I still would like to know your opinion.
Thanks for your blogs..always encouraging my walk with God.
Love ya. Amy

Rhonda said...

Cheryl,

This message is a real example of the Father's heart. If you haven't shared this message publicly yet, you certainly will be.
Your intimacy with God is an example to be followed. Thank you.

Love, Rhonda