Planking

Planking is pretty funny.  It cracks me up how something so simple has caught on in such a huge way. The part that's funny is that it's completely random and unexpected. The video I've attached keeps me laughing at how very creative people can be in their "Planking". :)

Recently I've been praying for ways to sacrifically serve others, to show them the love of Christ. 

My parents are complete opposites, and I joke that because of their crazy opposite gene's, I turned out to be an Introverted-Extrovert. Which means I can't stop talking or doing Extraverted things but as soon as I do, I'm embarassed, lol!

So that makes what I'm about to say Really hard on me. :)

I've started praying for the Lord to lay people on my heart that have a need.  Everytime I do He brings at least one person to mind.  There's a difference between Him doing it and it being a random person I'm thinking of - He plagues me with this person, brings them to mind repeatedly and as soon as I start to try and push it aside He makes it even louder.  (He has to do this because I struggle with praying and then immediately being sucked back into "Life" and forgetting what I prayed. Does anyone else do that?) 
So then I begin to pray that the Lord would lay on my heart how I can serve them and show them the love of Christ. 

Side Note: Who He brings to mind is not always non-Christians. It's often sisters in Christ! We must never have the mindset that the only people that need the love of Christ are non-Christians.

Everytime He answers it's random. Completely out of my comfort zone - Makes me feel like a weirdo to ask ... Random. 

~Insert Introverted-Extrovert and minor freak out of "Lord, Really? That...? But what if they're offended?  What if they think I have ulterior motives? What if, What if, What if...?"  
Think Moses at the Burning Bush, questioning, and you've got the embarrassing picture.  :)

I KNOW it's crazy!  I just asked, HE just answered - why can't I just trust?

You know the first "Planker" had to have been dared by his friends.  He had to feel a little bit awkward. ok, maybe alot! But he had alot of friends cheering him on, laughing in the back ground and taking pictures to put on Facebook. :)

We don't want that audience.

Matthew 6:1-4 (NIV)

“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."

We don't want to earn anything from this random act of Christ's love. Our only desire should be to Glorify God through our lives; by being the Hand's and Feet of Jesus! Not trying make a friend or earning their affection, like a self-serving politician. It's to point to Christ only!

My point is- surrendering to be the Hands and Feet of Jesus, comes at a sacrifice, comes at a little risk of embarrassment.  But my prayer is that this mindset will one day become such a part of the Christian Community the way that "Planking" has such a part of the world!

Because attempting to do some of these things makes me feel as awkward as I would feel by Planking on an Airport Escalator. :)

HIS clay,

Melissa Bradley

Don't Forget to Link-Up your Love Story!  :)