Is God Working on Your "Stinky Fish"?
I'm writing from sweltering Singapore having spent the last week in rainy Hong Kong. In case you're wondering what "stinky fish" means, let me tell you.
"Stinky Fish" are those dry, hard, and stinky places in our spiritual journey that we'd often rather forget--but, given into the hands of Jesus to bless and use, can become life-giving sustenance for others.
Last Saturday I gave a talk at a Women's Leadership Seminar in Hong Kong. The passage I spoke from is a familiar one, Matthew 14:13-21, which describes the feeding of the 5,000. It has some great points about how God shapes our character so His power can flow through us and meet the spiritual hunger and needs of others. Check these out:
- Jesus, the One we follow, sees needs and has compassion--Here's a character check: are you seen as a compassionate person?
- Jesus invites and challenges us to meet the needs around us--Being honest, would you describe yourself as more sensitive or more indifferent to those needs?
- Jesus takes what we offer Him, ourselves, inadequate as it is for the needs around us--Are we available to be used by Him or do we look at our inadequacies and hold back?
- Jesus gives thanks to the Father for what WE bring to Him, so HE can bless and make us sufficient--Is offering yourself to Him for His purposes a regular part of your spiritual journey?
- Jesus takes the few loaves of bread, what we offer Him from who we are, and feeds others.
- Jesus takes the "stinky fish," those places of our failure, weaknesses, dryness and transforms them into life-sustaining food and hope for those who feel their own spiritual weakness.
- Jesus doesn't waste anything from our lives when we offer it to Him--in fact, there is an abundance left over for feeding the hungry people God brings across your path.
I'll share some more on the character God wants to develop in us in my next blog. Until then, read through this list again and ask God, "What areas of my heart and life need your transforming touch? Speak, Lord, because I want to grow and have my life bless others."
