... There was this lively 98 year-old Jewish man named Mortimer. He had outlived 3 of his wives. One day, he and his buddy Harold were playing cards, and Morty says to Harold, 'You know, I met the most beautiful 27 year old blonde. She's a dancer. I'm in love. I'm going to marry her'.
.... Harold stares at Morty and let's out a loud OY! "What are you meshuge (crazy)! She's 27. She's so young. And she's blonde! Morty, vhat is this crazy talk. You are 98. Aren't you afraid of death! Morty says nothing for a moment, and he looks eyeball to eyeball with Harold and says, "Harold, no I'm not afraid of death. If she dies, she dies".
Now, that's chutzpah! I'm a lot like Morty. I just know I am going to outlast the enemy who tried to take me out of the game once too often. I wasn't always like this, but God has seasoned me in the pressure-cooker of life, and from what I can see, I am still standing. Many times I didn't think I would last, and more than once I begged God to turn down the stove. But, I'm still here. Kind of like a determined knowing, a sense of certainty, that you are not the one to be vanquished, but the one who will triumph in the end. This is the destiny and future for all those who trust in the Lord, and just refuse to give up! To me, a 'holy' chutzpah is not pride. Pride is an offshoot of a selfish vanity. Chutzpah is not a cockiness or inflated ego either, in the truest sense of the word. It is what the young shepherd David exhibited when he went out to slay Goliath and said with assurance "who is this uncircumcised Philistine who dares to defy the armies of the Living God". 1 Samuel 17:26
David knew he had a covenant with God (circumcision), and a calling. He remembered what he had learned from the Torah, and had heard his elders tell him, 'just listen to these oaths and promises God made to our people, handed down from Abraham.' David knew that the God of Israel had revealed Himself as the one true God over all things. The cursing, mocking, giant Goliath, was not to be feared, but was to be taught a lesson, in David's eyes, as to whom really was in charge. Now, that is Chutzpah. When we know to whom we belong, and what is our portion (destiny) and calling for this life, when we know we have heard from the Lord, and have His promises, we can be assured that the only one to really fear is God, to whom your body and soul will answer and stand before one day. Luke 12:5 This doesn't mean we won't feel fear, or have trepidations to go forward, but fear will not have the 'power' over you nor can it control you, if you won't let it. You always need to come back to starting place: God is with me, I can do this through Him. If He is with me, who can really be against me? Who can block God's favor from you?
I am learning so many more lessons in my mid years than I did as a youngster about who I really am, and what I am not. I am not what the world, the flesh or the devil would say I am, I am whom God made and designed me to be, and it is His plan and purpose that I (we) accomplish our purpose for which we were born. All of us have purpose, but it can be a long and painful journey to discover the nuances of our identity. God is not a TV dinner or a microwave kind of God, and He doesn't give throw-away answers. What He works into your spirit is born of spiritual blood, sweat and tears. And a healthy measure of laughter and joy and relationships in the mix too. There is no instant fixes with God, in matter of character and development. Along the way, throughout all the seasons of your life, and if you are blessed with long life and length of days, you will have some stories to tell at the end of the road. The more I go on in God, the better it gets. Sure, there's still battles. There will always be battles to fight, tough places in life to go through, but the journey gets sweeter, and the rewards get richer, because when you know it's God who is blessing you, and using you, and it's all Him, you get to enjoy the ride with God, and He gets all the glory. That's what so wonderful about God. It has and will be HIM all along doing 'His good pleasure (work) in you' - and you almost get to watch Him work, in and through your life, as one who is in the passenger seat, just along for the ride. There is never a day in my life when I am not aware of the fact, that, just as the Apostle noted he was
'a fool for Christ' (1st Corinthians 4:10 ), I have been also. But, whose fool, really? To act outside of the norm at times, or take risks, for good and eternal purposes, is that really being foolish. In contrast, in fearing what might be, and never trying, or believing, it is we who are really being foolish. Lives and potentials are wasted, and for what? I never regretted telling the people in my life I loved them, but more times than I want to remember, I omitted saying things I never got the chance say twice. So, take that risk.
When my husband used to ask me to do something I really didn't want to do - like when he would call me from work and ask me to set the DVR, program the DVD, don't forget to pop a tape in, tape this football game, or rewind this show...and then I had to run around the house in the next 5 minutes before the game started, and hoped I would pick up the right remote and push the right button on the four remotes in the three rooms and try to figure out what the heck he said and what was I suppose to press again. I used the standard line I used so often in our marriage. "I'm just a simple girl from a simple tribe. Don't ask me anything too hard." That made him laugh. And yet it was so true. I really am just a simple girl from a simple tribe. I'm okay with that. I was never born to be an air-traffic controller (physics, yikes....I barely made it out of algebra and geometry class). If I was at the controls, the Atlantic Ocean would be filled to the brim with half of North America. How about you? Has time seasoned you well? I have a kind of holy chutzpah, in knowing what I can do (In Him). What I am called to do (in Him). I am very confident in the Lord's abilities. I don't have to depend on my own strength, I draw from His. He works through me and in me (and you), to His very good pleasure. As long as we keep that straight (you = God, me = your creation), it all works out fine. And there is so much joy in knowing God takes deep pleasure in working through us just the way we are. Be strong and confident. You are under the Highest Authority and under the Highest Protection in the Universe. Take 3 good and loving and courageous risks today. Say what is really on your heart, in the right way and time. Buy that gift you really want to give, but you wonder if it will be received or understood. You will be glad you did. You will be amazed at how good it will feel to be free to be you.
Joshua 1:3-9 I promise you what I promised Moses: ‘Wherever you set foot, you will be on land I have given you ... No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you."
Psalm 27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?
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