Thursday, June 11, 2009

knowing your place

While reading this morning (thanks YouVersion), this passage came to stick out to me:

8 One day the trees went out to anoint a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, ‘Be our king.’

9 “But the olive tree answered, ‘Should I give up my oil, by which both gods and men are honored, to hold sway over the trees?’

10 “Next, the trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come and be our king.’

11 “But the fig tree replied, ‘Should I give up my fruit, so good and sweet, to hold sway over the trees?’

12 “Then the trees said to the vine, ‘Come and be our king.’

13 “But the vine answered, ‘Should I give up my wine, which cheers both gods and men, to hold sway over the trees?’

--Judges 9:8-13
I have to admit, this passage was an easy one to just flip through, but i tried to slow it down this morning. i didn't skim through, but tried to find something that was hidden in Judges 9 just for me. I found it!

when i read this passage, i'm struck by the parable Jotham shouted to the people as he was speaking against Abimelech, who had just killed 70 men...his half-brothers...his relatives. Greed had driven Abimelech to murder his half-brothers and greed had driven him to seek the throne of his father.

Jotham had such wisdom in this passage. How many of us when asked to be something we are not created for would turn it down if we thought it would bring us some glory? would we be like the trees in this story that refused to give up what they were created for in order to be something they weren't meant to be?

If i offered you a position where the money was better would you take it? most of us would...but would we be willing to do what we were created for...even if it meant less money? less prestige? less power? less glory? less stuff? would we take a new job or position that doesn't really fit us just so we could say we have it?

are we guilty of "holding sway over the trees" rather than being who we were created to be? i know the call to sway over something has grabbed me more than once. today i can say i'm happier doing what i am doing than i have been in years. i know i'm doing what i'm supposed to do...even if i'm not at the top swaying over others, i'm doing my part and knowing my place!

36 comments:

Anonymous said...

I found your weblog website on google and check just a few of
your early posts. Continue to keep up the excellent operate.

I just additional up your RSS feed to my
MSN Information Reader.

Searching for ahead to reading extra from you in a while!

my web site: 10 best things about spain

Anonymous said...

What i don't realize is in truth how you are

no longer actually much more smartly-liked than you might be now. You are so intelligent. You already know therefore significantly relating to this subject, produced me

in my view consider it from so many various angles. Its like women and men don't seem to be

involved unless it’s one thing to accomplish with

Lady gaga! Your personal stuffs nice. All the time deal with it up!
Also visit my web blog 2011 federal income tax tables 1040

Anonymous said...

Greetings from Colorado! I'm bored at

work so I decided to check out your site on my iphone during lunch break. I enjoy the information you provide here and can't wait to
take a look when I get home. I'm

shocked at how fast your blog loaded on my phone .. I'm not even using WIFI,

just 3G .. Anyhow, fantastic blog!
Here is my homepage ... 5 star hotels in fuerteventura jandia

Anonymous said...

You made some first rate factors there. I seemed on the


internet for the issue and located most individuals will

associate with with your website.
Stop by my web-site wiki.ucsj.dk

Anonymous said...

Does your site have a contact page? I'm having a tough time locating it but, I'd like to

send you an e-mail. I've got some suggestions for your blog you

might be interested in hearing. Either way, great blog and I look forward to seeing it develop over time.
Here is my web site ... kies error reading setup initialization file

Anonymous said...

Nice post. I used to be checking constantly this weblog and I'm

inspired! Extremely helpful information specially the

ultimate part :) I handle such

information much. I was looking for this certain information

for a very long time. Thanks and good luck.
Feel free to visit my blog - alicante 5 day weather report

Anonymous said...

I like the helpful information you provide in your

articles. I will bookmark your weblog and take a look at again right here

regularly. I am slightly sure

I’ll learn many new stuff proper here! Best of luck
for the following!
my webpage - http://wiki.familiekock.nl/

Anonymous said...

Hiya, I am really glad I have found this info. Today bloggers publish just

about gossips and internet and this is really annoying.
A good web site with exciting content, that is what I need.
Thank you for

keeping this web site, I'll be visiting it. Do you do newsletters? Can't

find it.
Here is my blog post ... 4 horsemen of the apocalypse drink

Anonymous said...

Hi, i believe that i noticed you visited my web site thus i

came to “go back the choose”.I'm attempting to to find things to improve my site!I assume its

ok to make use of a few of your ideas!!
Feel free to surf my blog mayfair spa in miami

Anonymous said...

There is visibly a bunch to identify about this.

I believe you made various nice points in

features also.
Feel free to visit my blog : 10 day Tenerife weather forecast holiday weather

Anonymous said...

My brother suggested I might like this blog. He was entirely right.
This post

actually made my day. You can not imagine just how
much time I had spent for this

info! Thanks!
Feel free to surf my web site - http://www.seminare-edv.de

Anonymous said...

I think this is one of the most important info for me. And i'm glad

reading your article. But want to remark on some general things, The web site style is

perfect, the articles is really great : D. Good job, cheers
Also see my page > how to you say i miss you in spanish

Anonymous said...

Hey there! I know this is kinda off topic however , I'd figured I'd ask.
Would you be interested in exchanging links or maybe guest

authoring a blog article or vice-versa? My website addresses a

lot of the same subjects as yours and I think we could greatly
benefit from each other. If you are interested
feel free to shoot me an email. I look forward to

hearing from you! Superb blog by the way!
Feel free to surf my webpage :: Look At This

Anonymous said...

Heya! I just wanted to ask if you ever have any trouble
with hackers?

My last blog (wordpress) was hacked and I ended up losing
months of hard work due

to no backup. Do you have any solutions to stop hackers?
My site: anne-heartandsoul.blogspot.ru

Anonymous said...

I must express some thanks to you for rescuing me from this type of

dilemma. Just after surfing throughout the the web and
coming across

strategies that were not productive, I was thinking my entire
life was

well over. Being alive without the presence of

strategies to the difficulties you have

resolved through this guideline is a critical case, and ones which might
have in a wrong way

damaged my entire career if I had not encountered your web
blog. Your

actual mastery and kindness in maneuvering all the

details was priceless. I am not sure what I would've done if I had not come upon such a stuff like this. I am able to at

this time relish my future. Thanks a lot so

much for this high quality and

amazing help. I will not

think twice to suggest your blog to any person who wants and needs guidelines

on this issue.
Also visit my blog post ; www.isis-it.com

Anonymous said...

That is the right blog for anyone who desires to find out
about this topic. You

notice so much its virtually onerous to

argue with you (not that I actually would need…HaHa).

You definitely put a brand new spin on a subject thats been written about for years.
Great stuff, just great!
Feel free to surf my weblog http://felr.ufpa.br/index.php?title=Usuário_Discussão:GilberteMartin1976

Anonymous said...

Valuable information. Lucky me I found your web site

unintentionally, and I'm shocked why this twist of fate didn't
came about earlier! I bookmarked it.
my webpage :: http://twitup.altervista.org/

Anonymous said...

I would like to thank you for the efforts you've put in writing this site. I

am hoping the same high-grade blog post from you in the upcoming as well.

Actually your creative writing skills has encouraged me to get my own site

now. Actually the blogging is spreading its wings rapidly. Your write up is a good

example of it.
My web site :: http://pakpotpourri2.wordpress.com/2010/08/14/america-is-a-federation-pakistan-is-not-naveed-tajammal/

Anonymous said...

Great site. Plenty of useful

information here. I am sending it to a few friends ans
also sharing in delicious. And certainly, thanks
for your sweat!
My page > cawang.pixnet.net

Anonymous said...

Hello There. I found your blog using msn. This is an extremely neatly
written article. I will make sure to bookmark it and

return to learn extra of your useful info.
Thank you for the

post. I will definitely return.
Also visit my homepage :: fancymoon.pixnet.net

Anonymous said...

I discovered your weblog website on google and verify just a few
of your early posts. Proceed to maintain up the

superb operate. I simply further up your RSS feed to
my MSN News Reader.

In search of forward to studying extra from you in a while!


Here is my website - freedesktop.org

Anonymous said...

This really answered my problem, thanks!
Also see my site - blogspot.fr

Anonymous said...

I loved as much as you'll receive carried out right here. The sketch is tasteful, your authored

subject matter stylish. nonetheless, you command get bought an shakiness

over that you wish be delivering the following. unwell unquestionably come more formerly again since exactly

the same nearly a lot often inside case you shield this hike.
Here is my webpage : http://www.robotech.com.mx/

Anonymous said...

Today, I went to the beach front with my children.

I found a sea shell and gave it to my 4 year

old daughter and said "You can hear the ocean if you put this to your ear." She put the shell to her ear and

screamed. There was a hermit crab inside and it pinched her ear.
She never wants to go back! LoL I know this is

totally off topic but I had to tell someone!
Also see my web site - http://wawawa.pixnet.net/

Anonymous said...

Hiya! I just want to give an

enormous thumbs up for the nice info you have right here
on this post. I will probably be coming again to your weblog for more soon.
My web page : http://www.comphonia.smffy.com/index.php?action=profile&u=136

Anonymous said...

You can definitely see your expertise in the work you write.
The world hopes for

more passionate writers like you who aren't afraid to say how they believe. Always go after

your heart.
Also see my website :: http://socialcircle.stock-options-picks.com/story.php?title=ettiegibson83-brics-1st-researchcamp

Anonymous said...

Really Appreciate this post, can you make it so I receive an
alert email whenever there is a fresh post?
My blog post : authenticlinks.com

Anonymous said...

you might have a terrific blog here! would you wish to make
some invite posts on my weblog?
My blog post ... n-h-sarja.Blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

Would you be fascinated about exchanging links?
Feel free to visit my web blog - www.fenixaviacao.com.br

Anonymous said...

When I originally commented I clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added-

checkbox and now each time a comment is added I get 4
emails with the same comment.

Is there any means you'll be able to remove me

from that service? Thanks!
my page - thetruthaboutsteroids.com

Anonymous said...

Nearly all of the

things you assert happens to be supprisingly

appropriate and it makes me ponder why I had not

looked at this in this light previously. This particular
article really did

switch the light on for me as far as this specific subject goes.
Nevertheless at this time there is actually one factor I am not too comfortable with

and whilst I try to reconcile that with the actual main
theme of your issue, let me see just what the

rest of your subscribers have to say.Nicely done.



Here is my web blog: alumni.smpp.web.id

Anonymous said...

advertising and ***********

with Adwords. Anyway I’m including this RSS to my
e-mail and can look out

for much more of your respective fascinating content. Make sure you update this once more very soon.
.

Feel free to surf to my blog post ... http://www.electrawarehouse.com/comments/holidays-spain-hit-cold-front.htm

Anonymous said...

I like the valuable info you provide on your

articles. I’ll bookmark your blog and test again
right here

frequently. I'm fairly certain

I’ll be told a lot of new stuff right here! Good luck for the next!

Here is my blog: Hopemax.org

Anonymous said...

Just want to say your article is as astounding.

The

clarity to your submit is simply great and that i could think you are

knowledgeable on this subject. Fine together with your permission

allow me to seize your feed to stay up to date

with forthcoming post. Thanks one

million and please continue the gratifying work.


Also visit my webpage - http://www.futebol24.net/story.php?title=404-not-found-464

Anonymous said...

I have a hosted Wordpress blog. For some reason, my blog posts are being sent out to followers of another blog. The other blog owners uses Blogger. We can figure out why or how this is happening?.
[url=http://bonus365de.blogspot.com/]bet365 bonus[/url] [url=http://bonusron.com/]bet365 bonus[/url]
[url=http://bonus2013cz.blogspot.com]bwin[/url] [url=http://winwett.com/]bwin[/url]

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing your thoughts about myvegas slots. Regards

Stop by my web blog ... myVEGAS Hack