As the Scripture says, “He who believes in him will not be put to shame.” (Joel 2:26-27) For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile – the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. (That is the word of Joel the prophet.) How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Romans 10:11-15)
As a child, I was very shy, so I wasn’t often invited to social events. However, when I was about eight years old, I was invited to the birthday party of one of my classmates. I was excited for weeks in anticipation. After I was at the party, the birthday girl told me that her mom had invited me by mistake. There was another Jody in our class, and her mom was supposed to have invited the other Jody, not me. I was so ashamed to be me. I was a reject. I so wanted to be the other Jody.
Seven years later my parents moved during the last six weeks of my sophomore year of high school. There were many Christians in my new high school, and I accepted Christ as my Savior my junior year. I was saved and richly blessed with many new Christian friends. Their beautiful feet walked me into churches, Bible studies, and other Christian organizations that gave me the good news that I have a Savior, Jesus. I am waiting to meet Jesus face to face, and I will never feel shame again in who I am because I am His, and He made me who I am. Ironically, the other Jody had moved away by fifth grade. She preceded me to my new school district. She was still very popular, especially with the boys, but I never saw her at a Bible study or heard her talk about Jesus . I haven’t thought about the other Jody for many years nor have I seen her on social media, but today I am praying for her. My Lord is her Lord also, so I pray that sometime within these many years that she has called on Him and is as richly blessed as I am.
I have never heard the story about the birthday party. It made me cry because you are a beautiful person and I hate to think of you going through that, and that someone would hurt my sister that way. Why would the birthday girl tell you what she did? It is so cruel to hurt someone like that. That is adult thinking though and not eight year old thinking.
I remember lots of sweet moments between you and me as children but I also remember things that were not so sweet. When I look back and think about the not so sweet moments, I think about an older sister who was tired of being asked to watch the younger sister, yet again. I remember wanting to just be with my friends and not have a tag along. Not very kind thinking! I am sure most siblings went through similar things but it still makes me ashamed of my behavior and thinking. I ask your forgiveness for those unkind moments.
As adults we have a relationship that has grown over many years and is deeply treasured. All of it is treasured, the good moments and the bad moments. All the good and bad have made our relationship what it is today. AND I love our relationship! As adults, we are not just sisters. Our relationship as sisters has grown strong and we are great friends as well.
To me, the “other Jody” is inconsequential. You were compared to her in a very unkind way. That wasn’t her fault. I would be thinking about the “birthday girl”. Hopefully, she has grown into an adult that thinks about her words. Hopefully, she has found Christ and she has become richly blessed. I wonder if she even recalls the incident?
Your story has made me think about our relationship and now I think about the joy of our relationship. You have brought me closer to the Lord that we both love. You have made me think on another level about my relationship with you. You have made me think on another level about my relationship with God and Jesus.
Awww. Thanks, Sis! You made me cry! If no one else reads my writing, it is worth writing just for you! I write in hopes of bringing others closer to Jesus. Without Him, I don’t think I could survive, let alone pass on His love to others. I’m sure Betsy, the girl who had the party doesn’t remember because I don’t think she said it maliciously. I think it was just stream of thought. Yet, it still hurt! I’m sorry Mom asked you to watch me so much and that Mom and Dad didn’t facilitate a closer relationship between the two of us, but I’m glad we eventually found friendship on our own. I would’ve liked to have memories of you being my matron of honor, instead it was friends whom I no longer speak with.
I was lucky that the kids in my class didn’t bully me. They just ignored me. I can’t blame them. I learned (or so I thought) at an early age that no one cared about my opinions, so I was very shy. They thought about me the same way most people think about shy kids. They want to be left alone. I hope people can take away from this morning’s blog that everyone needs love and no one wants to be left alone. If you know someone that’s shy, please love them today!
I wasn’t the perfect sister either. Please forgive me for getting you in trouble! I love you, Sis.
I probably should have elaborated on the sweet things that I remember but there are so many that it would be a very long list. A couple of things that stand out in my mind are remembering how dang cute you looked in your pigtails and I remember showing you off to the kids on the street! I remember sticking up for you when the boys across the street were giving you a hard time about something and it made you cry. I really don’t think that mom did anything out of the ordinary by asking me to keep an eye on you. I think that I was being selfish. The good things that happened with our family are more easily forgotten than the bad things. Naturally, the bad things hurt and stick in our mind. We can’t change the past, we can only think about today and the future. I love you, my sweet sister!!
PS- I do know someone who is shy and I think that I will send him a text today!
You are right about not being able to change the past, but we need to work through past experiences that have built walls around our hearts to protect them and make us want to be in control instead of God. We need to forgive those who have hurt us and ask forgiveness from those whom we have hurt. That is the only way we can completely feel God’s peace and love and be thankful. Thank you for those good memories. I can picture that and it helps my confidence. I have many good memories, and I cherish them. I love you, too, Sis. Most people who are shy face serious inner turmoil and have a poor self image. I know the man you are speaking of. God has placed him with your family for a reason, and he will cherish the text you send him today. And God will love that you have passed on His love.