WRITING ON THE WALL

But ye are a chosen generation, a
royal priesthood, an holy nation,
a peculiar people; that ye should shew
forth the praises of Him who hath
called you out of darkness into
His marvellous light.
I Peter 2:9

During a revival service and during invitation time, I was surprised to see my Mother walking down the aisle with her arm around her mother. We called my grandmother “Mom” (she spelled “Mam”) at her request. She was not a church goer at all, but agreed to go just that one time with Mother. I don't know what all transpired that night, but do know that there were good, positive changes in Mam from that night on.

After that night, Mam never missed a church service. She was in church for Sunday school and all services of the week. She read the New Testament once and often twice each month. She was a tither. She joined the ranks of what we called the “Loyal Mothers.”

One thing I came to notice was the change of wall décor in her little apartment. She had on her walls the usual pictures from nature and a few family pictures. I went to the junior high school only a couple of blocks from her apartment so went by to see her often.One day I saw a real change that I would never have expected. On her walls were some new plaques huge, but with print that could be easily read.

PRAYER CHANGES THINGS

GOD LOVES YOU

...and there were others. It was later that she put the GOD LOVES YOU plaque on a wall because I made it at camp one summer for her.

Mam had few people coming and going from her apartment, but the messages were there on her walls for any visitor to see. They were an encouragement to her and hopefully to others who visited. I loved seeing those plaques even as a young girl. (In face, I have one of them even now hidden away.). I don't think she knew of it because I never mentioned it at the time.

All of this recently came to mind as I was viewing what is hanging on the walls of my own home. I was surprised to note such things from where I am presently sitting. On my walls are family pictures, copies of spiritual artwork, encouraging spiritual sayings and one small plaque that I hope keeps me humble...”I'M JUST A RAGGEDY ANN IN A BARBIE WORLD.” It doesn't sound very spiritual, but for me, it keeps me real and it's to the point. It also causes more comments than the other things.

When much younger, I can recall adults talking about negative incidents about to happen that for them were “writings on the wall.” This of course, indicated something, usually negative in nature, that could or was about to happen. That saying for them was an indicator of things to come.

There are other walls people pay attention to and that has to do with the walls of our lives that can be so easily read by people. Some folks will know us better than others. Strangers might also observe things in us for the good or evil. What is there to be read on our walls? What is the testimony of our lives that can be readily read, that can hopefully be a blessing in the lives of others. For some, what they read from the walls of our lives may be the only witness they will ever see of Jesus.

Dear Father God, may any message spread through our lives be a blessing and encouragement to others and a glory only to You. May we be aware that people are watching and reading us all the time. May they see You in us. In Jesus name...Amen