[SeptemberMorn]

"This little light of mine
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine
Let it shine
Let it shine.

Gonna let it shine
all over (name of your city)
Let it shine
Let it shine
Let it shine..."

So on and so forth...

When I was a child, that meant to me (and does into adulthood), that my life needed to be lived in a way that people knew that I was also a child of God.

Contrary to how the family patriarch (an uncle) believed and acted; a man of many, long, exhausting prayers, but to also behave in all areas of my life as a child of God.

When I grew up, I heard a saying from a family member that my uncle was "so Heavenly minded that he was no earthly good." That also stuck with my throughout my adult years.

Then my mother related to me that she had a visitor every week that would come share from the Bible with her. These were very satisfying moments for her. However, this gentleman spent all his time "visiting the shut-ins" but had no visible means of support for himself, his wife and three kids.

When my mom asked him how it was that he had a family but didn't work, his words to her were "If God watches and feeds over the sparrow, I know that he'll provide for me, too." Apparently, this man depended on the good will of those he visited to give him donations of food, clothing, etc.

It was time for my mother to return the favor. She was never one to keep her opinions to herself. LOL She promptly reminded him that even the sparrows get off of their sleeping areas and "go to work" in the mornings and work until dark finding the food that God has for them. They don't sit in tree branches waiting for that food to fall from Heaven or praying that someone dropped a crumb of something by their tree.

In my mother's opinion, this man was mooching off of the people that he visited, often putting poor people in a bind when they gave him donations of any kind. She had often felt pressured unto giving him some of whatever she had and it put a dent in her budget for the month. She lived on Social Security and we all know, that's sometimes not enough to get one through the month.

As harsh as my mother could be with her opinions and as much as I don't want to be like her, I believe she made a good point. Also, the person that told me my uncle wasn't any earthly good, in my opinion, was right on.

It's not enough to pray lengthy prayers for the entire world or for any given group of people. We need to get off our duffs and DO something about those situations that we feel need to be done something about.

My uncle could have broken his "piggy bank" and blessed some of the people he asked God to bless. My uncle could have been the answer to many of his prayers.

The man that visited with my mother could have done handy work for these people or he could have held some kind of job, even part time, to help feed his family and himself and not been a burden to the elderly shut-ins he visited.

To me, IMO, would have been letting their light shine. That is talking the talk and most importantly, walking the walk.

[bebop]

good points hon. I heard one all my life too that God helps those that help themselves.

[SeptemberMorn]

So true! Why didn't I think of that old saying?

My atheist ex-husband used to say that all the time.

[altonwoodsdrphil]

I enjoyed your post Sept, could you show me where the reference to "God helps those who help themselves " is at? I've never been able to find it. I do appreciate your conclusions as to your uncle, perhaps he also believed in the previous idea? "this little light of mine" should be a beacon of hope to others, God help us from having it become a "spotlight" lol...

[SeptemberMorn]

I think that saying is just a very common saying... shall we say "back East"? I've never bothered looking it up but it might be interesting to Google it.

Yeah, my uncle liked to become a "spotlight" at various times. Can we say "Pharisee"? Don't get me started on him, though! I could go on for days.

[SeptemberMorn]

Alton, here's what I found when I Googled it. OOOPS! I think the writer of the article is a bit harsh but he's right. The verse is among others called "Sacred Cows". LOL

http://www.acts17-11.com/cows_helps.html

[KathyM]

SM

Thanks for this post. I would have liked your mother. I agree that feeding the sparrows excuse is weak. It may have been satisfying for her, but it was also satisfying for him - not really "God's work" for which he should receive compensation. It's one thing to put your hands together and pray for people in need. It means so much more when you can put your own personal skills to work to physically help those in need. That's what I consider work that would feed and protect a sparrow.

[recluse1]

Beautiful thread! I love all the replies others have posted here too!

"Let it shine!"

[SeptemberMorn]

My mother and I agree wholeheartly with you, Kathy.

[Rapunzel]

The message is in the scriptures. "God helps those who help themselves" must be simply a modern wording. Check out James 2, starting with verse 14:

http://scriptures.lds.org/en/james/2/18,20,26#18

I have seen people quite literally sit at the top of one hill and pray that God will provide for all of their needs, insisting that they have the faith that God will grow a garden under their feet. Meanwhile, God is sending others to offer these people opportunities to work and participate in growing that garden on the next hill over, and these people will not budge because they have faith that God is going to grow that garden right there under their feet and all they have to do is sit there and wait for it.

Another thing that strikes me as ironic is when we see many prayers for "the starving children in Africa" or others suffering in some other area of the world, when if those offering up the prayers would look around and find a neighbor that they could help, and if everyone around the world would lift up their neighbor in need, the world's problems could be solved. Praying is good, but the other half of it is asking God what He would have us do to help someone in need, and looking for the part that He would have us play in answering someone's prayer.

We have to be willing to do our part, even when it isn't convenient, fun, glamourous, or prestigious or popular.

http://www.higherpraise.com/lyrics/love/love500382.htm

If it isn't our place to be a lighthouse, we can be a day mark.
http://daymarkers.blogspot.com/2008/...ns-height.html

I hope I didn't get too far off the topic. One thing that just seems to go hand in hand with doing service, for me, is doing it where you are. You are where you are for a reason, and often it is because there is something you can do in that place to help somebody. Another catch phrase is "bloom where you are planted."

[recluse1]

"Bloom where you are planted"

I haven't heard that one before. I will have to remember that one! I love it!

[(JD)]

That particular saying is not written in the good book, btw.
God helps everyone, whether they help themselves or not, especially if they ask Him to.

It is good to "put feet on your prayers" but not to the extent of not allowing God to work through you.
We can become so involved in what "we" are doing that we forget all about His will and way, imo.
In my thought for the day where I said to be careful to not try and answer your own prayers, that's what
I was talking about. Ask God for something, and leave it with Him for His timing and blessing.

[Rapunzel]

Right. But we do have to listen to Him to find out what He wants us to do. Often the solution that He provides involves effort on our part. What is written is "Faith without works is dead." He gets the credit, but it's not quite a free ride.

[SeptemberMorn]

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
Rapunzel said:
I have seen people quite literally sit at the top of one hill and pray that God will provide for all of their needs, insisting that they have the faith that God will grow a garden under their feet. Meanwhile, God is sending others to offer these people opportunities to work and participate in growing that garden on the next hill over, and these people will not budge because they have faith that God is going to grow that garden right there under their feet and all they have to do is sit there and wait for it.

Another thing that strikes me as ironic is when we see many prayers for "the starving children in Africa" or others suffering in some other area of the world, when if those offering up the prayers would look around and find a neighbor that they could help, and if everyone around the world would lift up their neighbor in need, the world's problems could be solved. Praying is good, but the other half of it is asking God what He would have us do to help someone in need, and looking for the part that He would have us play in answering someone's prayer.

We have to be willing to do our part, even when it isn't convenient, fun, glamourous, or prestigious or popular.

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">

Exactly! That's what I meant about being so Heavenly minded that the person is no earthly good. They spend their time praying and don't even bother opening their eyes to see how THEY can help someone in need or to change something that needs changing. It can be something as small as something within the family nucleus to passing laws in their state to improve certain situations.

[(JD)]

I think we're all on the same page, really.

There's another phrase to draw on here: You must first be faithful over little things before God will give you the big things. Someone who prays, for example, to win the lottery so they will give to God, yet doesn't give out of their little bit of money already, well let's say they won't be winning the lottery from God.

[SeptemberMorn]

I was taught as a child that it's not right to gamble. It's usually a waste of money; bad stewardship. IMO, God wouldn't be answering that prayer anyway. I could be wrong, though... I guess...

[SeptemberMorn]

I forgot to mention when I posted the link that these verses don't exist in reality! The first quote "Phillip ---" doesn't exist! The second quotation is wrong, also. It is NOT written that way and what IS written doesn't mean what the quote says. That's why these are called "sacred cows" or "phantom verses".

The SAYING that "God helps those who help themselves" is simply A SAYING. It depends on how one interprets the saying as to whether it holds water or not.

I believe that one can pray for God's help but get in His way of answering the prayer. We want it the way we want it and we won't see how He's really answering that prayer.

I also believe that a man, as in Rap's example, can sit on a hill and pray for a bountiful harvest and never lift a finger to till the ground or plant the seeds in order to get that bountiful harvest. They expect the plants to sprout from the ground on their own, to maintain themselves with never lifting a finger to weed or water and still expect that bountiful harvest. It simply won't happen.

I hope I've made myself clear now.

[(JD)]

[Danialla]

Just a quick reply to you September.......
I love the song! I remember singing it when I was little and enjoyed teaching it to my own children.

And now a question for everyone....
Are we now allowed to post links to scripture, so that we can discuss those scriptures?

I would think that if you provide links to scripture, and you plan on debating whether they exist and/or how to interpret them, then it should be taken to PM or maybe the Monday night chat?

I would hate to go down that path that seemed so exclusionary to some, or worse to begin the debates on whose beliefs are better. And it always comes down to that in the end..... Sad isn't it?

Please let us not go there again......Please

[sabby]

At this point, we will allow links to be posted to religious scripture only if it is to make a particular point within a member's thread. Discussion of the links are of course beyond the scope of how this forum is now set up, so please be mindful of that.


sabby

[Danialla]

Will others be allowed to post links to their own religions books?

I see a tit for tat brewing. Sad, really.....and we wonder why there are so many Holy Wars?

[SeptemberMorn]

{{{{{{{Dani}}}}}}}} The link that I posted doesn't REALLY quote scripture. The book that is quoted first doesn't even exist. The second book does exist, but it DOES NOT have those words in it.

I, for one, thoroughly understand that we are not to discuss or otherwise talk about religious texts. The link wasn't posted to start a discussion, just to answer a question that I was asked.

No religious wars here!



PS If it looks like someone wants to make an issue of it or starts a discussion, I'll ask that this thread be locked immediately.

[Danialla]

Thanks September,

It really was not the link that you provided, and I am sure that Rapunzel's link was innocent enough, but discussion is discussion.

Thank you for understanding...

P.S. There is really no need to lock the thread... we are all good. And your response should head off any further issues. Thanks September

[nothemama8]

love this thread
as to "Blooming where your planted" we planted a garden out front and got lazy (didn't weed ) we have preety blooms but also yucky weeds, so it looks like we need to take care of our garden ( ourselves included ) am I making any sense here ?
this moving crap has us drain bamaged.

[(JD)]

Makes sense to me.
Sometimes with gardens though, you have to just cut the weeds because pulling them will also uproot the flower plants.

Hide it under a basket? NO! I'm gonna let it shine.