Pam Padgett - teacher
John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light
of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but
shall have the light of life.
Jesus, the Word, is light. When a word is brought to our attention by the Holy Spirit we have light in the matter, showing us the way to go. We walk in light as we pay attention and go in the way we're shown by that
word, leaving the way of darkness (even when we didn't know we had been going in the way of darkness).
Two of the words God has recently been working with me by His Spirit are:
1 Peter 1:13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, ...
One of the ways we stay sober is to pay attention and believe truth the
Holy Spirit shows us about those we come in contact with.
James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the
friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a
friend of the world is the enemy of God.
Friends are on the same side, have common bonds of affection,
approve/support/encourage each other, wish success for each other.
One of my neighbors has a small dog-grooming business in her home. I
worked with her more than 20 years ago and I had seen her as a kind
person, especially when I saw how she and her husband cared for their
dogs. When she started dog grooming, I took my dogs for her to groom
and even gave her number to another neighbor who needed to have a dog
groomed. I saw her as a "friend" and wanted to support and encourage her in her business, even feeling a sort of obligation to do this.
But the Holy Spirit brought to my attention truth which showed me
that she is of the world going in ways of the world. We're not going the same way. We're not friends. I was even shown that she
doesn't consider us friends as she didn't return a phone call for over a
month, and then only when she was stirred up about something else. And I was reminded that I haven't been completely satisfied with the way she cut my dog's hair shorter than we had discussed.
By following the words I was given ... to be sober and not be a friend of the world ... I was able to start walking in
light (truth) in this matter, instead of the darkness of deceiving myself where
this neighbor is concerned. And my feeling of obligation to take my dog to
this neighbor for grooming was torn down.
My obligation is to serve
God and go in the way He leads me by the Holy Spirit. This also is light.
When considering where to take my dog for grooming, I considered the grooming area at the pet store near me. I had
once heard the dog trainer mention that one of the women there was a
very good groomer.
But instead of blindly following what this trainer had said, I turned to God and asked where to take the dog to be groomed. (Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Prov. 3:5-6)
I was reminded of a groomer I had used some years ago and made an appointment. When I took
my dog there, the way she handled the dog put me at ease immediately and
she cut the hair as we discussed.