The other day I found myself watching old episodes of the
Brady Bunch and it brought back memories.
I remember watching this show growing up. The timeless reruns were always showing on
some classic television channel, and the life lessons were always relevant. One of the most memorable episodes was where
Jan, the middle daughter, felt like she was always in the shadow of her older sister, Marcia.
Everything was about Marcia. Marcia, Marcia, Marcia! I couldn't relate to that situation back then, being
the youngest child in my family. I just
thought Jan was an overly dramatic girl that always wanted attention. Isn't it funny that as an adult, that episode
took on an entirely different meaning?
Whether you have had the pleasure of being the middle
child or the only child, the feeling of being unnoticed or forgotten has come
over all of us at some point in our lives.
It doesn't have to be in a family situation. It can be in your career, education, even in
your relationships. There are times in
our lives where no matter what we do, we are overlooked. Can you identify with any of these people?
- James worked for the same company faithfully for 5 years, the epitome of the perfect employee. He would come in early and stay late and the time in between would be spent diligently working with a positive attitude and a smile. Regardless of the obstacles that came his way, James remained positive and continued to meet goals and often times exceed them. A spot opened up in management and James knew he was a shoe in. However, upper management offered the position to another employee that had only been with the company less than a year and had less experience than James. The once positive employee turned resentful and unmotivated.
- Carla was in her final months of culinary school and maintained a high grade point average. She worked for different restaurants gaining hands on experience during school and was able to create a large portfolio showcasing her recipes and culinary art. Every year the dean of the academy wrote letters of recommendation to three of the most deserving students of the graduating class. It was an honor to receive the recommendation and a significant boost in finding a job in a reputable restaurant after graduation. The day the names of the recipients were announced, Carla was calm and confident. When her name wasn't on the list, Carla felt defeated and doubted her abilities as a chef.
- Gracie was a faithful single Christian woman that lived to serve. She would devote her free time to the church doing outreaches and volunteering in any and all areas. With a strong desire to find true love and be married, Gracie participated in many singles events and even joined the singles ministry at her church. As time went on Gracie would soon see most of her friends getting engaged and married, even those who didn't walk on the same path with the Lord that she did. When one of the new believers in the single’s ministry became engaged, Gracie found it hard to be happy for her. Her dejected heart felt as if she were abandoned and forgotten by her Creator.
These three
individuals felt the same thing that Jan felt being in the shadow of her
sister. The bible has good example of
this that often times people miss. In Luke 15, Jesus tells a story about a
wealthy man with two sons. His younger
son decides he wants his inheritance right away instead of waiting until after
his father dies. His father grants him
his request and he goes off and enjoys inheritance. We all know how the story ends. After spending all his money partying and
having a good time, the younger son finds himself broke, busted and disgusted and
returns home. Happy to see his
rebellious son come home, the wealthy man tells the household staff to plan a
party and spare no expense. His son has
returned home. He gave his son jewelry
and clothed him with an expensive robe and shoes. The celebration was about to begin for his
son had come home.
What most people
forget to recall was that the older brother, who had stayed home and worked the
family business faithfully, heard about the elaborate party that was
underway. How could his younger brother
get all of this and he gets overlooked?
When he confronted his father in verse 29 he says, “Look, these many
years I have served you and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave
me a young goat that I may celebrate with my friends.” The father looks at his son and responds
these few words that carry so much weight:
“Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.” All
that is mine is yours. The wealthy
father told his son that everything he had was his, so why was he upset?
Often times we forget that we are the daughters and sons
of the King and that He tells us that all He has is ours. We look at what is going on around us and
what this person has and what that person has and think that He has forgotten
about us. That is simply not true. Like the older son, we don’t know why the
others get what they do, but we have to remember we are who we are. If you knew that you had access to billions
of dollars, would you be upset if someone won a thousand dollars in the lottery?
What does that have to do with these situations, you
ask? It all boils down to faith. If we trust and believe in the blessings, the
blessings will come. Let’s say in the
situations of James, Carla and Gracie, they remained positive and full of
faith. How would their situations have
ended differently?
- James continued being a model employee and met every goal presented to him. A few months after being passed up for team manager, James was approached for a position as director of training and development. The position paid more than the team manager position and offered more authority than all of the managers. He became one of the most respected employees in the company.
- Carla continued high grades until graduation despite not receiving a recommendation from the dean. The day after graduation, Carla received a phone call from her boss at the restaurant she worked at as a low level cook. He offered her a promotion as a chef assistant and a significant raise. The restaurants that would have required the recommendation letter would never have hired her at such a high position with high pay. Carla was better off.
- Gracie continued serving in the church and volunteering her time to different outreaches. One day at an event, she met a youth pastor from a different church and they instantly hit it off. Before long, Gracie was engaged to be a pastor's wife. She didn't meet him in any of the single's clubs or single's events. She met her husband in the place where God had called her to be, and it couldn't have been more perfect.
These endings can be your ending;
it all depends on your level of faith. Remember who you are and who your Creator
is. God’s plans for you are perfect. He hasn't forgotten about you. Don’t forget about Him.
Mending
Maria
