i know what it is

Every classroom teacher could write volumes on the unorthodox words/actions of her students.  Some of the things they do are thought-provoking, a few are downright bizarre, but I think, most of the unusual situations that occur are just plain humorous.

For example, one year as I stood at the door of the classroom, greeting students as they arrived, I could never have imagined what would happen in the next minute!  As he walked past me, one fifth-grader suddenly sniffed the air.
"What's that smell?" he demanded.
I asked, "Is it a good smell or a bad smell?"
"It smells like perfume!" he responded.
I extended my arm, wrist up, and asked, "Is this it?"
He sniffed. "YES!" he shouted, "What IS THAT?"
I suppressed a giggle and replied, "That's 'Passion.' My perfume is called 'PASSION.'
His face lit up and he continued to his desk; smiling dreamily, he added, "I LIKE 'PASSION.""

Recalling that incident recently, I had to smile. Then I thought of something else:

If Jesus has a favorite perfume, I think I know what it is!  It could very easily be called 'PASSION.'
The fragrance, coming from us, that would be the most pleasant to Him, would be the sweet, crisp scent of our passion for Him in our lives!  Daily being passionate for His presence, desperate for His love and mercy.  So passionate for Him that we could never be content to make a single move without His smiling nod of approval.  "I LIKE PASSION!" I can hear Him shout!  "Look at the way my people adore me! How sweet is their fragrance!"  "How could I not bless them today?!"

Indeed!  How could He not?!  We already know that the aroma of our sacrificial prayers for one another stir Him to action. (Ps. 141:2, I Tim. 2: 1-6, Phil. 4:18)  And that's when we are requesting His assistance, guidance, and provision.  How elated He must be when we simply love Him!  The very fragrance of our PASSION should fill heaven's halls with a glory that outshines even the sweetest flowers that we could bring and lay at His feet.

This week, throughout the Christian world, we celebrate Passion Week.  Referring to the Passion of Christ, for His church, that caused Him to give all He had for her, we honor Him with reverential thankfulness for that supreme sacrifice.  In return, we offer up ourselves that He might live again, in and through us.  What would happen if we kept it simple this year?  What if we didn't purchase that new outfit or shoes, and instead gave that money to the local homeless shelter?  What would happen if we thought of others first, just like Jesus did, and worshiped Him in spirit and TRUTH?!  Would that not be the sweetest aroma in His nostrils: the scent of our deliberate PASSION for Him, just Him.  It's just a thought, but I LIKE PASSION!!

chameleon

When you hear the word, "chameleon," you probably get an instant picture in your mind. For me, it's the cute little color-changing lizard in the movie "Tangled." Whatever you conjure up as your reference point, our various interpretations will be as individual as we are to each other.

According to Webster, chameleon is:

1

: any of a family (Chamaeleontidae) of chiefly arboreal Old World lizards with prehensile tail, independently movable eyeballs, and unusual ability to change the color of the skin

2

a : a person given to often expedient or facile change in ideas or character 

b : one that is subject to quick or frequent change especially in appearance 

 

Recently, the popular song from the eighties, Karma Chameleon by Culture Club, popped into my head. Just like everyone else, I can't recall all of the lyrics, but I know the chorus:

 

Karma, karma, karma, karma, karma chameleon...you come and go, you come and go.

The definition of chameleon also contains a list of synonyms or 'related' words:

egoist, egotist, self-seeker, conniver, plotter, schemer  (ouch!)

And that got me to thinking: 

I think that sometimes we play the chameleon with God. We come and go, we come and go. If things don't go our way, we lose our conviction...we change our colors to suit ourselves, or worse yet, to impress others.

Jesus would be correct in saying, "I heard you say that my love was an addiction. When we cling, our love is strong. [But] when you go, you're gone forever. You string along...you string along."

Additionally, karma is defined:
karma The Buddhist belief that whatever you do comes back to you, e.g. if you do something good, something good will happen to you, and vice versa. (Urban Dictionary) 

The oriental religions claim that they created "karma." But, I know better!

It's was God's idea, to begin with. He called it the Law of Seed Time & Harvest. A universal law, that cannot be broken...whatever you sow, you surely shall reap. If you plant peas, don't expect corn to come up. Call it karma or call it sowing and reaping: whatever you do comes back to you...whether good or bad!

Since that is the case, it would behoove us to follow God closely, so closely that we meld into His shadow, where there is no 'turning,' no changing, no confusion about Who He is and Who we are to Him. 

"I am the Lord, I change not." (Malachi 3:6, KJV) 

"Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and forever." (Hebrews 13:8, KJV) 

Keeping our colors true, expecting a good harvest from all of our daily choices, that is what I think He desires most of all from us. After all, the human chameleon would be defined as a self-seeker, a conniver, a schemer...who wants to be counted in that number?!

If you choose to be the spiritual chameleon, you can expect bad karma to kick your rear end all over the place. Instead, cling...let your love cling to the one Who loves you most. That's what will make you strong...a clinging love...a true addiction. Like the air that we breathe, His favor must become a necessity to us. No more coming and going, just a desperate clinging to Him!