Target on My Back

When you do your best, you set yourself up as a target. Did you know that? Well, you should know it because that is exactly what happens. You see, when you do your best, you make a conscious effort about something. When you deliberately decide to do a thing and give it all you have you are saying, "Come what may, I am going to get this done!" Your determination and drive are so palpable that folk will gravitate toward you just to take a look. Some people will leave you to it and say or think, "Nice goal to have; good luck." Others will look at you and allow the seed of jealousy to arise within themselves. Then they will set out to sabotage the work that you are striving to do.

The Bible is full of people who had that kind of an attitude, both good and bad, two of which, for the bad, are Jezebel and Pharaoh, and for good, Elijah and Moses. These two people are examples of the bad. Most of us know the story, so I will not go into much detail here, just mention two key verses.  LIsten to the ultimatum that Jezebel delivers to Elijah:

Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time. (1 Kings 19:2)

Now, look at the ultimatum that Pharaoh delivered in person to Moses:

And Pharaoh said unto him, Get thee from me, take heed to thyself, see my face no more; for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die. (Exodus 10:28)

Zenith

You can go on and read the stories yourself, but I wanted to address the target that some of us wear on our backs. Moses and Elijah, both were nearing their zenith in their work for the Lord. And that is the point that I wanted to make today. You don't have to worry about the target that is on your back as long as you are doing your best for the Lord. You see, when men do all kinds of things to you, just keep working and keep believing because the God of heaven has your back. I have never seen anyone get the best of God. I have seen, through Biblical history and through the lives of my relatives and through my own life, God's "...Working things out for good." (Romans 8:28, KJV)

 

Hurt

Somebody said, "Yes, but Grammy Alma, wasn't it hard when you had to suffer some of the things that folk put you through?" Of course, it was hard! But every time I find myself in the crosshairs of a particularly aggressive enemy, I step up my prayers, ask for more faith, and I keep stepping. You see; I know that even if I am taken down like Stephen the martyr was, I know that I do so in the design of the Lord and I know what is waiting on me when I get to Paradise. Either way, I win. :)

Danger

But you know what I have discovered down through the years, it is a dangerous game that folk play when they align their crosshairs on a child of God. Because we have faith in Him and lean on Him, we step resolutely on knowing that at the end of our pain a blessed sweet reward awaits. We know that we serve at the behest of the Invisible God of the Bible who controls earth, wind, water, fire and the lives of men.

And you know what else I have determined within my soul? I have determined that I will do like those old faithful people of the Bible and keep doing my best wherever the Lord sends me. I am going to keep doing my best until I reach my zenith in my work for the Lord. And because I trust Him, I will do as cream does after the churning, I will rise to the top. God will do that, you know. Don't believe me? Look at David; look at Rahab; look at Ruth, etc. Read your Bible, folks; take a good look!

For Those Children of the Invisible God Who Are Wearing a Target on Your Backs - Step on!...

Stepping On While Doing What I Can, While I Can Because I Care,

Alma L. Grateful Carr-Jones