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Heart to Heart

    by Pat Chwialkowski

Deal or No Deal
Date Posted: September 8, 2010

They say one man’s junk is another man’s treasure. I have found this to be true, as I have learned to become an avid garage seller. But sometimes what appears as a deal is really no deal at all.

Recently I was visiting garage sales looking to buy some floral pictures for my newly renovated foyer. I wanted something that was pleasant to the eye and represented beauty and happiness. I thought I found it when I stumbled across a picture of a pretty green plant that had a black frame around it I knew it would look great against my dark lilac walls.

When I went to pay the two dollars for my bargain, I could not help but notice the snickers on the girls’ faces. That is when I got the notion to ask, “This is not a picture of a marijuana plant by chance, is it?” That is when their snickering turned into full blown laughter. Yes, hot mama here, almost bought herself a picture of a pot plant. What a statement that would have been!

I am happy to report though, that this almost erroneous transaction gave me the opportunity to share with these two young girls about my life. I told them that at one point in my life I could have identified this leafy plant...but that was before…and this is now.

What changed from before to now was finding Jesus. As I explained to them how Jesus can change a life, they kept steering our conversation back to churches that they had visited.

Well, this church was boring.

That church has a bunch of hypocrites in it.

And this church is full of grouchy judgmental people

I could not get these girls to hear about Jesus, because all they could think of were people.

They could not see Jesus because people were in the way. Hypocritical, joyless, boring church people. For after all, why would they want to be like that?

When I pulled away from the garage sale that day, I found myself praying. I thanked God for giving me the opportunity to share my faith with these young girls, even though they did not get it. But I also asked the Lord to help me get out of the way so that when people look at me, they see Jesus.

How is that possible? Well for starts, it’s not having a picture of a pot plant hanging in my foyer. You know…it’s the simple things.

Don't you realize that this is not the way to live? Unjust people who don't care about God will not be joining in his kingdom. Those who use and abuse each other, use and abuse sex, use and abuse the earth and everything in it, don't qualify as citizens in God's kingdom. A number of you know from experience what I'm talking about, for not so long ago you were on that list. Since then, you've been cleaned up and given a fresh start by Jesus.

1Corinthians 6:9-11The Message Bible

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Founder and Director of Key Ministries located in Lexington South Carolina.  You can reach us at keyministries@yahoo.com.  .