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I’ve spent a lot of time with teenagers over the years, and without wanting to stereotype or say that all teenagers fit into the same category, I would say that generally they are trying to be accepted, to fit in and to know that people like them. (Perhaps those feelings don’t disappear when we leave the teenage years behind.) I have known a lot of teenage girls especially who have tried to impress people by the clothes and make-up that they wear.

I Peter 3:3-4 instructs us not to focus on external beauty, but on the condition of our hearts. This passage was specifically addressed to wives of unbelieving husbands, but I think that it applies to everyone. Our inner beauty will shine through as long as what we wear to enhance our outer beauty doesn’t speak more loudly. Peter was not saying that we should dress in rags and take no consideration of our grooming (because that would speak loudly too); he was warning against being outrageous and drawing attention to our physical features. I Samuel 16:7 tells us that people look at outward appearance, but God looks at the heart. It is our hearts that He is concerned with, but the condition of our hearts is displayed in our words and actions, including the way we dress.

I think parents really need to focus on open communication with their children and teaching them to be modest, sincere and pleasing to God. And they need to do it before the influence of the world tells them otherwise. Henry Winkler, as his character Arthur Fonzarelli, in the old sit-com Happy Days, once said, “I only got one thing to say to you Shortcake. You put out an advertisement, someone is going to answer that ad.” In Romans 12:1-2, Paul said that instead of selling out to the world, we should make our bodies a living sacrifice—alive, holy and pleasing to God.

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I belong to a book club/Bible study group made up of a dozen or so ladies ranging in age from about 35 to 75. We encourage each other, and help each other out by sharing from our wide base of experiences, as well as with practical things like painting and kitchen duties. And we laugh. A lot. These ladies have become very dear friends to me, and I look forward to and treasure our times together. It has never mattered what book we chose to read; I attend because I value their friendship.

In the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon, a king known for his wisdom, laments the meaninglessness of almost everything, but in Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, he promotes the benefits of companionship. Life is better with a friend or two. Labour is easier. Some tasks are just too difficult, even for a strong, independent person to do alone. If one gets hurt or into a bad situation, another is there to call for help. If they are travelling through the wilderness, as many would have in Solomon’s day, they can huddle together to stay warm. Today think of being in a stranded vehicle on an isolated highway in the winter. And, perhaps, most important of all, they can protect each other from their adversary. We do that in our group. We help each other to see how the enemy, Satan, is attacking our souls, and we stand together on God’s word, and through prayer, to fight back. Like a three-stranded cord, we are stronger together.

In the beginning, when God created each aspect of the universe, He declared it good. The first thing that He declared not good was that man was alone. (Genesis 2:18) So He created a helper suitable for him. Galatians 6:2 instructs us to bear one another’s burdens, and Hebrews 10:24-25 tells us to not give up meeting together. We were made for community. George Eliot described a best friend as a “well-spring in the wilderness”, an oasis. Take time to cultivate your friendships. All other striving is meaningless without them.

Well here we are again December. Sometimes the days and months seem to fly right by, and sometimes they seem to move so slowly. The fact is the length of a minute, day or week doesn’t change; it is all about our perceptions and expectations. Do you remember when you were younger--or maybe not so much younger--waiting for Christmas? You had asked for something you really wanted, and you could hardly wait until Christmas morning to see if Santa / a parent / a sibling… had listened to your request.

The Israelites had been waiting for not weeks or months, but years, centuries even, for the Messiah who had been promised to them. As a matter of fact, God gave them a hint in Isaiah 7:14, and it was still about 700 years before the promise was fulfilled. As I said in my last post, waiting can make you doubt. Some of the Israelites may have even forgotten what they were waiting for. But a man named Simeon didn’t. (Luke 2:25-32) He was very devout, and he was waiting patiently for the Lord to reveal His gift, the Messiah. He had been told by the Holy Spirit that he would see the Messiah before he died. (Luke 2:26) Just as an aside: isn’t it a good thing that Simeon recognized when the Holy Spirit was speaking and then listened to Him? That is what brought Simeon to the temple the day that Mary and Joseph arrived with Jesus. The Bible doesn’t tell us how old Simeon was, but it does tell us that now that he had seen the Messiah, his life purpose had been fulfilled. He was ready to depart from this world. (Luke 2:29)

The people of Israel had been waiting an incomprehensibly long time for their Messiah to be revealed, and many of them, like Simeon, remained faithful to the task. The very same Messiah is here knocking at our door, and all we have to do is open it and let Him in--no waiting required. (Revelation 3:20) It can be Christmas morning for us at any time. All we have to do is accept the gift.