A NEW PROFESSION
Today's reading: Matthew 17-19

What would your 'dream job' be? Where would you choose to work, if it were up to you? Who do you want to be when you 'grow up'?

Me? I've always thought I'd have truly enjoyed being Noah Webster's assistant! I love words! I enjoy knowing their history, their definitions, their proper spellings. I'm fascinated with, although not always correct in the use of, the English language.

Well, I was until this morning.

I've come upon a verse that sent me scurrying to my online dictionary/thesaurus. I just wanted to know a little more about one simple word. I was fully aware of the definition, but wanted to assure myself--to see what other words might work in its place.

I wish I hadn't.

Were you aware you can be convicted by the Holy Spirit via a dictionary?

Here's the verse, see what it does for you...

"Beware that you don't despise a single one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father." Romans 18:10 NLT

Let's begin that every human is 'one of these little ones'. Size matters not. Age matters not. What determines if they are His is the fact that He breathed life into them. We're all His little ones.

Be careful that we don't despise anyone, it might read.

Despise. Despise? I don't think there is a single person I despise. I truly cannot think of a soul I hate.

That's when I pulled up the dictionary. And found what I found. And felt what I felt. And was convicted by how I dealt with His little ones.

What I found is that to 'despise' means also to disfavor. To pass over. To disregard. To scorn. To overlook. To neglect. To slight. To shirk.

Ouch. I'm guilty. I 'despise' people. I 'despise' His little ones.

My morning greetings at church today will be altered to this morning's verse. Yes, who I speak to, who I make an effort to greet, who I walk clear across the church to welcome will be affected this morning by my time in the...dictionary!