5 minute read
RED CARPET READY
by DeAnn Alaine
Now That’s a Gift!
The day was March 27, 1979, and I was six years old. The sun had just come up; it was the only day I was excited to be cleaning. Anyway, I would help clean and work at staying out of the way (I was the youngest). Why was this day different? Hey, some of you are getting ahead of me! But you’re right—it was my birthday.
After some hilarious games, it was time for the presents— my second love language. To this day, if someone placed a six-pack of chocolate fudge pudding in a gift bag with tissue paper, I’d be thrilled! I was the kind of girl who liked Hot Wheels, Sit-N-Spin, and Play-Dough! Then it happened. One of the girls asked me to open her present. It was an odd shape, and when I turned it on its side, she hollered, “No! You must keep it this way!”
I started to carefully open the gift, and you’ll never guess what one 6-year-old gave to another 6-year-old. A plant! My sisters were laughing so hard and there was my mother saying, “Honey, hold up your plant so I can take a picture!”
I tried very hard to smile through the agony of getting a plant—and to get that moment memorialized with a Polaroid?!?!?! I think my mother enjoyed that situation a little too much.
As a believer, I’m beyond grateful for the gift of salvation that Jesus freely gave to me. But what about the gift of being proven by God—like Daniel in the lion’s den, Noah as he built the ark, or Job losing everything! All these men were counted righteous before these situations occurred. For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you (Romans 12:3 NIV).
Did you catch that? …in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Every believer is given a measure of faith! Each of these men knew who they were in Christ because they knew His voice, and they knew they could trust the Lord regardless of the outcome. So when He leads me into potentially challenging situations, I will follow His lead because I trust Him. Because I trust Him, I have even more faith now than I did in the past: the Lord + time = trust and faith. The more I trust Him, the more my faith in Him grows. Because my faith grows, the Lord will use trials to show me how I have grown and highlight my own deficiencies so I can become more like Him!
It was by faith that Moses’ parents hid him for three months when he was born. They saw that God had given them an unusual child, and they were not afraid to disobey the king’s command. It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin (Hebrews 11:23-25 NLT).
All too often, I have heard people declaring things by faith that are attached to carnal objects like a car, promotion, or a new house. The Lord does give us those things because we're His children and He loves us, but I don't see evidence of Him giving us those things because of our great faith. In fact, what I have seen in the Word of God is that people of great faith were proven publicly with the potential for disgrace, revealing whether they would live or die for the sake of the Gospel.
We're His children and He loves us.
Sometimes being Red Carpet Ready has to do with pretty shoes, tucking my fat into the gown, and trying not to fall on my face! But most of the time when I refer to The Red Carpet, I’m talking about the blood of Jesus that was poured out for you and me as well as the importance of staying on the narrow path, especially in a season of proving.
Of the presents I received that year for my birthday, the plant is the only thing I remember, which reminds me never to underestimate a gift. Being proven in the fire and refined by His loving hand is a very difficult but welcoming gift—because without it, we couldn’t continue becoming more like Him, which is the point of why we’re here. To be living stories that people can read so they, in turn, can potentially receive their gift of salvation, NOW THAT’S A GIFT!
DeAnn Alaine is a comedienne whose mandate from the Lord is to bring joy to the world. She's a contributing author of Miracle Mindset and the creator/director of the multi-award winning sitcom, Fade Away. If you’d like to view the trailer or book DeAnn for your next ladies event, go to www.deannalaine.com
