Making a List, Checking It Twice

"He's makin' a list, checking it twice,
Gonna find out who's naughty and nice,
Santa Claus is comin' to town."

How many times during the Christmas season do we hear this familiar song in grocery stores, on CDs, and during Christmas parades? Too many to count! I myself am a quite dedicated list-maker. I make lists for all kinds of things: groceries, chores, things we need to buy when money becomes available, etc. And oh, what a feeling of accomplishment I feel when I cross things off the list! :o)

When I first discovered the blogosphere, I made list, too- a list of blogs that I loved and wanted to visit often. And, I'm guilty to admit, I began to make another list as well. A mental list of characteristics I saw in these admirable women...women I wanted to emulate. For example, what flashes through your mind when you think of the woman who does all of the following:

• grinds her own wheat for homemade bread
• ONLY breastfeeds her babies
• sews all of her family's clothes
• homeschools her family
• decorates a perfect home
• spends very little on groceries, yet always prepares sumptuous, healthy meals
• gives birth with NO drugs
• only wears dresses and skirts
• keeps her children well-groomed always
• can knit, crochet, tat, and quilt
• is a prolific reader of all things

Wow! You may say. Where is HER blog? What an incredible Proverbs 31 woman! Now, let me add one more to the list.

• non-believer

Hmmmm...changes the list quite a bit, eh? It is quite easy to look at a person's accomplishments, clothing, and activities and believe that she is a Christian from those alone. However, the sum of these statements does not add up to one act of faith- acceptance of Jesus Christ as personal Savior.

In a comment to a recent post, one of my dear readers, fromCa., gave a word of caution to those who advocate the products of the Vision Forum company. While I must admit I have only been pleased with the products we have purchased from this company, she is absolutely right: as believers we must be truly cautious. Our caution must lie in the fact that although by all appearances things may be good, we must align every thing we allow in our homes to God's infallible Word. We must ultimately look at our persons as "heart mirrors" reflecting God's truth to an unsaved world, not rely on our exterior "flesh mirrors" to reflect Him. Although I firmly believe that the changes of the heart based on salvation will cause a concern for the worldly exterior as well, we must make certain that it is indeed the heart tuned to Christ and not a vain desire to "fit in to Christian circles" that causes each conviction in our lives to occur.

Dear friends, holding God's Word as our foremost authority in all things removes much of the doubt and decision in our lives. Let us look only to Him for our "lists"!

Checking His List, Norman Rockwell
Graphic Courtesy of Allposters

Comments

[Milehimama]

This is very true. Fortunately (or unfortunately, actually), I am generally in the habit of applying discernment to all things because of our secularized, non-Christian culture. It's so funny you mentioned Vision Forum - I just discovered it yesterday, looking for a rubber band gun for my son, and haven't really had a chance to browse. I would be interested in reading Roberta's comments on the matter - can you give me a link?

[Emily]

Wow, this is a well-worded, very succinct, and meaningful post! I'm always in need of a the reminder to be discerning! Thanks!

Emily

[Mrs. Wilt]

Whoops! It was not Roberta's comment, but fromCa.'s comment that I mentioned in this post. I have changed the post to reflect that as well as added a link to the original comment! Sorry about that! :o)

[Chrissy]

Very good advice, as usual, Mrs. W.!

[Barb]

What you said is so true.The comment you made reference to was right on.
Let us not judge others on the externals, for it is the heart that counts...
We should ask ourselves, is my life given completely to Christ??? Are the things I am doing done to bring Him glory? Do I do these things to: fit in,be admired,or just because someone else does them ? I want my motivation to be for God's glory....

[Sarah (Mrs Blythe)]

too true Mrs Wilt, too true :)

ohhh but I do love lists ;)

[Donna B]

I think we've all had to learn this lesson at some point or another.

[Kim]

I am a great fan of your blog but I have to admit the VF warning upset me a bit. It is one thing if there is a documented problem with idol worship/pride/whatnot. But is this not also "judging by externals" and making assumptions about them based on dress or ideals?

I mention this because we have had Christians who rolled their eyes or stereoptyped us because we were in skirts or homestead or homebirth. On the flip side it doesn't go over well to suggest that perhap the teens in the mini-skirts or pierced or you name it might be following the world's standards (ideals?).

Ultimately we all have to make choices about external things like clothing, diet, and so on. Those choices do not amount to our salvation of course but they should not be cause for our fellow believers to make assumptions about our motives. I know for us those choices were made because they led to a simpler, saner life which in turn did facilitate opportunities for spiritual growth which were more challenging in a commericialized, material environment.

In the absence of a documented problem why should we not support an idealistic company? What is the alternative? Walmart? A commercialized Christian company? Are those choices better? Guess I am just trying to follow this argument to its logical end and am confused.

[Brenda]

I have homeschooled long enough now (in "our" junior year of high school) to have seen a lot of homeschool heros come and go.

However, I believe most of these people represent the Body of Christ to us. Some, as in Vision Forum, will emphasize lifestyle and way of living; another will place an emphasis on a different aspect.

For instance, one family is an expert on American History, another on logic and classical homeschooling, yet another...farm life and getting back to the land.

I think it entirely possible to take of the fruit from each Christian/Homeschool leader without making any of them into hero worship.

My son took an American History class at his co-op last year where they used entirely DVDs and videos from Vision Forum. It was a lifechanging class for him.

It is not those in leadership we should try to pull from their pedestal, if it is indeed we who put them there. Instead of pulling them off, let's just look at them from a different direction as being part of His Body...eye to eye...and thankful for what role they play in His Story.

[Maureen]

Personally Vision Forum makes me uncomfortable on several levels. We got the catalogue for a bit but never bought anything. I agree with the need to raise strong godly young men but the abundance of weapons/army gear makes me very uncomfortable and the emphasis on brothers taking care of their sisters is a little strange to me. I'm the oldest of three and honestly my eleven year old brother can't protect me any better than I can myself. Well, maybe now that he's done foot ball. But anyway, my point is, their view of family life seems to me to be almost saccarine. I would rather be honest about problems and how to fix them than imagine that everything is always going to be great because realistically it isn't.

My $.02, somewhat jumbled.

[Maureen]

Oh, and I forgot to say that while I agree that we shouldn't focus on the clothes and food etc. and believe someone is Christian from that, I would also say that it's not wrong to use what people like that have to offer us. :)

[Mrs. Wilt]

Dear friends,
I truly hope that my thoughts were not misrepresented in this post. I am not slamming Vision Forum (or its products, founders, etc.); as a matter of fact, Mr. Wilt and I have both purchased many items from this company. Rather, I am saying that we should judge all things, whether they come from Vision Forum or Keepers of the Faith or wherever, in the light of God's Word. Make certain you have convictions based on Scripture and not just because "so and so at such and such blog" thinks it is right. We need to be Bereans, daily searching the Scriptures to "find out whether these things are so" (Acts 17:11). This is not a judgment, rather an exhortation to be cautious in promoting ideals which have not been thoroughly and Biblically examined.

In His joy, Mrs. Wilt

[Heather]

I agree Mrs. Wilt! Christians should be the most thoughtful people in the world, carefully measuring everything by the only ruler that counts - God's Word!
As the wife of a former Pastor I would also add that we must be measuring our Pastor's words too! Get out your Bible and follow along, ask questions and be in the Word daily, seeking wisdom from the source. Too often my husband heard 'well Pastor, you've got the degree or you're in the business so I'll take your word for it!' No thank you! Pastors are fallable people too and their teaching needs to be measured by God's Word alone. They make mistakes.
Of course, if you see an error, please please don't choose Sunday before the sermon for a confrontation, but seek to lovingly search out the Truth with your Pastor and both of you will benefit from the study of God's Word.

[Roberta]

Phew!!! Got me worried for a minute there wondering what comments I had made. LOL
Good post. I find myself drawn into craft blogs and then have to re-evaluate if certain ones are really wise to read for the reasons you mentioned.

[Mrs.B]

This was an excellent post!

Idealizing **any** person, ministry, or company is not a good thing. Like you said Mrs. Wilt, we must apply Acts 17:11.

Blessings,
~Mrs.B

[Christine]

What beautiful thoughts, Mrs.Wilt. It is so easy to judge by mere externals because those are so apparent. But the heart truly is the most critical element to every person. It is important to ask God to help us to look on man's heart, as He does, rather than externals. There is no deed we can do to perfect the workings of God in our lives. May our external appearance and deeds be a reflection of hearts which beat solely for His Glory. Blessings and prayers, Mrs.Wilt. Thank you for the wonderful reminder.