Power Of Shedding

Pure Poodle Love

Key Scripture:  “And hope does not disappoint, because the Love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.”   Romans 5:5

Power Point:

     Those of you, who read “Power UP” regularly, know that I have a passel of poodles. Five to be exact. The reason we have poodles is that I am actually allergic to dogs and poodles don’t shed. God created them just for me. Poodles only shed love.

     In the last year or so we have gotten to know some new dogs, which are “shedders”. When they leave, we have to get out the vacuum and suction up all the hair.  I love the dogs so I put up with the shedding.

As I was talking to the Lord about someone in my life, He said, “Sweetheart, they are “shedders”.  They walk into your life and “shed” their problems or their “issues” and then they leave. They shed chaos into your peace and then you are left to clean it up.”  The next part was really important.  He said, “You keep cleaning up what they’ve shed and I’ll take care of the “shedding”.

I got it!  I realized that I am responsible to love them and HE is the one who will manage the things that cause them to shed.  In other words, I can draw boundaries around what I allow to remain in my life and I can run my spiritual vacuum and make sure my space remains clean. It’s not their fault if I don’t clean up.

    Do you have a “shedder” in your life? I was talking to someone yesterday and they were saying that there were people they talked to at times that when the conversation was finished, they felt dirty, as though they needed a bath. Those people are “shedders”. We need to draw our boundaries and make sure that we clean up after them. And we need to make sure that what they have shed on us doesn’t remain in us.

     Jesus said that we’re to shed Light on things. We’re supposed to shed peace, love, kindness and the power of His Spirit wherever we go and whatever we do. Vets say that often when dogs shed too much, they’re nutritionally deficient in some area. People who don’t eat regularly at God’s table are deficient as well. They need to change their diet. You can probably help with that- just keep offering them the good nutritious things from God’s table.  If they’d rather only eat “junk food” God is the one who will change their tastes.You just keep shedding His light. 

     As you look around your life today are there some places that need to be spiritually vacuumed? Do you need to clean up the residue of the “shedders”?  As you begin your day today, brush off the chaos that others have shed and be sure to eat a healthy breakfast at God’s table, perfectly prepared to keep you nutritionally sound. Make sure that you are shedding light and peace wherever you go so that other people don't have to drag out their vacuums when you leave. Practice being a poodle. Shed some love!

Power Thought:

The word “shed” means to “bestow or distribute largely”. What will you shed today?