God is testing me.

I had the opportunity to teach Sunday school last week, and enjoyed it very much. I am a teacher by God's design, and if I'm not teaching in some capacity I am lost and miserable. My soul knows that that's what I'm supposed to do. As Beth Moore says, if every time you learn something new you feel compelled to tell it to everyone around you, you can be pretty sure you've been called to teach.

Anyway, I taught last Sunday on love. As I've blogged before, the Lord has really been working on me in this area. He's reminding me over and over how much can be accomplished just by loving the people I come in contact with. There's so much to be said for the Golden Rule. And if we can just slow down enough to really connect with someone, who knows where God might take that? He's been showing me so much through 1 John and especially 1 Peter lately. They are both packed with instruction on how to live in this world. I felt like I was doing pretty well at this. Until about 1/2 an hour ago.

I just asked Jeff why he moved the garbage cans into the garage a few days ago. Since he bought his new truck, we can't figure out how to get both cars in the garage and still have room to get in and out of them. So there's extra space beside my van, and it's amazing how quickly you can start putting stuff in the middle of the floor when you don't have to make room for a vehicle. But I digress.

He answered my very innocent inquiry by telling me that we had gotten a letter from our homeowner's association informing us that our garbage cans must be moved or we will be fined $100. Apparently, you can see my garbage cans from the road. Apparently our new homeowner's president is suffering from a severe Napoleon complex. I must pause while this hot flash passes over.

May I just say that we have lived in this house for 3 1/2 years, and my garbage cans have been in exactly that same location for the entire duration of our residence? They are strategically placed behind a tree at the corner of my house so that if you are looking at my house straight on, you most certainly will not see them. In fact, the only way you can see my waste receptacles is if you are coming toward my house from the back of my neighborhood. Which means that unless someone actually complained about seeing my trash cans, the person that wrote this letter had to have been driving around looking to see if they could spot any renegade trash so that they could make a list and go home and self-righteously write up their list of demands. Because, you see, if we get fined and refuse to pay it, their next step is to place a lien on my house.

My first instinct right now is to call up Jean Walker and Associates and very politely tell them to pick a cheek as I bend over. Or not so politely. I'm actually somewhat taken back by the level of anger I'm experiencing over this. Jeff didn't even tell me about the letter, so obviously it didn't bend him completely out of shape. Or else he quickly envisioned the previously described scenario and thought it best to keep this on an adult level.

So what is one to do? As I walked in and sat down on the couch and asked God to help me calm down, I was immediately confronted with what the Lord showed me this morning while we were having coffee.

Friends, this world is not your home, so don't make yourselves cozy in it. Don't indulge your ego at the expense of your soul. Live an exemplary life among the natives so that your actions will refute their prejudices. Then they'll be won over to God's side and be there to join in the celebration when he arrives.

Make the Master proud of you by being good citizens. Respect the authorities, whatever their level; they are God's emissaries for keeping order. It is God's will that by doing good, you might cure the ignorance of the fools who think you're a danger to society. Exercise your freedom by serving God, not by breaking the rules. Treat everyone you meet with dignity. Love your spiritual family. Revere God. Respect the government. (1 Peter 2:11-17)

Sigh. There are days that it's easier to walk with God than others.