Confidence

     Remember that song from The Sound of Music? Maria sings "I Have Confidence" when she faces the challenge of becoming governess to the seven children of the stern widower, Captain Von Trapp.  Maria had confidence in sunshine, rain, in confidence alone and in herself.

     Confidence is a popular subject.  It's all over magazine covers and TV commercials.  But will having clear skin or good insurance really make you confident?  And even if it does, is that the kind of confidence you need?  What happens if you have a pre-existing condition or wake up with a pimple?

     The Bible talks a lot about confidence and how to get it.  But it doesn't tell you to get "confidence in me".  The problem with "confidence in me" is that me isn't always beautiful, healthy and wise.  And if "me" pretends to be, then "me" is an egotistical jerk.

     God wants our main confidence to be in Him.  "But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence." Jeremiah 17:7 NLT

     This makes perfect sense because, unlike me, God is always beautiful, healthy and wise!  And so much more!  All-knowing, all-powerful, everywhere present, completely just, completely loving...  Totally trustworthy. "Trust in the Lord forever, For in YAH, the Lord, is everlasting strength" Isaiah 26:4 NKJV

     And if we accept His gift of forgiveness, God guarantees that we will spend eternity in Heaven with Him.  If you have accepted Jesus as your Savior, you're His.  He promises that He is always with you and that everything that happens to you, whether happy or sad, is for your good.  "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." Romans 8:28 NLT

"In my distress I prayed to the Lord, and the Lord answered me and set me free. The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me? Yes, the Lord is for me; he will help me. I will look in triumph at those who hate me." Psalm 118:5-7

   He says you are cherished, protected and headed for Heaven.  And because He is one hundred percent trustworthy and Truth itself, we can have perfect, bold, passionate CONFIDENCE!

"But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation."    
1 Thessalonians 5:8

The Dog Whisperer: Calm Submission to Our Heavenly Pack Leader

       The National Geographic Channel's The Dog Whisperer with Cesar Milan features misbehaving canines who get a visit from the highly successful dog trainer.  He shares his dog psychology philosophy which centers around the pack.        
       Dogs are pack animals and need direction.  When the owner is not the "pack leader", dogs develop problems like insecurity, fear, obsession, and aggression.  Cesar teaches pet owners to practice "calm assertive energy" and to nurture "calm submissive" energy in their dogs.
       The show is both exciting and soothing.  Exciting because it presents out of control situations and soothing because a confident authority figure, Cesar, comes in and corrects the situations with the best intentions for everyone involved.  Cesar is all about being calm so it makes sense that the show, even though it's full of crazy barking and wild behavior, is strangely calming.
       Cesar occasionally brings his favorite dog with him on cases, a pit bull named Daddy.  Daddy helps Cesar by modeling calm submissive behavior to other dogs.  No matter what happens when he and Cesar visit problem dogs, Daddy is unfazed, curious, with tail wagging.
       On one episode, Cesar is dealing with a territorial dog.  Cesar has to enter the backyard gate with the dog ready to attack.  Cesar brings Daddy to help him as he enters.  Cesar opens the gate and the dog goes crazy, lunging at Daddy.  But Daddy doesn't respond.  Cesar explains that even though the other dog was showing aggression towards Daddy, Daddy won't return the aggression or run away because he is with Cesar, his pack leader.
       Cesar and Daddy remind me of Christians and God.  Of course, God loves us more than a person could ever love a pet.  He loves us infinitely more than we can even understand.  But God wants us to be "calm submissive".  To trust Him no matter what is going on around us.  To obey Him even when we don't understand, it's difficult or it hurts.
       No matter what "dogs" are attacking us.  Whether they are hostile family members, coworkers or strangers.  Whether they are blatantly aggressive, snide or arrogant.  God wants us to be like Daddy and just- not react.  Not with insecurity, fear, obsession or aggression.  Because we're with Him.  We don't have to be afraid.  We don't have to defend ourselves.  We're with Him.  Every moment.  We need to trust Him to handle the situation His way.  And obey.

Psalm 27:1
"The Lord is my light and my salvation;

Whom shall I fear? 

The Lord is the strength of my life;

 Of whom shall I be afraid?"

Psalm 55:22
"Cast your burden on the Lord, And He shall sustain you;
He shall never permit the righteous to be moved."

1 Peter 3:17   "For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good then for doing evil."

2 Timothy 2:23-26
"But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will."