Bottom Feeders!

Bottom feeder is a term that is often offensive as it can be construed as referring to someone of low status or value. Someone society frowns their noses at as if to say they are beneath them or inferior in nature. So, how would you respond if I said that I am a bottom feeder and that we should all desire to be bottom feeders? Keep in mind, terminology and catch phrases can be interpreted differently, so let’s redefine this phrase.

In life we will all experience mountain top experiences. Those times that we feel victorious, successful, accomplished and even invincible. These are usually times of great triumph, moments that we are most proud of. I thank God for these experiences as we all should desire to be successful in life. When we are in these moments, we take the time, as we should, to celebrate the fruit of our labor. We are thankful for what we were able to overcome to reach that peak in life. But, other than the commemoration itself, ask yourselves, what do we feast on in these moments? Additionally, there are times in life when we feel lower than low, those valley experiences. Times that we feel we cannot make it, we may feel betrayed, overwhelmed, defeated and weak. These times will cause us to fret and look at what we may have lost, what we cannot do and things we never may attain. Brothers and sisters, I am reminded that God’s ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts. In fact, God’s ways are usually contrary to our ways. If given a choice between these vastly different phases in life, most of us would prefer those mountain top experiences. We would much rather be high than low and stronger than weak. II Corinthians 12:9-11 (NIV) says…

“9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”.

Because of God’s grace we should not despise these weak moments, we should rather appreciate them because in these moments, though we don't feel like it, we are strong. This is because in our valley experiences when we are at life's bottom, we feast on God. We cleave to Him, cry out to Him, we learn His ways and we wait patiently on Him. Therefore, we are bottom feeders. We still eat well even at out lowest points, and we come away refreshed and restored. We must understand that we need both the sun and the rain, the highs, and the lows to grow. We cannot wait for those mountain top experiences to be nurtured, we must find nourishment even in the valley, for that is where our true strength comes from. Regardless of what it looks like, we can rejoice and find peace even in a low place. Wherever you may be in your life right now, whether you’re smiling or crying, on the top or on the bottom, remain connected to God and learn how to become a bottom feeder!