HILL OF BEANS! 5/4/14

AMAZING how many things we say and wonder; why do we say that or what does that mean!
I ran across "not worth a hill of beans and decided this was worth blogging about. How many times have we looked at something in a yard sale, or in a major store and said, out loud, "that’s not worth a hill of beans!" I know I have! And, I’ve wondered why I say that! I didn’t know what it meant! Saying things that we don’t know what it means is not a good thing. We should know what we are saying and we should know especially, what we are saying, means.

I DON"T SUPPOSE anyone today has ever seen a hill of beans. In the era when most family households grew their own food, everyone had plenty of them; a hill of beans, that is.
A cluster of seeds covered with a mound of earth constituted a hill. Long rows in the garden included so many hills that no one bothered to count them. For practical purposes this meant that a single hill of beans was so nearly worthless, that its value couldn’t be estimated.

I HAVE a red book called; "Why You Say It, by Webb Garrison!" It has over 600 everyday words and phrases, along with stories. I love it! I don’t look at it often,but when I do, I have to scan a lot of pages before putting it down again.

I HAVE heard this phrase said on the TV. I have heard others talking about possible family members. I suppose a father would talk to his daughter about the young man who is calling on her. He would say; "He isn’t worth a hill of beans; you can do better!" Obviously the father’s concern would be that the young man would never be a good provider for his daughter. If they married, he would end up taking care of both of them!

GOD’S WORD pretty much says Israel was not worth a hill of beans! He didn’t exactly use those words but in my book they mean the same thing. "We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like filthy rags. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. There is no one that calls upon your name, that stirs himself to take hold of you; for you have hid your face from us, and have delivered us into the hand of our sins. Isaiah 64:6-7 What does that sound like to you?

"YET O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hands. Be not exceedingly angry, O Lord, and remember not our sins for ever. Behold, consider, we are all your people!" Isaiah 64:8-9 Right away we want to argue with God, when we think of our selves as filthy rags. We want to say; "but we have Jesus’ righteousness, remember?" But do we? I know that the Holy Spirit lives within me and when I am doing what is right; I am walking in His righteousness.

BUT IF YOU want to ask me if I understand all about having the righteousness of Jesus, I would have to admit that I do not! Many like to explain that and even use the scriptures to bring proof upon proof. But I still do not fully understand how I can have the righteousness of Jesus when I, myself, am not always living righteously. Repentance, AMEN! Forgiveness, AMEN! Can I strive to become righteous; absolutely!

WITH THE Holy Spirit I am encouraged to live righteously! I am encouraged to become all that God has created me to be. With the Holy Spirit, I am fully aware of Jesus in my life and He has promised me that when I remain faithful to Him, He will be faithful to me! "Know this, my beloved brethren. Let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, for the anger of man does not work the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rank growth of wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. James 1:19-21 Am I worth a hill of beans? When Jesus died on the cross, He deemed me worthy and saved my soul! Thank you Lord! By Jane Ann Crenshaw 5/2/14