"For lack of guidance a nation falls, but many advisors make a victory sure." --Proverbs 11:14, NIV Love, that is the one thing that is above the law. Every single thing we do always affects someone else. This past summer my family was at the First Holy Communion of my little nephew. I am not a Catholic although I grew up as one. I have chosen a non-denominational Christian Bible-based church for my worship and fellowship. What if I had decided not to go to my nephew's First Holy Communion though because I just didn't want to go to a Catholic church? What if I decided not to go based upon the fact that I don't agree with all of the doctrine of this church? I would've hurt so many people, especially my little nephew who is my special boy. You see, everything we do in the protection of OUR rights, our self-preservation, our dishonesty, or our convictions, or whatever, affects others. The point wasn't my convictions or my faith, or anything else, it was about love. Just as Jesus dying on a cross was and is about love. This past week was such a grueling one and a test of faith in trial. I was left so drained and emptied but that was when God was able to do His work in and through me. It also brought to my attention that it isn't about me but about Jesus. I struggled in prayer and anguished over so many things. When I relinquished control to God and said, "I can't do this, I need for you to take over." He said, "That's what I've been wanting to do all along my child." No, He didn't speak out loud to me but to my heart through His Word. I have been guilty of being careless by wanting to preserve MY way, MY knowledge, MY wants and desires in my business life to get what I wanted. I thought I had to act and do as the world does forgetting that my trust and hope is in the Lord. The key ingredient missing in all my endeavors was faith. I was careless and fell back into my flesh and God is faithful to bring us back to the Main Thing - Jesus. As Christians we are created to be a blessing to others not a hindrance. We are not to do and think as the world system does. That doesn't mean I don't do business in a professional, law-abiding manner or act stupidly but rather, that I seek to serve others first. Rather I seek to be a blessing and let God handle the world's ways for me. I may appear gullible and/or naive, and maybe to the world's eyes even careless, but in God's eyes that is living in the Spirit. Trusting God in full faith that He will direct me and protect me. When we take matters into our own hands and don't allow God's way to direct us, we are not operating in the Spirit but in the flesh. That is disobedience to God and it is careless. While we can rest assured that God will forgive us when we confess our carelessness in sin, we will still suffer the consequences of our actions and decisions. The Holy Spirit really convicted me in today's lesson in church. I felt that I had been so concerned with my own interests and business growth and so forth, that I forgot to be a blessing. I forgot about my strength and protection being in the Lord. I stepped out not in faith but in carelessness. I am currently suffering the consequences of those decisions but I am also making right the wrongs no matter how vulnerable I appear to others. No matter how naive it may seem. God wants us to reach out in love and be a blessing to others. To be salt and light. That they may desire that very thing in their own lives. We cannot bring glory to our King unless we've been emptied of ourselves and crucified with Jesus that we may live forever in Him. We need to get out of our way that Jesus might live in us and through us. Our God has chosen to use us to do His will. He didn't have to but He has chosen to do this out of love. His Agape love. Like Pastor Pete said this morning, "we can't sow weeds and expect flowers to grow." We have to understand that this is not our home. Heaven is. Therefore we aren't to interact the way the world system does but in fact, be so contrary to the world system that unbelievers will take notice. To love when others hate. To bless when others curse. To be kind and considerate when others are rude and abrupt with us. It's not about us, so let's purpose to not be careless but to be the vessel to be used of our Lord to bring others to faith in Christ Jesus. Sowing in the Spirit, not the flesh. |
