Everybody’s Got One…
Everybody’s Got One…
An opinion, a viewpoint, a word of advice, a bellybutton…everybody has one, (but not everyone else wants to see it) 😊 But whether or not you desire to entertain these aspects of another person’s life, there is another one we all share. Everybody has a subject they teach; everybody has a religion they preach; and everybody serves somebody. EVERY single life has a philosophy, a belief system, and an authority to whom it answers. And for the sophists in this room saying you don’t believe in absolutes, that statement is a prime example of an absolute. In all three of these aspects, you take a position for or against. If you have made the effort to find no value in forming a position on the subject, deciding on having no opinion IS an opinion. Gotcha!
Just by living the everyday life, we exhibit a personal order of priority. We disciple what we are, with or without intent, and collateral affect is measured by the yardstick of trust. And trust can be a tricky word in any language. We have an idea that there are levels of how much you can trust someone - as far as you can physically throw them, with a dime but not a dollar, in an argument but not a fight – but the reality of trust is that either you do or you don’t. You have to admit that you WILL entertain the wildest of notions if it is put to you by someone you trust, even if it is just re-evaluate your level of trust in them! There is worth and visible evidence in your daily life for that which you trust and emulate.
So, the question posed today is ‘what are you teaching? What are you preaching? Who do you answer to?’ In the previous blog we evaluated, as believers, whether our worldview had slipped from biblical to blended (syncretism) to outright worldly. If you ran through the checklist you should already have an idea of ‘what you really, really want’ out of this life and what are your priorities. But this inward look is just that – inward – and may not be the most accurate. We don’t always have the best view when we look in the mirror. Our ability to deceive is astounding and we should NEVER underestimate the lengths to which we will go in our desire to think well of ourselves and avoid what we don’t want to face.
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” says Jeremiah in the 9th verse of the 17th chapter in the book that bears his name and this particular prophet ought to know! He is known as ‘the weeping prophet’ because God called him to preach a message that revealed the sins of the people and the consequences that were coming as a result. Ouch. It was NOT what the people wanted to hear nor was it the word everyone else was preaching. He tried examining his heart and gave God every excuse NOT to preach, but in the end, the words were like fire shut up in his bones and he was compelled to speak the truth. Be forewarned…we avoid God to our detriment.
Herein lies the simple test of your resolve to disciple God’s will. Earnestly seek the Lord and He will reveal your true self. East-peasy, right? It’s a no-brainer for an obedient creation, but unfortunately, like every mighty witness of God before us, we underestimate our desires to rule and the strength of our own free will to defy Him. Like Jeremiah, you can run, but you can’t hide and eventually God will devise a way for you to run smack into Him.
Until that happens, there is another way to recognize your influence on others. Ask them. Yep. Just ask them. If you have a person in your life that you trust, that cares about you, that admires you, that calls you friend, that has known you for ages, just ask them what THEIR impression is of you and your life’s philosophy. Hopefully, they love you enough to tell you the truth.
Don’t stop there. The next step is to ask somebody you’ve just met. Somebody new. Somebody that hasn’t been around you much. Somebody who doesn’t know your life’s story. Once again, hopefully they don’t care how they hurt your feelings and will tell you the truth.
Final step, and here we come back to the beginning: stop yammering, “I can’t HEAR you!” with your fingers jammed in your ears and be still. Earnestly seek the Lord to tell you what you need to hear and work on the areas that He points out to you. Then you will effortlessly be able to teach Jesus, preach Jesus and serve Jesus. Easy-peasy!
Be blessed in all your efforts for the kingdom today!
