In our pastor's introduction to his message last Sunday, he included a quote by a former pastor of the First Baptist Church in Dimmit, Texas. I've thought about the quote off and on all week: "Some Scripture feels like a pebble in our shoe."
Of course, in a self-protective kind of way, the first order of business for someone in that situation is to take off the shoe and empty the pebble from the inside before putting the shoe back on. The point he was making had to do with our discomfort with some of the things we find in Scripture. I had the thought during the week: "Would to God that it was true!
It would be in our best interest for some Scripture to feel like a pebble in our shoe. We've gotten adapt at just skipping over Biblical principles and mandates intended for followers of Christ.
We have replaced the "pebble in our shoe" Scriptures with a casual kind of cognitive impairment that doesn't lend itself to our understanding the importance of integrating his word into our lifestyle or principles.
I'm not sure how we gravitated to a cafeteria brand of Christianity where we get to choose differing levels of importance associated to Scripture. I suspect that for most of us, the mandate that whatever we wish other would do to us, we must also do for them is like water off of a duck's back. It isn't going to happen!
We self-righteously think of ourselves as being deserving of good things. We discount the importance of even being civil or respectful to many because frankly we mistakenly think God needs our help with judgment.
The pious hypocrisy we've woven into our countenance doesn't glorify God. At the end of the day, we find ourselves running on empty and God's countenance and love cannot be found in our lives.
How often do we totally ignore the words of Jesus: "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you don't forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses?" [Matthew 6:14-15]
Some who are still angry with the distribution of what they considered their inheritance have totally disregarded 1 John 4: "For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen."
Isaiah writes: "Share your food with the hungry and open your homes to the homeless poor. Give clothes to those who have nothing to wear, and do not refuse to help your own relatives. Then my favor will shine on you like the morning sun, and your wounds will be quickly healed. I will always be with you to save you; my presence will protect you on every side. When you pray I will answer you. When you call to me, I will respond." [Isaiah 58: 7 – 11]
Logically, the mandate should feel like a pebble in our shoe, but most of us feel nothing. Would to God all of the Scriptures mentioned would feel like a pebble in our shoe. Am I wrong? Most feel nothing – not even a tinge of regret that we fall short of the glory of God.
All My Best!
Don
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