Stop Playing Games
Posted in Brandon's Posts 0 comments
My wife and I have two children. One boy who (the day this post goes up) is 3 months old. He has been smiling now for a couple week and he is now learning to laugh. Hearing that gives me one of the best feelings in the world.
Our other child is also a boy. He just turned two last week, and let me tell you, he is all boy! He runs around, yells, climbs, slams doors, puts on costumes, and is always active. He loves to get on the couch and then look at my wife or I. He will start counting, "two, two, two..." (the only number he knows) and acts like he is going to jump off (I think it actually scares me more than it does Jenny).
His entire world is playing. He learns by playing and it is good for him. One day though, there will be less play, and a little more real living.
It is the same in our spiritual growth and walk with Christ. Paul even describes us as children when we become Christians. We need to be nurtured and guided like a child. Then there comes a time when we grow out of the need for a liquid diet and begin eating solid food and living like a "grown up Christian."
In Luke 7:31-35 Jesus ran into a problem of people who should have been acting like adults but instead were being children.
Instead of welcoming John and the Savior with praise and following their teachings, the people of the day, most specifically the religious leaders, were acting like children. They became angry that John and Jesus did not play their religious games and were becoming more popular. They wanted to be in control and wanted John and Jesus to jump through their hoops.
So instead of following, what was their response? The religious leaders came up with lies. John abstained from certain foods and actions so they called him demon possessed. Then Jesus came along, partaking in the things John did not and they called Him a glutton. There was no pleasing the religious leaders. They acted childish and without wisdom.
Neither Jesus or John let their false accusations keep them from living the life they know God was calling them to live. It should be the same with us.
Jesus said that people will persecute us because of Him (Matthew 5:10-12) but that does not excuse us to stop living the life we have been called to. It should encourage us knowing they did the same to the prophets, the Apostles, and even Jesus. We are in some good company there.
Keep up the fight. Do not let go of wisdom to play the childish games of those who are threatened by our righteousness (the righteousness we have because of Christ, not from ourselves). Do not be led astray by those running around trying to make you stumble. Keep your eyes on Christ.
At the same time, do not let yourself be one living foolishly, trying to get someone off the path God has called them to. Many times our churches become too legalistic. Maybe we have members called to minister to the girls in the strip club and we begin to spread rumors that they are living promiscuously (if we find they are falling to sin then we need to approach them about it, not spread rumors, true or not).
Maybe someone knows God is leading them to lead those living on the street with substance abuse problems out of that sin. It would be wrong for us to be a stumbling block to them. We sometimes feel uncomfortable by another person's devotion to Christ and their willingness to follow.
Instead of feeling uncomfortable and then trashing their name, let's find where it is God is leading us, and follow Him and not be worried about what others are saying.
Our other child is also a boy. He just turned two last week, and let me tell you, he is all boy! He runs around, yells, climbs, slams doors, puts on costumes, and is always active. He loves to get on the couch and then look at my wife or I. He will start counting, "two, two, two..." (the only number he knows) and acts like he is going to jump off (I think it actually scares me more than it does Jenny).
His entire world is playing. He learns by playing and it is good for him. One day though, there will be less play, and a little more real living.
It is the same in our spiritual growth and walk with Christ. Paul even describes us as children when we become Christians. We need to be nurtured and guided like a child. Then there comes a time when we grow out of the need for a liquid diet and begin eating solid food and living like a "grown up Christian."
In Luke 7:31-35 Jesus ran into a problem of people who should have been acting like adults but instead were being children.
To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to each other:
We played the flute for you,
and you did not dance;
we sand a dirge,
and you did not cry.
For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, He has a demon. The Son of man came eating and drinking, and you say, Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners. But wisdom is proved right by all her children.
Instead of welcoming John and the Savior with praise and following their teachings, the people of the day, most specifically the religious leaders, were acting like children. They became angry that John and Jesus did not play their religious games and were becoming more popular. They wanted to be in control and wanted John and Jesus to jump through their hoops.
So instead of following, what was their response? The religious leaders came up with lies. John abstained from certain foods and actions so they called him demon possessed. Then Jesus came along, partaking in the things John did not and they called Him a glutton. There was no pleasing the religious leaders. They acted childish and without wisdom.
Neither Jesus or John let their false accusations keep them from living the life they know God was calling them to live. It should be the same with us.
Jesus said that people will persecute us because of Him (Matthew 5:10-12) but that does not excuse us to stop living the life we have been called to. It should encourage us knowing they did the same to the prophets, the Apostles, and even Jesus. We are in some good company there.
Keep up the fight. Do not let go of wisdom to play the childish games of those who are threatened by our righteousness (the righteousness we have because of Christ, not from ourselves). Do not be led astray by those running around trying to make you stumble. Keep your eyes on Christ.
At the same time, do not let yourself be one living foolishly, trying to get someone off the path God has called them to. Many times our churches become too legalistic. Maybe we have members called to minister to the girls in the strip club and we begin to spread rumors that they are living promiscuously (if we find they are falling to sin then we need to approach them about it, not spread rumors, true or not).
Maybe someone knows God is leading them to lead those living on the street with substance abuse problems out of that sin. It would be wrong for us to be a stumbling block to them. We sometimes feel uncomfortable by another person's devotion to Christ and their willingness to follow.
Instead of feeling uncomfortable and then trashing their name, let's find where it is God is leading us, and follow Him and not be worried about what others are saying.
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