Friday, June 15, 2012

God’s People at Crossroads, Part 2




At the crossroads God has a direction for you and there are, let’s say, three other ways to go.  What happens when the wrong direction is chosen? 

It happens doesn’t it?  The GPS gives the wrong turn and off you go.  Did you know you can’t arrive at the right address if you are on the wrong street?  When the wrong direction is chosen at the crossroads there are bound to be consequences, lost time and lost opportunity.  And, sadly, distance from God further complicated by difficulty discerning and deciding God’s way at the next crossroads.  It is a mess. 

The crossroads may be about life long decisions, but it could be as close as the next interaction with another person or choice about what to do.  Look at this from Galatians 5:19-21 for an idea of how this plays out. 

19When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 20idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, 21envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these.

Let’s say Larry the Christian doesn’t really drink much and he isn’t into wild parties, but he interested in being the adult teacher of his group at church.  They have overlooked his obvious abilities before.  He wants this.   It is clear that he is so much better suited than Bill Big Bible.  Come on!  In fact, Larry the Christian has been inviting members of the group’s leadership over for BBQs at his place just to win some favor and because of his Christian hospitality.  The ideas he has about the Second Coming of Christ and the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem just needs to get out there he thinks.  Gary the Greek Expert taught the group last year, and Larry found his profound knowledge of the Bible nauseating.  He started letting some of the guys in on his feelings about Gary as the year went on.  Just sharing some “concerns” for the good of the group.  Well, Sam becomes the next adult teacher of the group.  He is a solid, simple, unassuming man, in love with God and lovingly relating to others.  Larry is beside himself.  Before he gets out the doors of the church he is spewing.  He is hot.  He wanted his way.  His way was best for everyone.  Anyone who thought different was obviously an idiot.  What is the problem? 

There were a number of crossroads for Larry.  God was calling him one way, but he chose another.  Here is a challenge for you.  Match the items listed in Galatians 5:19-21 with Larry’s actions and attitudes.  These are typical “Christian” ways of doing things and they take place wherever Christians gather together, but they shouldn’t.  This written list is provided in Scripture to be a sign to each of God’s people to turn and go the other way. 

Move the scene outside the church.  What happens at work?  What happens when the family gets together?  What happens when driving?  Those are crossroads…go God’s way, listen to Him or go our way in another direction. 
Here is another list from Galatians found in 5:22, 23:

22But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, and self-control.

At the crossroads God’s people can listen to God and go His way and the result is like this list.  Back to Larry the Christian for a moment.  If Larry were learning to listen to God and the Holy Spirit was producing this kind of fruit in his life, then would he have had the issues he did?  And what about us?  If we learn to listen to God and go his way at the crossroads each day will that allow the Holy Spirit to make a difference in the fruit in our lives? 

We can get better at going God’s way at the crossroads.  In the book of Hebrews there is a point where the writer is trying to express some deep spiritual truths, but realizes the shallowness of his audience.  He addresses that.  Then he describes those who are spiritually mature (people good at the crossroads in going God’s way):  Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.  Hebrews 5:14 NLT   The mature didn’t magically become that way…they trained…they practiced…they have developed skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.  They have listened to God and have His heart in them so that when they come to the crossroads they hear, they know, they go God’s way. 

That should be very encouraging.  It is to me.  Training and practice don’t require that we have it all perfect, but that we are headed in the right direction but we will make mistakes and learn and get better and get back on the right path.  So at the next crossroads or maybe the one after that we make the right decision, the right way, and then go with God.  Then we can start developing a pattern of making the right decisions and have the skill to recognize the difference between what is really right and wrong.   

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