You know, I've never been very good at directions or reading a map. A straight A student all my life, I consistently scored much lower on the "study skills (read "mapreading") section of all the standardized tests that I took. I don't know if this is just because I am a female or if I'm just dense. Maybe a little of both in my case. Who knows, but I'm really glad that God didn't format the Bible like a road map...I'd be hopelessly lost. Instead, He wrote it in a book format (and I'm very good at reading, just ask my husband). He provided a written moral compass for me to follow throughout my life. Without it, I'd be utterly lost.
Which leads me to this thought: I think a lot of people don't have a moral compass. They have no direction, no road map, no purpose or absolutes in their lives. They wander around aimlessly, making up their path as they go. They find themselves going in circles, following the same wrong paths over and over again, hopelessly lost, but they don't even recognize it.
Now, when I'm driving and get lost and am forced to stop and get directions, I know that I will most likely believe anyone who sounds confident. If someone tells me that I need to go north 10 miles then take a left, that's what I'll do, because I have no other guide. Now these directions may take me in the complete opposite direction from where I am trying to go, but since I have no other guide, I'll still think that they are right, at least until I end up somewhere I don't want to be.
I think that's what happens to the lost among us. They don't have any moral compass, they don't know what they believe or why. Eventually, even the most utterly lost and confused realize that they need some type of direction, some help and so they turn to the loudest, most confident voice that they hear. Unfortunately in our society, the loudest and most confident voices to be heard are those of the media and "academia" who are deeply rooted in humanism and strongly opposed to anything Christian.
This makes me sad. The loudest, most confident voices among us, our leaders and those to whom we look for guidance and direction are perhaps the most utterly lost of all. Yet they sound like they know what they're talking about, so people who don't hear any other opinions, people who have only heard wishy-washy, apologetic words from Christians are almost always going to follow the wrong directions.
Maybe the lost are a lot like me....they can't read a map. So maybe they should resort to a written guide, like the Bible. And maybe, just maybe, Christians should be a lot more confident and vocal so that those who are searching for directions can be pointed down the right path.
It's time to be heard....louder and stronger than everyone else. There are a lot of lost people getting wrong directions and ending up in a bad place.
4 comments:
Preach it, Sister!
How many of us Christians speak hesitantly, if at all, about our faith and about what we see happening in our culture?
Skyepuppy,
First of all, let me apologize for spelling your name wrong a couple times. I know it's spelled with an "e", but aparently my typing skills are faster than my brain.
You know, I think I wrote this post as much for myself as anyone else. I'm involved in an internet group in which I'm the lone conservative Christian voice. Recently the group has started having political discussions and it became quite clear that my group of "friends" didn't want to hear, consider or value my opinions because of my faith. I knew this would happen, but didn't mind being the minority voice. Still, things got ugly and I got frustrated and decided not to join in anymore. I struggle with whether or not that was the right decision. Do I just keep "preaching it" or do I finally realize that what I'm saying in this case is falling on deaf ears and I shouldn't waste my time debating with people who have heard the Truth and simply don't want any part of it. Sometimes it's hard to know what to do.
Christina,
No problem on the spelling. You're in good company.
Your question about preaching or keeping quiet is one I struggle with too. Do we obey the Great Commission in a particular case, or do we not throw our pearls before swine?
When I was married, my husband wasn't a believer. Neither one of us cared about God when we got married, and over time the Lord wooed me to Him, but my husband wanted nothing to do with Him. My husband told me not to mention any of "those" words to him at home (Jesus, God, church, Christ, Focus on the Family, etc), and I didn't. I kept my faith away from him as much as possible with both of us living under the same roof.
But the closer I drew to the Lord, the farther my husband drew away from me, until he finally told me he wanted a divorce. He said he hated coming home knowing God was in the house--even though he admitted I had never preached to him.
A while after the divorce was final, I was struck by the verse that says that if you see a man about to fall into a pit and don't warn him, then the guilt is on your head, but if you warn him and he still falls into the pit, then the guilt is his own. So, just to make sure I had truly warned him about the pit he is still headed for, I took some time when I went to his house to pick up the kids, and I presented the gospel message to him as clearly as I could. He listened and asked me a "how do you know...?" kind of question about the last thing I had said. So I just repeated that last thing again and left.
To mix my metaphors, my ex-husband is heading straight for the pit, and any more pearls I might throw his way would be before swine. I've placed him in the Lord's hands and still pray for his salvation, but I believe I've done all I can at this point.
Sorry I've gone on so long, but it sounds as though you've preached and warned your group enough that they know what they're rejecting. If you haven't, then it's worth another try. But we still have to allow them the free will to choose. You might want to keep in touch with the group now and then so they know how to find you if they ever change their mind, but that would be up to you.
It's hard to give up sometimes, because we can start thinking that there must be something we can say that will break through to them. But only the Lord can do that, in the end.
Sometimes I wish the Christian life was easier, but I think a lot of the value we gain as Christians comes out of our struggle over what we should do. Keep the faith, and don't give in to guilt.
Skyepuppy (spelled correctly, for a change),
Thank you for your hearfelt response and sharing what I'm sure is a very personal part of you life. I think your words are just what I've been feeling, yet still needed to hear.
Being a Christian is hard sometimes, especially when you really do feel like you have others' best interest at heart and they completely reject not only your faith, but you. I'm still getting used to this side of life. I grew up in a Christian home, went to a Christian school K-12 and then on to a Christian college. Some would say I lived a very sheltered life. I would agree and I hope to provide that same kind of life for my daughter. Still, it's somewhat hard to be "out there" where the way I live my life is not "mainstream".
I think I have come to grips with my decision to stay out of the political/religious discussions for now. That may change, as the membership in my group does change from time to time. I guess I'll just have to listen a little harder to God and be willing to act when He prompts. Until then, I've done what I can and it's up to Him to do the rest. I am still in contact with the group almost daily, and the members know where to find me, so now the ball's in their court, so to speak.
Thanks again for some really good advice.
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