Sometimes I get started without any help at all! Why is it we have these buttons that get pushed in the first place. It's kind of like Murphy and Adam and Eve mixed together. Just what we needed was more distractions! So, there I was minding my own business.... Okay, I'll stay on track. There are days I can hide my buttons rather well. Other days I have buttons begging to be pushed! Crazy making from wake-up to bed time. It's a wonder there are any healthy places in our lives at all.
I have to confess the pet peeves I have are not necessarily special to only me. I've inherited some and others came as gifts from my friends and enemies. Some of you who know me know that I have a small problem with patience. Stop laughing! I am king of switch to another lane because it was going faster. Not any longer. Shopping cart in line...same thing. Every now and then I actually wait where I've started. Not often though.
Men. Listen up! I know I am not alone on the freeway. Passing just one more car to put me ahead of "them." They don't even know me but they will try to pass me yet again! Then it happens. Someone in the car needs to go to the bathroom! So, you are forced to pull into the rest stop. There isn't much rest and yes, I am stopped...as all the cars that I passed are passing me now. Smug look on their faces. But I did the right thing because I have to live with my wife and kids and not the competition!
If you think this relates only to your specific age group; you are sorely mistaken. Try out the senior citizens on Tuesdays and Thursdays! Every Tuesday and Thursday are National Senior Citizen day everywhere! It's come to the point where I don't do much on either one of those days. Sometimes you just need to surrender to Murphy and his band.
What does this mean to you and I? It means we need to check out what we are doing and why. There isn't much of a good witness in our distraction from Jesus and his desires. It's not a competition. It never was. God is and Jesus is and the Holy Spirit is God. No competition. Some religious people see life as a competition. How many came to the Lord on Pentecost in their church. How their church supports this many missionaries. The list could go on and on. In some churches the list does go on and on. It's not what God intended the church do.
The focus is all wrong and that's what the enemy wants from us. Jesus said we had only to do two things. First, love God. Second, love mankind. That's it. Nothing more and nothing less. The command wasn't given to certain groups, church committee, or pastors group. The commands were given to you and I. Debating the color of the church downstairs bathroom is not what gives pleasure to Jesus. Focus on who isn't in church. Focus on those who don't know Christ even if they have been your neighbor for 15 years. Do what counts. Think about what counts. Speak about what counts. That's it.
If we are to actually obey the two commandments with the intention of holding up Jesus for everyone to see; we will be part of the change of someone's world for eternity. What's the focus in your life? What's the focus of your church? How about your family? What focus does your family give to their lives. Sometimes the buttons get pushed so that we cannot or will not represent Jesus to those around us.
If you are solely focused on Jesus then that is the only button you have that can be pushed. When it's pushed there is the wonderful moment of an opportunity to share Jesus with someone(s) who don't know him. You and I would do well to put ourselves aside and let the center of our lives be Jesus. Nothing more and nothing less. Have only one button. Get started!
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