How many times have you listened to, seen or even engaged people that have missed the point. I'm not talking about "my" point or "your" point or even the point made by groups that shouldn't try to make points in the first place. Perhaps you have heard or said yourself "This is pointless!" when involved in a discussion with someone who's sole claim is their ability to not engage on any level but their level. As long as we agree with "them" then everything is okay. That's pointless. I've been on both sides of the subject. So bull headed that I couldn't understand anything other than myself. I've also been in groups, classes, or even coffee house groups where others have made the same fatal error that I had made or someone I knew had made. There is a fine balance between living on one side of pointless or the other. Where do you live? What do you do with pointless arguments? How do you change from "pointless" to pointed?
The Bible tells us to not throw our pearls before the swine. That means we need to evaluate with whom we are trying to share our truth. If it's clear that the other person or group of persons is not going to listen; why share? What a waste of time and effort. However, if God tells us to share the truth He must have some result to come of the interaction. Perhaps YOU will be the only person someone will hear today. Maybe the Gospel will only be presented by you. God has gifted each of us to do different functions in the body of Christ. God has not gifted anyone to be pointless. To be pointless means we have lost contact with Christ in us. Christ is not pointless. The Father is not pointless. The Holy Spirit is not pointless. Their voices should never be seen as pointless. That is no what God is all about. God has a point he wants to give us in order that we won't perish in our foolishness and out pointless beliefs.
So, here we are doing pointless things like road rage, saying pointless things like we alone have the market of correct information and falling into a trap that prevents the Gospel (which does have a point) from being shared effectively. William James once said, "We may have a God in heaven who forgives us our sin. But mankind does not." Very true! Yet we look for mankind to forgive us when it's God who brings forgiveness. By the way forgiveness isn't pointless either. Sometimes I sit in front of a soccer match absent mindedly eating chips or whatever there is to eat. It's pointless as far as applicable good points. Yet, I'm not alone. You have things in your life even as I have things in my life that we hold onto but are pointless. These things get in the way of our learning from God and passing what He says onto others. Perhaps we can begin to change that and feel the freedom that comes with submission to God.
There are so many diversions in life that we cannot possibly avoid them all. Yet, we need to be careful so as to not affect our testimony of God's greatness and grace. Before you engage your mind take some time to really see if what we are thinking is from God. Make his grace the point.
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