Who is Influencing Whom?

"This is how the LORD responds:

'If you return to me, I will restore you

so you can continue to serve me.

If you speak good words rather than worthless ones,

you will be my spokesman.

You must influence them;

do not let them influence you!'"

Jeremiah 15:19 NLT

Jeremiah stayed true to God, choosing the lonely existence over joining in with the crowd in betraying Him.  How was he rewarded?  With persecution, suffering and difficulty.  Sound unfair?  I guess it depends upon your perspective.  But there is something I can learn from God's response to Jeremiah's lament over his misery.

Second Chances.  The Creator of heaven and earth, the sovereign Lord over all creation, is a God of second chances.  His mercies are new every morning and He is always at work giving new life to what was messed up by sin (Lamentations 3:23,  Isaiah 43:18-19).  He doesn't look at His broken creation and cast it away like yesterday's garbage, but loves mankind enough to have given His own Son as an atoning sacrifice for all who would believe (Romans 5:8).  He could have sent His Son into the world to righteously judge His image bearers, and He would have had every right to do so, giving us all what our sins deserve.  But He didn't (Romans 6:23, Psalm 103:10).  This God of second chances sent Jesus down into the realm of men in order to save us (John 3:17).

If Jesus doesn't prove that God is a God of mercy, I don't know what will.  This means that no matter how many times I fall, I can confidently get back up again, knowing that I have an Advocate who is pleading my case with the Father in heaven (2 Corinthians 4:8-9, 1 John 2:1).  Even though I'm not perfect, I can keep pressing forward with the assurance that I'm made right with God through Jesus (Philippians 3:14, Romans 3:22).  Therefore, I can be okay with not being okay.

The Lord my God, Maker of heaven and earth, is a God of second chances.

Mouth for God.  My mind often drifts toward thoughts that do not please God, nor do they honor Him.  I obsess over trivial details, worry about my needs, am consumed by meaningless pursuits, yet rarely think about Him.  Therefore, it is important that I get a grip on my thought life, directing my mind toward what is excellent and worthy of praise (Philippians 4:8, 2 Corinthians 10:5).  Yet it's not just my thoughts that are important.  It's also what comes out of my mouth that matters.

My words can give life or death (Proverbs 18:21).  I can encourage others or I can tear them down (Ephesians 4:29).  With a single breath I can start a dispute that could destroy families, demolish friendships, or bring down church congregations (James 3:6).  Therefore, since my mouth is such a powerful tool, it is important that I use my tongue to bring glory and honor to God.

When I give it completely to God, my mouth can be used as His instrument of righteousness (Romans 6:13).

Saltiness.  Those who have given their lives to Jesus, who submit to His lordship, are the aroma of Christ in a world that stinks of sin and brokenness (2 Corinthians 2:15).  Those who are lost turn their noses up in disgust, failing to detect the sweetness wafting straight from heaven.  To those who are being saved, however, it is an aroma like no other, giving life and hope (2 Corinthians 2:16, 1 Corinthians 1:18).  It's all a matter of perspective.

It's the same with my influence.  As a fragile jar of clay that holds a precious treasure, I have the unique opportunity to change the world for the better, influence it for Christ, make an impact that will last forever (2 Corinthians 4:7, Matthew 5:13).  Yet if I am the one being influenced by the world, adapting to the way the lost think, living as if I have no regard for the sacrifice Jesus made in order to save me, then I lose my ability to shine into the darkness, to improve the quality of its brokenness, to offer hope to those who desperately need it.  If I don't stay true to Christ, letting Him transform my thinking as I go through my days, how can I serve as His Ambassador to a world that is headed toward destruction (Romans 12:2, 2 Corinthians 5:20)?  To retain my saltiness, I must make Jesus my greatest treasure, never forsaking Him as my First Love (John 15:5, Revelation 2:4).

Staying tight in my connection to Jesus by loving Him fully will give me a unique flavor that will influence the world for Him.

As I look around me, it's easy to see how the life of a follower of Christ is different than that of the world.  It can often be a lonely, difficult road on which to travel and I can become discouraged as Jeremiah did.  But God encourages me through the weeping prophet by reminding me that He is the God of second chances, that my mouth can be used to build His kingdom, and my saltiness to improve the world with His unique flavor.  In order for this to happen, though, I must stay true to Him and apart from the world, otherwise I'll wonder who is influencing whom.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God enough to stick by Him, even when it makes me look peculiar to those around me.

When do I try to fit in, thus losing my saltiness?

How am I compromising my values? 

Consecrate Yourselves

"For I am the LORD your God.

Consecrate yourselves therefore,

and be holy,

for I am holy.

And you shall not make yourselves unclean

with any of the swarming things that swarm on the earth."

Leviticus 11:44 NASB

The gecko made its way up the wall, exploring the home of the family of four.  When it reached a certain point, it lost its footing and fell to its death.  When the woman of the Israelite home returned to her cooking area, she discovered the creature's body inside her favorite water jar, a vessel passed down to her from her mother.  According to God's law, she must now destroy this precious keepsake.  Her heart was broken.

Thankfully, I need not be concerned with making myself or any of my belongings impure by coming into contact with unclean creatures.  As one who has been bought at a price, however, I had better realize how I tarnish my testimony as a redeemed image bearer.  What kind of God do I represent to the world?

Holy God

She had worked hard all week and felt like she deserved a break.  When her friends invited her out to dinner, she eagerly accepted, ready for some fun after the grueling week that was finally behind her.  She briefly considered how this could be a temptation to return to drink after finally reaching the 3-months-dry mark, but she quickly dismissed the thought in her quest to enjoy the evening.  Unfortunately, the lure to relax with one drink had been too much for the young woman and she soon found herself in a drunken stupor after a night of drinking.

I've heard it said that, "The trouble with trouble is that is usually starts out as a whole lot of fun."  While there is nothing wrong with fun, relaxation and recreation, I must be careful of the temptations I expose myself to in my quest to enjoy life.  It is easy to justify this risky behavior by telling myself that everyone does it, or that God won't mind one slip-up.  

The reality, however, is that my God is a holy God and my sin is an affront to Him and the sacrifice His son made on my behalf.  If He was willing to go to such lengths to cover my transgressions, I had better be serious about avoiding temptation at all costs. (James 4:4-7, 1 Timothy 6:11)

If my mouth is what gets me in trouble, then, I had better stay out of conversations that could turn ugly or from people who tend to push my buttons.  If it is my eyes that lure me into lustful exploration, I had better block all temptations that come through every electronic device.  If it is my ears that entice me into politically-centered belief systems or godless world-views, I had better avoid listening to those programs or opinionated people who tend to lead me away from godly truths.

Since I serve a holy God, I had better run from temptation, always taking the way out He mercifully provides.  (1 Corinthians 10:13)

Jealous God

I was hurt that she didn't want my help.  My friend was in a tough predicament and I wanted to walk with her through the dark valley.  Instead, she opted to go it alone, embarrassed for me to see her in such a lowly place.  In reality, I loved her enough to be able to look past her circumstances and simply be there for her.

It is hard when someone I love turns elsewhere for support and assistance.  When I care about a friend or family member, that kind of help is part of the relationship and I have found that walking together through hard times strengthens a bond between two people.  

It's not so different with God.  He loves me with an enduring love that runs deeper than the ocean.  When I turn to other sources for wisdom, provision of needs, and guidance, it must hurt Him deeply.  He is a jealous God.  He is not jealous of me, but He is jealous for me.  It is His desire that I depend solely on Him as my only Source of support, help and supply.

Therefore, when I don't know what to do, instead of talking to a friend, seeking out so-called expert advice, or searching the Internet for answers, I can turn to God first.  He can be the One I run to at the beginning of every crisis, believing that He holds the solution to all my problems.  Instead of turning to Him as a last resort or after checking out my options, keeping Him at the top of my list of go-to-resources will show my understanding of His jealous nature.

Since I serve a jealous God, I had better turn to Him first as my only Source of supply, understanding, and direction.

Unchanging God

"Come mothers and fathers throughout the land, and don't criticize what you can't understand.  Your sons and your daughters are beyond your command, your old road is rapidly agin'.  Please get out of the new one if you can't lend your hand, for the times they are a-changin'."

You might recognize these words as the lyrics from a 1963 Bob Dylan song* called "The Times They Are A-Changin' " that served as a call to accept the change that was occurring in our country.  While he may have been mostly referring to civil rights, there is also a sense he's talking about other more sinister changes.  To whatever it is that he refers, the meaning is clear: Climb on board or get out of the way because the train of revolution is leaving the station.

Change is definitely a part of living in this world.  Values shift to accommodate new beliefs and soon we find that we've compromised so much of what we know to be true until we can't tell where we stand.  While the times might change, and people may adjust their points-of-view accordingly, God never changes.  (James 1:17)

It is easy to get caught up in the flow of the times.  I read God's Word and understand that He holds all human life as precious, yet my heart hurts for women who find themselves between a rock and a hard place. (Genesis 9:5-6, Exodus 20:13)   Therefore, I compromise what I know to be true and support abortion in the case of rape or incest.

I know that God is a God of purpose and that He created all things in just the way He wanted them to exist. (Genesis 2:23-24) When I learn the heart-wrenching stories of couples who can't express their love for one another because of their sexual orientation, though, I may be tempted to adjust my beliefs to accommodate their desire to marry.

I agree with God when He says I should be a woman of my word, but when it seems there is no other way, I adjust the numbers in an effort to stay in the lower tax bracket. (Exodus 20:16, Leviticus 19:11, Proverbs 12:22) 

Since I serve an unchanging God, I had better do what I know is right while standing for the Truth in this dark world.

Even though I don't need to worry about how I defile myself by what I touch or eat like God's people of old did, I do need to be concerned about how I taint my testimony of the God I serve.  Therefore, I must act as if I understand the holy, jealous, unchanging nature of God, letting these attributes influence the way I live.  In these ways I will show myself to be consecrated for His purposes.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can take God seriously as I walk with Him.

When do I turn to other sources for help when I'm in trouble?

How do I change my beliefs in order to keep up with the thinking of the times?  

* http://www.bobdylan.com/us/songs/times-they-are-changin#ixzz2lNHOmAH8