I don't know the number off the top of my head but I would guess 40. This is the number of times that I have either been reminded or asked the last three days if I was going to vote today.
I am not saying that voting is a bad thing, but I began to think about something. I started to think about another number. That number is 0. That is how many times during that same period of time that I was asked if I prayed, studied, served or told someone about the Good News of Jesus.
It makes me wonder were our priorities are at as Disciples of Jesus Christ. We get so wrapped up in nominating human beings to an office that we believe will have the power to change things. Unfortunately, we forget about telling people about Jesus. He is the one person that has the power to change everything-no matter who is in office.
Don't believe me? Ask Ezra. Ezra was doing his thing during the reign of Cyrus king of Persia. Cyrus was a pagan. Even though Cyrus was not a follower of God, he granted all that Ezra requested. For example, he authorized Ezra to go to Jerusalem and insure that God's law was both taught and observed. He provided a generous grant to buy supplies and temple vessels for temple worship. He exempted all temple officials and workers from taxation as well as authorized Ezra to set up a Judaical system. The purpose of the system was to see that these laws were obeyed and that violators were properly punished.
I think all this happen for a simple reason. In Ezra 7 it says this, "For Ezra set his heart to study the law of the Lord and to practice it, and to to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel."
My point is simply this, where is your heart? Godly things began to happen because Ezra's heart was focused on God. I know we all want to see Godly things happen. So where is your heart? In a man or in Jesus?
May the Lord bless you and keep you.
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ReplyDeleteI think it's a proxy mentality similar to what I grew up with in my church. It also harkens to our need to be right or correct. The church I grew up in relished being the only correct or right church in town. It made us feel superior and allowed us to look down at and judge our neighbors.
ReplyDeleteWe supported missionaries and therefore did our evangelism by proxy. As long as we footed the bill for those guys, we felt like we were fulfilling the Great Commission and could be secure in our "works."
Today it's more about changing our country by proxy. As long as we feel we support the "correct" party and the "correct" candidate, we are doing our part to change our world. It gives us an opportunity to look down at and judge our neighbors. I remember during the presidential elections, I heard some of the most vile, hate-filled things uttered by Christians. I read more gossip and slander from Christians than any other source. It also gets us out of evangelism, social justice, ministering to our fellow man and other things that just don't fit into our hectic lives.
PS: (side note) I can't hear the name Cyrus without thinking of Con Air. Just sayin.
have I mentioned that I think you are the bomb? Awesome post, bro
ReplyDeletegood stuff.
ReplyDeleteIn light of all the discussion on health Care reform, I really needed this reminder. Thank you, brother.
ReplyDelete