“Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” (Jeremiah 33:3 NASB)
The server at a big chain restaurant was cleaning the tables next to where I was sitting. This person had four gold stars on her apron. The stars indicate how well one provides service. Just as a side note, even if we are the best in serving, in any capacity, we need to be open to being served. Think about that statement for a moment. Now, back to my story. On one table, a customer had left a flyer about a new fitness facility in the nearby area. The server picks up the flyer, glances at it, folds it up, and then puts it in her pocket. On another table, still in the vicinity of where I am sitting, there is a tract about salvation and a card that contained the address of a nearby Christian church. The server glanced again at what was left on the table, but not long enough to discover the content of the tract or the close proximity of the church. She quickly puts it on her tray where she is accumulating dirty plates, glasses, and napkins. In both situations the server made a decision, but in the one that deserved more attention, she did not allow time for discovery.
Roaming the aisle of a grocery store there was a person handing our promotional coupons that said “1.00 Off.” You could not see what the product was right away, but without a thought, people made the decision of accepting the coupon before even discovering what the product was that was being promoted. In the same store, an individual wearing their church tee-shirt had decided they would use the store aisles as a way to do some personal evangelism by handing out little business-size cards that were actually invitations to visit their church. Some individuals took them and others, seeing the logo and Bible verse on the front of the person’s tee-shirt quickly said, “No thank you.” In the latter case, there was a decision made without discovery. Let’s make your time reading this meditation purposeful this Friday morning. Every time that you make a decision, you should do some discovery by searching the word of God to make sure you make the right decision. Accept the word that the Lord has left for us, the inspired word of God, all Scripture in the Bible, and discover direction and wisdom that will benefit you. Do not make decisions based on gimmicks, base it on the gospel. Don’t make decisions based on a presentation of things that look like they will benefit you, make them on the basis of what will profit you or be found useful to you, by referring to the word of God. Don’t make decisions on a whim, make them based on the wisdom in God’s word. Should you make decisions without doing some discovery? No! Do the discovery and you will be able to discern right from wrong, good from bad, and sinfulness versus righteousness. Have a good Friday! Be blessed!
“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching the truth, rebuking error, correcting faults, and giving instruction for right living, so that the person who serves God may be fully qualified and equipped to do every kind of good deed.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17 Good News Translation)
Still committed to the climb,
Mark L. King