If you’re
like me, you hate to be excluded or to miss out on something. Even if I miss
out on something small, I always feel the weight of the opportunity that’s
passed me by. I even feel disappointed over silly missed opportunities—for
example when the sample trays at Costco are empty or when I learn that
something I need to purchase was just
on sale.
Some of
us always live with our feet in two worlds—we work for this employer but keep
tabs on what that employer is offering. We’re dating this girl but we have an
eye on that one too. We choose this major, but we keep other options open.
We’re hesitant to commit to anything too permanent.
Many
people are reluctant to jump into Christianity with two feet because they worry
that by choosing Jesus they’re missing out on something else—that perhaps
another religion is the real religion and they’re putting their eggs in the
wrong basket, or they notice that people who aren’t Christians sure seem to be
having a lot more fun.
On Sunday
we heard the story of Elijah challenging Baal. Baal was considered by the
pagans to be a powerful god in the time of Elijah, and the Israelites, God’s
people, were having a hard time choosing God to the exclusion of other gods and
religions and fraternizations.
It seems
that Elijah should have had it easy. After all, in the story, the people were choosing
between worshiping Baal, who required human sacrifices, self-mutilation, and
other disconcerting tactics, and worshipping God, who required only that the
Israelites not act like their pagan neighbors. The choice seems pretty obvious.
But we
continue to struggle with the same misery as those Israelites. God is the God
of functional relationships, of financial contentment, of peace and generosity.
And yet, somehow, we are still tempted by dysfunction, by discontent, by
conflict and by fear. The choice to follow God seems pretty obvious, and yet,
we maintain the wandering eye.
I think
that the problem is that dysfunction and discontent come packaged rather
innocuously. We spend time with people whom we genuinely like and enjoy, but
leave feeling envious. Perhaps you play a round of golf with friends, but leave
angry over a missed putt or a hurtful offhand comment. We live in two worlds and
it’s easy to go as the wind blows. The
way of God is holiness, but holiness doesn’t always seem so fun.
Rationally,
though, I think it’s pretty obvious that God wants what is best for us, and he
shows us exactly how to achieve his best. It’s no secret that the 10
Commandments should lead to contentment, or that trying to life like Jesus
would lead to peace and generosity. It’s a matter of believing that Jesus is
the way, the truth, and the life, and that he is certainly more than enough.
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