Life Lessons - Part 1

Mark Dunagan
03/26/08 - Sunday Morning

Appreciate the Circumstances

"Each of us helps to write the story of the human race every time we make a choice. We either add to the dignity of our race by making choices that promote goodness, or we further degrade it by making those that promote evil. As Donald Creighton has suggested: 'History is the record of an encounter between character and circumstance'. Not only is greatness of inward character the greatest of all greatnesses, but it lies within the power of every individual. It doesn't depend on having a public stage upon which to act. And it doesn't depend on whether other people are doing what they should. Try, for example, to hear a Washington or a Lincoln grumbling, 'I could've been a great president if I'd been lucky enough to come to the office inother circumstances. If the times hadn't been so difficult, I might've had a chance to show them what I could do! Good character does good work to meet the needs of the present moment, no matter what those needs happen to be. In your imagination, pick any truly great person and drop him or her into a different time, place, and social status. Doesn't the person simply do whatever is needed to improve that situation? Greatness of character doesn't wait on circumstances to deal it a 'favorable' hand. It plays with honor whatever hand it is dealt" (Diligently Seeking God, Gary Henry, February 24).

• We must avoid getting caught up in blaming the circumstances as to why we can't be a better Christian. In addition to Washington or Lincoln, imagine Noah complaining he did not have the time to build an ark, preach, and provide for a family all at the same time (Hebrews 11:7); or Abraham complaining that he could never quite get it together spiritually because God had uprooted him from home and family; or Moses complaining that his previous upbringing in Egypt always seemed to get in the way of growing spiritually.

• Instead of letting our circumstances move us into inaction, we need to let the voice of God move us no matter what our circumstances (Hebrews 11:7,8,17).

• Sometimes critics and skeptics argue that the only reason you and I are Christians is because of the upbringing or favorable circumstances into which we were born. If given another set of circumstances you or I would have been drug-dealers, thieves and so on. Yet such a theory overlooks an important card, the character card. A good and honest heart will be the same basic person regardless of the circumstances (Philippians 4:11-13); the opposite is equally true. No matter how favorable the circumstances, a person dedicated to selfishness will stay the same.

Moments Make a Life

"Daunting tasks lose their power to discourage us when we break them down into each moment's doable deeds. At any particular moment, whatever should be done can be done. Taken individually, single moments are always manageable. One of the most empowering questions a person can ever ask is this: What is the very best thing I could actually do right now, in this present moment? Forget the next moment or some other moment, what is the main thing that lies before me at just this moment? The key to life is the peaceful, persistent management of the moments" (March 9).

• A decision at a specific moment can equally change what might seem like something that is unchangeable. The decision by Zaccheus at a definite moment ("Zaccheus stopped and said" Luke 19:8) altered his entire destiny. Matthew's decision to follow Jesus was equally a definite seizing of a particular moment (Matthew 9:9). The opposite is also true, the young man in Proverbs yields to the immoral woman at a precise moment ("Suddenly he follows her" Proverbs 7:22), and there was a moment when Judas made the final decision to betray Jesus (John 13:27).

• Solomon notes that poverty comes to the sluggard because he misused small moments, "A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—and your poverty will come like a vagabond" (6:10). He also noted the importance of a timely word, that is, a good word spoken at the right moment (15:23; 25:11).

I have found that marital problems that seem insolvable when one looks at the entire picture can be resolved when someone in the marriage seizes the moment and does or says the loving and right thing. Friendships can be restored, congregations can maintain unity, families can be strengthened, and the lost can be saved when we care about what we do and say at the moment. Things can unravel when the moments are squandered and yet great things can happen when the moments are used wisely. A little "slumber" can lead to financial ruin, and prayer at the moment, study at another moment, worship at the next moment, and so on, can lead to greater character (2 Peter 1:5-11). "But as we gain confidence, we also need to develop patience in the process of change. In this life, not even the most faithfully obedient Christian can claim to be anything more than a work in progress. In the ongoing renovation of our character, there is much damage yet to be repaired, and quick fixes will simply not suffice. In our hurried-up culture, we've gotten into the habit of demanding immediate results" (February 28).

Dangerous Desires

"Do we really believe that God's will is better for us than anything that is contrary to His will? Most of us would say yes, but the evidence suggests that we have a hard time cultivating an unconditional confidence that God's way is best. We may give up certain things in order to do what is right, but we often make these sacrifices somewhat reluctantly, perhaps for no other reason than to keep from going to hell. Deep down, don't we often feel that the thing we had to part with would have been a 'better' fulfillment of our real desires, had God just allowed us to have it? Perhaps the trouble is not that we have too little faith in God; it may just be that we have too much faith in ourselves" (March 10).

• In addition, the world consistently tries to reinforce the concept that if we just follow our own ideas things will work out better. That is, if we just live together we will be happier than if we settle down and marry, if we yield to certain temptations it will keep us from becoming too straight-laced and from going crazy in the process, if we live entirely for the moment we will be happier than the person who actually plans for the future.

• I believe that the above attitude equally gets in the way of overcoming temptation. We find ways to convince ourselves that certain sins are not that bad, but actually very beneficial. We might think yielding to a temptation will keep us from becoming self-righteous, keeps us real, makes us more interesting, and gives us greater compassion for fellow sinners. Yet the real truth is that sin makes us a hypocrite and a stumbling-block to others. If I am struggling in a sin I do no need to see someone else struggle, I actually need to see someone who has overcome it so I can have the hope that such is possible. I do not need to see more people losing; I need to see someone winning.

"One of the profound tragedies of our present world is the persistence with which we pursue 'fulfillments' that are bound to break our hearts. We find that many of our enjoyments leave a bitter, deadly aftertaste. Solomon reached this conclusion long years ago, 'The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with it' (Proverbs 10:22). It takes trust to believe that this is true, that God's will is better, really better, than any alternative" (March 10).

What is Real?

In Hebrews chapter 12 the Holy Spirit speaks of Esau as being, "a godless person…who sold his own birthright for a single meal" (12:16). The word godless can also be translated profane. All of us understand what "profanity" is and yet there is equally a "profanity" that is not verbal. "To be profane is to choose the immediate satisfaction of the temporal over the more distant value of the spiritual. Profanity is worshipping the wrong thing, honoring the secular in such a way as to dishonor the sacred. The profane person is one like Esau who trades away great intangible privileges for the instant satisfaction of what is 'right here' and 'right now'" (March 11).

• By contrast, when we look at the example of Moses, faith accepts and acts upon future realities. "By faith Moses…refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin; considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward" (Hebrews 11:24-26).

• Moses understood that heaven was far more "real" and "lasting" than the pleasures of Egypt. Esau got caught up in the moment and was convinced that his hunger was far more "real", "lasting" and "important" than his birthright.

• "It's undeniable that the present has a powerful pull on us. Whatever is 'right here' can seem much more real than anything 'over there'" (March 11).

This is why I need to remember than heaven is far more real and lasting than popularity in junior high or high school, a single date, going to "the party" this week, a fashion trend that lasts for one season, the must see reality TV show for this season, or for us who are older, a career, a momentary temptation, what everyone else is buying, and so on. Life is rather like a marriage. This earthly life is kind of like the ceremony that only lasts for a couple of hours and everything about it is disposable, while eternity is like the marriage that follows. The marriage is far more real and lasting than the ceremony. Only go to battle and sacrifice for the things that are actually "real".