We have a bird feeder with 6 perches. Beside it is a humming bird feeder with 6 openings. So why is it that one bird will stand guard at each, chasing birds away? The one will always take a taste, but spends most of his time blocking others from enjoying what he has.
I hardly need to draw a comparison, do I? We know what selfishness looks like. Hey, some of us have even participated in it. When we are children, we all suddenly come to the knowledge of what is mine and what ought to be mine. I think that is what Eve saw when her eyes were opened to the knowledge of good and evil.
But it is tragic when that childishness grows as we enter adulthood. The "Mine" syndrome is alive and well in politics, in community living, and in the church. Yes, I said it. The church wrestles with a "Mine" mentality, as we try to discern right from wrong. Some say one practice or belief is acceptable and good, while others believe the opposite. Why?
Maybe it's because the "knowledge of good and evil" came through sin. Not trusting God for everything, and not believing Him when He said, "You shall surely die" produced the man-made conclusion that we have the ultimate knowledge of right and wrong.
It's time to open our hands and our beaks, let that final seed drop to the ground, and say, "Maybe it's not all mine after all." Just maybe we ought to be about our Father's business, rather than guarding our own stuff, including our personal knowledge of right and wrong.
Don't misunderstand me. I'm not saying that there is no right and wrong. I'm just saying that we can't decide for ourselves what we can believe and do. Just the opposite. When we drop that seed of self-wisdom, we must ask God, who gives to all who ask, to give us His wisdom.
While we're at it, let's ask Him to use us to love those who don't agree with us.
It's time to stop guarding the feeder. There's plenty of Bread for all!
I hardly need to draw a comparison, do I? We know what selfishness looks like. Hey, some of us have even participated in it. When we are children, we all suddenly come to the knowledge of what is mine and what ought to be mine. I think that is what Eve saw when her eyes were opened to the knowledge of good and evil.
But it is tragic when that childishness grows as we enter adulthood. The "Mine" syndrome is alive and well in politics, in community living, and in the church. Yes, I said it. The church wrestles with a "Mine" mentality, as we try to discern right from wrong. Some say one practice or belief is acceptable and good, while others believe the opposite. Why?
Maybe it's because the "knowledge of good and evil" came through sin. Not trusting God for everything, and not believing Him when He said, "You shall surely die" produced the man-made conclusion that we have the ultimate knowledge of right and wrong.
It's time to open our hands and our beaks, let that final seed drop to the ground, and say, "Maybe it's not all mine after all." Just maybe we ought to be about our Father's business, rather than guarding our own stuff, including our personal knowledge of right and wrong.
Don't misunderstand me. I'm not saying that there is no right and wrong. I'm just saying that we can't decide for ourselves what we can believe and do. Just the opposite. When we drop that seed of self-wisdom, we must ask God, who gives to all who ask, to give us His wisdom.
While we're at it, let's ask Him to use us to love those who don't agree with us.
It's time to stop guarding the feeder. There's plenty of Bread for all!
