I'm doing something different today. Instead of sharing one of my daily SOAP devotionals I felt compelled, in light of my experience in the carpool line this morning, to write about one of my favorite verses that I use as a guiding principle EVERY day. I am writing this literally as I think of it, 95% unedited, so please share your thoughts.
S - Romans 12:1-2
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."
O - There is so much power here!!! In Old testament times, the Jews were called to give sacrifices. These were animals or a portion of their harvest/hard labor, that they were asked to give to God. There were many guidelines on how these sacrifices were to be given in order for them to be genuine. Today, we are living in the post-resurrection of Jesus and are no longer asked to give physical sacrifices. However, we are asked to give of our time, our service, and our personal sacrifice. This is seen by God as a "living sacrifice" and is an act of worshipping God, or giving Him reverence. We are to do this because of God's mercy. In addition, we are to transform our mind to think in line with God's word, not the ways of the world. We are to live in the world without being a part of it. How do we sit on the fence between living both ways?
A - I have always been a rule follower...to a degree. In some ways I am a rebel because if something is more of a "guideline" than a rule, I tend to see what I can get away with...I like to "go against the flow" when it won't hurt anyone or get me in trouble! Sometimes I have been known to push the peddle to a speed that might be 5-10 miles above where it's supposed to be if I'm in a hurry. I have been known on occasion to go in the "out hole" in the school parking lot if no one was in the way. I have actually had the thought that "some rules are stupid" therefore they were "made to be broken." We aren't supposed to wear flip-flops to work, however some get away with this and so I do it too because "everyone else is doing it." However, I seem to know when being "too bold" is going too far and would NEVER want to create a hazard or safety issue. I like to keep it right below the line of "crazy" :) And I definitely want approval so I would never want to purposefully make someone mad at me. I find this always interesting in the church because many churches have "rules" about how we should all conform to doing things the "right" way, and yet there are many ways to do things. So who has the right way? Who gets to be an authority?
So here's the scene: This morning I was dropping off my son at school. He attends an elementary school on a busy street and the school has modified the entrance and exit this year to reduce traffic congestion on the main road. The parking lot has a CLEAR one way in and one way out entrance. There is even a median to keep drivers from turning left out of the school parking lot. Some have argued that the school has no right to keep parents from turning left out of the parking lot. This morning there was not one, but TWO parents in front of me that not only attempted to turn left, but they blocked traffic doing it. One went around the median into oncoming traffic in order to get out and even honked at a lady that was waiting to move forward, signaling to her that he wanted her to move up and get out of his way. He was definitely not going to let any median or sign or other parents hinder his attempts to get out quickly. I wondered to myself if this is how he does this every day?
My first thought on this was it made me mad that they would be so rude. I wanted to yell at them and set them straight! First of all, I might be a little bit of a rebel (and I confess I have turned left when no one else was there!) but I would never do "that!" And yet they were doing exactly what in some ways, I try to live by every day. They were going "against the flow" because they don't recognize the school as having authority on the traffic flow.
So I ask you, how do we recognize who is in authority in our Christian walk? So how do we know how far we should take it in our Christian walk to not conform to the world's standards and yet, we are called to model a Christian life? Some might argue that perhaps these parents were having an emergency therefore it required them to be rude and go against the traffic "guidelines." It occurred to me, in even this minor way, that there are people in the world that are hurting so badly, or so focused on SELF that they don't even have a desire to be open to thinking about how their actions might effect others. They justify their actions because of how the "world" has treated them perhaps. And this overlaps into parents that drink too much, do drugs, and abuse their children...people that rob stores or break into homes because they are in need of the money...beggars on the street that would rather have a handout than a job...the list goes on. Do we excuse this behavior because they "do not know what they do?" Even Jesus on the cross asked God to forgive those that persecuted Him. How do we make an impact on these that need a hand UP? We often think that we are "better" people because we are not doing these "blatant, unrepentant sins". How are we different? The key is with God's guidance. My little attempts to justify my "speeding" or going in the "out hole" in the school parking lot are really no different in God's eyes unless I am recognizing my sins as what they are. My rebellion should simply be an act of going against the world, following God and lining up my choices with God's word, not attempts to go against HIM. In addition, do I go against the flow when it comes to reaching some of these that don't even know how far off balance they are? So many in the world are comfortable in their little Christian lives that they don't even make the effort to look for how they can be a friend to those just like them in their community. We don't have to go to the food bank or the shelter or Mexico to serve those in need. We need to open our eyes to those right next door. Just this week I realized that I have given up inviting my neighbor to church because she has said no a couple times. I should be continuing to fight that fear of rejection and continue to invite her.
P - Lord God, you went "against the flow" and surprised everyone with sending your son as a humble servant instead of a "warrior". Jesus came to conquer the world but not in the way that anyone expected. Oh that I would want to be like Jesus! Help me to have courage to reach out in spite of my fears and have an impact on those around me that need you. With your help, perhaps they will know how much you love them and want to draw them to you, regardless of whatever they have done or the choices they have made. Thank you Lord that you love us, even as we make stupid choices before your very eyes. You are a big and mighty God and how blessed we are that you do not give up on us. I pray that you would continue to help me NOT conform to the world but to have a mind that is transformed and focused on serving you. Amen.
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