Values-Driven

I always assumed that if God had prepared good works in advance for us to do, it was a given that we would accomplish them. As of yesterday, I’m not so sure.

I was running errands and ended up thinking I was going home before I was actually ready to go home, so I got on the highway going the wrong way. I got off the next exit to turn around, and there was a man there holding a cardboard sign that I couldn’t read. Whether he was homeless or out of work and in need I couldn’t tell (traffic was moving and the sign was small) but I felt a burden to do something. However, we don’t necessarily give money in such situations, and I didn’t have food or even our usual New Testament or Keys to Kingdom Expansion in the car. I was turning around to go back to Wal-Mart, though, so I figured I’d get something there and come back to the same spot on my way home.

At Wal-Mart, I picked up a deli sandwich, a couple of bananas, a few snacks, and a cold drink. I even threw a really-bad-for-you cookies & cream freezer shake into the cart. I couldn’t imagine standing outside on such a miserable, hot day. (It was 90 degrees at 10 AM and the humidity terrible!) I did the rest of the shopping I needed to do within about 30 minutes and hoped that the man would still be there when I got back.

Despite my feeling of hurry, I began to dawdle. I was without children–a rarity–and so I began to look at the Back-to-School supplies. I didn’t think we would need anything, but…you never know. On my way up to the register, I passed by the appliance section and wistfully thought about my Bissell Perfect Sweep that had recently broken…I really wanted to replace it. So I looked at all the different models of floor sweepers. And, yes, I suppose I was coveting them. Did I even plan on buying one? No, it wasn’t in the budget and I supposed I could do without a replacement. Then (still on my way to the register), I passed by the clearance aisle. I stopped to look. Of course, I didn’t buy anything, but you can’t pass by a good deal, can you?

Now it had been over an hour, a lot of that time taken up, quite frankly, by my own selfishness. I was enjoying the time to myself…looking, planning, and (yes) coveting…and really just wasting time. And, as it turns out, wasting the opportunity.

By the time I got through the line and got out to the car, hunted up a pen to write a note and some Bible verses to put in the bag, and went back to the original spot, the man was not there. Somehow, I wasn’t surprised. I drove around other places in that area where we had seen homeless folks, and there was no one.

The Lord convicted me that I had totally failed to redeem the time and make the most of the opportunity that I knew was there. Instead of being obedient to do what was of eternal significance, I squandered precious moments on my fleshly desires. Of course I had to repent.

And this morning as I was somewhere between wakefulness and sleep, the Lord put this Word on my heart: “I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of my God.” So I opened my Bible there to read this morning:

“I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God. Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.” (Revelation 3:1-3)

Ouch! I wondered how many other opportunities I have missed to do good and glorify God…things that He has intended for me to do that I have messed up by following after my selfish desires. Opportunities to disciple my children, gone as I sit in front of the computer, perhaps? Opportunities to minister to folks in our community by inviting them for a meal, ruined by my grumbling and bad attitude as I clean house in preparation? I would like to say that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (which is true) but, that Scripture in its entirety says, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1) And I know in what manner I was walking yesterday.

Dear friends, let us strive to make the most of every opportunity today, to glorify our Lord!