LIVING ON THE EDGE

In my journey over the past last year, God has led me back to studying and learning some leadership lessons from a guy by the name of Moses. Numbers chapter 11 has become a favorite because I can so relate to Moses here in the passage. Read it and then come back and I’ll share some thoughts on the subject.

Good stuff, huh?

What I find amusing is the Israelites were complaining to each other because they didn’t have “meat” to eat. They were craving “other food” and all they had was this manna stuff, a white, fluffy-food from heaven. Every morning they would get up and witness a miracle. But that wasn’t good enough. They wanted more. So a group called “the rabble” stirred up the crowd and got them questioning God and Moses. They began to complain about not being fed the good food they were accustom to in Egypt. (The rabble or rabble rousers, was a mixed crowd of Egyptians and others who had followed Israel out of Egypt. They were not bought in to Moses’ “let my people go” vision)

The people of Israel didn’t seem to notice what God was doing for them like setting them free, making them a nation, giving them a new land-because they were so wrapped up in themselves and what God wasn’t doing for them, all they could think about was the delicious Egyptian food they had left behind or THE GOOD ‘OL DAYS. They forgot about the brutal beatings at the hands of the Egyptians was the cost of eating that good food.

They became so dissatisfied because their focus shifted from what they had to what they didn’t have.

This attitude has become too familiar in our churches today. We focus more on what we don’t have or who is not at church or what is not happening instead of what God is doing and the miracles He is performing everyday. God is doing some incredible stuff but we choose to focus on the past and only wish we shoulda’, coulda’ woulda’.

We need to stop that attitude and examine our own hearts and think about what occupies our attention the most. Are we grateful for what God has given us as a church, as a family, as a person or are we like the “RABBLE ROUSERS” always stirring up crap and complaining to others about what we don’t have or don’t do or craving “OTHER FOOD”.

Don’t let your own selfish desires cause you and others around you to forget how good and generous God has been to you and what God is doing right now. GOD IS GOOD.

This morning I was out visiting our local home improvement center doing a little dreaming and getting some ideas for my next “honey do” job, when I came face to face with one of my previous church members. (These encounters have been numerous of late) This one was plain ridiculous and quite humorous.

As we came together and locked eyes I raised my hand to wave and to speak, which is the right thing to do under any circumstance. Expecting to get a smile and a wave back, all I got was a not so nice look and a walk off. That totally amazed me since the guy is self-proclaimed Christ follower and attends church regularly. He was quite active in our church at one time.

Now to be fair, I have those in my past I have no desire to hang out with or even carry on a long conversation with, but I have never nor will I ever flat out ignore someone just because they may have hurt my feelings. If I were to do that I would ignore half of the town I live in. Dang, that’s just stupid and above all not Christ like.

Jesus commands us to do just the opposite. He tells us in Matthew 5:38-41 (NIV) “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.

This is Christianity 101. This is preschool stuff. If Christians can’t even be civil to each other then no wonder those who our on the outside looking in at the church have no desire to be a part of it. They can get this treatment anywhere.

I get a little sick and tired of self-righteous people who say and do one thing on Sunday when all their peeps are around and they can look good to them and then say and do just the opposite Monday thru Saturday.

Come on church. Get a clue and grow up. The world is watching and we need to start acting and looking like Jesus. People need HIM and the church has been given the mandate to carry the good news to the world. If they see us acting like preschoolers then I doubt if they will ever listen to what we have to say.

This is just Christianity 101.