I have come to find out that most of us don’t like to be told what to do. Be it from what is acceptable to say to what we are allowed to wear each day; we love making the decisions that affect our lives and our bodies. This desire to live life how we want is called self-sovereignty. And in today’s culture, self-sovereignty is at an all-time high for those who claim to follow Jesus Christ.
Sometimes it is necessary for parents to give children specific instructions. Like all of us, there may have been times where we felt that those instructions were unnecessary. And after we broke something or made a huge mess, we could hear our parents say: “If I say Jump, you say how high.” What is the point? The point is that our parents love us. And what seems like bossiness is actually our family trying to teach us important things with specific tasks that need to be followed precisely. Be it lighting the pilot on the furnace to safely operating a chain-saw, there are important steps that must be followed to avoid serious consequences.
If our parents can love us this much, how much more must God love His children? He loves us so much that He has made a way for us to live forever with Him in Christ. Think about that: If developing a relationship is God’s primary purpose for us, do we not think that He has some very specific instructions that He needs us to follow in order for us to remain in Him?
And that is why in Proverbs 9 King Solomon writes, 9 Give instruction to a wise person and he will become still wiser; Teach a righteous person and he will increase his insight. 10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Pro. 9:9-10
Listen to me carefully, self-sovereignty is the opposite of wisdom, for the wisdom of the Kingdom of God is folly to the world. Just as our loving parents desire that we listen and follow their directions to a “T”, our heavenly Father desires that we honor and glorify Him as we submit to His instructions to remain in Christ. We are called to Keep the Word. This is the fruit of righteousness that bears witness to a saving faith.
If God tells us that we need to jump 8 inches high, it would be wise to obey, for we may not know or understand the consequences that could take place if we miss the mark He has set for us. Some Christians may deal with pride and entitlement as they jump as high as they can whenever the Lord says jump eight inches. Sadly, they may not be able to avoid the beam of humility that God installed precisely at the ninth inch. In the same way, other Christians might fail to clear the stumbling blocks of sin and self that stand resolutely at seven inches high. And with scrapes, bruises, and broken bones, there are wounded Christians that may have to deal with the effects of those mistakes for years to come.
We are called to serve an “eight-inch high” kind of loving God, but we are immersed in a culture who tells us that we should do and believe whatever we want. Why should we give up certain behaviors in our lives to embrace servanthood to Christ? Why should we once again become slaves to anyone for that matter? We submit, because we are still ignorant children. Even though we think we are wise; we are fools in comparison to a holy and living God.
With that said, what should I do with my time and my money? What thoughts should I allow to flow through my mind? What things should I do with my body or the words can I speak to others? You see, a loving God answers these things very specifically as He knows how important these answers are to remaining in relationship with Him. Our God is holy and he calls us to be holy as He is holy. Having faith in Christ is trusting God enough to know that He has our best interest at heart.
How can we children of sin recognize what is holy? Therefore, let us be wise; allowing God to tell us how high to jump in every situation in our lives. And if we do, we will receive the most precious gift we could ever receive. Scripture tells us that the free gift of God results in eternal life. With that said, read the Word and keep the Word… And let us all jump in unity as we clear 8 inches together as one fellowship in Christ.