Where Do We Listen?

06 Sep Where Do We Listen?

Read  Matthew 22:34-40
Thought for the Day: Good decisions are based on loving God and neighbors!

One day when I was in Kindergarten, I got into the car with a family member to go out for pizza. What makes this particular outing memorable is that I was asked the following question: “David, can you direct me to Caserta’s? I’m not exactly sure how to get there.” Looking back, I am astonished by the entire event (including the question itself). But, as a 5-year-old, I took my assignment very seriously and began navigating from the back seat… until twenty minutes passed, we were incredibly lost, and the person driving realized that I had no clue how to get to the pizza place! My directions were based on nothing other than the idea that if I said “left”, “right”, or “straight” at any given intersection, we would eventually arrive at Caserta’s where I could eat my favorite pizza.

As Christians, it is far too easy to find ourselves asking five-year-olds for directions when it comes to our spiritual lives as well as making big decisions. When we do this, we quickly find ourselves lost and frustrated. But rather than continuing to turn to the wrong places for direction, let’s learn to apply the right standard when it is time to make a decision. Throughout His ministry, Jesus was clear: we are asked to love God and love our neighbors. When we make decisions based on that two-fold concept, we are applying the Jesus Standard to our lives.

We live in a time with more would-be prophets looking to direct us than ever before. Wherever we turn, individuals and/or groups are looking to influence our decision-making. Fortunately, when we begin to apply the Jesus Standard to our decision-making, we quickly see that very few of these individuals/groups are encouraging us to love God and our neighbors. At these times, we can realize that no one is forcing us to follow these would-be prophets. Instead, let’s remember that when we don’t know where to go in our lives, we don’t need to listen to the five-year-old offering backseat directions. When we apply the Jesus Standard, we quickly see that the only advice worth following encourages us to love God and those around us!

In Christ,
Pastor David (and Stan)