Focal Passages: 1 Corinthians 4:1-5; Galatians 1:6-10; 1
Thessalonians 2:7-12
I grew up hearing the phrase, “making mountains out of mole
hills!”
After hearing my mother say this while at my grandparent’s
farm, I decided to check this out for myself. To say the least, I was very
disappointed.
I found that a mole hill is little more than a shell of dirt
over a hole. When you try to “make” anything out of it, it collapses in on
itself — leaving you with a “partially filled” hole.
So, right away I could not understand how anyone could ever
make a “mountain” out of this thing.
Of course, the most unpleasant aspect of this “mole hill”
scenario is this: when the little dude who lives in the “mole hill” (the mole)
runs out of his hole in the direction of the eight-year-old construction
engineer, he then “makes” this budding project manager go running for mommy and
grandma!
As humans, we have a tendency to allow the small things to
obscure much bigger things.
Our lives are thrown into a tizzy because of bad job or
health news, an unexpected bill, or we want our way and there is something or
someone possibly preventing it.
If we are too close to something, what is behind it (or what
is coming) is obscured.
If we allow something to “gain the high ground,” then we
lose the ability to see over it.
Paul’s emphasis in the three passages this week is Christ:
His importance, His position, His gospel and His church.
It is Christ who stands over all things and who controls
every aspect of our lives.
Like a master engineer, He has designed every incident we
will experience.
He understands our “tolerances” (he knows we are like the
dust), so He custom designs our circumstances so they will never exceed our
fragile limitations.
In God’s kingdom, performance is not as important as faithfulness.
Since He controls our circumstances, God does not expect His people to be
controlled by them.
Rather, obedience is the benchmark by which everything we do
will be measured. Our ability to accomplish our tasks rests in our ability to
follow Christ.
He, then, must be the most recognizable and familiar person
in our lives, since our relationship with Him allows us our confidence.
To further demonstrate His wisdom, He has placed us among
others who win, lose, struggle and cry just like we do.
As we pursue God, let’s not forget we lead as we follow.
(SPECIAL NOTE — Thank you for your continued support of the Biblical
Recorder site. During this interim period while we are searching for a new
Editor/President the comments section will be temporarily discontinued. Thank
you for your understanding and patience in this. If you do have comments or
issues with items we run, please contact [email protected]
or call 919-847-2127.)