Absolutes vs. Uncertainty

I've had conversations with so many different people this week. We are all very different. We have different perspectives about life. We have varied backgrounds. We are in different stages of life. We have different sets of problems. Some of us have children. Some have raised their children and sent them off to bother someone else. Some have grandchildren. Some are just beginning their families. Some are divorced. Some are single. Some are widowed. Some are dealing with infertility. Some are struggling with serious health issues. But the people that I'm speaking of are all believers.

As believers, we have unique gifts and skills, and yet God has assembled us together for one common purpose. Take the diversity of the believers in the worship ministries area and multiply it exponentially and you see the vastness of our church and its makeup. Take it again, multiply it exponentially, and it becomes almost overwhelming as we try to comprehend reaching this world. So many people. So many different perspectives. So many problems.

One of my favorite things to do is try to figure out why people think what they think. I love reading books on philosophy and psychology. I love observing creation, and admiring the creativity of God. Nothing man-made can compare—no work of art, literature or music—to that which God has created. I like to try to understand why people have such diverse points of view. As a violin teacher, it is amazing all the different approaches I have to try with students. Some are motivated by rewards such as stickers. Some are motivated by praise. Some are motivated by the sheer accomplishment of learning a new skill. Some are just there because their parents are making them be there, and I try my best to make it fun so they don’t grow up hating music.

When I encounter adults in daily life, I spend a lot of energy trying to figure out the same types of things—what motivates them? Why do they see things the way they do? Why do they face the issues that they face? Is it a matter of circumstance or poor choices? There are so many people with so many problems. It becomes overwhelming to try to help and encourage and understand in the midst of so much hurt and pain and frustration.

I know that you have problems, and that they are different from mine. I know that each of us has a unique set of circumstances. I know that you have to deal with hurting people with huge problems. And, quite honestly, it seems like I’ve encountered my fair share lately. Perhaps it's because my prayer has been that God would develop the relationships in my life into real, meaninful relationships and not surfacy "Hi, how are you", "in passing" relationships. Perhaps it’s because the church is growing so fast, and with that the diversity is just growing exponentially. Perhaps it’s because this is such a relational church, and what better way for satan to distract us than by causing rifts and plaguing us with the distractions that problems bring. I don’t know. But I’ve prayed for God to give me insight, and help me understand better the people and problems that I’ve encountered as of late.

Here was the answer that He gave me…it was very simple. It is tucked away in a chapter of admonitions for our daily walk, and it was in a verse that I learned as a child in preschool here at FBC:
Hebrews 13:8 says “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.”

In other words, I have been asking the wrong question. I have been focusing on the reasons rather than the purpose. I have been focusing on the distractions (problems) rather than focusing on the goal. I’ve been focusing on my own strength rather than relying on Jesus’. I’ve been seeing things through my eyes, and trying to see things through "their" eyes rather than trying to see things through the perfect eyes of Christ. In the midst of every "imperfect human being" (myself at the top of that list of IHBs), we have a perfect, consistent God.

Read with me about the consistency of God from the mouth of David, one of his most inconsistent, imperfect worshipers:

Psalm 19: 7-10, 14
The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul.
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.
The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever.
The ordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether righteous.
They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold;
They are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb.

If you want a list of absolutes in this world of variables and uncertainties, there it is. In summary:
The Lord is perfect, trustworthy, right, radiant, pure, sure, more precious than gold, sweeter than honey.

My prayer for you today is that your focus is not on the hardships and distractions of the day, but on Christ. ...that we become less as He becomes more. ...that our heart song today is the last verse that David writes in this Psalm:
May the words of my mouth, and the meditations of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.