Daily Jewel

by Pastor Carnell, McAlester, OK
Jan. 26, 2012

“The Cost of Knowing and Following”
“She (folly) calls out to men going by who are minding their own business, ‘Come in with me,’ she urges the simple..” – Proverbs 9:15, 16 (NLT, emphasis mine)

Going back to our beginnings (1:4), the word “simple” that Solomon uses in this verse generally means the “unlearned.” In Solomon’s thinking an unlearned person is one who has every opportunity to gain and get wisdom—they just simply chose not to. Whether it is laziness, arrogance, pride or a combination of any of the three—this is the person that the evil one will target. Perhaps this is why Solomon spends as much time and effort as he does to warn us of not allowing ourselves to be a victim of our own misfortune. What this means, and what Solomon has attempted to convey to us over and over again is we have available to us all the means provided to prevent these events and keep our hearts and souls strong—serving God and being loyal to the people He has placed into our lives. There is a cost, however, to this preventative measure. It is called discipleship. It means not accepting the “just enough to get by” philosophy that seems to have plagued humanity throughout all generations. It means picking up the Word of God and not just reading what it says but applying it to our lives. It means taking our relationships and our responsibilities from those said relationships seriously
! Want to know more? This is what discipleship is all about.

“Another disciple said to him, ‘Lord, first let me go and bury my father.’ But Jesus told him, ‘Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.’” – Matthew 8:21

“God never tells us to give up things just for the sake of giving them up, but He tells us to give them up for the sake of the only thing worth having—namely, life with Himself.” (Oswald Chambers, in My Utmost for His Highest)

Some decisions in life must be weighed against other options that are available. “Haste makes waste” is an old saying with solid truth behind it. Few decisions made compulsively turn out as well as we think they could, should, or would. Compulsive liars are eventually discovered; compulsive eaters end up with weight problems. As we grow older, we learn to be perceptive about decisions that promise results that can’t possibly turn out the way we desire.
Except for one decision. When God calls, don’t delay. Following him trumps all other decisions. It is never the wrong decision to make. Matthew (Levi) was a recognized, successful, established tax collector. He had his enemies, as did all tax collectors whose accountability was to Caesar. Matthew was moderately wealthy. His career had been planned for him by his father, Alpheus —probably from his birth. Tradition suggests that he was a married man with children. He was going about his tax-collecting business when Jesus saw him “sitting at the tax collector’s booth.” When Jesus told him, “Follow me,” Matthew made the right decision. On the spot. In Matthew 9:9 we read, “…and Matthew got up and followed him.” Oswald Chambers was right: “God never tells us to give up things just for the sake of giving them up.” The decision to give up certain pleasures to follow Jesus will prove to be the best decision over time. Second chances may never come. Choice “A” does not guarantee that a Choice “B” exists. The best thing to do when Jesus calls is to follow the plan.
Don’t settle for “simplicity” when we can have and be more. Here is a prayer that may guide us for the day:

Heavenly Father, how comforting it is to know that you not only have a plan for my life, but that you are at work to see that plan unfold. I don’t even have to think about it. Father, you have led me safely in the past; you will lead me now. Help me to always live so that when you call my name, I will be ready to answer. In the strong name of Jesus I pray. Amen.
Pastor J. T. Carnell