I Told You So

December 17, 2009

I told you so.  I wonder if we might hear (or think) those words when we get to heaven.  God used a lot of people and made a great effort to provide and preserve his holy words, yet, we causally take them for granted.  Do we really believe that all of the Bible is true?  We think we do. 

Some wonder why the shepherds were honored to be the first visitors to see baby Jesus.  I think the reason is obvious.  They were simple enough to believe that if God speaks it must be true.  

The language of Luke 2 says it all…Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about…When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about the child…The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.  Should they have expected anything less? 

Do we really believe the Bible if we don’t follow it like these shepherds?  On his last night on earth, Jesus told his disciples that if they loved him they would obey his commands.  Paul said that faith comes by hearing the Word of God, but we try to have a godly life while blatantly ignoring many clear teachings.  Who is fooling whom?  I haven’t even mentioned what James said about hearing and doing. 

Would it be more honest to say that we believe 50, 75 or 90 percent?  My conviction is that ignoring or disobeying the Scriptures makes a statement that I do not trust it fully.  Do I really believe what God says about topics like giving, lust, gossip, serving, evangelism, hell, bitterness, peace, humility, honoring leadership, or you name it?  My actions reveal the level of trust in my heart. 

Religious liberals are criticized for their cut and paste approach to the Bible, but are we Bible thumpers any better?  Unlike them, I carry around the excessive pages in my Good Book instead of tearing them out. 

If the secret of unbelief were revealed, it might seriously damage the booksellers who push their new books and translations our way.  Since statistics on Bible believing people are heading south, it appears that increased scholarship and knowledge is not fulfilling what we hoped. 

My humble suggestion is that we talk less and live more.  It has been said that people don’t care what we know until they know that we care.  Paul preached that knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.  Are we losing the race in our nation because we fail to walk the talk?  Folks can turn on their TV and hear the Way, but maybe their thirst for life change will come when they see the Way in us first?  Let’s give our obedience a chance to catch up with our knowledge. 

I sure don’t want those shepherds coming up to me in heaven saying, “I told you so.”  Their simple obedience made such a splash that people around the world still talk about it once a year.  What could God do through you and me to change our world if we would just trust and obey?

What would you suggest that would help us move beyond knowledge to vibrant obedience?  Obviously, we need your advice.

Thoughts from Readers

That is a powerful message. I needed to hear that.

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