Vol. 17 No. 47 | November 24, 2014
Do everything readily and cheerfully — no bickering, no second-guessing allowed! Go out into the world uncorrupted, a breath of fresh air in this squalid and polluted society. Provide people with a glimpse of good living and of the living God. Carry the light-giving Message into the night so I’ll have good cause to be proud of you on the day that Christ returns. You’ll be living proof that I didn’t go to all this work for nothing.(Philippians 2:14-16, MSG)
What would it be like to live in a world, in a church, in a workplace, or in a home where no second-guessing is allowed?
You would never remind everyone who will halfway listen that if you were the president of the United States you would never make the decision he made.
When teachers when make an assignment there will be no chorus of “Are you serious?” coming from the class.
When a referee makes a call no coach would yell from the bench, no player would stomp down the court, and no fan would scream at the top of his lungs, “Are you crazy? That is a horrible call!”
When the boss makes an assignment employees would simply smile and get busy completing the task.
When a parent asks a child to get busy cleaning their room without comment the room would get cleaned.
When a life long friend informs you that she is leaving her job for mission work in a poverty stricken country on the other side of the world the only response you give is that of encouragement and complete support.
When your daughter says she is in love and wants to get married the only thing you can say is that you love her and cannot wait for the wedding.
When the elders make a difficult but prayer-bathed decision there would be no threats of leaving or resistance to their authority.
When a husband tells his wife he cannot continue to work under the stressful conditions of his job and needs to make a change she hugs him and says she is supportive.
Those might be some of things we would experience if we were to live in a world, in a church, in a workplace, or in a home where no second-guessing is allowed.
Am I dreaming? Is this foolish thinking? Am I naive? Are you second-guessing me?
Apparently the Lord felt it is not an impossibility since He guided Paul to write those words. It does not matter what kind of Bible you read from the message is the same.
“Do everything without grumbling or arguing,” (NIV)
“Do all things without grumbling or disputing;” (NASV and ESV)
“Do all things without murmurings and disputings:” (KJV)
Can you imagine such a world? Can you imagine being a person that never second-guesses, or grumbles, or complains, or argues? This text is not written only to that annoying person who always second-guesses you; it is also written to you. Do not second-guess that. It is true. It is also written to me.
What would it be like to live like that? You would “Go out into the world uncorrupted, a breath of fresh air in this squalid and polluted society. Provide people with a glimpse of good living and of the living God. Carry the light-giving Message into the night.” (Message) “Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky.” (NIV)
I think it is possible. I think it is worth trying. I think a world like that would be absolutely wonderful. Even if you think differently please do not second-guess me.
Tom
© Copyright 2014 Tom Norvell. All rights reserved.