What Should I Do?
Should I hit the snooze again? Life is full of decisions.
Decisions. Decisions. Life is full of them. Should we plan for a fish fry this Friday or do something different? Should the football coach send in orders to kick a field goal or go for a touchdown? Should I set my alarm early tomorrow morning? Decisions. Decisions.
When making a decision we begin well by taking an inventory of the situation. God’s Word reports John the Baptist giving advice to some people wondering what to do, and his words remind us of some important truths.
“John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, ‘Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.’ ‘What should we do then?’ the crowd asked.” John’s conversation included pointers for these curious minds to take inventory of themselves and their Savior.
John knew that some of these people considered themselves right with God because of their good lives, and John wants them to know that he knows it. That's why he calls them snakes. “You brood of vipers!” Snakes are good at pretending. They want their prey to think that they are part of the surroundings. They want their predators to think they look very dangerous and powerful with their sinister appearance. So it was true of some who came to be baptized by John. They only pretended to be true believers, but actually just wanted to blend in with those around them and at the same time look prestigious and powerful. They were so good at pretending that they even fooled themselves into thinking that the danger of God's wrath couldn't harm them because they were so good.
When we consider circumstances, make plans, and think about where we stand with God, we can be a pretending snake just the same. We deal with our sins by pretending they're not that bad, and besides, look at all the times we've done good. When we consider opportunities in employment, in relationships, in lifestyle we pretend like we're considering everything equally but our selfishness and convenience has too often come first and God has come second. When we are caught in a habitual sin we pretend it doesn't control us. A brood of vipers. I dare to think that I can even fool God.
What should I do? Stop pretending that I'm in control, and turn to Jesus in prayer. Stop pretending my sins don't hurt, and fall into the open arms of my loving Father. Stop pretending I need so many possessions, and let my powerful Savior be my greatest treasure. Stop pretending to be happy even though I'm torn apart inside, and seek the true joy of a Savior's unconditional love. Stop avoiding decisions, and make them under God's will with the assurance the decision will have his blessing. I have a powerful Savior.
John the Baptist describes him as a farmer, who harvests his grain, unloads it on the threshing floor, and tosses it up in the air to let the wind blow away the undesired chaff, the waste. This powerful Savior gathers you and me and all believers, whom he has made his own through faith, and works to increase the harvest. He may toss us around, let us hit the bottom, or even crush the world around us but he is only removing the undesired, wasteful chaff of our lives.
Stop pretending. Get real. Repent and believe. The kingdom of God is here.
PRAYER: I know what to do, Lord, but it's not always that easy. It's not easy to admit my sins and mistakes, to say that I've failed you, to expose my weakness. With your help and by your guidance, let me do so today. It's not easy to leave the controls in your hands, to trust, to go against my human feelings and hope that what you promise is true. Let me do so today, and bless the decisions I make. Amen