What Difference Does It Make?

Part 1

What difference does it make if we live life halfheartedly – who will even notice?  What difference does it make if we do something forbidden just once; after all isn’t that what learning is all about?  What difference does it make if we don’t get to take in the speaker’s message because we are busy working behind the scenes doing an important job so others can hear it?  What difference does it make if we are so hungry for the message that we don’t volunteer so that a dedicated worker can have a chance to be in front of the message?  What difference does it make if, if, if….we could go on forever with the ‘what difference does it make’ questions. The truth is everything we do or don’t do makes an important difference to someone.  We hear that said throughout our lives, but perhaps some of us never truly hear it.  It passes our eyes and ears, shielded by preoccupation with what is now or has happened in our lives.  Some people remain stuck in their world view, refusing to seek out and fully live for, honor, or thank the God who gave them life. While preparing a lesson for my Team Kids and Mission Friends, God reminded me of some powerful truths; truths we sometimes overlook. Truths like…

 

  • We are uniquely made.
  • We are each given our own gifts and talents.
  • We are by nature seekers of recognition.
  • We are by nature guilty of making wrong choices.
  • We have free-will to choose the paths we will take.

Truths like … It hurts to have regrets The paths we choose will either alter or build on the blueprint God chose for our lives.  Is it really so hard to believe the One who created every living organism in this World, every molecule in our body, every natural element, did so with a specific purpose and connection to each other? Science understands the physical application of this truth. Take cooking for example; if we choose to omit the baking powder in the biscuit recipe it changes the end result.  The Law of Physics tells us – if a builder chooses to use undersize support beams and cover up some shortcuts he took in a structure it is weakened and somewhere along the way it will fail to meet its expected use. So why is it so difficult to see the spiritual application of these truths in our lives today?  Take a look at the ‘first’ human parents, Adam and Eve; we already know what their “what if” cost the world.  Their example of self-indulgence set the stage for the lives their offspring would lead; it cost them every pure joy and privilege they had known.  At this point they no longer lived in the Garden of Eden, where they could eat luscious fruit from the trees God provided and permitted.  One choice, followed by another, their World and ours changed forever. The God who graciously provided for and lovingly fed them from the fruit of the trees removed His blessing.  Now they would know pain and hard work as they toiled to find food from the plants of the field and know shame in their nakedness.  Again, God provided… He made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.

 Fast forward. Look at Cain and Abel; the sons of Bible history’s most famous ‘first couple’. We find each of them given unique talents.  Cain’s skill was farming; his skill was in growing and harvesting food for the family.  Abel’s talent was caring for their animals; he kept flocks while Cain worked the ground. Here is where spiritual application affected physical change.  Genesis chapter 4 seems to imply Cain took his time bringing his offering without much thought to really thanking God for giving him the fruit of his labor.   Perhaps he was so preoccupied with the difficulty of his work that his heart wasn’t really in the timing or the quality of his gift to God. Abel on the other hand, appears to be wholeheartedly grateful for the productivity of flock and selects the very best parts of the firstborn or the “first fruits” of the animals under his care. He wasted no time presenting his “thanks offering” and it pleased God that Abel recognized where his blessings came from. With Abel receiving favor and Cain receiving none, anger and jealousy (despite God’s encouragement to Cain to do the right thing) gave way to another example of choosing the wrong path.  This one cost a life and extreme punishment for Cain.  Probably the worst of it being to live with the memory his brother’s blood spilled at his own hands in premeditated murder.      (Part I of V)

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