You Better Get Out of the Way Before You Get Run Over
Most people fall in one of two groups…rule keepers or rule breakers. You know which you are.
Either of these taken too far can result in standing in God’s way.
Rules can be misinterpreted and misunderstood. For example –
When a mother returned from the grocery store, her small son pulled out the box of animal crackers he had asked for. He opened the box and began spreading the animal-shaped crackers out on the kitchen counter. “What are you doing?” his mom asked.
“The box says you shouldn’t eat them if the seal is broken,” the boy explained.
“I’m looking to see if there are any broken seals.”
In Acts 11:1-18 some of the Jewish followers began arguing with Peter about his staying in the homes of uncircumcised Gentiles and eating with them. This was forbidden by Jewish rules.
Peter shared a vision he had while praying.
He saw heaven open and something like a huge sheet held by its four corners came down. When he looked in it, he saw animals, wild beasts, reptiles, and birds. He heard a voice saying, “Peter, get up! Kill these and eat them.”But I said, “Lord, I can’t do that! I’ve never taken a bite of anything that is unclean and not fit to eat.”
The voice from heaven spoke again, “When God says that something can be used for food, don’t say it isn’t fit to eat.”This happened three times before it was all taken back into heaven.
“God gave those Gentiles the same gift that he gave us when we put our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. So how could I have gone against God?”
When they heard what Peter told them they stopped arguing and praised God.
Too many times in the Bible the Jewish leaders are rule followers and get in God’s way.
This doesn’t mean that rules aren’t important. Sometimes we go too far the other way and don’t want to adhere to any rules. Or we pick and choose the rules we follow. We think rules can be restrictive and suppressing.
Ignoring the rules doesn’t work very well either.
God has given us our instructions of how we are to live. It’s called the Bible. Like any instructions, if you don’t read, learn and implement them, you won’t get the outcome God wants for you.
God loves us and wants what’s best for us. It’s up to us to read His instructions and put them into action.
Action causes movement, movement causes momentum and if you get in the way of momentum, you’re likely to get run over.
Being a person of action is good. You’re less likely to get run over.
If you read, learn and implement God’s instructions you can inspire others. To lead, you must move forward. People move out of the way of a person on the run; or they’re caught up in his wake.
An army of sheep led by a lion would defeat an army of lions led by a sheep!
Be a lion for God.
A person who moves neither left nor right is destined to get in the way. Many people say they are waiting for God. But in most cases, God is waiting for us!
Read God’s instructions so that you will know His will. Because if you’re not standing in His will, you’re standing in His way…and that’s a good way to get run over.
Some content taken from Andy Andrews’ Active Decision