Are You Seeing the Big Picture?

I was watching something the other day and the character was complaining about people forwarding stupid stuff by email, and then it dawned on
me—that’s not so much of a problem anymore.

I remember a time when it was a major complaint.  People forwarded stuff—everything actually—mindlessly to everyone they had on their email list.

With the advent of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and so forth, there are other places to post funny or trivial things.  We don’t have to be the recipient of endless “forwards” because we almost have to go looking for them if we want to see them.

It’s funny how things come into our lives sort of casually, and how they sort of slip away without us taking note.  I know this will date me, but I can remember quite vividly when I first saw “www” on the side of a truck.  And after seeing it a few times and not knowing what it was, I remember remarking that it seemed like it was everywhere!  What could it be about?

This generation does not know a world in which “www” does not exist. 

I also remember, I am embarrassed to say, my initial rejection of microwaves.  “People will stop cooking!” I remember thinking.  Again, today, the present generation probably wouldn’t know what to do without one.  And, I must admit, although my “people will stop cooking” prophecy did not come true (far as I know), I frequently depend on mine for warm-ups.

And one last thing, leaf blowers. I’ll just throw this one in for free—I thought they were dumb when they first came out, and honestly, I still do. 

I guess this would be a good place to stop my diatribe.

Anyway, as you can see, I am kind of a big-picture person, and what concerns me today is how much is happening around us that we may not be aware of, things that have the potential to change our world like “www” or microwaves, without us even realizing the impact.

Everyone’s journey of faith is personal.  For some people, it sort of creeps up on them without them realizing it has taken hold of them.  For others, it sort of slips away without them realizing what they have lost.

For the former group, their potential for continued growth exists in their increasing awareness, education and ability to integrate faith into their life.  

For the latter group whose faith has slowly slipped away without them realizing it, there remains the possibility that an event in their life, or an encounter, will wake them up again.

There is a third group.  It exists as those whose faith is lukewarm.  They happily call themselves Christians and minimally practice, nor fully believe, what their church teaches.  They are proud to be a Christian, but outside of a weekly worship service, they live as if God is not relevant to their daily lives.  Their words and actions certainly do not reveal their Christianity.

Which is more dangerous?

To have a diminishing faith, or a lukewarm faith?

The first group has potential for growth, so they’re okay; the second group, if nurtured, can recover what is being lost, but the third group?  The third group is stagnate and unaware of the impact being lukewarm has on the eternal outcome of their life.

In the last book of the bible, The Book of Revelation (Chapter 3, Verse 15 +) it says:

“I know that you are neither cold nor hot.  I wish you were either cold or hot.  So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.”

Ouch!

But read on:  “Those whom I love, I reprove and chastise.  Be earnest, therefore, and repent.”  God stands at the door and knocks. If we hear God’s voice and open the door, he will enter our house and dine with us.

“Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches” we are told.

The message here is clear.  We need to step out of our minimalist concept of faith and look with hope to God who desperately loves us.  We need to trust in him, turn away from sin and embrace the gospel wholeheartedly. Obviously, God is calling us and is patiently waiting for us.  

In which group might you be found?

Janet Cassidy

janetcassidy.com