Revealing Priorities

      As the family was riding down the road one warm summer evening, a woman in the convertible ahead of them stood up and waved. She was stark naked! As the parents in the front seat were reeling from the shock of what they were witnessing, a five-year-old voice from the back seat exclaimed, “Mom! That lady isn’t wearing a seat belt!”

      What is obvious to us, generally governs our priorities in life, and our experiences in life, generally govern what is obvious. Once upon a time there were six blind men who had never seen an elephant, though they had heard much about the creature. They hired a guide to take them to an elephant so they could satisfy their curiosity. The guide found a tame elephant and the men approached it from different directions to investigate the elephant using their sense of touch. The first man, who touched the elephant’s side, proclaimed that the creature was like a mud-baked wall. The second man, who touched a tusk, affirmed that the elephant was like a spear. The third man grabbed hold of the tail and described the elephant to be much like a rope. The forth man felt the trunk of the creature and believed the elephant was like a large serpent. The fifth man examined an ear and claimed that the elephant was like a large fan. The last man wrapped his arms around one of the elephant’s legs and concluded that the creature was like a tree trunk. Each blind man, based on his own personal experience, was convinced of the correctness of his own conclusion. Each man believed, with all his heart, that he now knew what an elephant was like; he believed his view was the correct one. Without examining the whole creature none of the blind men will ever get a “feel” of what an elephant is really like, thus, they do not know all there is to know.

      [Acts 17:11 & 1 Thessalonians 5:21] In Acts 12 we read that an angel busted Peter out of jail and he goes to the house of Mary, mother of John Mark, where people were gathered, praying for his safety. “…Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer the door. When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, “Peter is at the door!”’ I don’t want to appear judgmental, but I see lots of folks these days running around declaring, “God is at the door!” and forgetting to open the door to let Him in. The folks in the house told Rhoda, “…You’re out of your mind” …But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished.” There are people who hear about God and accept the conclusions presented to them without checking if what has been said is correct. Then there are people who say, “You’re out of your mind if you think I’m going to believe that!” without any personal investigation of their own. Then there are people who answer the knocking on the door of their heart and let God in, and they are astonished at the peace that enters their life. When we read and understand the simple truths of God, and His Word, the obvious becomes a priority in our life. The silly, selfish things of the world seem to fade away and ‘keeping up with the Jones’ doesn’t matter anymore. Although one can live a life pleasing to God while in ignorance about elephants, no one can please God while ignorant of His divine will. Proverbs 18:17 says, “The first to present his case seems right, till another comes forward and questions him.” Spiritual blindness can bring you to the wrong conclusion of God and eternity. Safety in God’s love is more important than comfortable clothing.