When Something Good Isn’t So Good

  While browsing my newspaper this morning….err, I mean my facebook news feed!…I came across an article from our local TV station announcing a special class being offered.  The topic was something that I find fascinating and so I began to read further for the details.

That’s when I was disappointed to see that it was being held on Wednesdays at the exact time we have prayer meeting, youth group, and awana at our church.

Oh wait!  It’s only for 8 weeks!  Eight weeks isn’t that long of a time and –oh! – think of all the people I could meet and invite to church and get to talk to and share the gospel with!  This is like a great community outreach!

See how easy it is to take something and spiritualize it?  Even if I didn’t have my commitment as a youth leader, and even if I was not the pastor’s wife, I still would not go.

Why?

Because while the class is a good thing and I would not be sinning by being there, I am not honoring my commitment to my church.

What commitment?

When we came to this church we became members just like my fingers and arms are members of my body.  We knew that they had Wednesday night activities  but chose to attend this church anyhow.  We didn’t have to; no one made us join.  We could have looked for a church that didn’t have stuff on Wednesday nights.  But we chose this body of believers to join.  To commit to. 

It’s only 8 weeks!

Yes, it is.  But it goes back to my list of priorities.  As a child of God – a believer with a personal relationship with Jesus Christ – my relationship is first above all else.  As a wife my husband is second in line.  Then third in line are my children which are then followed by both my real family and my church family.  After that I put in other things like my job, spending time with friends, reading, blogging, extra learning, and so on. 

If that class takes me away from a priority higher up on that list…it’s not good for me.  Even though the class it’s self is not bad.  I can only do so much and I must make choices in life that center around what God says is important.  In the big picture, what will this class do for me and for the cause of Christ?

It is more important that I stay true to my commitment and my life actions be a testimony than it is to go to a class and trying to tell someone why going  to church is important.  My walk says so much more than my talk.

You’re just saying this ‘cause your the pastor’s wife!

No, I am not.  I would say this no matter how my husband got paid.  I believed the same way when I was not a pastor’s wife. 

However, I am not perfect.  I have not always made the best choices and honored biblical priorities.  That’s why I am SO thankful for a gracious God who loves us no matter what we do or don’t do. 

The issue isn’t about God’s love for us…it’s about our love for Him. 

Are you willing to give up something you want in order to show love to God…through honoring your commitments…by growing in your walk with Him instead of playing that extra sport…in spending time with your family rather than watching another hour of TV…? 

The list could go on forever.

Are the good things in your life better than they were before? 

And are the better things in your life the best things you could be doing?