Spreading the love of Jesus...the Cowboy Way!

Missing the Point

Acts 6:9-10

Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called) -- Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia. These men began to argue with Stephen, but they could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke.

Thoughts for Today:

In the mid 1800's as the west was settled in our country, families would pack their entire homes on covered wagons and join other groups as they ventured west. These wagon trains would follow well established trails. To this day these trails remain visible, because after years of rain, wind, sun, snow, (freezing and thawing) the tracks were eventually hardened into stone. So much so that a wagon had to be built to certain specifications so it would fit in the width of the track including a high center of gravity to not bottom out.

There is nothing wrong with being in a rut or following a path. After all, like in the western days it can serve a very useful purpose in helping us to reach a destination. The problem is when if we stay in the rut despite having arrived at our destination -- we miss the point of why we do what we're doing. The Jews from our story were like that. They had so long been on the path to the Messiah -- that when He came and went -- they completely missed Him because they were so focused on their own established routines and thought processes.

How do we avoid a similar situation? I think the key is in verse 8, "they could not stand up against his wisdom or the spirit by whom he spoke." Every once in a while, God breaks into our daily routine with a person or a word that shakes us up because it challenges us or is in opposition to the way we are used to doing things. The question is will we pause long enough to listen and adjust?

Questions to Ponder:

Take a break from your routine and consider for a moment: Has God been allowing interruptions to get your attention? When that happens, ask yourself: Do I have the right focus and priorities established? What is the goal? Have I missed Jesus? Am I on the right path? What needs to change?