Tuesday, August 06, 2013

Disaster

The rod of correction imparts wisdom (Proverbs 29:15).

There was a time when disaster movies were all the rage.  Sinking ocean liners, skyscrapers on fire, passenger jets unable to safely land—movies like these were filled with a large cast of characters, each of whom had to deal with a personal issue before facing the likelihood of death. 

These movies were popular for two reasons.  Of course, there were the special effects—nothing invites spectacle like a major disaster.  But just as important was the human drama.  Would the divorced couple reconcile before it was too late?  Would the coward find some courage in time to be of use?  Would the crook admit the error of his ways and die with a clean conscience?  With a large cast of characters you could never be sure who would live or die, who would find redemption and who would end life having learned nothing from his mistakes.

Sadly, it often takes a time of crisis to make people re-evaluate their lives.  Someone has to wind up in a hospital bed before you realize how important it is to mend fences.  A family member has to move out before you acknowledge that you’ve been mean-spirited or neglectful.  You have to go bankrupt before you admit that gambling has become an addiction and you need professional help.

People wonder why God lets crises come into our lives.  I think that there are times when He has to shout because nothing less gets our attention.  It has been said that sometimes God has to lay you in a hospital bed to get you looking up towards heaven; sometimes He has to drive you to your knees to get you in the right position for prayer. 

Sometimes we are reluctant to punish our children—we feel bad when discipline makes them cry, so we hold back.  God is wiser than we are; He knows exactly how much pain to use if painful correction is what we need.  His goal is to shape us into better people—people who don’t treat each other badly, people who take seriously their responsibilities as children of God.  Most of all He wants us to repent of wrongdoing, leaning on His Son Jesus for mercy and for guidance.  He doesn’t want to use harsh measures to get your attention; listen when He talks softly, that you might avoid unnecessary drama.

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