I’m Going the Wrong Way

I sponsor a child through World Vision in Tanzania, but walk past hungry children in my own neighborhood. 

I pray for my neighbor and friend to not be lonely and for God to show him love, but don’t drop by for very many visits. 

I went on a mission trip to Asheville, but don’t volunteer in my own community. 

I sing psalms in church praising God, but don’t praise God and his blessings upon me when talking to my friends and family. 

I study the Bible and memorize scripture, but don’t follow the basics… 

And worst of all, I am aware of all this and each day will still over complicate things and on most days fail to be obedient.

I tend to over complicate what God wants from me.

“The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple… The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous.”

Psalm 19:7,9

What are his decrees and how can I be obedient? 

Jesus says there are two commands greater than all others in Matthew 22:37-40:

“Love the Lord your God with all of your heart and with all of your soul and with all of your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: “Love your neighbor as yourself. All of the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.””

I need to stop over complicating God’s calling for me. I need to look for opportunities in my own backyard to love my neighbor. And I need to just do the basics.

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks in the mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it— not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it— they will be blessed in what they do.”

James 1:22-25 (emphasis mine)

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