You've heard the phrase "Cheating Death". It's often associated with "Dodging A Bullet" which is an associative figure of speech that's similarly effective at describing the escape from a tough situation.
Typically, as we age, we qualify circumstances as such. Chronic illness eventually sets in, accidents occur, and so forth. Hence, we often must work to seek treatment and care to heal. And this is considered one's prerogative as people around you intercede and hope for recovery.
And this approach is Biblical. Jesus healed people, even going so far as to raise the dead. He did this out of compassion, recognizing through his own humanity the horror of what sickness / death brings to mankind as the end result of our sin laden flesh.
But what of "Cheating Life"?
------------------------
Last week, my two oldest offspring accompanied me on a business trip to MO / AR. On Thursday, we drove almost as much as we had on the previous Monday (+/-7 hours), but this time, it was unabashedly rural during our entire journey. Eventually, we made our second stop at a gas station in "Nowhere", AR, and literally, there was nothing there but the gas station itself adjacent to the interstate highway.
Inside was a Subway sandwich shop upon which we lighted, eating out sandwiches whilst watching the locals come in and out like clockwork. Immediately, I recognized that something was out of sorts as the handsome young clerk kept repeating the same diatribe relative to there not being any available lottery tickets for sale that day. He did this with almost every patron that graced his presence as everyone seemed keenly interested in getting in on the action. And when I say almost everyone, I mean it. The desire to play the AR lottery that day seemed to cross racial and socioeconomic lines equally.
After the girls and I finished our early dinner there at our booth, I approached the clerk and asked what percentage of patrons purchased lottery tickets there at the "Flash Mart". He looked at me quizzically and almost went to the rear of the counter seeking some assistance in answering my inquiry. I then volunteered an answer by saying, "75%?". He confirmed my guess before providing commentary as to how many of his daily customers come in repeatedly throughout the day to purchase. And then surprisingly, he seemed to confess when he mentioned the addictive nature of what he was selling.
-------------------------
As Christians, we're to be both transformed in our thinking and keenly aware of our witness. The latter has to do with our influence due to those commands of Jesus which were centered on "spreading the gospel to the ends of the Earth". We do this most effectively through our story, and each time we're involved in evangelism, we in turn mature forward (grow) as Christians. It's a win-win for everyone involved.
If we truly believe this, we'll pity those who work towards attempting to cheat themselves out of their lives by either purchasing lottery tickets, gambling, or involving themselves in any other forms of fruitless, witness tainting entertainment.
'Cause that's what it is. Witness tainting entertainment.
Witness tainting means no longer extra-ordinary. Essentially, it neuters your influence as a Christ follower by lumping you in with all the other mindless Americanized automatons.
But you might argue that we Christians have a right to be entertained, but that's the Americanized version of Christianity which isn't Biblical. Christians have no rights. And we are called to be content in all situations which jives with our role as slaves to Christ.
-------------------------
I grew up in the '80s. My middle class only-child childhood was built around video entertainment. Cable television primarily but also film. My 'rents and I made love to our Toshiba 19" CRT television (with stereo sound!) almost every night, and if there was a Spielberg movie to the seen at Meadowbrook Cinema 6 in Jackson, we were there! To me, this was normal. I mean, who didn't embrace video entertainment as our family did? The answer: nobody, or so it seemed.
The problem with this video entertainment lovemaking is that it's no different than buying lottery tickets every day (or hour of every day).
Both are attempts to cheat the life that we've been given to live, and in my opinion, both are similarly as effective at this.
To cheat life is to not be content with our present circumstances. It's as simple as that. Gambling and corporation produced video entertainment feed on this discontentment, and I would argue, neither can be participated in sans mucking up your Christian witness. And yes, this mucking up / working against includes consuming endless quantities of corporation-produced video entertainment, no matter how you slice it.
So what are we to do as Christians? Stop purchasing beer and cigarettes at the convenience store with our gallon of milk? Eschew watching Internet porn on our pocket computers, even when we're itching to delve into the latest videos of our most favorite porn star?
What about taking shockingly cheap vacations to the beach / Caribbean built upon the mandated 2.5 hour time-share sales pitch, knowing all the while that there's absolutely no way we'll be signing the bottom line?
Are you kidding me? Maybe the better question is this one: Are you a Christian? If so, where has your understanding and sense of protection relative to your Christian witness gone to (if it ever existed at all)?
Perhaps it's gone to America. The majority of Americans cheat death (excellent healthcare) and life via their pursuit of endless entertainment happiness, but this pursuit of the latter (seemingly entitlement) is not in line with Christianity. And it never was.
Remember, just because you're an American doesn't disqualify your soul for the fires of hell, therefore consider eternity today. There's much to be gained there as you ponder either being a slave to Christ or your own self and how that should play out within the everyday life that you live for everyone within your sphere of influence (even salesmen who're interested in selling you timeshares).
No comments:
Post a Comment