Steady As She Goes
For over a year now, I can not get this memory out of my head:
Our family had taken our first cruise back in 2007. It was then that we fell in love with this type of vacation. We enjoyed being transported from one Caribbean Paradise to another without any effort at all. We loved the fine dining and activities and especially the nightly shows. One of the nights, as we exited the theatre after the show, we encountered a storm. The seas were rough. As hundreds of passengers exited, we were all funneled into a corridor that led us to the other side of the ship. Picture 6-8 people across and 50-60 people deep walking through this hall. As the ship swayed back and forth, so did we. Although each of our hundreds of foot steps were heading forward, we were all actually walking a few steps to the left and then a few steps to the right, then to the left and then to the right, all in perfect harmony with the thrashing sea.
Can you picture it?
When I first joined all the social media platforms, years ago, it was fun. It was a great way to keep up with people that I wouldn’t normally get an opportunity to see; I could connect with Elementary School friends, College friends, friends that I worked with in North Jersey and family that had moved far away. It was a fun way to celebrate their victories as well as share in each others losses.
But over the years, it has slowly turned…although there are still some of those good life-connecting events sprinkled here and there, much of what I see is what I like to call the “Crisis of the Week”
The Local and World News has made its way to the social media forums and it has literally become a battleground where we are set against each other and where I’m pressed to take a side. And you know what I realized about myself? I am easily swayed by a good argument.
Each week, a new crisis rears its ugly head and drives us with its force to one side or the other; like the waves did against that mighty cruise ship. We are swayed to one way or the other; we are told what to be mad at, what to believe, what to have a problem with, who to side with or against…the list goes on and on...back and forth we go; being enraged at something new every 7 or so days...I’ve done it, I’ve gotten caught up in it...but this shouldn’t be the plight of the believer.
Agitation, aggravation, rage, hate; these are some of the emotions I’ve had as I read and hear the new dilemma our world is facing each week...I am supposed to be cultivating, in my life, the Fruit of the Spirit; Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self Control, not the opposite.
As a believer, I am called to be sober minded and alert ( I Peter 5:14), to set my mind on things above, not on things that are on this earth (Colossians 3:2). Far too often I have allowed the world to tell me what to think and feel, instead of the Word of God. Can you relate?
The Bible tells us, “See to it that one takes you captive through hallow and deceptive philosophy which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than Christ” Colossians 2:8. I am called to destroy speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, to take my thoughts captive and make them obedient to Christ. (II Corinthians 10:5) As a believer, this should be my perpetual position. I am not to be caught up in what the world feeds me, tells me.
So what does this all mean? Does this mean I shut off the world and hibernate? Does it mean we hide our heads in the sand and not be aware of what’s going on the the world? No, I don’t think that’s what God calls us to, either.
God calls us to be in the world but not of it. We are not to be conformed to this world (Romans 12:2). Meaning behaving according to socially acceptable conventions or standards. As believers we are not supposed to be shaped and molded by the information or position of the world. We are to be shaped, molded and transformed by the renewing of our minds that we may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect (Romans 12:2). In the worlds eyes? Probably not, but in Gods eyes most definitely and most importantly.
If you have found yourself boarding the ship that is being pushed by wind and waves of the world, maybe its time to take a moment and consider who and what you are allowing to shape and mold your thoughts and beliefs.