Reflections4Life November 3rd, 2013
“Break The Crutches”
“Jesus said, “If you were really blind, you would be blameless, but since you claim to see everything so well, you’re accountable for every fault and failure.” John 9:41
Scripture Contemplation: Exodus 32; 1 Samuel 3;4; 1 Chronicles 7; Acts 5...
I was reminded of an important truth the other day. A truth that many of us may not see; especially when you love someone. When you love so deeply as a spouse, a parent, a child, a sibling. There are times when we allow our love for another to hinder a move of God from happening in our loved one's life. Unwittingly, we have become a tool in the enemy's plan to destroy our loved one, by not following what God said and yielding to the heart strings being pulled. Beloved, it is time to break the crutches. If we are to see our loved ones become who God has ordained them to be, then we must love them enough to no longer be their crutch.
I declare and decree that this week's Reflections will be a continued source of encouragement and inspiration for your heart, mind, and soul. Allow yourself to lay it all on the altar—including your loved ones—and leave it/them there. Trust God to do what needs to be done in their lives. May you have the peace of God in heart concerning the ones you love; trusting them to the Father's capable hands.
It is not easy to see your loved one suffer. It can be heart-wrenching to see those you care about go through anything at all. And, it is in some of our natures to be a nurturer and caregiver; always being there in the time of someone's need. Yet, there is a time when we must step back and learn to allow our loved ones to walk their path. To fall sometimes and to allow God be the One to pick them up.
Far too often we get in the way of what God wants to do in the lives of those we love and care for. Our help can eventually turn into a hindrance. Hindering the move of God in that person's life. Think about this: what if you constantly carried your child around. What if you carried them everywhere, for fear that they were going to hurt themselves? How would they learn to walk? How would they know that they could get back up and start again? How would they come to the understanding that sometimes you can get bruised, but in time, healing will come forth?
You would be crippling your child for the rest of their lives if you always carried them. You would be depriving them of learning their own strengths and weaknesses, and learning how to take care of themselves when the time came. They would never develop strong legs, or a tough bottom if all you ever did was carry them. They must learn to walk on their own. And in the process gain strength in their legs, learn that they can get back up, and learn that they can walk on their own.
Exodus 32:5-8 (MSG) 5 Aaron, taking in the situation, built an altar before the calf. Aaron then announced, “Tomorrow is a feast day to God!” 6 Early the next morning, the people got up and offered Whole-Burnt-Offerings and brought Peace-Offerings. The people sat down to eat and drink and then began to party. It turned into a wild party! 7-8 God spoke to Moses, “Go! Get down there! Your people whom you brought up from the land of Egypt have fallen to pieces. In no time at all they’ve turned away from the way I commanded them: They made a molten calf and worshiped it. They’ve sacrificed to it and said, ‘These are the gods, O Israel, that brought you up from the land of Egypt!’”
There are times in our life when we know what is right, but we do not always do what is right. We yield to the voice of the people. Instead of standing up for what God has said, we give in. And because we give in, we cause destruction to take place. We become the crutch of allowance. Instead of standing up for what is right and holy, we follow the crowd. To appease the masses, we deviate from what is right.
If we know the truth and do not abide by that truth; live and walk in that truth, we are just as guilty by going along with those who are sinning against God. By not standing up for truth and speaking out against what we know to be wrong, we are a crutch to those who will do wrong. Our silence or allowance for such behaviors make us part of the sin, and liable for the consequences that follow.
Samuel 3:11-14 (MSG) 11-14 God said to Samuel, “Listen carefully. I’m getting ready to do something in Israel that is going to shake everyone up and get their attention. The time has come for me to bring down on Eli’s family everything I warned him of, every last word of it. I’m letting him know that the time’s up. I’m bringing judgment on his family for good. He knew what was going on, that his sons were desecrating God’s name and God’s place, and he did nothing to stop them. This is my sentence on the family of Eli: The evil of Eli’s family can never be wiped out by sacrifice or offering.”
God does not fault us for loving our children or wanting what is best for them. But we cannot be the kind of parent that does not give correction or discipline, or hold our children accountable for their actions. There are times when we can become a crutch for those that we love by always bailing them out, and never allowing them to face the consequences of their actions. How can our loved ones come to learn accountability and responsibility if we continue to provide a license for them to do what they want to do, whenever they want to do it without any repercussions for their actions? We become just as guilty as they.
Why do we conspire to cover up lies and believe that we can outwit God? Or, act as though we know better than God? God knows our hearts. He knows all that we do and say. He knows our thoughts before we think them. Yet, many of us have knowingly lied and covered up sins and wrong doings for those that we love, believing that we are only being loyal. What? Loyal to sin? Loyal to cover up a life that is not pleasing to God? Helping those to continue to live a life of lies, and acting as though everything will be all right?
It is time to break the crutches. God is holding us accountable for our actions and inaction. God is not idly sitting upon His throne and watching us, winking at our iniquities. He is not moved by our devotion to our loved one's sinful behavior. He is not pleased by the excuses we make for them. Yet, He is holding us accountable, and their blood is on our hands. How can we know the truth and not live it or teach the truth? How can we say we love God and love our family, and not allow God to do what needs to be done in their lives? We cannot continue to make excuses, or become an excuse, or continue to bail out our loved ones and expect them to become who God has ordained for them to be.
If we love those the way we say we love them, then we must be willing to let them fall and get back up on their own. We must be willing to let them walk their walk on their own. To learn and to grow and to come to God for themselves. There is only one Savior, and His name is Jesus Christ. Tough love is often allowing those we love and care for to come to the realization that only God can deliver them and save them from the course their life has taken. Not mother, not father, not wife, not husband, not a child, sibling or friend. Do not be the crutch that eventually brings death—spiritually and physically—to the ones that you say you love. Let God be God. Let them fall and allow God to pick them up.
I decree that the spirit of peace and of prosperity has found permanent rest in your lives, spiritually, physically, emotionally, mentally, socially, and financially. Trust your loved ones to God. Place them on the altar and allow God do for them, what He has done for you. Let Jesus become their Savior and Deliverer. Move out of God's way, and see what the Father will do when you have complete faith in Him. You are Blessed. Now go...and Be a Blessing, by allowing God to be God!
©2013. Ruthe McDonald. All Rights Reserved.
No comments:
Post a Comment