Wisdom

My Own Little World

February 11, 2016 by Terry M. Buster, Sr. Leave a Comment

O Heavenly Father,

How easily I slip into my own little world. A world that revolves around me, sometimes, not always, just sometimes. I’m fully aware that I don’t know it all. (It’s Your job to know it all.). But I like my place of solace and comfort. It’s that sheltered spot where I look at life around me and I’m glad I’m not like them. Now most of them aren’t too bad, they just dont’ get it like I do.

When I retreat to my tiny cosmos everything is so simple. It all makes sense there. You know if people would only listen to me (and maybe even listen to You a little) I suppose things would go much smoother in life. After all, I’m a pretty good guy. I’ve been around the block a few times. I have life experiences that certainly qualify me to take special note of what’s wrong and what’s right. Surely my insight counts for much more than most people give me credit.

To be downright honest, I like my own little world. You know I love You. But to be honest, that standard of righteousness You place before me is pretty demanding. Let’s get real. You know I can’t be perfect. When it gets down to the nitty-gritty, I really don’t want to be perfect. There are times I don’t even want to be close to perfect. In my little world there are things I want to do …… things I want to say ….. things I want to feel that I’m more than willing to let slide for the time being even if You aren’t pleased with them.

Truth is, I don’t live in that safe, cocooned world, do I? That little world is all in my head. More’s the pity for all too often, it’s in my heart as well. I’m really not that smart. When it comes to the events and people around me, my perception isn’t nearly what I think it is. I look at myself and have to admit that I’m not that wise nor capable in taking care of me. What makes me think I can figure it out for anyone else?

Somebody bigger than me is going to have to figure it out. Figure it out for me. Figure it out for everyone. Someone wiser, stronger, and smarter needs to be in charge. Hey, that’s You! You created it all. You give us life and all Your goodness. You made it and You set the tone. You made it, so You must know how it works. It’s at this point that the wheels fall of the wagon. I try to take charge both in my little world and Your vast creation. I choose to be imperfect. If something is imperfect, it’s not right. It’s not what it was created to be. Truth be told, if it’s imperfect, it’s flawed, it’s wrong. If it’s wrong, it needs to be made right. It needs to be fixed.

Wow, so that’s why You sent Jesus to die on the Cross. He paid the penalty for my imperfections. For everyone’s imperfection. You call our imperfection sin. If anyone has the authority call it sin, it’s You. I’ve just got to trust You in this. I’m glad You sent Your Son on my behalf. I’m glad He volunteered His life to take my penalty. I’m glad You give me faith to trust You. I’m glad You gave Your Bible to show me the Way. I’m glad that You have saved me from myself as I trust in the work of Jesus.

So Lord, give me Your wisdom and strength to burst the bubble thin walls of my own little world. When I want to retreat, give me courage to live in the world You made. Give me a burning passion to think, to love, to speak, to feel, and to act in the real world in a manner pleasing to You. May my own little world decrease exponentially as I live in the only world there is until Jesus comes again to set all things right.

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Got Stress?

December 31, 2015 by Terry M. Buster, Sr. Leave a Comment

Why is it that the simplest, clearest statements in God’s Word are the ones that trip us up most often? “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding” (Prov. 3:5). Sounds easy enough, doesn’t it? Just trust God. After all, its His creation. He’s in charge so why increase our stress level by trying to know it all and figure it all out? Sounds easy, but we know its not. Here are four suggestions that might help us trust Him more and in so doing, lower our stress level from day to day.

1. Don’t assume that just because you don’t see it happening — its not happening.

2. Don’t assume that just because it doesn’t make sense to you — it doesn’t make sense.

3. Don’t assume that just because it isn’t the way you want it done — its not being done correctly.

4.When its not your responsibility — don’t assume that you see the situation better than those involved especially those to whom God has given leadership responsibility.

Let’s be honest with ourselves. Each of us has more than we can handle trying to take care of the joys & responsibilities God has given us. After all, our perspective on our own lives is a bit skewed. (Who doesn’t think he/she could solve all the problems of our government if they would just listen to us?) What makes us think that our perspective is spot on when we critique someone else according to our own wisdom?

There are times when we have the responsibility to evaluate what is going on around us. But we should never confuse the responsibility God gives us in one area of life with the ability to see and know what is right or wrong in all situations. As a pastor, I will never see all the ministry happening throughout my congregation. I expect our Sunday School teachers, missions leaders, and ministry leaders to have a clearer sense from God in how to lead the people given to them in those ministries better than I. When I lean on my own understanding, despair or delusion is not far away.

The bottom line is this. I must simply trust that God sees more than me, knows more than me, understands better than me, and has a better plan than me…..because He does! The sooner I learn and apply this the sooner my stress level goes down.

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Choose Wisely

December 28, 2015 by Terry M. Buster, Sr. Leave a Comment

My favorite Indiana Jones movie is “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.” I love the scene when the venerable knight warns Jones to “choose wisely” as he seeks the Holy Grail. Indiana did just that as he selected the true Grail setting among the false grails. However, he soon faced another crucial test calling for wisdom with the choice of leaving the grail behind or being buried in the collapsing Temple. Once again Jones chose wisely. Apparently one wise choice in life doesn’t guarantee wisdom along the way.

In 1 Kings 3:5, God made Solomon an offer he couldn’t refuse, “Ask what I shall give you.” This was an open ended offer, an opportunity for wealth or power or long life or anything he wanted. Solomon responded by asking God for wisdom in order to discern between good & evil as he led the people of Israel. God gave him his request and it was the best thing Solomon could have sought.

Solomon started out well, but he did not continue to choose wisely. In time he followed the morality and customs of the unbelieving world around him. Solomon traveled a path eventually leading him to worship many gods, turning his back on the One, True God. The people of Israel followed his leadership and the nation was fractured when Solomon died.

God warned him that this would happen when He said, “I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you have been before and none like you shall arise after you…..If you walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days” (1 Kings 3:12, 14).

We sometimes forget that being a child of God entails a journey, not an event. We are called to be faithful throughout our days. God gives us His Word, His church, His Spirit, and fellow believers to guide and encourage us along the way. Just because we were faithful to God at one time does not guarantee that we are traveling on the right and proper road now. The life of a believer is a Journey, not an Event. Baptism, knowledge of God & His Bible, and good intentions are of little value if we do not continue to put them into practice.

If Godly wisdom guides our path, we must choose wisely and continue to do so.

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