Jump Start # 4125

James 2:14 What use is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone says he has faith, but he has no works? Can that faith save him?

It seems that there are certain things that just go well together in life. It is as if they were made for each other. Peanut butter and jelly is one of those things. Batman and Robin is another. Now, Batman and Spiderman, not a good combination. Children and laughter go hand in hand.

Then there are things that do not go well together. I saw one the other day. I pulled up to a stop light. The car in front of me had a large bumper sticker declaring: Student Driver—be patient. I’ve seen those before. But then I looked at the car. It was a Porche. Student driving a Porche? No, that’s not a good combination. The car is too powerful and way to expensive. Student drivers ought to be in an old Chevy or a beat up pickup, not a high dollar sports car.

But, that got me to thinking about other things that just do not go together, especially spiritually. Consider:

First, bitterness in the heart of a Christian. Forgiven people ought to be able to forgive others. The prodigal’s brother had trouble with that. Jonah had trouble with that. Sometimes we have trouble with that and when we do, it sure makes our faith seem sour. The bitter heart is not a happy heart. The bitter heart is filled with misery.

Second, gossip among our family in Christ. That sure seems odd and it really doesn’t go well together. Why talk about your spiritual family in negative ways? Don’t you like them? Don’t you plan to send forever with them? Do  you feel that they ought not have a second chance?

Third, shepherds who are not concerned about the sheep. In the passage of the good shepherd, John 10, the hirling is described as one who didn’t care about the sheep. When the wolf appears, the hirling takes off. He runs. He leaves the sheep to defend themselves. For the hirling, what he was doing was nothing more than a paycheck. He didn’t care. Contrast that to David who rescued a sheep out of the mouth of a lion. He was fighing to the dStudeneath for the care of the sheep.

Some leaders in God’s church view their role as nothing more than a position. They get to make all the decisions and they are out of touch with the lives of the congregation. Shepherds who do not care just doesn’t fit the picture that God gives us.

Fourth, disciples with poor spiritual habits. The true disciple is a praying disciple. A true disciple is one who is in the word. A true disciple is always making adjustments to his words, attitudes and behavior. A true disciple wants to connect with his spiritual family and do all that he can do. Not all are like that. They ought to be. And, when a Christian has poor spiritual habits, his life will be up and down like a roller coaster. Moments of joy and long seasons of misery. Inconsistent. Poor choices. Lacking quality spiritual people in his life.

Student driving a Porche just doesn’t go together in my book. But more importantly, is my life inconsistent with the way God wants me to live? Am I facing the direction the that I want to go or am I more interested in what happens in Hollywood, the sports world and the glitter of our times than the true treasures of a journey with our Lord?

Some things go well together, like faith and works. Like joy and discipleship. And, some things just don’t go together at all.

Roger