Sunday, October 18, 2009

Obedience vs. Knowledge


Are you ever afraid to cross over bridges? Guess it depends upon many factors ... how long, how high, are there guard rails on the side, is it cloudy, or who is driving? Right!?

When we are trying to simply get from one side to the other, and we've not been on this path before it gets a bit precarious at times.

What happens when someone in authority tells us what to do ... to cross over somewhere you've never been before? Do you resist or do trust? Guess it depends upon many factors ... how long, how high (are the demands), are there guard rails, is it clear what is on the other side, or who is driving? Right!?

It's so different when it is my idea compared to someone else telling me to do it, especially when my parents, boss, or even God tells me to do something I really don't know I need or want to do.

When obedience is truly applied for the first time in your life you have no idea what to expect on the other side. All circumstances of crossing over are unknown, you've never experienced this before. The next time you are challenged to crossover, you act on knowledge and not true obedience. Another way to consider this would be: obedience requires trust, when knowledge depends on experience.

So what, you say? Living life is so much more exciting and rewarding when we obey. Please don't misunderstand, living life with knowledge is good and proper. Look at the picture above. What if you were the person who was told to build that bridge? You had no idea that so many people depended on your obedience, so many would benefit from your actions, and think of accomplishment and reward. It would last and span for lifetimes! The knowledge you would bring into that decision, and the knowledge you would accumulate through that obedience would be priceless. It would take faith, another word for trust, to begin such a task - a journey.

What are you facing today that you are resisting? Is someone telling you to do something that you know is right, but you don't know how to do it? That's familiar with so many of us. We depend upon ourself too much of the time. We tend to do things in life our own way. Much like our parents, teachers, and coaches who know what is good for us; God has created us to trust and obey Him. The problem is we resist and accomplish little in our life.

Today - build a bridge. The reward is great and the benefits are endless. The bridge maybe something as incredable as the one pictured above, or it may be a simple bridge of trust in the God of eternity. Truth is, we are all heading somewhere. Where are you going?