OFFER THE BEST OF YOU

Post date: Aug 11, 2017 1:58:57 AM

by Mary Ann Gomez – Balajo

Are there times we are compelled to do what’s right? Why are we compelled to do so? Isn’t doing what is right must come naturally among us?

As an innate human behavior, we tend to fail in God’s perfect standard, and why not? Since man in nature, is sinful, as Romans 3:23 says “… for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…” Since we’ve fallen short of the glory of God because of our original sin, we keep stumbling in our walk with Him. In fact, nothing is good in us on our own effort. Everything is futile and everything is meaningless as Ecclesiastes 1:2 aptly stated. How can an imperfect man ever do something perfect? No matter how hard we put on a mask, our imperfections still show, our hypocrisy still radiates and our carnal desire still lingers. What are these instances that show our imperfections? The way we deal with people speaks who we are especially to those who need special understanding. Let’s not go farther. Let’s take a look at a student who often misses classes because of financial constraint or any family problem he’s been dealing with. How many of us have ever tried to reach out to that student without any condemnation? Most of the time, we would get mad with the parents for having neglected him. Well, getting mad with them is a normal reaction from any normal human being, but getting mad with the student’s parents without doing anything to reach out to him is pure hypocrisy. The best thing is to be as compassionate and understanding to him as genuinely as possible. Let’s offer some possible help to reach out to him. Let’s say, we can sponsor his daily allowance or his daily lunch or his daily transportation allowance. There are countless ways how we can show our genuine concern to that student instead of gossiping his story to our colleagues or even to our students.

Well, the given example is a minor thing. What if we are in a situation wherein our morality is tested? Let’s say we’ve fallen in love with the wrong person at the wrong circumstance. Let’s say you are legally separated from your spouse. This guy’s been separated from his spouse, too. So there must be compatibility, right? The truth is, you are both morally liable and sinful even if the law of man says it’s possible especially if you are both annulled from your previous partners. But we are not here to follow what an imperfect man sets for his fellow imperfect creature. We are here to follow what a perfect God sets for His children. This is the best standard we have to set for ourselves – God’s standards. We must be willing to obey Him no matter how hard it seems to us since obeying Him is still the best thing to do as 1 Samuel 15:22 says, But Samuel replied: “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.” Indeed, God desires our total obedience rather than our gifts to Him. If our hearts are not right, how can we ever please the one true God whose heart is always to look after our own benefits and advantage? He has actually done everything for our own enjoyment. All we have to do is to grab these blessings that our loving Father has especially prepared for each one of us. However, there is one prerequisite in order for us to fully enjoy God’s abundant and overflowing blessings – our total submission and obedience to His will – no if’s, no but’s, no why’s, no how’s, just our resounding YES, I DO, LORD. At your footstool I commit my spirit. Only through total obedience that we can become conquerors and overcomers since how can we ever be victorious in our walk with God if we can ever hardly follow what He desires us to do?

God is like us, parents. The way we desire total obedience from our own children is exactly what God wants from us. It gives us total relief and bliss to know that our children heed our advice. That’s exactly what God feels. Once we touch God’s heart, we are sure of His goodness and mercy. As Nahum 1:7 says, The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him. Simply put, if we desire the best in life, let us offer the best to whom the best is due. Let’s offer God our total obedience, surrender, submission, genuine love, awe, most profound respect, undivided admiration, pure worship and adoration and know what? He’s gonna give us matchless favor and let us shine and excel and He’ll bless all the work of our hands. To whom are we here for? We are here for God and whatever we do, work at it with all our heart, as working for the Lord, not for men – Colossians 3:23. This is actually the secret to attain success in life – putting God first in everything we do as Matthew 6:33 says, But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Do we want to excel in our work place? Obey God first and everything else will follow. Anchor on this since this has been tested by successful and renowned individuals whose principles are anchored on God and God has held them in the palm of his hands. Do we want to experience the same thing? Let’s stop compromising in this world’s standards because the world’s standard’s is trash in God’s eyes. Instead, let’s anchor our lives in God’s unfailing love. This is the only thing that lasts forever – God’s eternal love.