Have you ever heard someone say that Jesus is their best friend? I have, but one question that keeps coming to my mind when I hear it is whether or not they really treat and desire interaction with Jesus like they do their best friend here on earth. Often times people I’ve heard say this actually treat Jesus as an acquaintance instead of as a best friend. Before we say that Jesus is our best friend, we need to first ask ourselves if we treat Him just as well, if not better, than the person we call our best friend here on earth. If we don’t treat Him the same or better than our other best friends then we have no business calling Him our best friend.
Along those same lines I’ve had another thought. Over the years, I’ve known people that get real serious about the pursuit of their education, their career, or even about different aspects of health and business. I’ve even known people who are very serious for or against different causes, causes such as abortion, marriage, or even gay rights. I’m not going to say that any of these things are bad, or that they are even good, but one thought keeps going through my mind. What would happen if people invested the same energy and resources they spend for these things into their relationship with Christ and living for Him. If we are spending more time, energy or resources into anything or anyone else than we are in our relationship with Jesus and living for Him, then we are missing it and are involved in idolatry as those things are taking precedence over Jesus. Many people talk about how they haven’t committed murder, adultry or even theft, referring to the Ten Commandments, but they forget about the first and most important commandment. Both in the list of the commandments and the two that Jesus mentioned, the first one was that we are to love God with all our heart, mind, strength and body, so if that is not the case then we are missing it. We can rationalize and justify why we may put more energy into these other things than we do our own relationship with Christ and living for Him, but when it is all said and done those excuses will not hold any water. I even have to remember to keep myself in check because sometimes I can get caught up more with my tinkering with computers than I do with Him, and that is wrong. The excessive tinkering with computers can have a negative effect in other areas that I need to be mindful of, but if I can make sure to maintain Him as first and foremost in my life then the other areas will end up getting worked out. I mention that to say that this is something that we all need to be mindful of as it is so easy to get caught up and distracted with others and other things. We need to remember to make a conscious effort to keep Him first and foremost in our lives. Our eternity depends on it, believe it or not.
One simple question to ask yourselves in closing. Is that which you are putting so much time, energy and resources into of greater importance than your relationship with Jesus and living for Him according to His will?
Copyright 2012 – John Johansson
