Monday, February 23, 2015

Chasing Your Tail

By the time the latest investment trick comes along and someone publishes a book telling how to get rich using it, it is too late for people like you and me. While the person who did the trick gets another fortune from the book, we find out that it isn't a trick if everyone is doing it. The world is quite skilled at making us chase our tails in that way. However, amongst all that whooshing noise of people chasing their tails, we may well hear the still small voice of God telling us something that does work and to get to work on it.

Not every method in this madness is a trick, but discerning the kernel of good work from the chaff of tricks can be quite daunting. What does God send to help us with this discernment? We can calm our emotional reaction over the latest thing by asking a few questions: Is it obedient to scripture? Is it faithful in the small things? Is it loving my neighbor? And one that always requires prayer it seems: does it glorify God or is it only for my glory? I, for one, find it easy to come up with ideas for glorifying myself. A lot of fantasies seem to end that way in my daydreams. Prayer and fasting help to separate the chaff from the good works too. The counsel of righteous brothers and sisters in Christ also helps us to calm the doubts, banish the fears, and throw out the chaff of fantasy in our business dealings and life in general.

Following Christ is a sure thing; chasing the tail is so exhausting!

Bucky

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