My Way or the Highway
8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD.
9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9)
Ever notice how some of our old sayings are just plain bad advice? For instance, we are taught that instead of getting mad we should get even; or at the very least to take them to court. Yet God says that we are not to take out vengeance on others, but to leave that to Him (Romans 12:19). He goes further and tells Christians that we are not to take each other to court (1 Corinthians 5:6-7), but to work things out in a prescribed method (Matthew 18:15-17).
We are taught not to just stand there, but to do something. Yet God's word teaches us that we are not to just do something, but to wait on the Lord (Psalm 37:7, Isaiah 30:18) for the battle belongs to Him (2 Chronicles 20:15, Ephesians 6:13).
What about "don't rock the boat"? I believe that Jesus was a major boat rocker. He transformed the religious establishments of the day, not by trying to change the traditions of the church, but by changing the hearts of the people.
There are many more such sayings that we need to be careful not to simply accept without first comparing them to God's Word. Some fads have used phrases like: What Would Jesus Do? or Jesus Is My Co-pilot (see note below) to remind people to follow God's ways. Whatever we do, we need to remember that God does things in mysterious ways that are not always easily understood by us.
If you are not sure what is right, pray about it, read God's Word to look for the answer, discuss it with fellow Christians you can trust, and look back at how God has worked through your life in the past. Sometimes it is best to "look before you leap" and other times it is best to "take a leap of faith".
[NOTE: this saying was followed by various counter-sayings, such as: "If God isn't your pilot, you need to get out of the chair" to make the point that we should let Him lead. Others followed saying "Jesus is My Navigator".]
9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9)
Ever notice how some of our old sayings are just plain bad advice? For instance, we are taught that instead of getting mad we should get even; or at the very least to take them to court. Yet God says that we are not to take out vengeance on others, but to leave that to Him (Romans 12:19). He goes further and tells Christians that we are not to take each other to court (1 Corinthians 5:6-7), but to work things out in a prescribed method (Matthew 18:15-17).
We are taught not to just stand there, but to do something. Yet God's word teaches us that we are not to just do something, but to wait on the Lord (Psalm 37:7, Isaiah 30:18) for the battle belongs to Him (2 Chronicles 20:15, Ephesians 6:13).
What about "don't rock the boat"? I believe that Jesus was a major boat rocker. He transformed the religious establishments of the day, not by trying to change the traditions of the church, but by changing the hearts of the people.
There are many more such sayings that we need to be careful not to simply accept without first comparing them to God's Word. Some fads have used phrases like: What Would Jesus Do? or Jesus Is My Co-pilot (see note below) to remind people to follow God's ways. Whatever we do, we need to remember that God does things in mysterious ways that are not always easily understood by us.
If you are not sure what is right, pray about it, read God's Word to look for the answer, discuss it with fellow Christians you can trust, and look back at how God has worked through your life in the past. Sometimes it is best to "look before you leap" and other times it is best to "take a leap of faith".
[NOTE: this saying was followed by various counter-sayings, such as: "If God isn't your pilot, you need to get out of the chair" to make the point that we should let Him lead. Others followed saying "Jesus is My Navigator".]
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