A LESSON FROM THE FRONT YARD
Php. 4:8
“Whatever
is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is
lovely, whatever is admirable if anything is excellent or praiseworthy think
about such things."
Yesterday I did my annual "spring thing" with the lawn when I cut the
grass shorter than usual and then apply fertilizer. I used to spend a lot of
time trying to kill weeds. I would spread herbicide and spray herbicide and
pull them out and dig them up. What I generally ended up with was a lot of
bare spots. I have learned that it works a lot better to just focus on growing
healthy grass. Why? Well, when the grass is healthy it doesn’t leave room for
the weeds to grow.
I think this is a good analogy for Christian living. You see, one can put their whole focus on sin and then live a life of avoidance. People who do that are always on the lookout for evil things so they can be sure not to do them. Paul touched on that kind of living in Col. 2 when he asked: “Why do you submit to rules like, ‘Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!’?” He goes on to say that a life lived in that way may have the appearance of wisdom, but it really doesn't help people avoid sin. It is far better to fill your life with service to Christ and His church; to focus on truth, nobility, godliness, and that sort of thing. When a life is filled with God, where can sin find room to grow? "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled" Matt. 5:6.
Pastor Keith Andrews