I met a man long ago when I was first starting out in life and everything
was new and exciting. He had written a book, “Excuses-the Disease of Failures,”
and I found it fascinating. He was still young, old to me at his ripe old
mid-thirties, but had written down stories of all the excuses he had ben given
by people who told him he would never succeed. He had seen between the lines of
their reasons to fail, and committed himself to never following their example
again. Not a how to book, not even a guide to being successful, he had just
written down lessons he had learned for others who failed. Learning from
failure, sometimes his own, but learning from others mistakes, overcoming their
excuses, and not veering from the vision he had been given. Adversity had made
him strong, he was tested and had passed, while the others still made excuses.
From it I took the idea that whenever anyone gives me an excuse, I take it as a
lie. And I don’t like being lied to....
You see I have lost almost everything three times, been fired from the best
paying jobs I ever had while on top of my game, been falsely accused of things I
never did, and been life flighted, made medical history and given little or no
chance to live. All without making any excuses. I have learned from all of
them, and still learning. I have found good advice only works if taken, losers
will make excuses and become a burden, and somehow blame you for their failure.
I have been frustrated when telling someone what to do when asked, and seen them
disobey and go down in flames. I have neglected good advice, thinking I knew
better, I was the exception to the rule, and wished I had listened. I tire of
opinions, I rather deal with facts, and find true testimonies of Jesus Christ
uplifting and encouraging. Inspirational. Yet I find too many who teach or
instruct, have all the answers, yet have no experience. They give advice to
those sick about how Jesus will cure them, but never have been critically ill
themselves, based on here say. They never miss a paycheck, yet tell the jobless
how to have faith. They never miss a house payment, and have no idea what it is
like trying to make rent. The world is full of them, a breed of excuses of a
different kind.
So many how to books have been written and read and then applied to life.
The books stores are filled with them, yet I have never seen my friend’s Excuse
book anywhere. Maybe it hits too close to home, maybe the excuse part is
negative, and maybe it is easier to believe a lie than to face the truth. Pick
your reason, er excuse. Isaiah tell us of a man who will be born, described as
“wonderful counselor, mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace.”
Those are some mighty recommendations, yet often he is neglected, his words
twisted, excuses made, and only as a last resort his advice taken. He charges
nothing for his advice, it is readily available, and private sessions are
encouraged. He makes no excuses for who he is, or why he came. Yet those who
follow him often do. Never taking in the fullness of who Jesus Christ really
is. He is too many times only compared to someone earthly, and sounds too good
to be true. He is prayed to but rarely listened to, and then summarily blamed
when we fail. And we still call him Lord.....
As a wonderful counselor he reveals things about us that we don’t know or
will not admit. He offers advice and the solutions to our situations, he shows
us the way, even if it may be dangerous and not what we want. He has faced
every dilemma we ever will and has overcome them, even death. Yet we neglect
his advice. He is referred to as Mighty God, unmistakenly referring to his
place in the trinity, never boasting or bragging, just the fact of who he is.
Which should be enough to worship and trust him, yet we try him every day to
have him prove who he is. And he never fails. He is the everlasting father,
who knows no beginning but has always been. Everlasting, no end in sight
either, no matter how far you go back or go ahead, Jesus is always there. He is
the only one who can give eternal life because he is eternal and is the life,
yet offers sinners a chance to become children of God and part of the family of
God. To enter his kingdom. He was resurrected, so we can be also. And finally
he is the Prince of Peace. His peace goes far beyond anything physical or
emotional we may desire, it is spiritual in nature, and more than a high or a
quickie nirvana. It goes deep, beyond situations, it is Christ within us, his
spirit dwelling inside of us. It accepts no excuses, he is pure truth, and all
these things are found in the person Jesus Christ, and revealed by his spirit
within you when you are born again. He is the truth, maybe that is why I don’t
like being lied to, I know the truth, and on a first name basis.
So to those of you who still make excuses, please excuse me. Excuse me
from your selfish pride, thinking you know better than God. For in your
excuses, you really are admitting you know better than Jesus, your counsel is
better, your decisions mighty, you won’t change because you are right, and him
wrong. You neglect he who been around since the beginning, claiming it is all
new, when it is only new to you. And you find peace when things go your way,
but never know the true peace only found in Jesus. I can hear the excuses and
the name calling already, I’ll take it as a compliment, they did the same to
Jesus. I am not in the same class as him, but in his class I am still learning
and trusting. And not making excuses any more. So what is your excuse for not
trusting Jesus? Maybe God needs to spend some time with you to see how to
figure things out. But could it be you really need to spend some time with
him? You’ve been given the answers before the test, or isn’t that good
enough?
Please explain to me, what part of forgiveness do you have a problem with?
What part of mercy? What part of being saved by grace and not works? Admitting
you are a failure is the beginning, not the end. How do you describe your God?
We hear your words, I hope the excuses made don’t match your actions. Loser.
Not a bad place to start, but a lousy place to end.
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com