If You Are Convinced You Are a Guide...

Day 538: Questions of Responsibility, Part 4: Romans 2:19-20 ...if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth...     Thoughts for Today:   Today is the final of a four part series titled: "Questions of Responsibility." Paul clearly wrote these words (Romans 2:17-20) to the Jews, however I think we can learn a lot if we apply them to ourselves as well. In many ways, we are just like the Jews -- two thousand years after Jesus died, Christianity is no longer an upstart religion -- it is well established with numerous traditions of its own. Unfortunately if we are not careful, we too can totally miss Jesus when we spend our time trying to follow rules rather than the Lord. We started in Part One with who we are: "If you call yourself a Christian, then what are some of your responsibilities?" In Part Two, we looked at our attitude about being a Christian, "If you brag about your relationship with God, then there had better be a lot of fruit in your life (or it's just empty boasting)." And Part Three asked a leading question: "If you know God's will" -- In other words, do we read and study God's Word ourselves or do we just follow the opinions of others. We conclude today with Part Four: "If you are convinced you are a guide." Not long ago, Amanda, Sherry and I were at the airport where we met a woman who trained "helper" dogs -- dogs taught to assist the elderly, handicapped, or the guide the blind. Of course Amanda, who loves dogs ran right up to the dog to pet it until she read a sign on its back asking parents to keep their children from doing so: "I am a working dog." While we waited for our plane we talked with the woman at length about the dog's training -- a large part of which was re-education: it was no longer a pet, had a very specific role, and it's duties must always be performed. As we talked it got me to thinking about my responsibilities and how and why they had changed over the years. When I left college to get a "real job" I had to get up early, shave, shower, and put on a suit including a freshly laundered shirt and tie (sandals, a tee shirt and shorts were no longer appropriate attire). When my first child was born, my sleep was interrupted with midnight feedings -- ones which I couldn't ignore -- and as a parent I had a whole new set of responsibilities which further redefined me as a person. When I became a Christian, my responsibilities again changed forever. I always find it interesting to see how Christians answer this question: "How have your responsibilities changed once you became a Christian?" A lot of people answer with: "I pray, read and study the Bible, attend church, sing in the choir, etc." But what about the other responsibilities Paul describes in our passage today: "a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, an instructor of the foolish, (and) a teacher of infants"? Are you fulfilling those responsibilities as well?     Questions to Ponder:   What does the Bible say about our responsibilities as Christians? We have been given an amazing gift, but what are you doing with it? When was the last time you shared your faith? Is your life a light in a dark and desperate world? Do you point the "lost" to evidence of a Divine and Holy Creator? How well versed are your children in Biblical truths? Are you convinced you are a "guide" for those who have been blinded to the "embodiment of knowledge and truth" in Jesus Christ?