How much does it take for God to get our attention? Are you walking near enough to the LORD that you hear His voice when He speaks? When you do hear what He is prompting, do you obey Him, or do you continue doing whatever it was you were doing?
I suppose that when we are not listening to God’s voice – when we are sort of “on our own agenda” – God is not a fan. He sees what we cannot. He knows where that path will lead us. He desires something different for us – something better.
Yesterday I got to spend some time with a little guy who was absolutely on his own agenda. Even though for most of the time he was at school, he had an adult assigned to him, very little of his time at school was spent being safe or following directions. He simply looked – well, feral.
Multiple times he was given a direction, but the direction was blown off. Multiple times this little guy was hurting other peers. Biting. Hitting. Tackling.
At one point during my interaction with him, while I was trying to get him to follow my simple one-step directions, I actually decided to try using my visual direction cards on my lanyard. Literally speaking, I do not know how I could have made my direction more clear for this little guy to stop. It was only after many repetitions of the one-step direction, with a visual, as well as my hands preventing him from continuing to do what he wanted that he complied. (I use that word loosely. He complied in the sense that he stopped that particular behavior and moved into yet another defiant, but a somewhat more appropriate one.)
I do not believe this child intends to be mean. I do not believe that this child desires to hurt people. I honestly believe that this child has a large number of needs, and has very little – if not inconsistent – help to address his needs up to this point. My guess is that he is used to simply doing what he wants when he wants. My guess is that he misses people, and is not connecting how his actions impact others in any way. My guess is that empathy, as well as skills like listening, following directions, friendship skills, among others, are simply lacking.
He has a long road ahead of him.
Interestingly enough, while this little guy may not have these skills naturally, for many of us that is just not the case. We have the skills – we just choose not to use them. We know better but still, choose to use behaviors that leave a destructive wake behind us. We don’t like what someone (perhaps Jesus) tells us to do, so we decide that our own feelings should dictate our actions. We might not be so bold as to say we think our way is better than his, but the evidence of our actions absolutely points to it.
Like this little guy, we leave a trail of hurt and disrespect behind us. Through our words. Through our treatment of one another. Through our disobedience.
Just like I desired this little guy to obey – to follow adult directions – so God desires us to follow His.
James, the brother of Jesus, says it like this: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” (James 1:22) Knowing the direction – hearing it – is not enough. It does not please God. What pleases Him is when we follow it.
In schools when students obey the teacher’s directions, they are rewarded for their obedience. They are given recognition, incentives, and privileges that those who are disobedient are simply not given.
It is similar with God. “If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth.” (Deuteronomy 28:1)
God desires your attention. He desires your obedience to his instruction. God wants to shape our behaviors and bring them into alignment with His will. His way. If God needs to keep adding in “supports” or allowing extra consequences based on our disobedience – He will. He will not force us to follow Him. But friend, remember that God will not reward our disobedience. He will not bless our poor behavior.
LORD, whatever areas in our lives that we are not giving over to you – each and every area that we are determined to stay in control of – LORD, would you help us to release to you? Help us to remember that Your way is the best way. Give us hearts that desire to submit to You in obedience. Unstop our ears to your prompting. Soften our hearts to obey. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Blessings!