DAY 11 - THE SKY IS NOT FALLING
Whitney Bess, Youth Events Team Lead
When I was a little girl, I was fascinated with the sky. Any time of day, you could catch me gazing at cloud formations or shooting stars or rain droplets in the shadows under street lights. It probably did not help that I was also extremely easily distracted. I still have this uncanny ability to tune things out….drives my husband crazy... Anyways, the only way to get my attention was my mom saying as loud as she could, “The sky is falling!”
In this quarantine season, I was reminded of this story. We have been doing life in a certain rhythm and routine, maybe even a little distracted by priorities we have elevated in our life. And just like my mom, this virus and the media have shouted for our attention, “THE SKY IS FALLING!”
Can I be the first or even the 1,000th person to tell you, the sky is NOT falling. Jesus is entirely aware of this season and actually has a lot to say about it. In Luke 12, Jesus is not playing around. He was “dropping bombs” in the words of the great theologian, Eminem.
He starts by calling out the hypocrites (oh! salty), then makes the iconic statement about not fearing man, but only fearing the Lord because He has all authority on heaven and on earth. He talks briefly about anxiety (the bible is some good stuff), and finally, He talks about his return to earth (His “second coming”).
These verses are very interesting to me. WHY? Instead of getting into crazy Book of Revelation details of what most people think the “End Times” will be, Jesus actually speaks to us about how we should be living our lives.
Take some time right now to read Luke 12:35-40.
Welcome back! If you are like Peter and were like whaaa? Peter ends up asking the question simply put, how does this apply to my life right now?
Jesus goes into another parable. I’ll give you the SparkNotes version this time: a servant that worked for a Master with great possessions was blessed with talents, wealth, knowledge, time, and resource. The bible says that he did with those things whatever he wanted. He ate whatever he wanted, got drunk, and did with his friends both female and male whatever he wanted. Does this sound familiar?
Then Jesus says the Master came back and was furious because he spent all his time, knowledge, wealth, talents and resources on himself and his own pleasures.
Look at what Jesus says to you and to me 2,000 years later. For a brief moment, feel the weight of this verse sink in.
“From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” Luke 12:48
I want to challenge us all with this verse. We all have been given talents (Romans 11:29), wealth (we live in America), knowledge (this goes without saying, but that little black box in your pocket is an endless supply of information), time (aka social distancing), and resource (for the most part, our basic needs are met). The majority of the world currently does not have this much.
If I can put into words how Jesus feels about our lives, I think he would say, WOW! MUCH is required from you. MUCH is required from this generation.
Why? Because if we do not catch that our time, talent, wealth, knowledge, and resources are for others then we are going to fall into thinking, much like the servant, all I have is all for me and my pleasure.
SO what does this look like practically? If we are blessed with talents, wealth, knowledge, time, and resource, it is Jesus’ expectation that we use these to glorify God and benefit others.
In your journal, make 5 columns or circles or bullet points evenly spaced out. Write each category out: talents, wealth, knowledge, time, and resource. Ask God to challenge you in each area, and start writing out how you can serve God and others in each category. Maybe FaceTime a friend and share what God is speaking to you in this season.
What I have loved about this quarantine season, is that it has been a global reset button. This has been an uncomfortable, peaceful, chaotic, fearful, restful, lonely time. If you were to ask anyone right now, we have all experienced the breadth of human emotion - and that’s an understatement! Priorities have shifted from big corporations down to family units at unprecedented rates. Let your priorities be changed by Jesus in unprecedented ways.
For my husband and me, this quarantine experience has exposed a lot of areas in our life that need to be refocused, challenged, and honestly in need of repentance. You might find some areas on your list that you might not be able to accomplish right away with the laws and restrictions we are currently under. That’s okay! Jesus is far more after the posture of your heart exiting this season.
Be encouraged today that the sky is not falling. Jesus is speaking. Can you hear Him?